Cowboys' Micah Parsons: Is Something Wrong? 'Trench Warfare!' Explains Dallas Star to Von Miller

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons' production has dropped off recently. And yes, there is a reason.

Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons has had a great start to life in the NFL. Through 29 games, Parsons has 25 sacks to his name and is one of the leading men on coordinator Dan Quinn's defense.

But he hasn't been his usual disruptive self of late.

And yes, there is a reason that Parsons - never shy about telling his truth - is now expressing.

“People don’t understand that trench warfare,'' Micah said on the "Von (Miller) Cast'' (via Jon Machota.) "I’m not gonna lie, when I was playing linebacker a whole lot last year, my body was way more fresh. There were some plays I wouldn’t get touched. 

"When you’re on the line, you’re getting touched every play.”

And there you go.

It is no secret that the "Lion-backer" has dealt with his fair share of injury concerns. He suffered ankle and knee injuries of which he recently stated, "I've never had that (pain) before."

He had also been seen with a shoulder brace over the last couple of weeks after he appeared on the Cowboys' injury report before the team's 49-29 win over the Chicago Bears. 

Is he still dealing with both? Something else? All of that? His number suggests the possibility.

In his last two games, Parsons has failed to record a sack against two below-par teams and has not even had a tackle for loss, either.

Against the Indianapolis Colts and the Houston Texans, he has registered just one total QB hit - very un-Parsons-like. 

Another important stat of note is that Parsons has seen his snap numbers fall over the last month.

Before the Vikings game, Parsons only had two outings of under 50 defensive snaps. They came against the Los Angeles Rams and the Detroit Lions. Micah has been under 50 snaps in three of his last four outings, and in the one he was over, he had 51.

Coincidence? 

So, his production has dropped, and his snap count has also dropped. Is there an underlying issue with Dallas' star?

"I think it frustrates him when (he doesn't) make a game-changing play when that's you're calling card to do that," Quinn said.

That's part of Miller's point as he tells Micah in the video visit that his influence and his next contract will be so large that they'll re-name the team "the Arlington Micah Parsons.''

Von Miller on The Von Cast: “You changed (the Cowboys’) whole defense, just one drop of Micah Parsons and it goes crazy, like one of the best defenses in the league. When it’s time to pay you … you might get your own team. You’ll be playing for the Arlington Micah Parsons.” pic.twitter.com/uJ8QLIupdK

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) December 14, 2022

But for now ...

What's the solution? Fewer snaps and more rest? Less edge and more linebacker? 

Micah, just 23 and in his second NFL season, likes to say of his bumps and bruises, "That's football.''

But if the "trench warfare'' isn't allowing No. 11 to be a game-wrecker? That's not Micah Parsons football.

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