NFL Week 4 Preview: Packers’ Parsons makes highly anticipated return to Dallas

Say what you want about Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, but he certainly has a flair for the dramatics.

This off-season, Jones dominated headlines thanks to an ongoing contract stalemate with star pass rusher Micah Parsons.

But despite Jones’ best “negotiation tactics,” the end result of the standoff was a blockbuster trade that sent Parsons to the Green Bay Packers on Aug. 28.

As fate would have it, Parsons will make his return to AT&T Stadium in Dallas exactly a month after the trade when the Packers take on the Cowboys Sunday night.

And through three weeks of the season, the trade has looked like a major win for the Packers.

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Green Bay’s defence is near the top of the league in nearly all major statistical categories, including points per game (first), yards per play (first) and yards per game (third).

And despite playing on only 64 per cent of snaps as he works his way through a back injury, Parsons has been exactly as advertised. The two-time All-Pro is tied for the league lead in pressures (14) and has created all sorts of matchup problems for opposing offences.

Meanwhile, over on the Dallas side, things are not going quite as well.

The Cowboys’ 1-2 start has a lot to do with their struggling defence, which is giving up the most passing yards (288), third-most yards (397.7 per game) and sixth-highest points (30.7).

Jones was adamant after moving Parsons that the deal didn’t change the Cowboys’ win-now plan, but the early-season results might suggest otherwise.

Only adding to the Cowboys’ troubles this Sunday is the fact that the Packers will surely be motivated to bounce back from a shocking loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 3.

Parsons has called Sunday’s homecoming “just another game at AT&T,” but he also isn’t hiding the fact that he’d like to make a statement against his former team and quarterback.

“It’s going to be painful,” Parsons said to the Associated Press about getting a chance to sack Cowboys QB Dak Prescott. “That’s my guy. He was always like a good mentor for me. But you know how it is. He always told me if I ever faced him that it’ll be a great matchup, so I’m excited to see what Sunday brings.”

Here are some other key storylines to keep an eye on in Week 4.

Ravens vs. Chiefs in desperation bowl

One of the two most popular picks to represent the AFC in this year’s Super Bowl is going to begin the season 1-3.

The Baltimore Ravens head to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs, with both teams off to disappointing 1-2 starts.

Between Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes, whichever QB comes out on the wrong end of Sunday’s result will officially be off to the worst start of their career.

And Sunday’s game could all come down to which struggling unit can find its footing.

The Ravens’ defence is giving up the most yards and second-most points per game through three weeks, a disappointing start for what many thought would be one of the top defences in the league.

But now they take on a Chiefs offence that has looked anemic for large parts of the season and is putting up just 20 points per game — a far cry from what we’ve come to expect from Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid.

The Chiefs’ offence should get a boost this weekend as speedy wide receiver Xavier Worthy is expected to return from a shoulder injury. And Kansas City will need every weapon it can get on Sunday to keep pace, as the Baltimore offence has put up 111 points through three weeks despite a losing record.

A 1-3 start isn’t a death sentence, not for these two teams. But with the Buffalo Bills primed to go to 4-0 thanks to a matchup with the struggling New Orleans Saints on Sunday, an early three-game hole in the race for the AFC’s No. 1 seed will be a lot to overcome.

Throwin’ Darts

There were a lot of happy New Yorkers this week when Giants head coach Brian Daboll announced that rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart will start in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Russell Wilson experiment in New York ended with a painful Week 3 performance against the Chiefs in primetime, which caused the Giants faithful to erupt into a “We want Dart!” chant multiple times throughout the game.

The fans got their wish, as the 25th pick in this year’s NFL Draft will make his much-anticipated debut on Sunday.

Dart impressed in the pre-season, but regular-season football is a different animal, and the 22-year-old will be thrown straight into the deep end against the 3-0 Chargers.

Seems like a lot of pressure, right? Well, not according to Dart.

“I don’t really feel pressure,” he said this week. “I feel like pressure is given to those who play at a high level, and the best players in the world are the ones that are kind of involved with that word ‘pressure.’ … My focus is just trying to win one game at a time.”

Game to watch: Philadelphia Eagles (3-0) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-0) — Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

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Just six teams are undefeated through three weeks, and that number is guaranteed to drop to five after Week 4.

The Eagles head to Tampa Bay to take on the Buccaneers in a matchup of two teams that have just found ways to win this season, despite it not always looking pretty.

Philadelphia looked dead to rights in Week 3 against the Los Angeles Rams, but staged a 19-point comeback over the final two quarters thanks in large part to two blocked field goals.

Meanwhile, the Buccaneers are the first team since 1970 to have a game-winning score in the final minute of regulation in each of its first three games of the season.

But something will have to give Sunday, and the team that comes out on top will have an early leg up on the battle for top spot in the NFC.

Forrest’s Favourites (Season record: 4-2 — All odds courtesy of BetMGM):

Vikings @ Steelers — Pick: Vikings -2.5: At 41 years old, Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers doesn’t handle pressure as well as he used to. And Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores is one of the best at dialling up pressure, so ride with the Vikings in Ireland.

Ravens @ Chiefs — Pick: Ravens -2.5: Both of these teams are desperate, but the Ravens have more talent, and it’s really hard to envision them starting 1-3.

Commanders @ Falcons — Pick: Falcons -2.5: The Falcons were embarrassed in Week 3 by the Panthers. They have the perfect chance to respond at home against a Commanders team that will be without starting QB Jayden Daniels and No. 1 WR Terry McLaurin.

Full Week 4 Schedule (All times ET)

Thursday, Sept. 25
Seattle 23, Arizona 20

Sunday, Sept. 28
Minnesota vs. Pittsburgh in Dublin, Ireland, 9:30 a.m.
New Orleans at Buffalo, 1 p.m.
Washington at Atlanta, 1 p.m.
LA Chargers at NY Giants, 1 p.m.
Tennessee at Houston, 1 p.m.
Cleveland at Detroit, 1 p.m.
Carolina at New England, 1 p.m.
Philadelphia at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
Jacksonville at San Francisco, 4:05 p.m.
Indianapolis at LA Rams, 4:05 p.m.
Chicago at Las Vegas, 4:25 p.m.
Baltimore at Kansas City, 4:25 p.m.
Green Bay at Dallas, 8:20 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 29
NY Jets at Miami, 7:15 p.m.
Cincinnati at Denver, 8:15 p.m.

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