Micah Parsons feels Cowboys protection cannot fear about Lamar Jackson till fixing ‘effort and method’ points

FRISCO, Texas — Dealing with the Baltimore Ravens and their star-studded offensive backfield of two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry would trigger any protection to fret. 

Dallas Cowboys three-time All-Professional edge rusher Micah Parsons even referred to as Jackson “in all probability the greatest dual-threat quarterback within the league and in historical past, at present” on Tuesday at Elevating Cane’s. Courting to 2023, the second of Jackson’s two NFL MVP seasons, he has handed for 26 touchdowns and solely eight interceptions, which is tied for the fourth-best landing to interception ratio within the NFL in that point. He has additionally racked up no less than 750 dashing yards in every of his first 5 NFL seasons from 2019-2023, probably the most such seasons by an NFL quarterback in NFL historical past. 

Nonetheless, Parsons as soon as once more targeted on the Cowboys, going off on his protection teammates at his common media availability after observe on Wednesday to gentle a hearth below them concerning their effort and method. They have been shredded by five-time Professional Bowl working again Alvin Kamara for 115 dashing yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries, a mean of 5.8 yards per carry in New Orleans’ 44-19 Week 2 win on the Cowboys on Sunday. Kamara totaled 180 yards from scrimmage to go together with 4 touchdowns. 

 Based on Professional Soccer Focus, the Cowboys’ prime 4 defensive tackles — Osa Odighizuwa (45.6 PFF defensive grade, 91st out 115 NFL DTs), Mazi Smith (28.9 PFF defensive grade, 114th out 115 NFL DTs), Linval Joseph (31.7 PFF defensive grade, 111th out of 115 NFL DTs) and Jordan Phillips (29.6 PFF defensive grade, 113th out of 115 NFL DTs) — have carried out like a number of the NFL’s worst at their place to start 2024. Proper now, Parsons would not consider it is price desirous about Jackson’s distinctive skills till Dallas cleans up their very own mess. 

 “I believe it was effort and method. …. In some unspecified time in the future, all 11 [on the field] acquired to have the identical mindset, and that is simply toughness,” Parsons mentioned on Wednesday. “You discuss who you need to be and all this different stuff. however you have acquired go on the market and be it. It may’t simply be one man. It may’t be two guys. It is all 11 guys. It takes everybody. I have an effect on the linebackers, the linebackers have an effect on the DBs. We aren’t all synchronized.  One group’s getting F’d up, then one other group’s going to get F’d up. It is a synchronized chain. So on the finish of the day, it is all about toughness and having the mentality like I will dominate the person in entrance of me. Not all 11 had that final week.”

He spoke about how Saints quarterback Derek Carr solely wanted to drop again to move, in a standard sense with out play-action, a measly 5 occasions on Sunday. That was the bottom quantity of true dropbacks (no play-action) in a Week 2 recreation final week by a large margin as the subsequent quarterback above Carr, Cardinals Professional Bowler Kyler Murray, had 13 in a 41-10 win versus the Los Angeles Rams. That statistic is what Parsons targeted on when requested about containing Jackson when he drops again to move, maybe as quarterback spy together with second-year linebacker DeMarvion Overshown. 

“It is an important likelihood,” Parsons mentioned of he and Overshown spying Jackson to maintain him within the pocket. “So long as we keep in our rush lanes, we do what we’re imagined to, however importantly is to get him to move the ball. We did not do a adequate job of that. So till we present we will earn the correct [to pass rush], I imply what, we had three dropbacks final recreation? That is outrageous. That is not even a soccer recreation. It is like we’re enjoying pony soccer once more. So till we repair the basics, I am not even nervous about Lamar at this level.”

Veteran Cowboys linebacker Eric Kendricks mentioned on Wednesday that the protection as an entire has to “buck up.” Parsons agreed. 

“Toughness. Step up. Ain’t no different selection,” Parsons mentioned when requested about defending the mixture of Jackson and Henry. “Derrick Henry’s going to return downhill, prefer it or not. So it isn’t like a matter of are you going to cease it. It is simply, are you going to do it or not. I do know I am prepared for the matchup.”

Micah’s motion

Considered one of new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer’s main objectives this season was to create extra one-on-one matchups for Parsons, the 2023 NFL quarterback pressures (103) and quarterback stress charge (21.8%) chief, and transfer him away double groups and different strategies offenses use to try to take him out of the sport.  Parsons was double-teamed on 35% of his move rush performs in 2023, probably the most within the league amongst edge gamers, per the NFL’s Subsequent Gen Stats. 

In 2024, Parsons is off to a different nice begin with 14 quarterback pressures, the third-most within the NFL and solely three behind league chief Aidan Hutchinson (17). The issue is just three of these pressures got here in opposition to the Saints on Sunday, with a lot of that to do with New Orleans controlling the sport on the bottom. Once they did throw the soccer, Parsons felt they used “a maze” involving chipping and max protections to maintain him off steadiness. That is not what Zimmer hoped for. 

“Perhaps I attempted to make use of him somewhat bit extra in a variety of various things,” Zimmer mentioned on Monday. “Hindsight is 20-20. …. It might have affected a number of the different gamers and requested them to do too many issues this week. That is why I say I have to do a greater job with that. When he performed the run, he performed excellent. He performed a six method, he performed a 4 method, he performed a 9 method. Clearly, there are a few performs he wish to have again, however I believed he performed very properly. In all probability performed pretty much as good as anyone.”

Micah Parsons’ profession defensive snap alignment

*Knowledge based on Professional Soccer Focus

Regardless of predominantly lining up alongside the defensive position, Parsons’ alignment alongside the defensive entrance has diverse, per PFF. 

Micah Parsons Defensive Line Alignment, 2024 season

Per PFF

• 3 snaps at left defensive finish (LDE, defender lined up on or shading the correct sort out in a three-point stance)
• 14 snaps at exterior left defensive finish (LEO, defender lined up fully exterior of the correct sort out and in a three-point stance)
• 37 snaps at left exterior linebacker (LOLB, defender lined up 1.5 yards or much less from the road of scrimmage, lined up on the within shade of the correct sort out or wider and in a two-point stance)
• 1 snap at proper defensive finish (RDE, defender lined up on or shading the left sort out in a three-point stance)
• 27 snaps at exterior proper defensive finish (REO, defender lined up fully exterior of the left sort out and in a three-point stance)
• 17 snaps at proper exterior linebacker (ROLB, defender lined up 1.5 yards or much less from the road of scrimmage, lined up on the within shade of the left sort out or wider and in a two-point stance)

* 57 of 63 defensive snaps alongside defensive position in Week 1 

** 42 of 43 defensive snaps alongside defensive position in Week 2

The three-time All-Professional mentioned it is on his teammates to execute their tasks when he strikes round as a result of his motion is not him free-lancing. Everybody on the Dallas protection is aware of what’s coming.  

“On the finish of the day, I really feel prefer it ought to enhance individuals, proper? The expectations is like I am the person who’s gonna get the slide, I am the person who’s going to get majority of the chips and the double groups. You realize, the harassment. We form of anticipate individuals to win. Like I do not actually suppose transferring round is like that troublesome for individuals you understand? As a result of it isn’t one thing we’re not working towards or we’re not doing. That is all observe conduct. So it might be surprising to me in the event you have been to restrict me as a result of I’d suppose [it] can be the worst factor.”

The worst factor for the Cowboys can be for his or her protection to be run over two weeks in a row in loss in opposition to the Ravens. Sunday will reveal if they’ll jolt their run protection again to life.