The Dallas Cowboys traded Micah Parsons to fix their run defense, according to Jerry Jones. Of course, that could have been accomplished without jettisoning one of the best players in franchise history.
Kenny Clark will improve the run defense, but with Dallas traveling to face Saquon Barkley and the Eagles on Thursday night, Jones' explanation was never going to age well. Sure enough, the Cowboys' run defense couldn't stop a nosebleed to start the game and that was a huge reason why Dallas came up short in a 24-20 dogfight at Lincoln Financial Field.
In the first half alone, the Eagles rushed for 123 yards and three touchdowns on 19 careers. That included 83 rushing yards over expectation, per Next Gen Stats. It's the single biggest reason why Dallas played from behind for most of the game.
Cowboys' run defense predictably struggled against the Eagles despite Jerry Jones thinking otherwise
The Eagles only finished with 158 rushing yards in the game, but that is attributed to Nick Sirianni unleashing nearly a run-only offense in the second half after the lightning delay. Sirianni wanted to burn clock, so he abandoned the pass.
It's easier to stop the run when you know it's coming. The Cowboys barely put up a fight on the ground in the first half. Credit to Matt Eberflus for making adjustments at halftime, and to the players for buckling down, but fans' fears about this run defense were not quelled because it looked better in the final quarter when it was obvious to everyone in the stadium that the ball was going to Saquon Barkley.
And for what it's worth, Kenny Clark was very quiet on the night. It was Osa Odighizuwa and Solomon Thomas on the bottom of most piles. Marshawn Kneeland, Jack Sanborn and Sam Williams all flashed more than the veteran defensive tackle.
Do the Cowboys win the game with Micah Parsons? That's up for debate.
It was there for the taking on three separate drives in the fourth quarter. They undoubtedly win if CeeDee Lamb plays better, but it's fair to wonder if Parsons gets home once or twice in the first half when the defense was reeling.
Regardless, Jones was dead wrong to pin the trade on wanting to stop the run. It's been an issue for the better part of seven years and Jones didn't do anything to address it in that time.
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