The last time Micah Parsons was tasked with getting to quarterback Joshua Dobbs, Dobbs had only been a member of the Tennessee Titans for eight days.
In an emergency move, on December 21, 2022, the Titans signed Dobbs to be their starting QB while Ryan Tannehill dealt with a recurring ankle injury.
The following week, on December 29, the Tennessee Titans and the Dallas Cowboys met for a Thursday Night Football matchup that a lot of Cowboys fans would prefer to forget.
Press clippings from the last time the Dallas Cowboys saw Joshua Dobbs – you woulda thought the score was close or something, lol. pic.twitter.com/dvOv8pGTOo
— Bitches Love Sports Podcast (@BtchesLuvSports) September 21, 2023
On paper, the Dallas Cowboys got a solid win on the road.
Dak Prescott accrued 282 passing yards distributing the ball to seven different receivers. Nahshon Wright got a late game interception.
But the film told an uglier side of the story.
Dak Prescott’s 282 yards were tainted by a two interceptions and a lost fumble.
Micah Parsons and his clubbed hand recorded only 1 tackle and 2 QB hits – reminding fans that he is, indeed, human.
And Joshua Dobbs, an 8-day old acquisition who had previously been passed around to four different teams and a practice squad, passed for 232 yards and ran for 12 more against what was considered a top 10 defense at the time.
MICAH’S MEMORIES
Where some fans remember a tense and disappointing game, Micah Parson’s recollection is a bit different.
When asked what he remembered about the last time he faced Joshua Dobbs, Parsons only mentioned a few main points.
“I remember him running a lot. We were getting after it and getting the victory, so hopefully we can do that again.”
As a follow-up, Micah was asked if he was frustrated dealing with running quarterbacks and the moments their scrambles worked for them.
The NFC East defensive player of the week replied with a smirk, “It is a little frustrating, but that’s just the nature of the game. They runnin’ for [their] lives, and we huntin'”
KEEPING THAT SAME ENERGY
Micah Parsons isn’t the only member of the Cowboys defense preparing to contain a quarterback this weekend. Demarcus Lawrence is expecting to handle a running quarterback on a weekly basis moving forward.
“I feel like every week we’re gonna be facing running quarterback, because [of] how fast our D-line is,” Lawrence said, “so if you’re not a running quarterback, you’re gonna wanna make sure those legs [are] working on that week.”
During Week 2, per reports, the Cowboys defensive unit was pretty upset with themselves for allowing Zach Wilson to scramble three times in a row for 33 yards and set up a field goal for the Jets before halftime.
In retrospect, it doesn’t seem like anything worth a second thought. But for a unit that prides itself on sacks, pressures, and takeaways, it was a sign that they weren’t meeting their own standards for elite-level play.
Zach Wilson’s five recorded runs during Week 2 all occurred during the first half. In the second half, the Jets had 0 net yards rushing, and Zach Wilson was sacked twice.
The Cowboys defense sent a message that they simply will not allow an opposing quarterback to save the day with his feet.
It’s reasonable to expect the Cowboys to keep that same energy when facing a QB who’s relied on his legs against them in the past.