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Todd Archer, ESPN Workers Author
FRISCO, Texas — Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons has not missed a recreation attributable to harm at any degree of soccer, however it’s trying extra seemingly that he’ll miss his first on Sunday towards the Pittsburgh Steelers due to a excessive left ankle sprain.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy on Monday mentioned the workforce is making ready to play Sunday’s recreation with out Parsons.
“Man, it is like, simply irritating, for actual,” mentioned Parsons, who missed one recreation in 2021 due to COVID. “Going from being prepared and being there for the workforce to being out hurts me as a result of I really feel like I am letting folks down.”
Parsons was carrying a protecting boot and utilizing a scooter to get round Monday after suffering the injury in the fourth quarter of Thursday’s win towards the New York Giants. An MRI confirmed the excessive ankle sprain.
After the Steelers, the Cowboys play the Detroit Lions on Oct. 13 earlier than getting into their bye week.
Parsons acknowledged it would “make sense to some” to sit down out the subsequent two video games and the bye week.
“However if you’re an actual competitor, you solely get 17 probabilities at this,” Parsons mentioned. “And lacking one in all these alternatives to carry out on the highest degree bothers me. I really feel like I need to play on Sunday. If I can play, I’ll play, you recognize. To me, so long as I can run and transfer how I transfer, I need to play.”
The Cowboys additionally can be with out their different prime move rusher, DeMarcus Lawrence, who’s coping with a Lisfranc harm in his proper foot. Whereas the harm won’t require surgical procedure, he’s missing four to eight weeks, sources instructed ESPN.
“These guys are the motor,” cornerback Jourdan Lewis mentioned. “They make this factor go. Particularly if you received guys that make performs like that. And as contagious as they play, it is positively laborious. We going to have to search out methods to complement that as a result of there isn’t any means you’ll be able to change it. We simply received to go on the market and discover methods to assault offenses with out these guys. So sit up for it.”
What was Parsons’ message to the defensive linemen?
“It is time to man up, for certain,” Parsons mentioned. “We discuss next-man mentality.”
Parsons has confidence in rookie Marshawn Kneeland, Chauncey Golston and Carl Lawson, who has been elevated from the apply squad the previous two video games. Lawrence is probably going heading to injured reserve and the Cowboys will search for line of defense assist.
“We all know we received to step up for our boys,” Kneeland mentioned. “We all know that seeing them go down, clearly none of us needed that to occur. Now all of us received to return collectively and play for one another.”
In 2022, the Cowboys survived Dak Prescott‘s five-game absence attributable to a damaged thumb and went 4-1 with Cooper Rush at quarterback. Lewis, nonetheless, didn’t need to draw that parallel.
“Yeah, you’ll be able to say that, however I imply it is two nice gamers,” Lewis mentioned. “Not saying that Dak is not as nice as two gamers, however these two gamers on protection, it is positively laborious. … We have to search out methods to do issues of their absence.”
