Cowboys’ Micah Parsons embarrassed himself vs. Panthers | Former scout says it was one horrible performance
On Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Carolina Panthers, no thanks to linebacker, defensive end, whatever the hell he is Micah Parsons.
In my 40 years of watching the game, that was one of the worst displays of football I have ever seen in my life.
Let me rattle off some words about Parsons vs. Carolina from my handwritten notes:
- Lazy
- Super soft
- Lethargic
- Low energy
- Jogged
- Half-speed
- Little to no fight
- Poor use of hands taking on blocks
- Hesitant
- Slow off the ball
- Slow to react
- Quit
- Eyes looked sad
- Looked gassed towards the end of the game
- Got handled
- Half-assed blitz attempt
- Got pushed out of the way
- Sluggish
- Clumsy looking
Normally when it comes to Parsons and my articles about him, I include video of his bad plays, but this time I pretty much would have to embed the entire 60 minutes. Cowboys nation – – I encourage you to watch #11 on every play. A full game replay is available currently on YouTube and it is on NFL Game Pass.
I went back and charted Parsons on every run and pass play against Carolina:
22/30 negative graded passing plays.
19/21 negative graded running plays.
Parsons was worthless against the run. I do not know if I have ever seen a player on an NFL defense want less to do with the run than Parsons. I think whoever is thinking this guy is a possible candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year, should have their head examined. He completely gave up on both Sam Darnold touchdown runs and he wanted nothing to do with the 3rd and 1 and 4th and 1 plays when he was positioned at inside linebacker either. He just stood there and watched like he bought a ticket to the game.
Parsons showed no fight and no will to win on those plays.
Are you kidding me?
Parsons looks more like linebacker Jamie Collins who just got cut by Detroit for playing give-up football than anything else.
There were several Cowboys’ defenders who played highly spirited football against Carolina, Trevon Diggs, and Randy Gregory to name a couple. Damontae Kazee also laid down the sledgehammer on that one hit on that receiver. Those guys were impressive and the home crowd fed off their energy. However, Parsons looked like he did not give a damn most of the time. I challenge anyone in America to go back and watch that game film and tell me different. I will bet my next job in the NFL on the fact nobody in America can come against the things I am saying about Micah Parsons based on the game film. I do not care about conjecture, or wishful thinking, or any other non-sense. I am talking about game film analysis.
Count the number of plays he jogged backside on a play or didn’t even try as he danced around or went half speed while plays were still actively going on.
Parsons made two-run stops when he was unchallenged and one sack coming off a failed cut block. He also looked like he could cover well enough and run with his assignments. There was one pass play however down by the goal-line he got smoked on an inside move and luckily for Parsons, Darnold did not see it and went somewhere else with the ball.
Outside of that, Parsons was weak and soft at the point of attack. Carolina’s offensive linemen handled him. Offensive tackles easily rode him around the perimeter of the pocket. His lack of physical strength and twitch in his hips keeps showing up play after play after play when offensive linemen kick his ass.
In my pre-draft scouting report (click here to see it). I labeled Micah Parsons as an “explosive underachiever.” There is no question, Parsons has the raw ability. That is the frustrating part. He flashes it once in a blue moon. This is the absolute last type of player a Dallas team needed who is trying to get over the hump. This is also not some type of one-off game either. This is how Parsons has looked in most of the two other games I watched him, as well against the Buccaneers and Chargers.
It is a shame the Dallas Cowboys drafted an anchor in the first round. I do not mean that in a good way. As others are ascending, Parsons is weighing down this roster.
Dak Prescott is looking like the Comeback Player of the Year, Ezekiel Elliott is running harder than I have seen him run in a while and Amari Cooper is playing his best football, then we have Parsons who is out there and just going through the motions and collecting a check.
Micah Parsons only plays when he wants to, which is not all that often.
Daniel Kelly is a former NFL scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He currently writes for Sports Illustrated Detroit Lions and he is a contributing evaluator for Draft Diamonds. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @danielkellybook and his Facebook page is WHATEVER IT TAKES NFL TALK.
