Shhh! Cowboys Rookie Micah Parsons Has A Secret for Panthers

Says Parsons: “It really shouldn’t matter (where I play). ... If you’re a dog, you’re going to be a dog.”

FRISCO - Micah Parsons has a secret.

“Man, I can’t give that stuff away,'' the prized Dallas Cowboys rookie defender said this week in preparation for Sunday's visit from Carolina. "I want the Panthers to be on edge.”

It so happens that here inside The Star in Thursday's workout (the media-allowed portion of it, anyway), Parsons appeared to do more work at defensive end that he has in recent practice weeks. But in the end, the first-round pick has been a force almost no matter where he lines up.

Which is the goal.

Said Parsons: “It really shouldn’t matter (where I play). ... If you’re a dog, you’re going to be a dog. It shouldn’t matter where you are on the field, you should have unbelievable effort and tenacity.”

Let's not anoint the Cowboys defense as being "unbelievable'' just yet. But the remarkable transformation of the Cowboys on that side of the ball is real.

And maybe we can pinpoint three reasons why.

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Yes, as our Richie Whitt writes, "Quarterback Dak Prescott is the story of the Cowboys through three games. Maybe the best story of the NFL. He's on pace to be not only Comeback Player of the Year, but perhaps also Most Valuable Player.''

But the Cowboys defense is making a similarly astonishing mark on the NFL, because of the newcomer Parsons, the newcomer Dan Quinn (as coordinator) and the second-year cornerback Trevon Diggs. Not from a gruesome ankle injury, but more so record-setting ineptitude.

Parsons, we've covered. As Ross Tucker notes, Micah "has 16 pressures in three games even though he played linebacker in Week 1, has played less than 40 snaps each of the last two games, and hadn’t played end since high school.''

Trevon? He's the one doing the covering, his three interceptions keying a Dallas defense that leads the NFL in takeaways.

And Quinn? The Cowboys had a credibility problem with the defensive coaching staff last year, with Mike Nolan a failure. A lot of names have come through here in the last few years - Rob Ryan, Monte Kiffin, Rod Marinelli, Kris Richard, Nolan and now Quinn.

In Atlanta, they struggle to think of him as a "winner.'' After all, he's the man who was in charge of the Falcons when they lost a 28-3 lead in Super Bowl LI.

But in Dallas, they think of Quinn, who helped build the famed "Legion of Boom" defenses in Seattle, as a "Super Bowl-caliber coach.''

In 2020, the Cowboys were gouged for 57 touchdowns and 473 points, both franchise records. They gave up 200-plus rushing yards, twice. Worse, players stand accused of not giving full effort.

There is none of that now.

From Whitt: "The Cowboys rarely play a traditional base defense, instead using a 4-2 alignment that gives linebackers freedom to roam and employs a gaggle of athletic players in the secondary. It helps Quinn, obviously, to have drafted a versatile monster like Parsons. But where the Cowboys have for years pined for a playmaking safety (remember when Jeff Heath was the best they had?), Quinn is squeezing the best out of guys like Damontae Kazee, Malik Hooker and Jayron Kearse. And, overnight, cornerback Trevon Diggs has blossomed into Everson Walls, a ball-hawking superstar.''

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Last year through seven games, they had only three takeaways. In 2019, they had four through five weeks. But today, as they get ready for Carolina? Quinn's Cowboys have intercepted Tampa's Tom Brady, the Chargers' Justin Herbert and Philadelphia's Jalen Hurts. 

Lots of guys have contributed as they've played three games. But these three guys - Quinn, Diggs and Parsons - are central to the turnaround. We cannot be sure what is going to happen next; recent history says some skepticism is merited. But we can also not be sure where defensive leader Micah Parsons is going to be next, either.

It’s a secret.