Is Micah really on the level of Lawrence Taylor?

[Bugsy12]

Obviously, he has to keep it up a while, but absolutely he is. Similar demeanor on the field and every bit the play wrecker. Without the cocaine.

Quinn is using him beautifully, too. Those guys are having a blast.

I think he is faster than LT and more dedicated but I don’t think he has (yet) the violent streak that LT had. When LT sacked a quarterback he was absolutely ripping the QB’s arms down to cause fumbles. That’s next for MPP and then, quite frankly, I think he will pass LT over time. I also think he moves better than LT (what he was doing on top of the center in the Jets game by shading to the left then to the right and just bouncing around like a basketball player showing his crossover…damn…can’t wait to see more of that).

 

[dmq]

There is a brutality to the game that isn’t allowed in the league anymore. So, you won’t see the highlight hits that LT had anymore, but he is every bit the game changer. He needs rings to be in LT’s class though. Unfortunately, for individual players, that’s a lot of your legacy. Dan Marino is a prime example.

 

[K-DOGG]

I am a 57 year old lifetime Dallas Cowboys fan and avid football lover! I have been watching the game for over 50 years! I remember when the Giants drafted Lawrence Taylor out of North Carolina. LT is the GOAT for defensive players that I have seen with my own eyes! He was the most explosively violent, angry, impugnant, terrorizing and dominant player I have seen in my 50 years of watching football. He terrorized the NFC East for over a decade! There was nothing teams could do and no one could block him. He is the reason Left tackles are the third highest paid position in the NFL. If you don't have one, you don't have a chance! The player that I see that resembles LT the most is Micah Parsons! All the things we could say about LT as a player, we can say about Parsons except one thing! LT had an edge for violence and brutality that I am glad Micah doesn't seem to have. LT played like every offensive player took his lunch money! Micah is as explosive, twitchy, strong but faster! LT's body of work in the NFL is above reproach! Micah has to put ten more of these seasons together and we will see how they compare!

 

[offlimits]

Ive been hearing/seeing this a lot lately.


To the older fans out there that have seen both play in real-time, is Micah on his level?

Hard for me to believe that Micah is on a trajectory to be the GOAT defensive player.

I saw LT play in person. He was also unblockable and always double-teamed. Micah has a chance to be in the conversation.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

Yup, a man amongst boys. My only concern is longevity, surely he can’t keep up this pace for a decade and wears out by seasons end. I’m not sure he can let his motor idle forL

I think he is faster than LT and more dedicated but I don’t think he has (yet) the violent streak that LT had

Can't play the way LT did nowadays, he'd get 5 roughing penalties a game, LT played in an era when the qbs, etc. weren't nearly as protected...

 

[KingCorcoran]

Ive been hearing/seeing this a lot lately.


To the older fans out there that have seen both play in real-time, is Micah on his level?

Hard for me to believe that Micah is on a trajectory to be the GOAT defensive player.

I’m 68, so I remember Taylor all too well. Parsons at this point looks to be even better. Contemporary NFL teams invest significantly more in their offensive line. Two tight end sets are utilized more often now than when Taylor played. The challenge for Parsons is greater than Taylor faced.

 

[Canada180]

I am a 57 year old lifetime Dallas Cowboys fan and avid football lover! I have been watching the game for over 50 years! I remember when the Giants drafted Lawrence Taylor out of North Carolina. LT is the GOAT for defensive players that I have seen with my own eyes! He was the most explosively violent, angry, impugnant, terrorizing and dominant player I have seen in my 50 years of watching football. He terrorized the NFC East for over a decade! There was nothing teams could do and no one could block him. He is the reason Left tackles are the third highest paid position in the NFL. If you don't have one, you don't have a chance! The player that I see that resembles LT the most is Micah Parsons! All the things we could say about LT as a player, we can say about Parsons except one thing! LT had an edge for violence and brutality that I am glad Micah doesn't seem to have. LT played like every offensive player took his lunch money! Micah is as explosive, twitchy, strong but faster! LT's body of work in the NFL is above reproach! Micah has to put ten more of these seasons together and we will see how they compare!

Players were simply allowed to be more violent and aggressive with QB's back then. That has to be taken into account

 

[mardwin]

He's about 2 super bowl away from LT

 

[StarOfGlory]

Reggie White was better.

Yeah, but he is the only other person in the defensive GOAT conversation with LT. Those two are all-time greats. Maybe Micah gets there after 10 years in the league.

 

[stuckindc]

Also, if you remember LT played with Carl Banks on the other side of that 3-4 defense, giving him more opportunities. Not to mention Jim Burt at NT, Leonard Mashall at DE, and Pepper Johnson at ILB. Taylor wasn't all alone either in creating havoc.

