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Dallas Cowboys defensive superstar Micah Parsons did it all against the New York Jets in Week 2 — with six quarterback pressures, two sacks, three tackles for a loss, four key defensive stops and a forced fumble that he recovered (per Pro Football Focus).
Some NFL reserves don’t accumulate stats like that in an entire season, let alone one game, and Parsons added insult to injury with a viral quote after the victory. NFL Network reporter Omar Ruiz relayed the response that occurred during a brief exchange he had with the pass rusher down on the field.
“[Ruiz]: When did you know you could take over this game?” The reporter asked. “Micah: Monday.”
The one-word answer has blown up since the evening of September 17, accumulating over 3,000 likes and counting. And if anything, the concept of knowing you’re going to wreck an opponent after watching that team play the week before — which was on Monday night for the Jets in Week 1 — is almost more embarrassing than actually doing it.
Parsons apparently did both, and that supreme confidence was on full display on Sunday afternoon against the Jets.
Jets’ Robert Saleh Has Long-Winded Response for NYJ Offensive Line Issues vs. Cowboys
Jets head coach Robert Saleh addressed the media once again on September 18, just about 24 hours after the debacle in Dallas. When asked if he had any concerns about the offensive line, he had a very long-winded response that was optimistic at its core.
“No,” Saleh began. “You know, it’s tough. It wasn’t — it was kind of a weird game. And I know just looking at it and just trying to watch and just trying to make sense of everything that happened, especially early in the game — credit to [the Cowboys offense]. [They] converted a lot of third and five or less, they were able to stay ahead of the chains, stay in manageable situations, convert third downs and really just hog the ball for the most part, especially in the first half.”
“Offensively, we had some opportunities,” he went on in a roundabout way. “Couple of third and ones, we were able to convert a fake punt — but a couple of third and fours, a couple of third and fives, we just couldn’t convert in the first half. So, I have it here. I think before the two-minute drive [in the second quarter], they had run almost 50 [offensive] plays and we only had run 13.”
Finally, Saleh got back to the initial question about the O-line, explaining: “So, when you get into that [type of game], you just can’t get into a rhythm. You’re sitting down for so long. You don’t really get a chance to get into a rhythm as a play-caller, you don’t really get into a rhythm as a player, and the game never really had a chance to come to the offense because of the lack of opportunity.”
So, in other words, the Jets offensive line struggled because they were barely on the field and faced off against a top-tier unit, according to Saleh. The Jets HC also voiced that the Jets had trouble doubling Parsons because Dallas moves him around their defensive front so much.
Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb Teases Jets CB Sauce Gardner After Loss
During official NFL footage shared on X, Parsons exchanged jerseys with Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner after the game. Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb interrupted the interaction, however.
“You gotta learn how to catch, bro,” Lamb told Gardner — who dropped an interception that would have likely been returned for a touchdown. Parsons echoed the same thought as the pair of young defensive playmakers posed for their photo together.
“I was on the Jugs [machine] the day before yesterday,” Gardner responded. “That s*** ain’t help me.”
If caught, Gardner’s pick six might have altered the entire game, swinging momentum in the favor of Gang Green. So, while it was a funny moment caught by the NFL, it’s no laughing matter from a Jets perspective.
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