Dallas Cowboys, Micah Parsons looking to feast on the Cardinals, and the cheetah

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Not only has Dallas Cowboys rookie linebacker sensation Micah Parsons taken the NFL by storm with his play, but he has humorously educated his teammates and fans about the animal kingdom.

Parsons has frequently referred to himself as a lion who is always hungry.

And given the hunter mentality that he possesses he he does not intend to rest, especially with a chance to become the first NFL player to win Defensive Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of Year honors since Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor did it 1981.

After the Cowboys clinched the NFC East title in a 56-14 victory against Washington last Sunday, he said the team was not satisfied, “We’re not alligators. We don’t get paralyzed after we eat.”

All of his defensive teammates now either want animal nicknames of their own or they want to be a lion. He said they have to earn their nickname and he will keep watching animal videos and give them one.

But there is only one lion, so he had to look elsewhere when it came to granting a moniker for cornerback Trevon Diggs, who leads the league in interception with a franchise-record tying 11.

“You’re an eagle, bro. You’re in a league of your own,” Parsons told Diggs. “Eagles only fly with other eagles. No other bird can reach their altitude. ‘So you’re the eagle and I’m the lion. He owns the air and I own the ground. That’s what we’ve got to do. That’s why we’re 7-11.”

So what prey is up next for Parsons and the Cowboys, who are riding a four-game winning streak and are currently the No. 2 seed in the NFC?

The schedule says the Arizona Cardinals (10-5) but Parsons’ focus is on hunting a cheetah in the form of speedy quarterback Kyler Murray.

“Kyler’s a cheetah,” Parsons said. “The cheetah’s the fastest animal, but I mean a lion doesn’t just go by himself. It’s a lot of lions and lionesses. So if you’ve got a pack of lions, then I like the lion over the cheetah any day of the week.”

None of this is parallel to Parsons’ statement about being the only lion on the Cowboys, but he knows he is going to need some help in containing Murray and the Cardinals’ offense.

And more importantly, the Cowboys are looking forward to the challenge.

The Cardinals are a potential playoff opponent and a victory would be just their fourth win over a team that currently has a winning record. The others are the Los Angeles Chargers (8-7), Philadelphia Eagles (8-7) and New England Patriots (9-6). The Cowboys have not beaten a team with a winning record since October.

“I think this is a week for us to make a statement,” Parsons said. “This is obviously a high-profile team in our conference, a team we could potentially see in a couple weeks. I think we need to make a statement here. These types of games really define how you are going to go. We come out here and do what we are supposed to do, we will put everyone on notice.”

And to do that they will have to contain Murray, who has struggled recently, with just three touchdown passes over his last three games — all losses, which has caused them to fall into their current playoff slot as a wildcard team.

Still, Murray is as dynamic as they come with his arm and his feet and there will be no gifts for a defense that has feasted on quarterbacks that haven’t exactly been elite. Over the last four weeks, the Cowboys have faced off against the New Orleans Saints (Taysom Hill), Washington (Tyler Heinicke, twice), the New York Giants (Mike Glennon), who did not open the season as their team’s starter.

“I think the key word you said was postseason,” coach Mike McCarthy said. “This is a postseason football team. [Murray is] a postseason-caliber quarterback. He’s dynamic. He brings a unique challenge because of his ability to move and throw the ball in any quadrant of the field. And he has such a quick release and can really spin it.”

McCarthy showed the Cowboys film of Murray on Wednesday where he extended a play 13 seconds before getting rid of it.

So he keeps plays alive, much like Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, and he can throw it from different arm angles. But he is even more lethal when he takes off because he is so fast and elusive.

“This is definitely going to be a space challenge, which we’re excited about,” McCarthy said. “He’s definitely unique in his ability to move but he can still make any throw in the book.”

Parsons, however, is ready.

With 13 sacks, he is two sacks away from breaking the NFL rookie record of 14.5.

“Yeah, it is on my mind,” Parsons said. “Obviously, that would be an extraordinary thing to do for a guy who’s an off-ball linebacker. It would really mean a lot to me. I know I can do it, I just got to get the job done and really do what I do best, and that’s hunt.”

While Murray’s ability to run and scramble makes him dangerous, it also makes him susceptible to getting sacked. The lion will be cheetah hunting on Sunday. And he can’t wait.

“He is so explosive, so quick, so fast,” Parsons said. “He is really getting the best of a lot of players this year. We have to find a way to contain him. We have to make sure all the gaps are filled so we don’t give him no breathing room to get outside of that pocket to extend plays.

“So I am going to have to be on my A game and come in real focused. And be ready to hunt. It is going to be a big challenge for me. It’s a challenge I am excited for.”