The Dallas Cowboys are 3-7, and even though they’re mathematically still alive for a postseason berth, very few teams around the league feel as listless as America’s Team does. Dak Prescott is out for the season, Mike McCarthy’s is on a seat so hot he’s practically engulfed in flames on the sideline, and a defense that had been formidable each of the last few seasons has absolutely crumbled in 2024. Despite their record, there is one individual in Dallas who is holding out hope for the Cowboys this season.
Earlier this week, star linebacker Micah Parsons boldly declared that the Cowboys were “a damn good football team,” and on Thursday he doubled-down on this take, specifically noting that he believes Mike Zimmer’s defense will end the season on a high note.
“In terms of how I believe we are and where we’re going, by the end of this year, you’re going to say Mike Zimmer didn’t have all his pieces, but we sure did put a damn good defense together,” Parsons said during a press conference, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. “And I can take that, because I know we can grow from that.”
Parsons has played in only six games this year after a Week 4 ankle injury against the Giants sidelined him for over a month. In those six games, the three-time All-Pro has been limited to three sacks, which is well off the pace he’s set over the first three seasons of his career. In addition to not having Parsons for the entire month of October, Dallas also has been without 2023 interception leader DaRon Bland all season.
The remaining schedule won’t be too kind to the Cowboys defense. Dallas has a combined five games against Washington, Philadelphia, Cincinnati and Tampa Bay remaining, all whom are among the seven highest-scoring offenses in the NFL. And to make matters worse, a Cooper Rush-led offense has not even shown a glimpse of being able to keep pace with any opposing offense that can put up north of 14 points.
Whether that means Mike McCarthy and the Cowboys need to consider making a change and giving Trey Lance a shot at quarterback remains to be seen, but it feels like this season is a lost cause, regardless of what Micah Parsons believes.
