“Getting punched in the face” needs to stop

FRISCO, Texas – Two games in which nearly 500 rushing yards were allowed – at home – a place where the Cowboys have been so dominant the last two years.

And yet they were obliterated on the floor in a way that tested not only their talent but their pride.

That alone makes Micah Parsons say enough is enough.

“I feel like a competitor. At some point you have to be proud enough and say, 'I'm not going to let this happen to me,'” Parsons said in the locker room on Tuesday. “I just feel like some people just allow themselves to be slapped all the time. Like when do you get up?”

The perfect time to do this would be Thursday night when the Cowboys play the New York Giants, who enter the game with an identical 1-2 record after beating the Browns on the road, the same win the Cowboys have .

But for some reason, it doesn't sound like the Giants have the same questions about their team, especially a defense that dominated the Browns, getting nine sacks and 17 quarterback pressures.

But yeah, the Cowboys looked pretty impressive against the Browns in Week 1 too. In fact, Parsons had one of his best games of his career when he recorded a sack and 11 pressures against Deshaun Watson in a 16-point win.

Since then, the defense has looked anything but. In fact, it's been pretty bad, as they now rank last in the NFL in rush defense, allowing 185.7 yards per game, including 273 last week against the Ravens.

Parsons said the goal remains the same this week: “We have to go out and dominate.”

But in order to do what he does best — rush the quarterback — the Cowboys need to catch them in passing situations, according to Parsons. And to do that they have to be able to stop the run.

“People have to pass the ball,” Parsons said when asked why the pressure has eased in the last two games. Parsons has had just three pressures in each of the last two weeks, following the 11 in Cleveland.

Parsons was very vocal after the Ravens' loss, talking about the lack of accountability from some of his teammates. Asked if he felt the rest of the players had gotten the message, he said it wasn't easy to assess at the moment.

“Everyone says it, but we’ll have to see what happens on Thursday,” Parsons said. “That is very difficult to say. Everyone nods in agreement. We’ll see.”

With the score at 1-2, Parsons was asked if the Giants game in September was a rare must-win game.

“I feel like you have to win every game,” he said. “In the last two years we were one game behind number 1. I think every game is equally important. But I think I'd like to get the ball rolling again. We have to get back to the victory column” and get the ball rolling.

And while every season is different, it may help the Cowboys play the Giants considering they have won 12 of the last 13 meetings, including a 40-0 and 49-17 victory last season .

But then again, the past is the past. Because if Parsons and the Cowboys stubbornly insist on putting the last two games behind them, the last few seasons will also be far in the rearview mirror.