The Dallas Cowboys made a statement in the first week of the season when they blanked the New York Giants 40-0 on the road. The Cowboys hope to battle the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers for dominance in the NFC this year. It appears they have plenty of speed on both sides of the ball, and their defense features perhaps the most ferocious player in the league in linebacker Micah Parsons.

The Cowboys had the 12th-ranked defense in the league last year, and they figure to be significantly better in 2023. They certainly were better against the pass than they were against the run — 8th vs. 22nd — and they also demonstrated that they could take the ball away from their opponents. The Cowboys finished second in turnover differential last season.

Parsons is the centerpiece of the defense as the team's edge rusher, and he finished as the team's leading sacker with 13.5 quarterback traps. Parsons is hungry to produce big plays for the Cowboys and possibly gain the status of the NFL's best defensive player.

Parsons used offseason boxing training to help him improve his quickness and his ability to sense weakness in the opposition.

“I would say I’m a lot more dangerous, especially inside, working inside, especially when [offensive linemen are] getting on you a whole lot faster vs. the outside. So I feel like it really helped my inside rushes and things like that,” Micah Parsons said.

After hammering the Giants in Week 1, Parsons and the Cowboys defense will try to continue their success at home against the New York Jets in Week 2.