Cowboys HC Says 'You Can't Predict We'd Be Playing Any Better' with Micah Parsons

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer downplayed the impact of the Micah Parsons trade on the team's 1-2 record heading into Week 4.

"We have not been playing to the standard that would we want to play to, but if we had Micah you can't predict we'd be playing any better," he told reporters Wednesday. "Are you 3-0? Are you 0-3? You don't know, man. Those are projections."

Since joining the Green Bay Packers, Parsons has 1.5 sacks and six hits on the quarterback.

The Cowboys, meanwhile, have one of the NFL's worst defenses. They're allowing the third-most yards (397.7) and sixth-most points (30.7) per game, and they've totaled just four sacks.

As much as Schottenheimer might publicly express otherwise, Dallas would clearly improve if it had Parsons rushing off the edge.

While it's not the message he was trying to convey, the coach's remarks do underline how the team's issues are far bigger than any one player can solve.

The Cowboys went 7-10 in 2024 and didn't do much to improve their roster. Defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. (one year, $6 million) was their biggest free-agent signing. Wide receiver George Pickens and defensive tackle Kenny Clark arrived via trade, but neither is a major difference-maker.

Compounding matters, Dallas' big stars aren't really delivering. Quarterback Dak Prescott is averaging a career-low 6.3 yards per attempt and has three interceptions already. Wideout CeeDee Lamb is on pace to have his fewest receiving yards since 2021. Cornerback Trevon Diggs is allowing 24.7 yards per completion and a 156.2 opponent passer rating, according to Pro Football Reference.

Not to mention, Schottenheimer remains just as puzzling a hire as when his promotion was first announced in January.

The chickens are coming home to roost after years of mismanagement by Jerry Jones. Sooner or later, the top-end talent in Dallas wasn't going to paper over the cracks anymore.