Micah Parsons says ending the rare losing streak will require a team effort

Micah Parsons has never experienced losing three football games in a row. Not in the NFL. Not in college. Not in high school. Not always.

And when he counts his total consecutive losses, he only needs one hand and not even all five fingers.

(The Cowboys have not lost three consecutive contests since 2020, after Dak Prescott’s ankle injury and before Parsons was drafted.)

So the Cowboys’ current two-game exit left Parsons unusually muted in his conversation with reporters this week. But it’s not just about coming up short in the points table – not in a short week of preparation where others point the finger. No, this isn’t about program breakdowns, missed assignments, or overwhelm, but about far more fundamental (and troubling) issues like commitment and professionalism.

Although he and other team leaders have been vocal about it for the second week in a row, Parsons had to admit he’s not even sure the message is getting through to those who need to hear it.

“It’s very difficult to say, isn’t it? Because everyone nods their head and says, ‘Yeah, we all agree.’ At the same time, it’s not the same on the field,” Parsons said after Tuesday’s walkthrough. “I feel like as a competitor, at some point you have to be proud enough to say, ‘Hey, I’m not going to let this happen to me.’ I feel like some people just allow themselves to get slapped over and over again. When are you going to get up?”

After the Cowboys’ stunning season-opening win over the Browns, new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer praised his unit for “staying their welcome” and sticking to their assignments.

However, the team’s embarrassing losses in Weeks 2 and 3 were followed by internal complaints that some teammates were playing “hero ball” and trying to do more than their position required. DeMarcus Lawrence likened the unit’s efforts to “Little League football.” Parsons himself said, “We just got people trying to be Superman.”

The Dallas defense is clearly having difficulty transitioning from Dan Quinn’s free-flowing style of play to Zimmer’s more disciplined approach. Parsons acknowledged that the unit is made up of many young players, inexperienced newcomers and new faces, comparing the process to growing pains.

But despite his status as one of the sport’s most feared defenders, a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro, as well as one of three players the organization has identified as crucial to its long-term plans, Parsons said he hasn’t yet started pulling the guys aside in the locker room to talk about how they could contribute.

“I just feel like I’m not there to go to anyone yet,” he said. “It’s hard to blame a specific person for something.”

Maybe Parsons needs to grow a bit, at least in that regard.

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However, if there is shared growth, these Cowboys need to do it in a hurry. On Thursday night they face a division rival, the New York Giants. Away, on a short week and at 1-2, the Cowboys are already hearing that it’s a must-win situation.

Parsons has a different perspective.

“I feel like you really have to win every game,” he said. “The last two years we were one game away from No. 1, things like that. That’s why I think every game has the same meaning. Specifically, I want to get the ball rolling again, get back in the win column and get to what we do best.”

That’s why the 25-year-old will continue to give the “do your job” sermon. And he says he’s fighting the urge to deviate from that lesson himself, even as he tries to avoid the first three-game losing streak of his life.

“It’s hard because I have to fit into the system,” he explained. “I have to fit into the frame. That’s the whole point of everyone doing their eleventh. Increase yourself. What do others have to do? Also increase. We all had to evolve together; It can’t just be one or two. For me, I just have to make my plays when they’re there and do my job for my guys.”

…and also hope that his people will take up the message that has surrounded The Star for two and three weeks.

A frustrated Parsons says he’s still not sure that’s the case.

“I mean, everyone says it. But then again, we’ll have to see what happens on Sunday. Or Thursday.”