One win can do a lot, and Sunday’s outing did a lot more than even the Cowboys’ early record. It’s raising questions once again about whether Micah Parsons should just make a permanent switch to pass rusher, it had Dan Quinn raving about the tackling skills of his interception machine, it brought monster ratings to CBS, it moved the team up in the power rankings, and it inspired one devoted fan to ride his horse right into a local Wal-Mart in a celebration that’s gone viral.
But it was also the last hurrah for a first-year darling of training camp. We’ll get into what that move means, and we’ll look ahead at the underrated Giants. A former fan favorite is coming back to the NFC, a handful of Cowboys greats are among this year’s nominees for Canton, and Kellen Moore made some smart adjustments that may have just made the difference in Week 2. All that, plus a worthy adversary is rising in the East… and could another division rival be eyeing a former league MVP for 2023? That’s up next in News and Notes.
Jerry Jones was reluctant to crown the second-year linebacker as the best pass rusher he’s had come through Dallas, but he admitted that even the organization has been a little surprised at how intense Parsons is. “You can’t always get a finger on that when you evaluate a player,” the owner said. That internal drive, coupled with freakish athletic ability, is what sets him apart. “Pressure Player City,” Jones called it.
The Cowboys jump from 26th to 21st in this set of power rankings by virtue of their Week 2 win. But coaches should consider making Micah Parsons a full-time pass rusher. He did so almost exclusively on Sunday and notched two more sacks, giving him the early league lead. A move to defensive end might give him a shot at the single-season record with the way he’s playing.
Dennis Houston earned rave reviews from Dak Prescott in camp, but the undrafted free agent didn’t exactly light it up in his first two NFL games. The Cowboys may choose to re-sign him to the practice squad if he clears waivers. Houston’s release could mean third-round draft pick Jalen Tolbert gets more work, it could mean Michael Gallup is ready to hit the field, or it could mean that the club needs that roster spot for someone like Jason Peters.
Moore called a game that was often near-perfect for Cooper Rush, with back-to-back touchdown drives to open the game. Whether the lack of trick plays was a concession for the backup quarterback or a lesson learned from Week 1’s failures, it was a wise adjustment. Letting up on the gas and playing it too cautious too early nearly cost them the game, though. Thankfully, the offense came back to life when it mattered most.
Sunday’s game turned on a textbook 3rd-down tackle by the guy more known for his interceptions. Dan Quinn was impressed by Diggs’s aggressive nature in the moment, but the play also stands out because of a headset malfunction that forced the call to come to the field late and from assistants on the sideline instead of the in-helmet speaker of Malik Hooker. Quinn says the team practiced just such a scenario during training camp.
The Cowboys don’t play on CBS a lot, but even without Dak Prescott in the lineup, America’s Team delivered stellar ratings for the network. The national window averaged 27.389 million viewers, the most-watched national window on CBS since Week 14 of the 2019 season, when the Chiefs beat the Patriots in New England.
Jerry Jones on @1053thefan on this Cowboys fan riding a horse in Walmart after Sunday’s win: “I’ve literally been on a horse inside before. It’s a dicey thing b/c if that horse gets to slipping and sliding, it’s a mess.”
(🎥: @K104FM, kelvin_amaya716/IG)pic.twitter.com/nGbVqm71h5
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) September 20, 2022
DeMarcus Ware is once again up for Hall of Fame inclusion this year after being a finalist in 2022. Erik Williams and Darren Woodson also represent the Cowboys in this year’s class of modern-era nominees. Chuck Howley will be considered as a senior finalist.
The Cowboys’ visit to Philadelphia is still almost a month away, but Jones has taken notice of their rival’s rising star of a quarterback. “Hurts has really evolved,” Jones said Tuesday. “As better than when he came out [of the draft] than we might have thought.” Hurts threw for 333 yards, ran for another 57, and had three touchdowns (one passing, two rushing) Monday night.
The Dallas native and SMU product was a fan favorite over his seven years as a Cowboy and even hinted he’d love to return to play with Dak Prescott. But Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady has convinced the Buccaneers to sign him instead. He’ll join the practice squad with an eye toward moving up to the WR-thin active roster very shortly.
It’s a scary thought for Cowboys fans, but the ex-Giant says the big stage of New York City might be a perfect fit for the dazzling Ravens passer who may just be headed to free agency next season. “The perfect place for him,” Barber said. “A place that has money, a place that is an ideal media market for a star: a former MVP who’s dynamic and has got a coach who is going to help turn him into a Josh Allen-level quarterback that’s always in the MVP conversation.”
The former Cowboys defensive coordinator says the Giants’ numbers aren’t off the charts, but the team is responding well to first-year head coach Brian Daboll. Credit a bend-but-don’t-break defense that has thus far prevented big plays and been stout as a red-zone unit. They’re better than most people think.