GREATER LANDOVER, Md. — Rookie linebacker Micah Parsons and Dallas Cowboys defenders must have been paying attention when their head coach Mike McCarthy guaranteed a victory over the Washington football team, because they came out in dominating fashion at FedEx Field.
Parsons did his best to wreck the game early on, leading the charge with a pair of sacks in the first half, the first of which led to a game-changing defensive touchdown.
Washington faced a fourth down near midfield when Parsons strip-sacked Taylor Heinicke. Cowboys defensive tackle Dorrance Armstrong picked it up at the Washington 37 and returned it for a touchdown. The Cowboys opened up an 18-0 first-quarter lead on the play.
Parsons picked up his second sack in the second quarter bringing his season total to 12. That pulled him within two-and-a-half sacks of the NFL rookie record of 14.5.
He has the defensive rookie of the year award all but locked up. Now Parsons is seemingly doing all he can to make a case for defensive player of the year, as well.
Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory picked up his first career interception earlier in the first quarter, one of a pair of first-half turnovers forced by the Cowboys defense leading to 15 points off turnovers. And going a long way towards the Cowboys making good on McCarthy's promise.