The Dallas Cowboys are recovering from a 40-34 overtime loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and pass rusher Micah Parsons is calling out a questionable play.
Dallas blew a 27-10 lead in the third quarter, as Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw three touchdowns in the second half. Before he completed the comeback, it initially looked like he lost his team the game when he fumbled on a first-down run and Parsons recovered.
It’s that moment that Parsons has a problem with. The Dallas defender took to Twitter on December 19 and called out what he perceived as a “dirty” play, which was when Jacksonville center Luke Fortner landed on him after the fumble recovery.
“Still no one talking bout this guy jumping on my neck?! But yet we can’t land on a quarterback!” Parsons wrote.
Fortner, a Jaguars rookie from Kentucky, comes in after Jacksonville WR Zay Jones downs Parsons. It’s a bit of a “bang-bang” play, but Fortner does clearly dive at Parsons’ head area while he is defenseless and on the ground.
That being said, the Cowboys and Parsons know they can’t blame the loss on moments like that and they aren’t trying to. Dallas now needs to find new energy after a tight win over a one-win Houston Texans team and a brutal overtime defeat to Jacksonville.
Parsons Talks After Jaguars Loss
The loss stings for many reasons, but one of which is the fact that it all but ends the Cowboys’ hopes of winning the division. Dallas needs the Philadelphia Eagles to lose all three of their remaining games, while Dallas has to win out.
It’s not impossible, but highly unlikely. For Parsons, the reaction is that Dallas cannot become complacent due to being probably locked into the No. 5 Wild Card spot.
“Man, it’s bitter, but you know you gotta suck it up. I mean, we gotta finish this season strong,” Parsons said in a post-game interview. “Obviously not the game we wanna lose or how you wanna lose, but ya know this is a bitter one, but we gotta come out next week and finish these next couple of games strong.”
The loss sucked the air out of Saturday’s clash against the Eagles. But if Dallas wants to make an improbable a reality, it will start by rebounding against the team with the best record in the league.
Cowboys Star Dominant in Jacksonville
Sunday ended in devastating fashion, but Parsons was devastating himself. The 2021 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year has matched his first campaign already, and there are still three games to go.
Parsons registered his 13th sack on Sunday, which ties his total from 2021. He also already has three forced fumbles this season, his first career interception and touchdown, and two fumble recoveries.
It’s almost surprising when the Cowboys edge rusher isn’t leading the NFL in these types of statistics, but Sunday saw Parsons lead Week 15 (with Monday Night Football yet to be played) with a gargantuan 12 pressures against the Jaguars.
Micah Parsons in Week 15:
🤯 12 pressures (1st)
🤯 1 sack
🤯 29.3% pressure percentage (1st)
He may have only gotten home once, but pressuring the opposing QB almost 30% of the time is something only elite players do. Parsons being among the elite is something he’s already established, but he is now building a legacy beyond that.
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Cowboys’ Micah Parsons Sounds off on ‘Dirty’ Play From Jaguars: ‘No One Talking’