Tag: micah parsons cowboys

Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons looked like a veteran in his NFL debut

The Cowboys asked Micah Parsons to do a ton of work in his NFL debut, and he responded as a veteran would.

The Cowboys created some raised eyebrows when they selected Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons with the 12th pick in the 2021 NFL draft — not because there was any question about Parsons’ talent, but because the team was already pretty stacked at linebacker with Jaylon Smith, Leighton Vander Esch, and free-agent acquisition Keanu Neal, who had played with new defensive coordinator Dan Quinn in Atlanta, and can fill a hybrid safety/’backer role. But to categorize Parsons as just a linebacker is to misunderstand his potential effect on a defense, and as the Cowboys also took LSU’s Jabril Cox in the fourth round, it became clear that they wanted more speed at the position, and Parsons has speed for days, as well as the athleticism to become a staple performer in any defense.

In two seasons with the Nittany Lions (2018 and 2019), Parsons lined up along the defensive line on 82 of his 1,225 snaps, per Pro Football Focus, with 1,007 in the box, 121 in the slot, 10 at outside cornerback, and three at free safety. In his NFL debut against the Buccaneers on Thursday night, that versatility was obvious once again — he had 51 snaps, playing 10 on the line, 38 in the box, and three at outside corner. Parsons had three quarterback hurries, five solo tackles, two missed tackles, and in coverage, he allowed five catches on seven targets for 41 yards.

More importantly, Parsons looked comfortable wherever Quinn and his staff lined him up. Whether he was playing inside or outside off-ball linebacker, edge-rusher, inside blitzer, or dropping into coverage, the game didn’t look to big for him at this level, which is pretty impressive for a first-game rookie going up against one of the NFL’s most consistently explosive offense, and the greatest quarterback in football history.

The Buccaneers ran the ball just 14 times for 52 yards in their 31-29 win, so the focus on Parsons’ performance was more about coverage and pressure. In both categories, he had the look of a veteran.

Cowboys rookie Micah Parsons defies detractors with the ROBOT technique

Cowboys rookie linebacker Micah Parsons was slammed for looking lost on a snap where he did exactly what he was supposed to do.

Football is complicated. Defense is complicated. And unless you know precisely which techniques a defender is playing, it’s easy enough for even smart football people to get it wrong. If you’re following the season opener featuring the Buccaneers and Cowboys, you may have seen that the decisive narrative is that Dallas rookie linebacker Micah Parsons has spent his night lost in space against Tom Brady and Tampa Bay’s offense.

Parsons, the 12th overall pick in the 2021 draft, was highly regarded coming out of Penn State for his remarkable speed and athleticism, but coverage was not a specific strength. Per Pro Football Focus, he allowed 45 receptions on 68 targets for 514 yards and an opponent passer rating of 88.7, with no touchdowns and no interceptions over two seasons with the Nittany Lions. Not disastrous, but not amazing.

Perhaps that bled into the narrative that Parsons looked lost out there, but on one particular snap, Parsons was doing exactly what he was supposed to do.

Sharp is a smart football guy, but it was he, and not Parsons, who got caught short here. Parsons was using the ROBOT technique, as Chris Brown of Smart Football explained. Our friend Cody Alexander of Match Quarters, who also coaches high-school ball in Texas, also chimed in.

As Football Outsiders’ Derrik Klassen explained in a 2019 article, it’s a Nick Saban staple.

One aspect of playing coverage as a linebacker in the modern NFL is executing what Nick Saban calls “robot” (roll and run) technique. “Robot” technique is generally used as an answer to play-action. Since linebackers get sucked into the line of scrimmage, it’s very hard for them to backpedal out to gain depth and find intermediate routes. So, rather than backpedal, linebackers are often taught to turn up the field to run while scanning the middle of the field for routes to pick up on. It’s tough to execute because spacing correctly and finding targets can be a nightmare, but when practiced and executed properly, it’s a clear deterrent for any half-decent quarterback.

Here is Jermaine Carter (56) executing “robot” technique against Houston. Carter initially lines up over the left guard (Max Scharping, 74) and bites hard on the play-action fake. The moment Carter realizes it’s a passing play, he jams his foot in the ground to take off and gain depth in the direction of Watson’s rollout. Carter turns his head to the other side of the field while running to scan for any potential routes to pick up and finds an intermediate crosser. He then immediately looks to lock into the receiver’s hip and run with him across the field to cut off any potential throwing lane. If even Carolina’s non-stud linebackers can execute like this, it’s no wonder Kuechly and Thompson can do it so well, too.

Steven Ruiz, formerly of For The Win and now of The Ringer, also has a great explanation from 2020 when discussing the Patriots’ defensive concepts.

Against play-action, the rat [defender] can use a “ROBOT” technique, which isn’t as cool as it sounds. It simply means “roll over and back.” I don’t know where the extra O and T come from, and I feel like “ROB” would have been a more apt name for the technique and it’s also a verb, but I digress. When using “ROBOT” technique, a player will turn his back to the quarterback and try to find a crosser.

To paraphrase the great Jim Mora, when you think you know the intricate details of football… well, you think you know, but you don’t know, and it’s not that you never will, but the obvious isn’t always so obvious.

Cowboys draft Micah Parsons: Instant analysis of the No. 12 pick

The Cowboys are linebacker-heavy with the Micah Pasrons pick, but Parsons is no ordinary linebacker.

With the 12th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, the Dallas Cowboys select Micah Parsons, linebacker, Penn State.

Analysis: Provided teams are satisfied about the character concerns, Parsons is a top ten talent in this draft class. The other concern might be the position, as off-ball linebackers tend to be devalued in today’s game. But given what he can do off the edge as a pass rusher in spots, the fact Parsons can also contribute in that way makes him a player worth targeting at the top of the first round. He’s a potential do-it-all guy who could transcend his alleged positional value over time.

Grade: B. Parsons projects well as an inside and outside linebacker, but he can also play in the slot, and with Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch already on board, new defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has one of the most athletic linebacker groups in the NFL. The need in the secondary is still clear, but the Cowboys can pick up pieces for that a bit later in the draft,