were opportunistic with turnover, short Fields, fumble
return for a touchdown that made the game 18 to nothing and
then they just kind of
held on built the lead to 24 to nothing. And then that's when
Washington
began to come back and they did make it very interesting. Got
it down to 27 to 20 and who knows what ultimately could
have happened? It just felt like Washington, literally ran
out of time that games a little bit longer.
Washington forces, a tie, and maybe they end up in overtime.
But Dak Prescott had a couple of interceptions including
an interception return. One of those. What do you thinking
moments when you're up by 14 points, 13 points actually
late in the game,
just just a strange kind of a day,
but the Cowboys get a critical win because
Washington was right on their heels with to game deficit and
two games against each other. Down the stretch
and five to play
Washington. Could have taken, that division becomes a lot.
Harder now, they'll get together again, coming up.
But now with a three-game lead that is just what a huge, huge
swing,
but Cowboys did not. We talked about the Browns,
we talked about with a bucks.
We could talk about it all day long about the Vikings on
Thursday night. You got to have that killer instinct. You got
to put teams away and you know, even though the Cowboys got
the win, they failed to put away their division rival Mike.
Well, yeah. Listen that the offense
wasn't fantastic. You lose Tire on Smith again. So we'll see
what goes on there. You know that pick-6 at Holcomb head for
Washington. When you watch that play member, there was a d
lineman in front of
it because everybody's are going. How does he not see him?
Well, those are D lineman right in front of Deck saw his guy
but didn't see Holcomb come here cross because it was
blocked by the deal. I mean that was in the face of Dak
Prescott.
So it really looked bad. Like, how do you not see that guy
right there? Well, because there's a large 300-pound man
in front of you.
Yeah
watch him from see that you thought you had your guy that
was wide. Open this Dallas defense.
I thought did a fantastic job when you get into Washington
and Kyle Allen comes in for heinicke and lead to come back.
But, you know, they're up 24 zip. 27 8 is Is Dallas
that defense has been playing? Well, you know, they score on
defense Michael Parsons. And I mean what what more can you say
about him? And what he's doing? I thought I thought Isaiah
Simmons who
the Cardinals got from Clemson was going to be
along these lines of kind of that
be able to play linebacker, be able to rush be able to cover
kind of that jack-of-all-trades. Michael
Parsons has come in and is just imagine if he was just an edge
rusher,
the sack seat have or if he was just a linebacker.
You Of the the interceptions he might have he's just but
they're playing them incredibly well and how they're using him.
Whether off the edge or Blitz,
it up the middle,
you know, he's beaten,
you know, all Pros on offensive line. You get the sacks. It's
incredible. What he's doing this defense, you know, Gregory
coming back and how he's playing. The defense is playing
well at times again, we've seen them, not play as well at
times. It's been kind of the story of the year
of inconsistency, but for the most part, boy, they put on
a show yesterday. Day, and then the offense just really
couldn't couldn't, you know, put the nail in the coffin
there? And then Kyle Allen comes in starts
corn, you know, leaving scoring drives a bit for Washington,
but that was, you know, that was kind of
the mo for the day, wasn't it? We've gone over. Just about
every game words. He met a big lead in to hold it. So it's not
like Dallas was alone in this.
Yeah. Hynek had that knee injury in the fourth quarter
and
I think sometimes teams just exhale a little bit too early
and the other team doesn't go along. Worth it. And the next
thing you know, it's a more interesting game than it needed
to be that defense to have Michael Parsons Demarcus,
Lawrence and Randy Gregory all available at the same time.
It just shows you how good it can be. And it doesn't have to
be this high-powered, Dallas offense and it wasn't
yesterday. We mentioned Prescott. Couple of
interceptions. Tony Pollard didn't play because
of a plantar fascial that he tore on his long touchdown. Run
the 58 yarder against the Saints a week and a half ago,
so they really didn't have Have the offensive kick but it was
four turnovers and five sacks and the defense rose up
and took care of it and we're seeing that ability,
you know, if the offense is down, the defense can be up. If
the defense is down, the offense can be up and
the Cowboys have some balance there, but that defense is
capable of being special and you mentioned Parsons. I talked
to him after the game
to me Mike. He's got some old school
football in him. He's got some throw back
some physicality at a time when that's being legislated out of
the sport. And it's not dirty. He just like you saw what he
did.
Taylor heinicke,
gets to me, just throw him down,
not roughing the passer,
but he's physically capable to do it
and I'm going to throw him down and he did.
And he likes lining up all over the place.
He says that contributes to the chaos. He creates
because nobody really knows where he's coming from
and he's got the flexibility
to stand up. Put a hand in the dirt move inside, move outside.
