Cowboys at the Bottom of NFC Without Micah Parsons: What’s Next for Jerry Jones?

Two things can be simultaneously true about Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys, and he's well down the road to proving as much after a 40-40 tie with legitimate NFC contender Green Bay on Sunday night.

We've made it clear here on multiple occasions Jones is not fit to exercise ultimate personnel power in the organization he owns, and there are now decades of evidence supporting that opinion.

But tip your 10-gallon Stetson to Jones for putting his neck on the line in a very Jerry-like spectacle by trading All-Pro Micah Parsons with the logic he was not as indispensable as his $60 million quarterback. He felt the same way about removing head coach Mike McCarthy in favor of elevating offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and paying him less than 50 percent of the annual salary.

Jones was one Parsons QB sack of Prescott in overtime — forcing a tying field goal that ended the game 40-all instead of a game-ending TD — from a public offering of crow sandwiches to us and dozens of others who've panned the deal as a defeat for Dallas. Parsons, 26 and on pace to approach the all-time sacks record, is not the type of talent a team gives up in a flustered rage to a conference power.

The Cowboys are not exactly perfect without Parsons.

For the second time in four games, 37 points wasn't enough to win a game in regulation. Dallas needed overtime to beat the New York Giants in Week 2, 40-37. They lost in Week 3, allowing 31 points at Chicago.

But let's throw the "bad defense" narrative into context.

The only team allowing more points than the 33 points per game surrendered by the Cowboys this season is the Ravens (33.3), who are down to third-string defensive linemen.

The Dolphins (32.3 entering Monday) and their Week 4 opponents the Jets (31) are also on an historically bad track.

Dallas is the league's worst in total yards (420.5 per game), pass defense (297.3) and third-down defense (allowing first-down conversions 58.3 percent of the time).

To entertain Jones' revisionist logic for a moment: Where would the Cowboys be with Parsons?

Based on last year's output, likely a top-10 to top-12 defense. Parsons is generating more consistent pass rush pressure than any player in the NFL. Only two players — Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis and Broncos defensive lineman Zach Allen — have more QB hits (10) than Parsons (9) this season.

Meanwhile, the Cowboys are piecing together a workmanlike group capable of getting to the quarterback on occasion, but we'll take the under on Dallas getting 30 sacks this year.

At 1-2-1, three in the win column back of the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East, Dallas isn't in the playoff picture as of Week 4. There are 12 NFC teams at 2-2 (Green Bay included being 2-1-1) and ahead of Dallas in the playoff chase.

A hard truth in Dallas these days is that without Parsons, the Cowboys are much closer to the bottom than the top of the NFC.

Which teams are behind the Cowboys in the conference? New Orleans (0-4), Carolina (1-3) and the Giants (1-3). That's it. That's the list. They're already lost to the Bears, who are in last place in the NFC North. They play at the Jets (0-3 entering MNF) on Sunday.

As great as Prescott has played — and it's truly an MVP tier at the moment — and even with the additional first-round picks fetched from the Packers in return for Parsons, Jones has not improved the product on the field. At least not yet.

Might the exceptional Prescott performance motivate Jones to spend from his asset allotment of draft capital to acquire a marquee pass rusher?

That's possible, maybe even probable. But as with the rest of the football decisions in Dallas, the pendulum can only swing if Jones puts it into motion.