Defensive Rookie of the Year Micah Parsons? Ex-NFL scout charts 22 plays against Chargers is soft and looks bad
I have been watching Dallas Cowboys’ linebacker/defensive end Micah Parsons like a hawk and I have discovered some very disturbing things about him.
After all the jibber-jabber following Dallas’ victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, I just had to go back and look at the game film.
Tony Razzano, the former great Director of Player Personnel back in the 80’s taught me in his book, Secrets of an NFL Scout, that the film does not lie.
Undoubtedly, I took a lot of heat after the game and all this week for my previous articles about Parsons because of all the hoopla that came from the game against the Chargers. As Parsons biggest and most outspoken critic in America, people came out of the woodwork to tell me about just how awesome he looked.
I was sort of surprised to be honest, after Parsons essentially gave up two, almost three touchdowns in Dallas’ 31-29 opening weekend loss to Tampa Bay, where he looked soft as tissue paper when taking on blocks and he got zero hurries or pressures, let alone sacks, I had to take a good hard look at this game against the Chargers.
Would I too see a player who looked like the front runner for “Defensive Rookie of the Year,” like all the chatter was saying?
Not at all (see extensive film proof vs. Chargers below). Watch Parsons get handled.
Parsons put these 22 plays on his resume for the world to see of him not getting it done:
I saw the same guy I had seen at Penn State where I labeled him as an “explosive underachiever.”
Sure, there was a couple plays here or there he got “pressure,” but truly it did not disrupt the Chargers’ offense much.
P.S. the only pressure Parsons could generate at all against the Chargers – – was against right tackle #74 Storm Norton, who is a former undrafted free agent, who’s bounced around the league and who was drafted in the XFL.
What a world beater that Parsons is!
On those limited pressures, he was able to use speed, short area burst and his athleticism to win, but he still showed tightness in his hips and again, he was only beating a former XFL offensive lineman to even create the little bit of pressure he got.
How did he do when he picked on someone of equal stature like Chargers’ first rounder, Rashawn Slater (left tackle) when Parsons flipped to the other side?
Parsons got his butt kicked. Slater completely and utterly dominated him in every pass rushing snap.
Just like he got his butt kicked by all the offensive linemen (including both offensive tackles) of Tampa Bay he dared to make contact with.
I mean when I check the stats on the season, Parsons has one sack that really wasn’t a sack. Chargers’ quarterback Justin Herbert threw the ball away and they credited Parsons with the sack?
I do not get what all the hype is about?
Parsons has one high impact play in two games and everyone is this excited about him? That is a false narrative if I have ever heard one. I grew up watching Lawrence Taylor and let me tell you point blank, Parsons could not hold his jock strap.
Parsons is soft as hell at the point of attack rushing the passer (the moment he collides with the blocker he is taking on).
Parsons lacks pure physical power and brute physical strength to get much of any movement whatsoever.
Parsons is soft as hell against the run (which is why Dallas often subs him out).
Everyone is so taken by what Parsons did at the end of last week’s game? Where was that the rest of the game (on these documented 22 plays) and where was that against Tampa Bay? Is Micah Parsons the second-coming of Jekyll and Hyde?
Does he only play when he wants to, which is exactly what I said pre-draft?
I am just not seeing what all the hype is about and I am not just running my mouth either like Parsons is about how Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts and all the other quarterbacks are now on his “hit list.”
Hit-list?
Does anyone remember what is referred to as “the dirtiest play in NFL history,” when Green Bay’s Charles Martin put together a “hit list” of jersey numbers on a towel he wore during the game? In that game Martin body slammed Bears’ quarterback Jim McMahon to the ground and McMahon suffered a torn rotator cuff.
Where is your towel Micah?
Philadelphia offensive tackles Jordan Mailata (6-8, 365) and Lane Johnson (6-6, 325) vs. Micah Parsons (6-3, 245). Grab some popcorn, it’s a middle weight fight against heavy weights.
Great move rook, way to run your mouth against the Philadelphia Eagles. I guess you do not understand the rivalry, but you will learn and in the meantime, that comment is now up on the bulletin board in Philadelphia’s locker-room.
As for Parson’s comment and his choice of words, “Hit-list?”
For someone who has a history of saying some alleged violent stuff like Parsons does, I am starting to seriously wonder if It is just a matter of time before Parson’s mouth runs him out of the NFL?
According to a report in May of this year, during an interview on The Michael Irvin Podcast, Parsons described the Cowboys linebackers with him added to the mix as a “terrorist attack.”
This was on the heels of other allegations in the past of Parsons ‘inciting a riot,’ and getting in a fight at Penn State.
Now, Parsons is saying he has a “hit list” of quarterbacks?
Character plays a huge role in the evaluation process and the more I am seeing and reading, the more I wonder how this will play out.
Daniel Kelly is a former NFL scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He currently writes for Sports Illustrated Detroit Lions and he is a contributing evaluator for Draft Diamonds. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @danielkellybook and his Facebook page is WHATEVER IT TAKES NFL TALK.
