Giants' O-line will have hands full with Cowboys' Micah Parsons

Saquon Barkley knows this is one of the keys for Sunday’s game against the Cowboys: Account for Micah Parsons at all times.

“Micah’s, I think, the best defensive player in the league,” Barkley told Newsday on Friday. “You could argue he’s the best player in the league, just considering how much havoc he can cause in the course of the game.

“You’ve got to know where number 11 is at all times. And you’ve got to have a plan for him. You can’t let him wreck the game.”

Barkley and Parsons are close. Both are Penn State graduates, though their college careers did not overlap.

They likely will see each other for a quick catch-up on the field before Sunday’s game at AT&T Stadium. Unfortunately for the Giants’ offensive line, it will have to deal with Parsons throughout the contest.

“He’s a great player. He’s going to make plays,” left guard Justin Pugh said. “Just like Maxx Crosby last week [who had three sacks against the Giants]. Those guys make plays. You have to keep throwing bodies at him every time you get a chance. But he’s a great player.

“It’s 11 guys going out there to compete, and when you go up against him, you have to do your job and slow him down, put your hands on him and make it an uncomfortable game for him.”

All of that is backed up statistically.

According to ESPN Analytics, Parsons and Myles Garrett rank first and second, respectively, in the league in pass rush win rate.

According to Pro Football Focus, Parsons ranks third behind Garrett and Nick Bosa as an edge defender.

“Honestly, [Parsons] is a little bit of a freak,” Giants linebacker Micah McFadden said. “He can do everything. Obviously, his role has kind of changed a little bit with him being on the line of scrimmage this year. But there are always things you can learn [by watching him]. I think his explosiveness is different than anybody you see in the league.”

For Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito, Parsons’ quickness could be deceiving. A man of his size, 6-3, 245 pounds, should not be that agile. As a comparison, Parsons is basically the same size as Lawrence Taylor in his playing days.

Quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney said Friday that because DeVito, a rookie and undrafted free agent, has been in the quarterback room all season, he should know what to expect.

“There have always been guys we have to be aware of,” Tierney said, adding that a solid scheme can account for a certain player.

“[Tommy] has been a part of that, now it’s a matter of doing it. It’s a good thing for a young player to experience the game within the game. We’re going to have to be aware of all of [the Cowboys playmakers on defense] at some point. With someone of Micah’s caliber, you have to be aware.”

Parsons, as you’d expect, is a point of emphasis for any team that faces Dallas.

“Obviously, Micah is an incredible athlete and a great defensive player,” guard Ben Bredeson said. “When you have a player like that, communication’s always got to be at the highest level. We have to make sure we know where he is on every single snap and have a plan for him.

“They have a very talented defensive front. Micah’s a part of that, but he’s not the only one.”

The Giants learned that in the season opener, a 40-0 loss to the Cowboys on a rainy night that served as a window to what this Giants season has become: dreary, disappointing and, sometimes, without answers.

Parsons was credited with three tackles and a sack in that game.

The 2-7 Giants are looking up at every other team in the NFC East, but they do have one exceptional offensive weapon.

“Saquon’s the heartbeat of that team,” Parsons said. “We know he’s the one who carries the load for that team. We’ve got to try our best to force the rookie to take over the game. We’ve got to try to take Saquon out of it, but we know he’s an elite weapon and he continues to cause trouble for [every team he plays]. We got our hands full this week.”

Parsons made an interesting comparison when he considered that DeVito will make his first career start against Dallas.

“It’s pretty much the same [challenge],’’ Parsons said. “He’s an accurate quarterback. He throws it a little bit, makes some good passes. Good use of his legs. He reminds me of Daniel Jones and other mobile quarterbacks we face.”

By Kimberly Jones

kimberly.jones@newsday.comkimjonessports

Kimberly Jones covers the Giants for Newsday, a beat she first worked in the early 2000s before joining the YES Network to cover the Yankees. She worked for the NFL Network for more than a decade and has been heard semi-regularly on WFAN.