The Dallas Cowboys trading away Micah Parsons was already deemed a stupid move from the moment it was first announced. A team that's supposedly in title contention trading a top-three pass rusher because of a contract dispute? That was already an illogical move. Some tried to justify the move, but their recent game against the Chicago Bears disproved any arguments they made.
QB Caleb Williams played one of the best game of his career against the Cowboys after a terrible day in Detroit. The Bears QB threw for 298 yards and four touchdowns, three of which came in the first half alone. A key catalyst for his excellent performance is the Cowboys' pass rush… or rather, the lack of a proper pass rush.
“After taking a league-high 68 sacks as a rookie and six sacks in his first two games this season, Williams walked away from Week 3 without being sacked for the first time in his NFL career,” Courtney Cronin wrote for ESPN.
The Bears schemed up a better game than last week, and Williams definitely made better and quicker decisions. However, there were too many times when the Cowboys' pass rush couldn't get past the Bears' shoddy offensive line. That gave Williams enough time to make himself a cup of tea in the pocket and read out the defense. One can't help but think what would have happened if Parsons were on the defensive line.
After failing to agree on a contract extension this offseason, Parsons requested a trade away from the Cowboys. Dallas obliged the pass rusher's request, trading him to the Green Bay Packers for Kenny Clark and two first-round picks. The move was reviled by Cowboys fans, who thought that the front office should have instead extended Parsons.
Now, it's become increasingly clear that Parsons was the key to holding the Cowboys' defense together. They have allowed 6.5 yards per play through three games, the second-most in the league behind the Bears. They've allowed 30.7 points per game in that span, giving up 37 to the Russell Wilson-led New York Giants last week.
