Cowboys: Film breakdown debunks false narrative about Micah Parsons
Chances are by now nothing you hear about Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons can take you by surprise. The guy has a stat sheet unlike any other in the NFL once you take into account how much he does for Dan Quinn's defense. And yet, the fact that he had the highest pass rush rate […]
Chances are by now nothing you hear about Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons can take you by surprise. The guy has a stat sheet unlike any other in the NFL once you take into account how much he does for Dan Quinn's defense.
And yet, the fact that he had the highest pass rush rate by any defender since 2016 is remarkable.
Recently, A to Z Sports Film Room host James Foster took to the task of breaking down the Cowboys' linebacker that serves as a "Human Swiss Army Knife." And no, not in a gimmicky way like is often the case for versatile players.
In the breakdown, Foster breaks down what makes the 2021 Offensive Rookie of the Year so special for the Cowboys.
“He said multiple times in interviews that he’s still going out there and just doing what feels right,” says Foster. “It’s impressive the diversity of pass rush moves he was able to execute effectively.”
“Compared to other pass rushers Micah Parsons is so much quicker with his feet so he can use a really wide range of moves and even if the hand placement or timing isn’t perfect, everything is happening so much faster from the offensive tackle’s perspective that it doesn’t really matter.”
Plenty of fans and analysts have declared skeptical about the ascending Cowboys star because of his high reliability on speed but that misses the point entirely. Parsons clearly knows how his speed can lead to other tools to beat offensive tackles and it shows. You can't do what he did as a rookie with only one trick up your sleeve.
In fact, the film breakdown reveals how once Parsons won with speed, his inside-counter crossover move set him apart from other edge rushers in the NFL. This fits perfectly with what Micah told reporters earlier when he revealed La'el Collins' advice to him last year:
"You've got to make them fear one thing," said Parsons. "Make them fear the speed and everyone else can go off that."
As Parsons continues to refine his counters and pass-rushing repertoire, he will only get better. The Cowboys truly have something special with him and thinking he was a one-year wonder bound for a sophomore slump would appear shortsighted.
Featured image via Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
