Micah Parsons declares Cowboys have the best defense in NFL after dominant Week 1 outing

After leading the league in takeaways last season, the Dallas Cowboys defense opened the 2023 NFL season with a dominant 40-0 performance that Micah Parsons believes proved that his unit is the one to beat this year.

The Cowboys started the game with a special teams score, spearheaded by two defensive newcomers, Juanyeh Thomas and Noah Igbinoghene, then Trevon Diggs knocked a ball loose for DaRon Bland to snag and score to put the team up 16-0.

The defense didn’t let up for a second, combining for seven sacks, forcing two interceptions, and two fumbles. They also limited Giants quarterback Daniel Jones to just 104 passing yards.

“I think we’re making a statement that we’ve been trying to make: We’re the best defense in the National Football League,” Parsons said after the game.

“I thought it was good — all three phases,” he added. “It started with the special teams with that big block [on the field goal], and I feel like we just carried the momentum and that shift from there. We never let up, which is a great sign because last year we might’ve let up a little bit. But we stayed on them [tonight]. 

“We smothered them.”

Parsons: ‘We already knew the standard’

Parsons tried to warn opposing offenses all offseason long that this was how the Cowboys would be coming for them out of the gate. Whether they heeded the warning or not, the Giants weren’t ready. The former defensive rookie of the year told reporters he “saw it coming.”

“Yeah, no doubt in my mind,” Parsons said. “I saw it [coming] before anybody. I said that I couldn’t wait to get to New York. I knew this was coming. When preparation meets execution, I don’t think there’s anyone who can beat it. We prepare like we’ve already felt this, like we’ve already been to war before.

“We already knew the standard. We knew what happened last year and remembering what we’re capable of. It’s just about being capable of doing it every week.”

Even after tallying three tackles with a sack on Sunday night, Parsons says he still has room to grow.

“I still have to get better and still have to become greater, within myself, and get to the level I want to play at each week. I feel like I always leave plays out there that I wish I could get back.”

The Cowboys defense hopes to continue their dominance in Week 2. They’ll face former NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET in DFW.