Micah Parsons was a non-factor during the Giants game with zero sacks and zero tackles. Is there something we don't know or was he being used differently? – Mike Crawford/Freehold, NJ
Nick Eatman: First of all, I don't think I'd call him a non-factor at all. Go back and look at the recent games against the Giants, it seems rather clear they aren't going to let him go off and be disruptive. In the six games, he's played them, Parsons has three sacks and two occurred on Thanksgiving last year. In those six games, the entire team has produced 21 sacks. And this year alone, in the two blowout wins vs. NYG, Parsons has just one sack but the team has 12 against the Giants. To me, it suggests that he's getting plenty of attention and we all can see that. It also says they're fine with letting guys like Armstrong, Lawrence Fowler and Sam Williams get their sacks. And they all got a sack on Sunday. Obviously, he's a competitor and he wants his numbers, but there's a reason for it and the good part is that the rest of the defense is thriving.
Kurt: Parsons may have been missing from the stat sheet, but he was most definitely a factor in the game. His presence alone opens up opportunities for his teammates, as the first thing offenses do when they get to the line of scrimmage is determine where the Cowboys' star pass-rusher is. And when he's dealing with multiple blockers, which he often does, his fellow defensive linemen can't help but benefit. Now, whether or not he was used differently is hard to pin down given how defensive coordinator Dan Quinn mixes and matches his front seven so often. Perhaps he has been playing more linebacker since Leighton Vander Esch's injury, but Parsons is still going to be a threat no matter where he lines up. Sometimes things just don't fall your way, but you can also bet that no one was more frustrated with the stat line than Parsons himself. He's such a proud competitor that nothing less than excellence is unacceptable. In other words, this lion won't be caged for very long.
