UFGmagazine_2023_Digital

stricted free agent contract and the signing of veteran defensive tackle Johnathan
Hankins, another large individual with run-stopping prowess.
And while the Cowboys of 2022 matched their second most points scored in a single
season with the 467 since the 479 of 1983 – 530 the franchise record set in 2021
with a 17-game season asterisk – and third most in franchise history, this Cowboys
defense must take a step toward being elite if the Cowboys are to take the next step
up in the playoffs.
Consider this? In two losses last season, both in overtime, the Cowboys scored 28
and 34 points, yet losing 31-28 to Green Bay and 40-34 to Jacksonville, although the
Jaguars walk-off touchdown was scored on an interception return. But please, scoring
34 on the road should have been enough to bet a playoff team. And this team gave
up 26 points in the two other losses.
Enter Micah Parsons, sometimes a linebacker, sometimes a defensive end, sometimes
a blitzer anywhere across the line of scrimmage and both times during his two seasons
as a Pro Bowler and All-Pro.
“Man, I’m ready to take everybody to the deep water,’’ Parsons said of the next step this
defense must take. “Everybody comfortable with their knees in the water. I’m ready to
go out to the deep water. I hope everybody prepared to go into the deep water.
“I’m going to push you like that and I want to see how you’re going to be able to swim.
You know what I’m saying?’’Parsons didn’t stop there with his aquatic analogy.
“Man, you got to see if they can swim,” Parsons continued. “I’m gonna take them on an
island. You know what I’m saying. I’m taking them to the island. I’m going to push like
that, and I want to see how you able to swim.”And what we’re talking here is a defense
returning eight starters if we go back to the end of the season, and one that significantly
needs to improve against the run, having allowed at least 117 yards rushing in
11 of the 17 games, and at least 136 in all five losses, plus another 113 in the 19-12
playoff loss to San Francisco.
Yet this defense’s calling card has been takeaways, leading the NFL with 33 this past
season following their league-leading 34 the previous year, thus becoming the first
team to lead the NFL in takeaways during consecutive seasons since the Pittsburgh
Steelers from 1972-74.
But for these Cowboys, with McCarthy now calling the plays on offense and Brian
Schottenheimer his offensive right-hand man, this team knows resting on previous
6 KTSM 9 / ULTIMATE FOOTBALL GUIDE | 2023 / KTSM.COM