FRISCO, Texas – “I have a testimony of where I want to be with my faith and God, and when you talk about great careers, you talk about the Hall of Fame,” said two-time All-Pro player Micah of the Dallas Cowboys. Parsons said at training camp on August 5.
“I don’t think I just want to get into the Hall of Fame, I want to be known as one of the greatest Hall of Famers. There are categories for everything. There’s good, there’s There’s some great and there’s some perfect. … When you talk about me, I don’t just want to be mentioned in the Hall of Fame. Yes, it’s a big honor, but I want to be one of the most Hall of Fame greats.
Parsons drew comparisons to Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor, the New York Giants legend who many in the football world would recognize as the greatest defensive player of all time. Taylor was an eight-time first-team All-Pro – tied for the most such selections among defensive players in league history – and a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year. – tied for the most such victories in league history. –, 1986 NFL MVP — the last defensive player to win the award — and two-time Super Bowl champion. This is the resume that every defender strives to achieve.
The Dallas Cowboys linebacker is gaining ground in certain categories year after year. Parsons was named to his third Pro Bowl on Wednesday night in as many seasons with a third straight first-team All-Pro nomination likely to follow as the engine powering Dallas’ fifth-ranked, 19.1 points per game defense. He was joined by Dallas teammates quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, right guard Zack Martin, cornerback DaRon Bland, kicker Brandon Aubrey and punter Bryan Anger.
However, to truly pave his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, Parsons needs to start bringing home some NFL Defensive Player of the Year hardware. He certainly has a case in Year 3 in 2023. The 24-year-old leads the NFL in quarterback pressures (102), quarterback pressure rate (22.4%) and quarterback pressure rate. passing victories (37.6%), that is to say when a defender beats his block in less than 2.5 seconds, this season with a game to play.
Since Pro Football Focus began tracking quarterback pressures in 2006, there have only been four seasons in which an individual player amassed 100 or more: former Houston Texans defensive lineman JJ Watt in the 2014 NFL Defensive Player of the Year (119) season, Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald in the 2018 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Los Angeles Las Vegas Raiders defensive line Maxx Crosby (100) and Parsons currently.
“I don’t know,” Parsons said Wednesday when asked if he’s done enough to win the 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. “I think I put up a good fight against some big guys in the league. I think it’s going to be a good battle. Regardless, I understand how disruptive guys like Myles (Garrett), TJ (Watt) and whoever is in the running is. I can watch those guys. I think Maxx Crosby had a great year that could have been overlooked because his team may not be a playoff team .There’s always discrepancies between who they think should get it and basing it off teams and things like that. You always have to deal with those kinds of implications too.
Las Vegas confirms Parsons’ claims. FanDuel Sportsbook places Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett as the betting favorite at -250 odds with Parsons in second at +350 followed by Watt at +450 and Crosby at +6000. Perhaps his delay in proclaiming the league’s defensive player of the year comes from his sack totals. Parsons is up 13.0 for the season, tied for eighth in the NFL this season and a half-sack away from matching his career-high of 13.5 that he set last season. Watt is tied for the league lead with Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson with 17.0 while Garrett ranks sixth with 14.0 sacks with Crosby just a half-sack ahead of Parsons with 13.5.
“I know, I know,” Parsons said when asked if he had “only” 13 sacks so far this season. “I literally just had this conversation with the guys today. At this point, any means necessary. I could jump offside twice this week. Something has to change. Something. It’s happening. It’s happening , It’s certain.”
To be fair to himself, he experiences the highest degree of difficulty when rushing the passer. Parsons’ win rate of 36.7% leads the league, with only Garrett having a rate in the 30th percentile range (30.5%), but Parsons is the only Edge Rusher whose double team rate exceeds well over 30%, according to Seth of ESPN. Walder. He also made just three holding calls to rush the passer, tied for 26th in the NFL this season, according to Sportradar. The NFL leaders in penalties drawn, also according to Sportradar, are Crosby with eight, followed by Watt, Denver Broncos defensive lineman Zach Allen, Arizona Cardinals linebacker Zaven Collins and Rams linebacker from Los Angeles Michael Hoecht with seven.
Why is this statistic important? Well, if offensive linemen fear the consequences of being called to hold when blocking Parsons, it would open up more room for Parsons to cleanly reach opposing quarterbacks if the people blocking him are less likely to try to get a handful of jersey while he bends over. around the rim or explodes down the middle through the A gap against a center and/or guard. If they don’t, Parsons’ path to quarterback through all the double teams he faces becomes even more perilous as offensive linemen feel like they can hold him off without consequences . His last holding call came 42 quarters into Week 6 with the Los Angeles Chargers.
If that chart alone doesn’t change your mind, what about his final performance in the Cowboys’ 20-19 win over the NFC North champion Detroit Lions in Week 17? Parsons racked up five quarterback pressures against a Lions offensive line that features Pro Football Focus’ highest-rated offensive lineman in the entire NFL in Pro Bowl right tackle Penei Sewell (92.0 PFF offensive grade ), one of Detroit’s top ten offensive guards on the right. guard Graham Glasgow (79.2 PFF offensive rating, eighth-best in the NFL among guards) and PFF’s top-rated Lions center Frank Ragnow (88.5 offensive rating).
For voters still unsure about Parsons’ firings, a breakthrough could come in Week 18 among Washington’s commanders. The Cowboys are treating the game as a postseason contest, as a win would earn them the NFC East division title and the second overall seed in the NFC playoffs. While some teams rest starters in week 18, Dallas is going at full speed. Parsons totaled 1.5 sacks against the Commanders in a 45-10 home victory on Thanksgiving in Week 12.
“We have an opportunity to win the division, go out there, make a winning statement and get ready for the playoffs,” Parsons said. … “We have to declare that we are the better, more dominant and more aggressive team.”
Ditto for his potential final declaration to be the 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year.