Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons is one of the best in the NFL at pressuring the quarterback. However, there are some who are not a fan of his game. ESPN released a survey of executives around the league, which had the young pass rusher ranked third behind TJ Watt and Myles Garrett. Parsons took exception to these rankings, especially when the network used certain statistics to back up the rankings.
Dallas Cowboys Micah Parsons On ESPN Stats
The knock that many have on Dallas Cowboys edge Micah Parsons is his lack of sacks. While he has had double-digit sacks in his first three years, his pressure rate indicates he should have more. ESPN pointed out that Parsons had a “35.3% pass rush win rate is nearly five percentage points higher than anyone else.” However, the lack of sack numbers has left him on the outside looking in when it comes to the Defensive Player of the Year award.
The specific stat Micah Parsons has an issue with is the number of double teams. The sports network reported the Dallas Cowboys star was double-teamed 167 times in 2023, which was the highest by far. Parsons thinks it is a lot more. He claimed “there’s no way it was 167 double teams,” and insinuated it was more like 500. He was double-teamed quite a lot, mostly due to the fact there were not many other players on the team’s defensive line to worry about. Does Parsons have a point?
Does He Have A Point?
First off, there is no way Micah Parsons was double-teamed 500 times. That would mean he was double-teamed on nearly every single snap, which isn’t possible. However, it does bring up a point about our obsession with sacks. Fans and media tend to fixate on that number and view it as the barometer for how good someone is. Pressuring the quarterback can be just as disruptive. If a quarterback is under pressure, it may force a bad throw or a bad decision. This may not show up on the stat sheet, but it does affect the game.
One of the issues Parsons has as well is the presence of Watt and Garrett. There is no denying those two players are elite at their position as well. The fact all three of them are in the league right now is great for fans but not great if the Dallas Cowboys want their edge rusher to win awards.
Big Year Incoming?
The Dallas Cowboys want a big year out of their young pass rusher. He remains without a contract extension, so personally, he would love to show Jerry Jones he is worth every penny. Analysts can throw out any stats they want, but there is no denying his impact on the game. Critics will say he needs to step up in big games. There will be plenty of them in 2024.
The Cowboys are at a crossroads. If they fail to make a deep playoff run this year, this team could look very different down the road.
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