Can Micah Parsons Challenge Trevon Diggs For Cowboys Interceptions Lead?
Last season, Micah Parsons shattered the Dallas Cowboys' franchise record for sacks by a rookie, breaking a stranglehold that Harvey Martin and Willie Townes held for nearly five decades.
He has no interest in letting Trevon Diggs hold his new newfound union with Everson Walls atop the starred single-season interception record for anywhere near that long.
Parsons has some lofty goals for his second NFL season, endeavors he explained in detail in a recent interview with CBS. The linebacker's desired target of quarterback takedowns is ambitious enough: after setting the Dallas freshman record at 13 last season, Parsons wants "definitely 23 ... to break the (NFL) record" officially held by Michael Strahan (and unofficially tying Al Baker from 1978).
The second-year defender, however, is looking to remove Diggs from his interceptions perch.
"I told (Diggs) I might lead the team in picks this year," Parsons said. "We don't (have) money on it, but I've been really practicing my hands this year to get my hands on a couple picks this year."
While Parsons is likely capable of at least presenting Diggs with a challenge, especially after he won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award last season, such a declaration is somewhat surprising: he failed to make an interception last season, and also had none in two seasons at Penn State.
So Parsons has no picks in college or the NFL and Diggs is coming off a season in which he led the league with 11? Okay, sure.
The statistical goose egg, however, has done nothing to deter Parsons' confidence
"I don't feel like I need to reach anyone's expectations but my own. If I can live with it, I can deal with it," Parsons said of the road ahead. "I'm going to just go out there and play my game. I don't want to go out there and chase anyone's story, I just got to do my thing, and that's what got me here and that's what I'm gonna keep doing."
Parsons' comments came from Los Angeles, as the defender is set to appear in television advertisements for the latest "Madden NFL" video game due out in August. In addition to his virtual endeavors (surprisingly revealing he often uses Dallas' rivals from Green Bay when he partakes in pixelated pigskin), Parson addressed bettors' apparent disrespect for the Cowboys, as many don't appear to have faith that the team will be able to fulfill its trek of consecutive division titles for the first time since five straight between 1992 and 1996.
Fortunately for fans of America's Team, Parsons' motivation and power don't come from betting slips.
"I don't care (about their lack of faith), because we were overlooked last year," Parsons said. "We're just going to focus on the final 52, 53 that's on the Dallas Cowboys in that room and get better every week. We just got to control how to get better every week, and hope that you lose your money."
