Losing Micah Parsons leaves the Cowboys’ defense feeling like a “snake without a head.”

Frisco, TX – September 24, 2025

The Dallas Cowboys’ bold decision to trade superstar edge rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers last month was a gamble meant to reshape their future. By redirecting funds to secure big contracts for cornerback DaRon Bland and offensive lineman Tyler Smith, the team signaled confidence in its younger defensive talents. But a shocking statistic from their Week 3 loss to the Chicago Bears has cast serious doubt on that strategy, exposing cracks in the Cowboys’ post-Parsons defensive front.

When Dallas sent Parsons packing, they pinned their hopes on a trio of young edge rushers: rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku (a 2025 second-round pick), second-year pro Marshawn Kneeland (a 2024 second-rounder), and backup James Houston. Both Ezeiruaku and Kneeland earned high praise during August’s training camp, with some believing they could eventually overtake veterans Dante Fowler Jr. and Sam Williams as the faces of the Cowboys’ pass rush.

Those hopes, however, took a brutal hit in Dallas’ 31-14 defeat to the Bears. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Ezeiruaku, Kneeland, and Houston each posted a 0% pass rush win rate against Chicago’s offensive line. The damning stat, shared by NFL analyst Matt Owen (@ProfessorO_NFL) on X on September 22, 2025, read: “Per PFF: Donovan Ezeiruaku, James Houston AND Marshawn Kneeland all had 0% pass rush win rates against the Bears.”

For context, PFF’s pass rush win rate measures how often a defender beats their blocker within a critical window—typically around 2.5 seconds, per ESPN’s similar metric. A 0% rate means these players failed to generate any meaningful pressure, a glaring red flag for a defense already struggling to fill Parsons’ shoes.

The Cowboys’ defensive woes are mounting. After a solid showing against a shaky Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1, they’ve been gashed for a combined 68 points by the New York Giants and Bears—hardly offensive juggernauts—in Weeks 2 and 3. With the Green Bay Packers, led by none other than Parsons himself, looming in a Week 4 Sunday Night Football showdown, Dallas faces a critical moment to prove their gamble wasn’t a misstep.

The sobering numbers underscore the challenge ahead for head coach Brian Schottenheimer and defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. The young edge rushers, once seen as the future, now look like a liability, and the Cowboys’ defense must find answers fast—or risk watching their former star haunt them in primetime.