Rookie linebacker Micah Parsons continues to be the one bright spot on a Dallas Cowboys defense that allowed an insane 509 total yards in Thursday’s 36-33 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Parsons took down Raiders quarterback Derek Carr for his ninth sack of the season, which broke the Cowboys rookie record set by All-Pro pass rusher DeMarcus Ware.
After the loss, that was the last thing on his mind as he blasted the officials for their constant flow of penalties in the Thanksgiving game.
“We should be playing football, not tag,” Parsons said. “I’m not here to support anybody and play tag like he’s my best friend. I’ve got a job to do and I see [Carr is] outside the pocket, so I’m going after the quarterback.”
“At the end of the day, football is an aggressive game and you’re going to attack the ball and you’re going to play through the ball and you’re going to play the defender,” Parsons said later. “At the end of the day, it’s going to come to a point in time . . . when are you truly going to let us play?”
The officiating crew led by referee Shawn Hochuli produced 28 accepted penalties — 14 for each team — for 276 total yards (a franchise-record 166 against Dallas).
The call Parsons is upset about is of him tapping a falling Raiders QB Derek Carr on the helmet after Carr threw a pass to Hunter Renfrow. Carr’s head then made incidental contact with Parsons’ knee.
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Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy kept it short and sweet when he was asked about the flagfest.
“Twenty-eight penalties — I don’t know what the hell you want me to say,” he said. “Write what you want; I’m all for it.”
Parsons has six games remaining to chase the all-time rookie sack record set by former Tennessee Titans and Philadelphia Eagles pass rusher Jevon Kearse, who racked up 14.5 back in 1999.
