FRISCO, Texas – A 3-7 record is obviously not where the Cowboys want to be, and there's no excuses for that. That said, Micah Parsons still believes that Dallas is playing good football, and the defense is getting better week by week.
"I think overall we're playing better; we're not playing great yet, but we're playing better," Parsons said. "I think it is night and day the difference on how that defensive line is playing, how the linebackers are playing, people are getting experience. So, when I say we're a good team, people don't always look at the growth part."
The growth part he's referencing is the influx of first- and second-year players that the Cowboys have had to turn to in the wake of injuries, including when Parsons' was sideline with a high ankle sprain. In the last game alone, four of Dallas' defensive starters were first- or second-year players, and the defensive end position has seen five different starters with Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence missing time. With that comes natural growing pains, which is all just a part of the process.
"I know we're growing; I know some of these young who didn't get the opportunities, they're getting better," Parsons said. "Let's look at the film, let's break it down. Of course young guys are still going to make mistakes, that's what learning is."
Parsons has played in Dallas' last two games against the Eagles and Texans, both of which were one-score games at halftime. Now, it's a matter of getting the job done across four quarters.
"If we really look at how those games went, we're in those games," Parsons said. "Now we don't have all our healthy players, so things aren't going the way we want, but we're not away in these games, we're playing good football. It's just, you know, how the cards turn."
Dallas has shown improvements at time throughout the season, but they have yet to play consistently strong through four quarters defensively, a big reason why they're on this five game losing streak. The potential light at the end of the tunnel is getting key playmakers back, as DaRon Bland and Marshawn Kneeland appear to be on track to return to the lineup soon. Parsons believes that when this season is all said and done, regardless of what their record reflects, the defense will have something to hang their hats on.
"By the end of this year, y'all are going to say Mike Zimmer didn't have all his pieces, but we sure did put a damn good defense together," Parsons said. "And I can take that, because I know we can grow from that."
There've been frustrations from every direction in 2024 for Parsons, from Dallas' record to facing his first major injury and plenty more. And yet he finds a way to keep a positive perspective not just on the game of football, but how he lives his life.
"I really look at it like I'm alive, I get to practice every day, that's not always the best part, but I get to play, I get to see another week," Parsons said. Why would I be upset? I'm playing for America's team, I'm doing what I love to do. Yeah, the outcome isn't what I always wanted or what I want it to be, but I'm still blessed and highly favored."
With Dak Prescott, DeMarcus Lawrence, Zack Martin, and other huge leaders in the locker room all dealing with their own injuries, Parsons has been challenged to step up and be someone that his teammates can look to, and it's something that Zimmer wants to see from his star player too.
"Zim's talking to me about my leadership and how I need to be better," Parsons said. "I love that stuff, because it bothers me when I feel like a coach is upset at me. He gave me a challenge, and I'm going to live up to that challenge."
Parsons clarified that Zimmer wasn't necessarily upset with him, rather that he just wanted to see Parsons tap in to more of his potential. He also didn't reveal what the challenge that Zimmer gave him was, but did expand on how he's had to learn and adapt to become a better leader.
"I'm learning how to lead differently, I'm learning how to become a better leader," Parsons said. "It's challenging in these dark times, it was easy when were always winning and we were always the ones whooping on people, and it didn't matter who stepped up or who was the light, and you were able to just sit back and watch everything and how things unfold, but now people are looking at me."
