Cowboys: Unlikely competition surges for Micah Parsons
Pretty much since he sacked Tom Brady twice in Week 1, Dallas Cowboys' edge rusher Micah Parsons has been the favorite to win the Defensive Player of the Year title. His presence on the field has been felt every step of the way this season. Even when his stats aren't anything special, his impact is […]
Pretty much since he sacked Tom Brady twice in Week 1, Dallas Cowboys' edge rusher Micah Parsons has been the favorite to win the Defensive Player of the Year title. His presence on the field has been felt every step of the way this season.
Even when his stats aren't anything special, his impact is felt throughout the game. He's the #1 item on the "problems to solve" list for any offensive coordinator that's set to face the Cowboys each week.
Of course, the NFL is a competitive league which is why Parsons probably won't easily walk away with the award.
Myles Garrett (Browns), Matthew Juddon (Patriots), Nick Bosa (49ers) are all having monster seasons which could earn some votes when the time comes. Those are just some of the names every NFL fan has in mind.
But NFL insider Mike Sando from The Athletic has another name in consideration that could break into the conversation after the New York Jets' defensive win over the Buffalo Bills.
Here's why Sando picked defensive tackle Quinnen Williams from the Jets to win DPOY in a recent article:
"There are many good choices here, from Micah Parsons to Jeffery Simmons to Myles Garrett and beyond. Williams compares favorably with all of them, for one of the NFL’s most improved defenses."
While you've gotta love a defensive tackle not named Aaron Donald getting some love by voters, there's no denying Parsons has had the best defensive season this year. He leads the NFL in pass rush win rate by ESPN, is tied for the fourth most pressures, and has eight sacks to his name (T-2nd).
As for the impact beyond the stats, Parsons is consistently facing double teams and providing one-on-one situations for his teammates. That's led to the Cowboys leading the NFL in sacks with a team total of 33.
Parsons is the odds-on favorite to win DPOY by a wide margin. But the emergence of Quinnen Williams as a candidate is testament to how difficult it is to land those awards. Knowing how Micah approaches the game, he'll likely use it all as motivation.
Featured image via Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
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