Big Blue View
With the New York Giants traveling to Arlington, Texas this weekend for an NFC East matchup with the Dallas Cowboys, we check in with David Halprin of SB Nation’s Blogging The Boys for this week’s ‘5 questions’ segment.
Ed: How much has the trade of Micah Parsons changed or impacted expectations from the fan base for this year’s Cowboys team?
David: I can’t speak for the entire fanbase, especially since there was a sizable contingent that wasn’t opposed to the trade of Micah Parsons. So I’ll only give you my view. The Cowboys are a lesser football team today than they were before the trade, and at a crucial position. It’s true the Cowboys are relatively deep at the EDGE position, but there is no one like Parsons in terms of disrupting an offense through sacks, pressure, and forcing double-teams to open things up for teammates. Here’s the thing though, I think many Cowboys fans had somewhat low expectations this year based on the disaster of 2024 coupled with having a new coaching staff, including a first-time head coach in Brian Schottenheimer. Before the Eagles game, expectations were pretty low and the Parsons trade added to that, but didn’t change the math that much. But after the Eagles game, there is some hope that this roster can contend for the playoffs without Parsons.
Ed: Which do you think Jerry Jones cares about more: Winning a Super Bowl, or making sure that the Cowboys are always in the headlines and a constant subject of conversation on TV and radio?
David: This is an easy question, although the answer may not be what you expect. Jerry Jones cares about winning a Super Bowl more for a couple of reasons. One, when you win a Super Bowl you are elevated in the headlines and you are the subject of conversation because you are the champs. Nothing elevates a team in the public’s consciousness like winning the Super Bowl. The other reason is Jerry’s ego needs to be proven right. He wants more than anything to be able to say as the GM he put together another Super Bowl team besides what he accomplished in the 90s. He wants to be able to put that in front of the haters and doubters. Along the way, he loses sight of that at times, like the personal nature of the Micah Parsons negotiations and how he put his feelings ahead of the good of the team. But overall, there is nothing he wants more than to win the Super Bowl and rub it in everyone else’s face. He needs that affirmation for his ego.
Ed: Who are a couple of under the radar Dallas players we should watch for on Sunday?
David: One player the Cowboys keep saying they are going to get more involved in the offense is special teams ace KaVontae Turpin. He has the speed and quickness to do some real damage if they can get him out in space...
