With just a month left in the NFL regular season, it’s still a tough sight for Cowboys fans to see Micah Parsons wearing green and gold on Sundays. The trade that sent the All-Pro linebacker to Green Bay may have opened up new possibilities for Dallas’ future, but watching Parsons dominate week in and week out while the Cowboys’ defense struggles to stay afloat? That one still stings.
Let’s be clear: Parsons has been one of the best defensive players in football this season. That’s not hyperbole - that’s just reality.
He’s been a game-wrecker in Green Bay, doing what he always did in Dallas: wrecking pockets, disrupting timing, and making life miserable for quarterbacks. And while there was plenty of noise surrounding the trade when it went down, Parsons himself has stayed quiet on the Jerry Jones front, choosing instead to let his play do the talking.
After the Packers’ big divisional win over the Bears on Sunday, Parsons was in high spirits - and he used the moment to show some love to his former quarterback. While making the case for Jordan Love’s MVP candidacy, Parsons gave a nod to Dak Prescott as one of the league’s best this year.
“I don't think, besides Stafford, there's a guy that's playing better football (than Love). And Dak Prescott, he's playing really good, too. Those three guys, I think, are playing the best football in the league right now,” Parsons said.
That’s not just a throwaway comment. That’s a player who knows what elite quarterback play looks like, and he’s putting Prescott right in that mix. Parsons even added that Prescott is someone who “goes unnoticed” - a subtle but telling acknowledgment of the way Dak’s season has flown under the radar in some circles.
And Parsons isn’t wrong. Prescott has been putting together one of the best seasons of his career, even if the MVP buzz cooled off after Dallas’ loss in Detroit.
Realistically, for Prescott to get back into that conversation, the Cowboys would need to overtake the Eagles in the NFC East and finish strong. That’s a tall order - but don’t let the MVP odds distract from what he’s accomplished.
Before Monday Night Football, Prescott led the league in passing yards and QBR, and he was second in touchdown passes. Dig a little deeper and the advanced metrics back it up: he ranked seventh in EPA per play and sixth in completion percentage over expected. That’s elite company, especially when you consider the context.
Unlike Matthew Stafford and Jordan Love, Prescott hasn’t had the luxury of a top-tier defense backing him up. In fact, for much of the season, the Cowboys’ defense has been more of a liability than an asset. That’s put even more pressure on Prescott to be nearly perfect every week - and more often than not, he’s delivered.
If Dallas had even a league-average defense, they’d be flirting with 10 wins right now. Instead, the front office’s decision to trade Parsons just weeks before the season - without a clear replacement plan - has left a glaring hole that’s been impossible to ignore. It’s hard not to feel like they’ve squandered what might be the best season of Prescott’s career.
Still, there’s been a shift in how Prescott is viewed nationally. His performances on big stages have started to turn the narrative.
He’s not just “good enough” anymore - he’s playing like one of the best quarterbacks in the league. And even though Parsons is now making plays in Green Bay, it’s clear he still sees - and respects - what Prescott is doing in Dallas.
It’s a reminder that while the Cowboys may be looking ahead to a future without Parsons, the present still has a lot of promise - especially if Prescott keeps playing at this level.