Cowboys vs. Jets score, takeaways: Micah Parsons, Dallas 'D' dominate Zach Wilson-led Jets in wire-to-wire win

Parsons and the Cowboys ferocious defense left Zach Wilson running for his life all afternoon, generating three takeaways

The Dallas Cowboys played loose, free, and at ease against the Aaron Rodgers-less New York Jets in Week 2, in control throughout the entire contest in a 30-10 wire-to-wire victory in their home opener on Sunday. After a rain-soaked 40-0 stomping of their NFC East rival New York Giants in Week 1, head coach Mike McCarthy, in his first season as the Cowboys' offensive play-caller, didn't have the opportunity to fully unveil his tweaks to their offense. 

The McCarthy and Dak Prescott-led offense was hot early as the quarterback completed his first 13 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown, a 4-yard score to second-year tight end Jake Ferguson, to look incredibly poised and polished in his first year in McCarthy's offense. However, the Cowboys had to settle for field goals on four of Dallas' six red zone drives. Prescott ended up throwing one more score, a 1-yard toss off on a broken play to second-round rookie Luke Schoonmaker. He finished with 255 yards and two touchdown passes on 31 of 38 passing. Pro Bowl receiver CeeDee Lamb accounted for 56% of Prescott's 255 yards with 143 receiving yards on 11 catches. With number two receiver Brandin Cooks out with a knee injury, no other Cowboy eclipsed 40 receiving yards on Sunday. 

The Jets had one offensive highlight on a day in which Cowboys two-time First-Team All-Pro linebacker Micah Parsons and the Dallas defense dominated. Jets quarterback Zach Wilson hit Garrett Wilson in stride on a play-action post route, and the receiver broke Cowboys safety Malik Hooker's tackle to take the play the distance, 68 yards, for New York's first touchdown of the day. Otherwise, Wilson struggled. He finished the game with 170 passing yards, a touchdown and three interceptions -- one to Hooker, one to safety Jayron Kearse, and one to Pro Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs -- on 12 of 27 passing.

Parsons, on the other hand, put together what may have been his most dominant, all-around performance. He finished with two sacks, three quarterback pressures, a forced fumble on Jets running back Dalvin Cook and a fumble recovery. Sunday marked his 10th career multi-sack game, making Parsons the sixth player since sacks became an officially tracked statistic in 1982, with 10 or more such games in their first three seasons.

Outside of Parsons, perhaps no player contributed more to the Cowboys' win than rookie kicker Brandon Aubrey. He connected on all five of his field goals, including a career 55-yard make. Aubrey's five made field goals are tied for the third-most in a single game in team history. Aubrey is the first Cowboys kicker with five field goals in a game since Dan Bailey nailed five in a 37-36 loss against the Green Bay Packers in Week 15 of the 2013 season. Dallas' dominant two-game start puts them in a rare air as only the third team since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to score 70 or more points and allow just 10 points or fewer in their first two games of a season. The other two such teams are the 1970 Detroit Lions and the 2019 New England Patriots. Takeaways from Dallas' second dominant win against a New York team in 2023 can be found below.

Why the Cowboys won

Outside of the Wilson-to-Wilson 68-yard touchdown pass, the Jets couldn't do much of anything offensively. They were completely shut out after halftime with their six drives ending in two punts, one lost fumble and three interceptions -- all of which occurred consecutively on their final three possessions. Parsons lived in New York's backfield all day long and the cornerback duo of Trevon Diggs and Stephon Gilmore didn't allow the Jets receivers much daylight. 

Prescott was efficient enough, and Aubrey was literally perfect with 16 points -- five field goals and one made extra point. Against a better team whose offense puts up more of a fight, only two offensive touchdowns might not be enough. However, it may take awhile for an opponent to score two touchdowns in the same game against this smothering defense that evokes shades of Dallas' "Doomsday Defenses" of the 1960s and 1970s.

