'We Underestimated Micah!' Jets' Coach Damning Reveal on Cowboys' Parsons

New York Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett speaks about what went wrong when game-planning for Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons. They "underestimated'' him?!

It is getting increasingly difficult to write about the Dallas Cowboys without focusing on All-World edge rusher Micah Parsons. ... almost as difficult, it would seem, for an opponent to "underestimate'' him. And yet ...

Dallas has exceeded expectations through two weeks, looking like one of the best teams in football. Outscoring opponents 70-10, they very well may deserve the top spot in your favorite pundit’s power rankings.

Parsons has three sacks and a forced fumble in two games. He’s the best player on the league’s premier defense. Sure, neither the New York Giants or Jets have looked like trouble, but this level of dominance is borderline unprecedented. No defense has been better at preventing points and yards, at forcing sacks and turnovers.

He made headlines again on Thursday after New York Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett took to the mic. ... and issued quite a reveal, saying the Jets "underestimated'' parts of Parsons' game.

“We had a lot of different hands we wanted to put on him,” Hackett said. “As the game got out of hand, you need to get more guys out. We needed to get some quick, easy completions.”

The Jets’ offense unraveled in the 30-10 loss. At some point, the Cowboys’ game-breaking talent just won out. New York quarterback Zach Wilson managed just 12 completions, tossing three interceptions. Poor offensive line play was never going to fly against this Dallas pass rush. He was sacked just three times, but pressure killed what felt like every drive.

Of course, Parsons - emering not only as an early Defensive Player of the Year candidate but maybe even as a league MVP - played a significant role in that.

“We even underestimated his speed on the quick game,” Hackett added. “It’s one of those things, we looked at the tape, we corrected it and saw how we can help ourselves out with that.”

Luckily for the Jets, they won’t see anyone as dynamic as Parsons chasing down their quarterback the rest of the way. They host the New England Patriots on Sunday, while Dallas sets its focus on the Arizona Cardinals - and the Cardinals surely focus on not "underestimating'' maybe the NFL's best player.