"Not the best we could do" - Micah Parsons believes the best is yet to come for Cowboys defense

The Dallas Cowboys walked out of Week 16 with an 11-4 record, a berth in the playoffs, and the NFC East title thanks to a 56-14 win on Sunday night against the Washington Football Team.

The Cowboys' defense had two takeaways that greatly affected the game in a positive way for their team: one was Trevon Diggs' 11th interception during Washington's first drive, and the other was a pick-six by DeMarcus Lawrence to give the Cowboys a 21-0 lead.

Rookie superstar Micah Parsons thinks the defense could have played better in the blowout win and that there is much more to see from this Cowboys defense with the playoffs on the horizon.

"We could do a lot better. We did a good job, but that's not the best we could do... We're not alligators. We don't get paralyzed after we eat." - Micah Parsons in a post-game interview

Dallas Cowboys defense shines in win over Washington Football Team

Overall, the Cowboys played nearly perfectly on all three sides of the ball, as special-teams blocked a punt for a touchdown later in the second half.

Quarterback Dak Prescott went 28/39 for 330 yards and four scores, with Cooper Rush going 2/3 for 70 yards and a touchdown.

The run game took a backseat to the passing game, but it had four runners averaging more than four yards per carry.

Prescott threw the ball to nine different players, with three of them having 80+ yards and a touchdown. But the defense was the MVP of the game, holding Washington to just one touchdown per half.

The Cowboys sacked Taylor Heinicke four times and Kyle Allen once. They held Washington to 172 passing yards and eight rushing yards, with just one receiver having more than 50 yards. DeMarcus Lawrence could be labeled the defensive MVP with two tackles, one sack and a pick-six.

To say that the Cowboys haven't played their best game yet is a mighty expectation, but this isn't even their best performance against Washington in 2021.

Back in Week 14, the Cowboys totaled five sacks, three forced fumbles, three recoveries, one interception and one defensive touchdown, and held the offense to 14 points and 224 yards (33 fewer than Week 16).

The Dallas Cowboys not only have one of the best defenses in the NFL, but also two superstars in Trevon Diggs and Micah Parsons, who should easily win Rookie of the Year.

In a time where many teams have struggled to field a quality defense from week to week, the Cowboys have avoided losing their core players, and their depth players (Tarell Basham, Chauncey Golston, Jayron Kearse) are making an impact as well.

If the Cowboys can keep their defense intact throughout the postseason, there is no reason why they can't compete in the NFC Championship game.