So you always have to be conscious. He's quickly
becoming almost like
A Troy Polamalu was where you always have to know where this
guy is
because wherever he is, if he has a
crack that he can slip through. You have a problem.
Listen, without a doubt. I mean,
when you start to have to be game plan for and know exactly
where you are, and that's what's going on. And it's just
rookie. Remember, this is a guy that opted out to, you know, is
last year at Penn State
and he's just come in and I can't tell you.
How impressive it is
that he does it from everywhere.
You know, there are guys, that could just our Edge rushers and
they're really good there. But he edged Russia's, you know, he
ends up, you know, when you can match him up and get him out of
a cliff. He Brandon, Sheriff, you
know, an All-Pro Right Guard. I'm one of those then when he's
mad about a back, I mean, are you kidding me?
What a disadvantage that is,
but to have the ability to not know if he's coming. Is he
coming? Is he not? Where is he dropping doing covered? Not
knowing where he's going to be. And then the way on a
On the way, he feels and plays behind the line.
It really is incredible
for what he's doing and how easily
he's picked it up
in a very short time.
So, I mean all the credit in the world, obviously, to that
defense, the coaches and certainly Michael Parsons in.
Giving the coach has the ability to move him around. He
has to be a good enough player to be able to say, we're going
to move you all over the place.
You can't do that and just get
toned everywhere. It doesn't do any good obviously, so
he with his ability to get matched up whether it's
an offensive tackle offensive guard or running back. He's
beaten them all. So yeah. Now you have to count for account
for number 11,
and that goes all the way to the game plan that you get
handed on every every Wednesday.
And that's the key to. You. Got to be smart enough to
understand what your role is in relation to the rest of
the players, if you are moving around. So there aren't gaping
holes that you vacate. When you do this or you don't blow your
assignment. Over the case may be
And Peter King said a few weeks back that he sees a lot of
Lawrence Taylor in Michael Parson Sims was saying that
last night on football night in America. And I asked him about
these comparisons Lawrence Taylor. He said, I think LT is
one of the greatest pass rushers of all time,
but I want to be my own person.
My own man. I want people to be like you pass rush,
like Michael Parsons.
So
we see that attitude. He doesn't want to be the guy
who's compared to somebody else. He wants to be the guy to
whom others compare themselves. And he's already on his way in
and I know
because there's already the pushback we've seen plenty of
great defensive players over the years, Who start off
incredibly well as rookies, and don't sustain it. And Jevon
Kearse who had 14 sacks as a rookie with the Titans
and was never quite that great ever. Again,
Parsons is too short of
curses rookie record. He's got 12 sacks will see what but
look. Let's just enjoy what he's doing now,
but I think we're seeing
From him. Now, the versatility to me is the key
that versatility. If he can stay healthy enough to play
the way he's playing
that versatility is what's going to carry him to multiple
Pro bowls and All-Pro and defensive play there. Defensive
Rookie. They may as well just name the award after him.
He's going to win that.
The question is going to be defensive player of the year as
well. Mikey could win both.
Yeah, he could without a doubt. Yeah, I know miles. Garrett is
up. There are four what he's doing TJ W for the sacks that
he has
as well. But the different, you know, since we're bringing up,
you know, what do you do after that? And I'm with you, let's
enjoy what we're doing. Now. Let's not look to three years
down the road and see, is he still doing it. But
the difference is, you mentioned a guy like Jevon Kearse. Join
curse is
an edge rusher, you know, you can do things are no matter
what Edge, he's rushing on. You can ship, you can double team,
your back can catch him in the ribs, a tight end can hit him
before he Those with the, with the offensive tackle with
Michael Parsons because he's so versatile
and you can move them, doesn't mean you can't.
It's a little tougher to get a bead
on him and say we're going to double him when he's lining up
in the middle. You can't just say, well, we're doubling him
because you know what, you don't even know if
he's coming. You know, Jevon Kearse for the most part is
rushing. Like a person's may not be rushing.
You think he might be in your life. Oh, but then he may drop
into coverage so you don't know. So you can't get a bead
on him as much. As you can just like your your
quote-unquote normal Edge rusher. He's so much more than that
and just amazing to watch and the Cowboys who had a little
bit of a rough patch there that was a huge win for them
yesterday and they continue forward. They got a good game
coming up with the Cardinals
in a couple of weeks. I got Washington again,
they're going to make the playoffs. Question is,
do they have any shot at climbing above the four seed?
Probably not. But they'll be the division. Champions will
have a prime-time game. Presumably in the Wild Card
round and where they go from. There,
we'll see.