Cowboys facing ‘prove-it week’ vs. Ravens, says Micah Parsons

FRISCO, Texas — Dallas Cowboys edge player Micah Parsons is expecting a different mindset when the Dallas Cowboys play the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday after last week’s 25-point loss to the New Orleans Saints.

“To me, it’s like a prove-it week,” Parsons said. “I’m not just putting anything on any of my teammates. I’m saying myself included, like I need to step up. We all need to step up. It would hurt me more if we all didn’t step up, if we all played down to that standard again because that just tells me we’re not moving in the direction that we should be moving.”

The Cowboys came into Week 2 after a dominating performance against the Cleveland Browns in the opener, but the Saints scored touchdowns on their first six possessions. They finished with 190 yards rushing, and Alvin Kamara scored four touchdowns — three rushing, one receiving.

Immediately after the game, Parsons questioned the effort of the defense. On Monday, head coach Mike McCarthy said New Orleans beat the Cowboys to the punch and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer took the blame for the showing.

“At some point, all 11 got to have the same mindset, and that’s just toughness,” Parsons said. “You talk about who you want to be and all this other stuff, but you’ve got go out there and be it. And it can’t just be one guy. It can’t be two guys. It’s all 11 guys. It takes everyone.

“I affect the linebackers, the linebackers affect the DBs. We aren’t all synchronized. One group’s getting F’d up, then another group’s going to get F’d up. It’s a synchronized chain. So at the end of the day, it’s all about toughness and having the mentality like, ‘I’m going to dominate the man in front of me.’ Not all 11 had that last week.”

The Ravens come to AT&T Stadium winless after two games but with the seventh-ranked run offense. Derrick Henry had 79 of his 84 yards and a touchdown in the second half of last week’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. When the Cowboys last played the Ravens in 2020, quarterback Lamar Jackson ran for 94 yards and a touchdown in a 34-17 win against Dallas.

Parsons said Baltimore will come into the game looking for “redemption,” after their start.

“Like I just said, toughness. Step up. Ain’t no other choice,” Parsons said. “Derrick Henry’s going to come downhill, like it or not. So it’s not like a matter of are you going to stop it. It’s just, ‘Are you going to do it or not?’ I know I’m ready for the matchup. … It’s just always going to come down Sunday, if you’re going to live up to that or not.”