FRISCO, Texas — For the second time in as many games, the Dallas Cowboys were embarrassed on their home field. This time, however, Micah Parsons and his compatriots will have a chance to bounce back but that will require expediency in learning from their errors against the New Orleans Saints to avoid repeating the mistake again when Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens arrive.
Needless to say, they'll have their work cut out for them against a desperate Ravens team that is trying to avoid an 0-3 start to the season, but the Cowboys aren't devoid of pressure themselves — all things considered.
It's not a must-win, but it is a better-win.
"Yeah, I think the mentality is to bounce back, stop this run and show people that you can stop the run," said the three-time All-Pro pass rusher. "I think it's definitely a prove it game when you get a game like this back-to-back."
And prove it they must, having allowed Alvin Kamara to eat hearty with 180 yards from scrimmage (115 rushing) and four touchdowns (three rushing), setting up Derek Carr for explosive plays downfield wherein he'd throw for 243 yards and two touchdowns on only 11 attempts.
So for as much as the Cowboys' defense needs to respect Jackson's ability to make some plays in the air, it's what he can do on the ground, and in conjunction with a monstrous talent in Derrick Henry, that Parsons is focusing on.
Stop the run, or lose the game.
"I mean, it's a great chance as long as we stay in our rush lanes," he explained. "We do what we're supposed to do but, more importantly, we get them to pass the ball. We didn't do a good enough job of that. So until we show we can earn the right, I mean, well, we had three drop backs last game.
"That's outrageous. That's not even a football game. It's like we're playing pony football over again. So until we fix the fundamentals, I'm not even worried about Lamar [throwing] at this point."
Speaking to the overall message being imparted by the veterans to the youth on defense regarding the importance of bouncing back quickly in the NFL, former First-Team All-Pro Eric Kendricks excitedly detailed not only now important the upcoming matchup is, but how first-year guys like Marist Liufau and DeMarvion Overshown (de facto) should approach it mentally.
"Man, this is a great opportunity we have," said Kendricks. "We're playing the Baltimore Ravens, you know what I mean? So it's like, this is a team that we've known these past couple of years to be a serious contender, and this is a huge opportunity for us to show what we're made of as a linebacker corps. So have a smile on your face when we're preparing.
"This is a great opportunity. This is what we love doing. This is what we want to do. Let's go out and do it. You're going to get hit in the mouth, but wipe the blood off and get going. Let's go."
Parsons couldn't agree more, though with a much more serious delivery.
"It's a prove it weekend," he reiterated. "And I'm not just putting anything on any of my teammates. I'm saying myself [is] included. I need to step up. We all need to step up.
"It would hurt me more if we all didn't step up. If we all played down to that standard again, that just tells me we're not moving in the direction that we should be moving."
And the direction they're fighting to go is north, not south.
