FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys (2-2) losing both three-time All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons (high ankle sprain) and four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence (Lisfranc/mid-foot sprain) in their 20-15 road win at the New York Giants is nothing short of "tragic" in the words of Parsons himself.
Lawrence was placed on injured reserve this week, and Parsons was told by Cowboys head athletic trainer Jim Maurer "'yeah, you're probably not going to be able to go [in Week 5].'"
"It's definitely tragic because like obviously I never want to see me and Law out at the same time," Parsons said on Monday. "It's just all part of the test, man. It just gives more room for these guys that's coming and playing a lot more time to get ready. Honestly, it's not like a terrible thing. You these guys to be ready, so when we get late in the season, these guys will be prepared to go through it. They got the experience and keep getting better and better."
"Those are two dynamic guys," Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer said on Monday. "Good leaders, good team guys. "We'll have to make some adjustments and see how it goes."
Head coach Mike McCarthy did his best to spin their on-field absences as "a great opportunity" to showcase the depth and fight that Dallas has.
"It's a great opportunity for the others. It's very apparent," McCarthy said on Wednesday. "You walk into your team meeting, and you got DLaw and Micah sitting in the front row because of the injuries that they're dealing with. It is a great opportunity for others. We're excited about it. We took a step in New York, had a chance to catch our breath. Obviously injuries are part of it. You never want to lose any of your guys, especially top guys. This is a great opportunity to show the quality of our football team. We're excited about this. They're still a big part of our team. That hasn't changed. They're still here every day. They're obviously going through the treatment process and so forth. It's all about the journey. We have a lot of football in front of us."
"Yeah, definitely those guys are going to be missed this week," Cowboys two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs said on Wednesday. "The younger guys will have to step up, and we're going to have to play [as] even more of a unit to get this job done."
One of the adjustments being made by Diggs is how he carries himself, both on and off the field, with Parsons and Lawrence out. The quiet, more introverted cornerback typically lets his play do the talking: his 16 interceptions since Dallas drafted Parsons and hired Dan Quinn as defensive coordinator in 2021 rank as the most in the NFL. However, he is putting pressure on himself to speak up more in all areas to galvanize his teammates with a void in on-field leadership at the moment. That's a big deal for Diggs.
"Yeah, a little bit," Diggs said when asked if he felt added pressure with Parsons and Lawrence being out. "DeMarcus is our vocal leader on the defense, so him not being there and Micah is pretty vocal too. I'm not as vocal, so I feel like it's pressure on me to get the guys going on Sunday. I'm going to take responsibility and make sure I do that."
That being said, Diggs doesn't expect the Cowboys' defense to look any different on "Sunday Night Football" at the 3-1 Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5. He doesn't care whether it's 2024 second-round pick edge rusher Marshawn Kneeland, whom Parsons has personally coached up since training camp, and/or four-year veteran Chauncey Golston, whom Parsons compared to Miami five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Cameron Wake, in place of Parsons and Lawrence.
"It shouldn't look different," Diggs said. "Everybody should play to be able to play the same because [you] should be able to do everything that they could do as well. Like I said, young guys have to step up and play together."
Returning the favor
When Diggs tore his ACL during practice of Week 3 last season, Parsons made a concerted effort to encourage Diggs throughout his recovery. Now, Diggs is going to do the same for his BFF as Parsons grapples with missing the first football game of not only his NFL career, but his entire football career because of an injury. That dates back to his college years at Penn State, high school, middle school and Pop Warner/pee wee.
"Just keeping him in good spirits," Diggs said. "Being there for him. I was scared for him [when he was being carted off]. I'm happy he's ok. He's going to be back soon."
Diggs plans to do some of the things Parsons did with him when he was working his way back from a torn ACL across the past year.
"Just doing things he likes to do," Diggs said. "Play [NBA] 2K. Stuff like that. Just keeping his mind off of it and making sure he's alright."
Parsons' work cheering up Diggs, plus the relentless, additional physical therapy work he's done outside of the Cowboys facility has Diggs feeling close to being back to his normal, Pro Bowl self four games into his return.
"I feel good," Diggs said. "I can make the cuts and turns. I can run as as fast I can. I feel good."
Going on the road to Pittsburgh, the team with the second-best scoring defense (13.3 points per game allowed) in 2024, in primetime without their two best players in Week 5 should reveal a lot what the kind of team the Cowboys will be this season. Will they be more like the team that has showed great resolve by winning 12 games in each of the last three seasons? Or will they be like McCarthy's first Cowboys team in 2020 that went 6-10 in a year in which quarterback Dak Prescott's season-ending ankle injury derailed all their hopes and dreams?
"You're going to learn a lot," Diggs said. "We're going to see what's in store for this weekend, but I got all the faith in my teammates. So, we will be ok. "