Micah Parson's first 50 games as a pass rusher has rivaled those of Myles Garrett. He's the most disruptive player on the Dallas defense.
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is an analyst the Cleveland Browns for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Browns v. Dallas Cowboys
Sunday, 4:25 p.m., in Huntington Bank Field
Record: (last season) 12-6, lost in wild-card round.
Last game: Lost to Los Angeles Chargers, 26-19, August 24, in Dallas.
Coach: Mike McCarthy, 43-28, fifth season; 178-113-2 overall.
Series record: Browns lead, 18-14 (counting postseason).
Last meeting: Browns won, 49-38, October 4, 2020, in Dallas.
League rankings: (last season) Offense was fifth overall (14th rushing, third passing), defense was fifth overall (16th rushing, fifth passing) and turnover differential was plus-10.
Things to watch
1. Drama fuels owner Jerry Jones and drama fuels his lucrative football franchise. With receiver CeeDee Lamb now under contract ($136 million over four years), media focus will intensify on the futures of quarterback Dak Prescott and McCarthy. Jones perpetuates the drama through media appearances on almost a daily basis.
2. Prescott ranks 15th among quarterbacks in salary at $34 million in the final year of his contract. He can’t be franchised and if the Cowboys don’t re-sign him he will cost $40 million against their 2025 salary cap. Everyone agrees he will be the league’s first $60 million-a-year player, but the Cowboys have not been able to retire this drama. Perhaps Jones knows the number that will get it done but prefers to keep the drama going.
3. McCarthy enters the final year of his contract with three straight 12-win seasons followed by premature playoff exits. In those seasons, the Cowboys were first, fourth and first in points. It’s not a foregone conclusion that Jones will fire him if the season ends in disappointment again. Jones lets McCarthy coach and McCarthy lets Jones say what he wants as owner and chief spokesman. There isn’t the friction that existed between Jones and Bill Parcells, for example. If the record would swoon, however, Jones would make a change. While Bill Belichick is most cited as a possible successor, don’t count out Mike Vrabel.
4. Jones’ biggest change was bringing back Mike Zimmer to replace departed defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. The last three years under Quinn, the defense ranked fifth, fifth and seventh in points allowed. Zimmer’s best year under Parcells was 2003 when the Cowboys were second in points allowed. The priority in Zimmer’s return was to beef up the run defense. They hope the additions of veteran tackles Jordan Phillips and Linval Joseph and the development of Mazi Smith addressed that. Also, Zimmer will return to a traditional three-linebacker base and reduce Quinn’s three-safety scheme.
5. In his three seasons, pass rusher Micah Parsons has finished second, second and third in defensive player-of-the-year voting. Parsons has 40.5 sacks in his first 50 NFL games. Myles Garrett, reigning DPOY, had 43 sacks in his first 50 games. Zimmer intends to continue to line up Parsons anyplace to create his best matchups – outside, inside, hand on ground, stand-up. Parsons is the No. 1 disrupter on the defense and affects every team’s offensive game plan.
Did you know … ?
1. The Cowboys will break in two rookies on their starting offensive line. Left tackle Tyler Guyton, 6-8 and 322 pounds, was the 29th overall pick of the first round. Center Cooper Beebe, 6-3 and 335, was the 73rd overall pick in the third round.
2. Another rookie starter is cornerback Caelen Carson. The fifth-round pick from Wake Forest is taking over for DaRon Bland, who is out 6-8 weeks after surgery to correct a stress fracture in a foot. Bland led the NFL with nine interceptions last year, including a league-record five touchdown returns.
3. At the same time, the Cowboys will get back cornerback Trevon Diggs, a two-time Pro Bowl selection who suffered a season-ending knee injury prior to Game 3 last year. Diggs hasn’t played in preseason but has practiced the last two weeks.
4. Kicker Brandon Aubrey was a rookie sensation last year, setting an NFL record with 19 consecutive made field goals to start his career and becoming the first play to convert field goals from 59 and 60 yards in the same game. Aubrey made a field goal from 66 yards in a preseason game against the Raiders. That would have tied the NFL record if done in a regular game.
5. Ezekiel Elliott led the NFL in rushing in 2016 and 2018. He returned to the Cowboys this year after one season with the Patriots. But he’s not the premier ball-carrier of old. The Cowboys intend to use a committee approach at running back with Elliott, Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn all seeing action. Recently acquired Dalvin Cook is not expected to be promoted from the practice squad.
Small world: Run game coordinator/running backs coach Jeff Blasko was Browns assistant offensive line coach in 2019 … Safeties coach Cannon Matthews is from Beford Heights and held jobs with the Browns in 2007 (personnel intern), 2013 (defensive intern) and 2016 (defensive backs coach).