Micah Parsons long-awaited return to the Cowboys was a month in the making. The Packers traded Kenny Clark and two first-round picks to Dallas in exchange for the All-Pro pass rusher on August 28. The game itself was fluky and full of twists, ending in a 40-40 tie thanks in part by poor clock management from Packers head coach Matt LaFleur. Green Bay's defense – which entered the week ranked as one of the best in the NFL per EPA/play, yards allowed and points allowed, gave up a 40-spot. It's the second puzzling result for the Packers so far this season, as they lost to the Cleveland Browns in Week 3.
The leadup to this Sunday night clash revolved around Parsons, who did not receive a video tribute in Dallas nor was he greeted warmly by every Cowboys fan in attendance. Jerry Jones, forever talkative and willing to thrust his franchise into the spotlight, doubled down on his choice to trade Parsons pregame and, of course, postgame when Parsons failed to get his revenge.
Micah Parsons performance doesn't warrant a win for him or the Packers
The scoreboard doesn't lie. Sure, Parsons' Packers have a greater outlook this season in part because he is on the team. It could be a long year for the Cowboys after losing Parsons. They have one of the worst defenses in the NFL as of this writing, and losing a top-tier pass rusher like Micah didn't help matters. On the game, Parsons had eight pressures, a sack and a 34.5 percent pass rush win rate, per Pro Football Focus. Those are elite numbers, per usual, but if anything Parsons proved what Jones has been saying all along – he alone is not enough to win a Super Bowl.
One can argue the Cowboys didn't get enough in return for Parsons, but the decision to trade him shouldn't be judged as harshly following Week 4's result. Here's what Jones had to say postgame, while praising quarterback Dak Prescott and again saying Parsons was expendable.
"It's very simple: Dak was indispensable, in my mind ... and Micah wasn't," Jones said,via the team’s official website. "It's just numbers, it's that easy. And that's not personal at all. ... The numbers just weren't there with Micah."
How Micah Parsons proved Jerry Jones right
Frankly, I did not expect to be writing this column on a Monday morning in part because I've been exceptionally critical of the trade from the jump. Most pundits have, and odds are it will not age well. However, if the hill Jones is dying on is that he knew the Cowboys as constructed couldn't win a Super Bowl, he is not wrong. Again – he probably could've gotten a better return had he traded Parsons earlier in the offseason – but that doesn't mean his entire approach was flawed.
The Cowboys invested so much money in Prescott because they know the path back to Super Bowl glory begins at the quarterback position. When Parsons was affordable, he was a perfect secondary piece to lead their defense and pass rush. However, as the saying goes, Jones can't afford to pay everyone. Even with Parsons on this defense, they weren't a top-tier unit. Their best path forward is to treat this season as a wash and rebuild their defense through the draft and free agency this offseason. They'll now have the opportunity to do that with the money they would've used on Parsons.
Will Micah Parsons win a Super Bowl before the Cowboys?
Assuming all goes according to plan, Green Bay has a far easier path. The Packers were a popular Super Bowl pick once they acquired Parsons, and have a far more complete team than the Cowboys. If Jordan Love takes another step forward and Matt LaFleur stops tripping over himself, Green Bay should be more competitive than Dallas over the life of Parsons' contract.
That being said, it's too early to say whether either of these teams has what it takes to lift the Lombardi Trophy this February or in the years to come. Much of that will depend on the respective front offices, and their next steps forward.
Dallas may be rebuilding, but a tie against Parsons on Sunday night did prove a point – Micah alone isn't enough to take any team to enviable heights.