Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons is already proving he is one of the best NFL players in 2022. On Monday Night Football against the New York Giants, the NFL star will attempt to add another memorable game to his legacy.
Parsons missed practice on Thursday and Friday with an illness, resulting in Dallas listing him as questionable on the Week 3 NFL injury report. While the designation typically means there is a 50-50 chance a player suits up for the upcoming game, most expected the 2021 first-team All-Pro selection to suit up on Monday.
It’s an important game for the Dallas Cowboys. Sitting at 1-1 in the NFL standings, Dallas finds itself behind the Giants and Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East. If the franchise loses on the national stage Monday, it would likely put them two games behind both teams in the division and provide Philadelphia and New York with early advantages in potential tiebreakers.
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The Cowboys are already short-handed. Dak Prescott and Tyron Smith won’t be available on Monday, tight end Dalton Schultz (knee) is uncertain to play and Michael Gallup will be on a snap count in his first game back from a torn ACL.
Fortunately, Parsons seems to be indicating he’ll be out there to face the Giants. Using a GIF from Michael Jordan’s flu game in the 1997 NBA Finals, would indicate that the Cowboys’ defensive star will suit up with his teammates against a division rival.
- Micah Parsons stats 2022 (PFF): 13 total pressures, five stops, four sacks
Dallas certainly needs Parsons. He is one of the best pass rushers in the NFL and his presence is essential against the Cowboys’ offense. Daniel Jones struggles under pressure, but he hasn’t faced it as much through two games because of his tackles. Andrew Thomas is quickly emerging as one of the best left tackles in the NFL and rookie Evan Neal is holding up well in pass protection.
Based on Parsons’ absence from practice and his GIF, he certainly won’t be feeling his best on Monday night. However, the same could have been said about Jordan when he scored 38 points with seven rebounds and three steals in a Game 5 victory over the Utah Jazz. The football equivalent of that would likely be two sacks, multiple pressures and a tackle for loss. In other words, a typical performance from Parsons in 2022.
