Cowboys studs and duds: Tony Pollard explodes in Week 8 win

Stud: Micah Parsons, LB

One of the favorites in the NFL this season for Defensive Player of the Year has to be Micah Parsons. The second-year linebacker entered Week 8 second in the league in sacks with eight and he continues to affect every snap that he’s on the field for.

Even when he doesn’t make the play, offenses have to try and account for him which frees things up for his teammates. He also plays with a non-stop motor that can be contagious. Last week, he saved a touchdown when he chased down T.J. Hockenson against Detroit, and this week, he scored a touchdown of his own due to his hustle.

Parsons had attacked the quarterback and when Fields threw the ball, he turned and chased after him. Leighton Vander Esch then forced David Montgomery to fumble and Parsons was able to chase the ball down for the recovery.

Even better, he was aware that Fields leaped over him, so he was never touched down. That allowed him to get up and run it back 36 yards for a touchdown as the Cowboys took a 42-23 lead.

Dud: Connor McGovern, Guard

The first drive nearly ended thanks to a mistake by the offensive line, which has been a common occurrence lately. Connor McGovern couldn’t sustain a block on Nicholas Morrow as Tony Pollard ran it on second-and-one. Instead of a conversion, Dallas lost five yards as the linebacker had a free path to the runner.

They still managed to score but the penalties by offensive linemen during opening drives is beyond concerning. This is an area that really needs to be cleaned up.