Getty Images Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys.
Micah Parsons got his first taste of postseason success as the Dallas Cowboys topped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-14 on Monday and he’s ready for more.
Parsons didn’t disappoint against the Bucs, notching three tackles, a sack, two tackles for loss, two QB hits and two passes defended. In short, he was all over the field and sounded off on Twitter after the game.
“My turn!” Parsons tweeted with a picture of a lion. “Tired of talking. See y’all Sunday! 1-0.”
Parsons and the Cowboys will now face the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round. San Francisco has won 11 games in a row and ended the Cowboys’ season last year in the playoffs.
“Anytime you get eliminated by someone, you want another crack at them the next year,” Cowboys All-Pro guard Zack Martin said. “So it should be a great atmosphere out there in San Francisco and we’re looking forward to it.”
The 49ers rolled by the Seattle Seahawks 41-23 in the Wild Card matchup behind a big second half.
Parsons Shakes Off Injury Scare Against Bucs
The performance from Parsons was just another chapter in what has been an epic season for the second-year linebacker and Defensive Player of the Year candidate. He recorded 13.5 sacks, 42 solo tackles and three forced fumbles during the regular season.
Parsons appeared to injure his ankle in the final moments of the first half, needing to get helped off the field. However, he didn’t miss any time and certainly did not slow down.
Prior to the matchup, Parsons said the pressure of playoff football had him feeling better than ever despite a long season.
“I feel like I hit my second wind in terms of how I feel in the season,” Parsons said. “I feel like I feel better now than I have in the past couple of weeks just because of how anxious and excited I am.”
Now he’ll get a shot at helping lead the Cowboys to their first NFC Championship Game since 1995.
Parsons Urges Cowboys to Not Let Off the Gas
The Cowboys did not enter the season on a high note, getting blasted by the Commanders in the final week of the season. After the game, Parsons urged his team to stay hungry despite the dominant victory against the Bucs.
“We have to have that approach every single time,” Parsons said. “We have to continue that. We can’t let off the gas. Everyone was locked in, disappointed after that Washington loss. We need that same focus, that same attention to detail, that same execution going into this week, too. Not get too high. That one game doesn’t take you off that horse yet. We’ve got to stay on it and stay hungry.”
The Cowboys’ defense will have their hands full against a 49ers squad that features playmakers all over the field — from Christian McCaffrey to Deebo Samuel and George Kittle. Parsons plans to make every yard a battle for the surging Niners.
“It’s all or nothing now. There is no tomorrow. There is no next week. It’s next year. You know what I’m saying?” Parsons said. “So we got to keep hungry and stay in line. Every inch matters. Every play matters. We’ve got to give nothing but effort, every time, if we’re going to get to where we want to go.”
The 49ers opened as a 3.5-point home favorite against the Cowboys.