The Dallas Cowboys are heading into Week 2 of the regular season 1-0 as they prepare to take on the New York Jets.
Micah Parsons is coming off of a one-sack game against the Giants. But he has been studying the Jets to ensure the pass rush continues to pressure opposing quarterbacks.
Does Aaron Rodgers Being Out for Sunday’s Game Impact the Cowboys’ Defensive Game Plan?
Parsons spoke about wanting to play Aaron Rodgers in this game, expressing, “I know how great he is, and I loved the matchup last year. It left a bitter taste, and people always talk about how Rodgers dominates Dallas when he plays in Dallas. So it would’ve been nice to break that curse. But I hope he gets healthy, and, you know, I hope he comes back next year.”
But the edge rusher doesn’t expect anything different from the team despite Rodgers being out. He even credited Zach Wilson, saying he’s not a bad player and it’s his team.
Nonetheless, the “Lion” will take the same approach in studying Wilson’s pocket presence and things he likes to do, something he does for any quarterback he faces.
Despite Rodgers not playing in the game, Parsons is still expecting the power from fans attending the Cowboys’ first home game of the regular season as they “defend the land” from the Jets.
“I expect AT&T to be on another level. I expect the energy. I expect everything. With Aaron, it was a terrific team. Without Aaron, it is still a great team. So we need that same energy,” expressed Parsons.
Parsons Discusses Earning the Pass Rush
It’s a known fact that teams will do what they can to avoid the Cowboys’ pass rush, especially with Parsons in the mix.
Parsons knows being dominant up front helps the team earn the right to pass rush.
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He conveyed that the team is familiar with Dalvin Cook from years past and is preparing for Breece Hall since he is a different type of running back from Cook.
He described the defense as having their hands full with the Cook and Hall. But the goal is to make the Jets’ offense play from behind.
What Is the Ultimate Term of Respect for Parsons?
Parsons was asked if he likes teams double-teaming him during games and creating a ripple effect to open up someone else on the Cowboys’ defense. Parsons sees it as “the ultimate term of respect.”
“If you feel like you gotta do more for me than anybody else, you just respect me more, and I just take it as that. They wanna get in my head, but I’m like, bro, I’m here, you dealing with me like I’m not dealing with you,” said Parsons.
Who Does Parsons Describe as a “Bad Man”?
A teammate that was able to get open last week against the Giants was Osa Odighizuwa, who had two sacks for 11 yards.
Parsons describes Odighizuwa as “a bad man” who is learning how to utilize his strength and arm’s reach.
“Osa’s the type of guy he’ll go squat 400 or 500 pounds right after games, just a bad man. And now he’s a guy that’s putting it all together who’s just getting better and better,” he said.