Reason and Carson too

 

[HowardC]

Give Micah cocaine and he might just murder a QB.

NICE!!!

 

[tyke1doe]

Ditto here.

Taylor changed the NFL game to the 2 TE sets in order to have a chance at double teaming him.

As dynamic a pass rusher as he is, I do not see Parsons' as an "evolutionizer " that changes the NFL game.
L. Taylor with the 2 TE offense,..or Bob Hayes with the zone coverages instead of man coverage...

And we've had guys like Deion Sanders, Reggie White, Michael Strahan, Bruce Smith
and even locally with Haley & Dware, all who've never been in NFL MVP serious talk,
but Micah is gonna surpass them as the exceptional to the rule ?

Frankly I will definitely indeed see Micah's name in the mix as Defensive NFL MVP
ala Aaron Donald, TJ Watt, Stephen Gilmore, etc. but not NFL MVP.
Not even being a very popular Cowboys (per America's Team) will change it to NFL MVP for Parsons, imo.

In a passing league of today's era, the QBs will always be looked at first and foremost.
Mahomes, Hurts, L. Jackson, D. Watson, Purdy .. (Dak ?)

BTW, .Can anyone remember a FG kicker actually once being named NFL MVP ?

Ironically, LT is the reason left tackles are popular, valued and well-paid in the NFL.
I think the sky is the limit for Micah Parsons. But I can't put him in LT's neighborhood just yet.
Besides, LT had more versatility than Parsons. He was batting passes down and into other defenders' hands, intercepting the ball and taking it the distance, causing fumbles, etc.
Parsons has yet to get a pick, if memory serves me correctly.
Be that as it may, I think Micah's desire to be the best is greater than LT's, obviously based on the cocaine issue. But I don't recall LT boxing, lifting weights, etc. to get better.
LT was like Randy Moss. They were so freaking talented, they didn't have to do anything extra.
Imagine how much more dominant they would have been if they had Jerry Rice's and Micah Parsons' work ethic.

 

[RonnieT24]

I see a lot of people adding the "longevity" qualifier to the evaluation of Micah. Frankly IMHO the longevity thing is a different conversation than "is Micah playing at that level." The answer to that question is yes, he is. As for the longevity question, that's about careers and we will not be able to compare careers until Micah gets another 3-4 years under his belt but in terms of impact on the game, respect (fear) shown by opponents and ability to absolutely wreck a game, I think he's there.

 

[RonnieT24]

Players were simply allowed to be more violent and aggressive with QB's back then. That has to be taken into account

Yeah a player doing what LT did to QBs in the modern game would be playing for free because of all the fines he would incur.

 

[Canada180]

Yeah a player doing what LT did to QBs in the modern game would be playing for free because of all the fines he would incur.

Absolutely my friend

 

[kskboys]

There is a brutality to the game that isn’t allowed in the league anymore. So, you won’t see the highlight hits that LT had anymore, but he is every bit the game changer. He needs rings to be in LT’s class though. Unfortunately, for individual players, that’s a lot of your legacy. Dan Marino is a prime example.

Simply not true. Marino is considered top 10 all time.

Bruce Smith has no ring. Reggie White.

 

[Zekeats]

Ive been hearing/seeing this a lot lately.


To the older fans out there that have seen both play in real-time, is Micah on his level?

Hard for me to believe that Micah is on a trajectory to be the GOAT defensive player.

LT top 3 defensive player all time top 5 any position all time. I mean who's a better defender all time? The names that come to my mind in order are 1a. LT, 1ab. Reggie White, 3 Ray Lewis 4 Deion, 5 Aaron Donald. Micah is his own cat, different kinda player. He's not LT he compares more to Von but still is completely different which is why he's so unique. Generational talent hope he stays healthy.

 

[VABoyz]

Yeah he definitely is headed that way. he is just as disruptive and determined. he just needs to do it for more years and in playoffs and he will be there 100%!!

 

[Bugsy12]

He's not at mid 80s peak LT level. Thats essentially perfection as an EDGE/LB. So if that is the comparison, no. But with that said, Micah is on his way. The sky is the limit. We're lucky to have him.

Completely agree! Mid 80s LT was Jordan. Our guy could get there!

 

[Qcard]

Ive been hearing/seeing this a lot lately.


To the older fans out there that have seen both play in real-time, is Micah on his level?

Hard for me to believe that Micah is on a trajectory to be the GOAT defensive player.

If Micah is the next Lawrence Taylor and revolutionizes the Offensive Blocking schemes then our passion for QB1 debate will dwindle down to “who cares whether it’s Phil Simms or Jeff Hostetler”…….Parsons will destroy opposing QBs.