Why the Jets lost

The lack of Aaron Rodgers was overlooked in their Week 1 overtime win against the Buffalo Bills thanks to their defense coercing four turnovers out of Bills quarterback Josh Allen. Dak Prescott played a clean, efficient game this week, very comfortable to take field goals instead of forcing the issue in the red zone. Plus, outside of one long touchdown, New York simply couldn't maintain any of their second half drives, turning the ball over more frequently, four times, than they punted, twice. It's essentially impossible to win when losing the turnover battle four to zero and that was certainly the case for Gang Green on Sunday.

Turning Point and Play of the Game

The turning point and play of the game are the same play for the Cowboys this week. The Jets first play from scrimmage after a Brandon Aubrey field goal that ran the score up to 21-10 snuffed out all hope for Gang Green. Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook was stuffed by Parsons, and he stripped the football clean from the Jets rusher. Parsons then recovered the football as well for the takeaway. The Cowboys then kicked another field goal to go up two scores, 24-10, and it felt like all hope of New York getting their ground game going was extinguished after that play. 

Up next

The Jets will return home to MetLife Stadium in Week 3 where they will host one of their AFC East rivals, the New England Patriots. The Cowboys will hit the road for the second time in three weeks and head out to the desert to face the 0-2 Arizona Cardinals. 

[Sep 17, 2023 at 7:31 pm ET · Garrett Podell]

The Cowboys intercept Zach Wilson for a third time on Sunday, this time it's Pro Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs coming away with the pick. 

[Sep 17, 2023 at 7:05 pm ET · Garrett Podell]

That should just about do it as Zach Wilson's heave down the left sideline to Garrett Wilson is intercepted by safety Malik Hooker inside the Cowboys' 10. Dallas takes over up 20, 30-10, with 6:02 left to play. 

[Sep 17, 2023 at 7:02 pm ET · Garrett Podell]

A pass-interference penalty on 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore extends the Jets' drive after an initial incompletion on fourth-and-four. Gang Green clinging to a desperate hope with just under eight minutes left to play. 

[Sep 17, 2023 at 6:57 pm ET · Garrett Podell]

Rookie kicker Brandon Aubrey connects on his fifth field goal of the afternoon, a 30-yard make. The Cowboys now lead the Jets 30-10 with 8:18 left to play. Aubrey's five made field goals are tied for the third-most in a single game in team history. Aubrey is the first Cowboys kicker with five field goals in a game since Dan Bailey nailed five in a 37-36 loss against the Green Bay Packers in Week 15 of the 2013 season.

[Sep 17, 2023 at 6:52 pm ET · Garrett Podell]

Cowboys All-Pro left tackle Tyron Smith's holding penalty nullifies a six-yard touchdown run by Dallas running back Tony Pollard. Game remains 27-10 in favor of the Cowboys.  

[Sep 17, 2023 at 6:51 pm ET · Garrett Podell]

Cowboys All-Pro linebacker Micah Parsons just helped create another Cowboys takeaway. His pressure of Zach Wilson flushed the Jets quarterback out to the right, speeding up his progression. That led to Wilson throwing the football right into the chest of Dallas safety Jayron Kearse for an interception. He returned the turnover 32 yards down to the Jets 17. Dallas looking for the knockout punch up 27-10 with just under 12 minutes left in the game.

[Sep 17, 2023 at 6:45 pm ET · Garrett Podell]

Another trip to the red zone concludes with another Brandon Aubrey field goal, this time a 21-yarder. The rookie is four-for-four today and six-for-six on the season when it comes to field goal attempts. The Cowboys lead by three scores, 27-10, with 12:23 left in the game. 

[Sep 17, 2023 at 6:28 pm ET · Garrett Podell]

Rookie kicker Brandon Aubrey hits on his fifth straight field goal to start the season, his third against the Jets, to extend the Cowboys lead to 14, 24-10, with just over five minutes left in the third quarter. The 55-yard make stands as the longest of Aubrey's young career.