CLEVELAND — It was a tough battle when the Dallas Cowboys faced the Cleveland Browns in the NFL season opener at Huntington Bank Stadium. However, the latter were cornered early and often by the former’s aggressive offense, particularly the defense of Micah Parsons and Mike Zimmer.
The world got its first glimpse of what Zimmer’s unit could do against highly mobile playmaking quarterback Deshaun Watson and its array of talent – including five-time Pro Bowl receiver Amari Cooper and newly acquired wide receiver Jerry Jeudy – with Parsons helping lead a brutal pressure attack.
They allowed just one first down in the entire first half and ultimately scored just 17 points in the entire game, and Parsons (who agreed with All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs after the game) says they’re just getting started.
“We haven’t opened the whole bag,” Parsons said. “…I think the sky’s the limit. This is just the beginning.”
The defense was so shaky, you have to wonder if American Airlines is going to give them frequent flyer miles for their efforts. From Eric Kendricks to DeMarvion Overshown to DeMarcus Lawrence to Osa Odighizuwa and more, the defensive front was outstanding.
And then came the secondary, who practically shoved Cooper, Jeudy and Elijah Moore into a locker and turned the combination on the lock.
The run defense shone. The coverage shone. The containment of Watson shone.
“We have these rotation players and obviously we draft them pretty well, so it looks good and it helps that we can rotate when you’re tired and stuff like that,” Parsons said of the Cowboys being able to unleash waves of talented defensive linemen on their teams. … Man, I think we could have done more for anybody else.
“Deshaun is tough. He’s a tough quarterback, brother. He’s tough to bring down. He’s combative, he’s relentless. He’s always gotten back up, man, (but) it’s been a challenge for Cleveland to really get going on offense.”
The three-time All-Pro pass rusher was lined up in several different spots in Cleveland on Sunday, making it difficult for the Browns to focus on him before the snap, but it gave them resounding success.
He did, however, praise Watson for his toughness and grit and for preventing Parsons from having a multi-sack day earlier in the season.
“I think I missed two or three (sacks),” Parsons said. “He’s tough. I’m going to have nightmares tonight for sure. I should start with (three sacks) this year. … I don’t think I played at my level. I’ve got to finish these plays.”
Parsons says he’s not looking for excuses and is determined to get back in the lab after this game and try to get things back in order for Week 2, the home opener against the New Orleans Saints.
“First home game? They’ve got Derek Carr and they just lost 40, so they’re doing well,” Parsons said. “We’ve got to get in the lab and get going, but the lion is coming. We’ve got to protect the den. Let’s go.”
The Cowboys had the longest home winning streak in the league before it was ended by the Green Bay Packers in January, and they are now looking to start a new streak starting September 15.
