Micah Parsons is already a frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year
Before September 11, it was already a fact that Micah Parsons was incredibly good at football. Some haters, however, believed it wasn’t possible for the linebacker to have a Year 2 that was better than his first. ESPN even said they thought Parsons’ sack total would be significantly lower in 2022.
Now, two games into the season, there is zero denying that not only is he better in his second season, but he is the absolute frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year. The Penn State product narrowly missed the award last year when it was given to Pittsburgh Steelers’ T.J. Watt for tying the NFL sack record.
When Parsons told reporters his goal was to beat the NFL sack record (22.5) this season, I think most thought that was a lofty dream. But now that he’s leading the league in sacks, QB hits, tackles for loss, and pressures just two weeks into the season, it’s actually looking probable. Let’s also not forget that he got those sacks against two of the best quarterbacks in this league.
With his four total sacks, the 23-year-old became only the fourth player in franchise history to have multiple sacks in the first two games of the season. That puts him in the elite company of DeMarcus Ware, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Charles Haley.
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Cowboys LB Micah Parsons is already a clear frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year
Teams have yet to figure out a way to stop this guy given he attacks from all angles and all positions. Not only is he strong, but he is fast, making him almost impossible to catch. Opponents have continually said they need to keep an eye on him and plan for him, yet nobody has been able to figure out how.
We even saw examples of Parsons getting double or triple-teamed in Week 2, and he was still able to cause problems. The man is truly unstoppable. Here’s what Bengals head coach Zac Taylor had to say about the linebacker after Sunday’s game
"“Micah Parsons is going to be in the conversation for one of the best, if not the best, pass rusher. Just the way they can move him around, the way he can take advantage and bend. He’s a real problem.”"
His early dominance is also proof of his ability to continue learning and growing. Last year, he had only 2.5 sacks in his first seven games.
From the This is Ridiculous Department: Micah Parsons has 15 pass rush wins this season, the most by any player in the NFL. There are seven TEAMS with 15 or fewer pass rush wins through the first two weeks, per ESPN Stats & Info from NFL Next Gen Stats.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) September 21, 2022
Right now, his 17 total career sacks in 18 games makes him the fastest of any defender to reach that total since 1982. We aren’t sure what else proves that he is one of the most game-wrecking players in the NFL. He’s a linebacker, a pass rusher, and even makes plays in the secondary from time to time. Unless something drastically changes, we fully expect the Lion to add yet another trophy to his case at the end of this season.
