It took less than four full quarters of regular-season action for the honeymoon involving first-year Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker and Cowboys fans to come to an end.
A clip from the Cowboys’ 28-20 Week 1 loss at the rival New York Giants on Sept. 13 showing rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham walking away from Parker following a sideline interaction has gone viral among Dallas supporters. While speaking with reporters on Thursday, Parker addressed that moment of this past Sunday’s defeat.
Jaishawn Barham “was frustrated” during loss to Giants
“I think he was frustrated since it’s his first NFL game,” Parker said of Barham, per Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “Things aren’t going to be perfect. This isn’t a fairytale at all. I think Jaishawn cares as much as anyone in that locker room about us winning. He was a little frustrated with himself and frustrated with our side of the ball and how we played. I don’t think anybody in our building has any doubt about what he can do, coming real soon. We don’t have any reservations about his mentality. We welcome that passion. We have to channel it better. That’s something that young players have to go through. It’s a natural progression. We have a lot of confidence in Jaishawn.”
In the days following the loss to the Giants, multiple members of Parker’s defense accepted blame for that unit’s performance at MetLife Stadium. They also acknowledged that they need to play “like we were coached to do” moving forward. However, Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones raised eyebrows when he said on Tuesday that he was bothered by the defensive “communication” breakdowns in Week 1.
The Giants rushed for 165 yards as a team against Dallas, and quarterback Jaxson Dart produced arguably the best performance of his young career when he completed 23-of-29 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns. After the game, one unnamed NFL personnel executive suggested that Parker looked like “an intern calling plays.”
Christian Parker sends clear message to Cowboys defense
Also during Thursday’s news conference, Parker sent a message to his defensive players regarding how they can put the Giants game behind them.
“Getting back to work,” Parker said, per Jon Machota of The Athletic. “It’s one poor performance. It’s one loss that does not equal two. We’re not trying to make excuses for anything. We’re not trying to act like it didn’t happen. We got to look in the mirror. We got to be accountable for what we did wrong and what we did right. Correct it and then move on to the next opponent. Because there can’t be a hangover and it can’t linger.”
The Cowboys will next host an 0-1 Washington Commanders side that features quarterback Jayden Daniels, wide receiver Terry McLaurin and fellow wideout Stefon Diggs. As of Thursday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook had Dallas as a 4.5-point home favorite for this Sunday’s game.
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