DALLAS — Editor's note: The video above is from September.
Rookie linebacker Micah Parsons' streak of consecutive games with a sack came to an end against the New York Giants in Week 15.
The Dallas Cowboys' first-round pick notched six straight games with a sack, but the string was snapped in the 21-6 victory over the Giants at MetLife Stadium.
Parsons, who finished with one tackle and a pass breakup, wasn't perturbed about the streak ending. Rather, he found a positive out of the situation.
"They come and go, just like anything," Parsons said. "That’s the beautiful thing about life. I have next week to start a new streak. That’s another six weeks I’m looking forward to."
If Parsons has a sack in each of the next six weeks, it will mean that the Cowboys will be playing into conference championship game weekend, a feat they have not accomplished since 1995. With the way the defense is going, having recorded four takeaways in three straight games, the Dallas defense may be turning back the clock to the 1990s.
"This is how we built our identity," Parsons said. "We pride ourselves on playing hard-nose football, out-hitting the other team. It’s a better game when we make sure they score zero, and we held them out. I thought we did a great job today."
The Cowboys held the Giants to 302 yards of total offense and 6-14 on third downs. Dallas also blanked the Giants in the red zone as the home side went 0-2 inside the 20-yard line.
As for Parsons' quiet afternoon, the result was mostly due to playing more linebacker and even some in the secondary. Parsons covered receiver Kenny Golladay with 46 seconds to go in the first quarter on a third-and-5 from the Dallas 17 to earn his lone pass breakup of the day.
Said Parsons: "That’s what I do. There can’t be anybody like me. The fact I can do those types of things, sometimes your impact doesn’t need to be made in the backfield. Sometimes it will be made somewhere else, and I think that’s where my impact was made today."
With 12.0 sacks, Parsons still has three games to record 2.5 and tie Jevon Kearse's record for the most sacks by a rookie with 14.5 in 1999. The former Penn State product may hit that mark in Week 16 as the Cowboys host Washington for a rematch on Sunday Night Football at AT&T Stadium.
In Week 13, Parsons dropped Washington quarterbacks for 2.0 sacks. It would be a fabulous way to start another sack streak.
Do you think Micah Parsons will end up breaking the rookie sack record of 14.5 sacks? Share your thoughts with Mark on Twitter @therealmarklane.
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