'That's My Moment!' Micah Parsons' Sack Keys Dallas Cowboys' 'Monday Night Football' Victory
Talk about a game that lives up to its expectations. Or, at least a play that lived up to its author's expectations.
"Anytime I get an opportunity in the game, I'm waiting for them," Parsons said. "I feel like that's my moment. That's what my teammates are looking for me the most. It feels good to come up big for them."
The Dallas Cowboys have a gravitational pull on the spotlight and the Los Angeles Chargers seem destined to play every single game close for the rest of time. It was a perfect storm for a dramatic finish on Monday Night Football and one that may have saved America’s Team’s season.
Micah vs. Chargers
Dallas won Week 6’s finale, 20-17. Quarterback Dak Prescott out-dueled opposing gunslinger Justin Herbert and, amidst a bizarre amount of flags and one-off gaffes, pulled out a win.
"The win was good," Micah Parsons said. "It's good to always get back on track. That's our record: Prove the naysayers wrong."
Ah, the naysayers. After Week 5’s showing, Prescott reminded his doubters why he has the backing of the brain trust and the locker room alike. He wasn’t the only star to show out on Monday.
Receiver CeeDee Lamb generated 117 yards on seven targets, hauling in each of them. Running back Tony Pollard’s 60-yard heroics was a critical game-flipping play.
On the defensive end, however, is where this game was won. It felt like everybody showed up, culminating in a game-clinching interception by corner Stephon Gilmore. Even edge rusher-linebacker hybrid Parsons had his fingerprints on this one, despite having just two tackles.
His second of the day was vital.
On Los Angeles’ attempted game-winning drive, they returned from the two-minute warning with the ball on their own 33-yard line with two yards to gain and three downs to do so. After being silenced, at least in the box score all night, Parsons broke through for a sack, collapsing the pocket before Herbert could get a pass off.
The sack put them even further behind the sticks, kept the clock running, and mounted even more pressure on the Chargers to stretch the field. Herbert’s next pass would be intercepted by Stephon Gilmore, setting up the Cowboys’ victory formation.
“Anytime I get an opportunity in the game, I’m waiting for them,” Parsons said. “I feel like that’s my moment. That’s what my teammates are looking for me the most. It feels good to come up big for them.”
Parsons spent some time as an off-ball linebacker, likely due to the injury that landed linebacker Leighton Vander Esch on injured reserve. When he was rushing the passer, though, he was elite, even if it didn’t show up until the end.
According to Next Gen Stats, he was credited with six of Dallas’ seven pressures against right tackle Trey Pipkins. As much as Prescott and the offense rebounded, Parsons did, too.
The lights were at their brightest on Monday night, and the Cowboys stars showed up. At 4-2 heading into the bye, those same stars will get some well-deserved days off.
"Crazy weekend in the NFL, but we were on the right side of it this week," coach Mike McCarthy said. ... happy that the author of a game-winning play in Micah Parsons is on his side.
