Coming into Thursday’s game against the Saints, Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons had already pretty much sewn up the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. In 11 games, Parsons already had nine sacks, 45 total pressures, 42 stops, and he’d shown the ability to drop into coverage from time to time when he played off-ball as opposed to edge defender.
Parsons wasn’t just demolishing New Orleans’ injury-plagued offensive line in this game, though he was certainly doing that. With 2:28 left in the first half, Parsons lined up in the slot and did something most 6-foot-3, 245-pound linebackers would find difficult to replicate — he followed Saints receiver Kenny Stills up the chute and defected the Taysom Hill pass to Stills, leading to an impressive interception by safety Jayron Kearse.
.@Jayronkearse8 secured that! 💯
📺: #DALvsNO on @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/nKapAgvjqI
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) December 3, 2021
“He jumps off the tape at you,” Saints head coach Sean Payton said of Parsons this week. “I think more recently at the end position. He’s impressive when he rushes, obviously when he plays at linebacker the same way. I think when he gets on the tackles though and is rushing, he’s a handful. You see in different games where he’s playing at different spots. Obviously he’s fit into their system well.”
Parsons has been jumping off the field at the Caesars Superdome through the first half, and you don’t need to wait for the tape to see that.
