Green Bay Packers
· 2026-07-03
The Green Bay Packers haven't won a game without Micah Parsons in the lineup since trading for him last year.
They are currently standing 10th in the American Football Conference with a 7-10 record and on a L1 streak.
The Packers face a manageable slate of teams to start the season, but without Parsons, their pass rush is in trouble.
They will face the Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first four weeks.
Lukas Van Ness and the rest of the Packers' pass rushers will need to step up to aid the team.
Micah Parsons is expected to return in Week 5, but his absence will be felt in the first month of the season.
The Packers' next game is against the Minnesota Vikings on September 13, 2026.
The Packers' schedule gets tougher starting Week 5, with games against the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, and Detroit Lions.
These teams have talented quarterbacks, including Caleb Williams, Dak Prescott, and Jared Goff.
The Packers will need to find a way to generate a pass rush to compete with these teams.
And with Parsons' return, the team hopes to get a boost to their defense.
But for now, the Packers are focused on their upcoming game against the Vikings.
The team is looking to bounce back from their current L1 streak and improve their standing in the conference.
So the Packers will need to rely on their inexperienced pass rushers to get the job done.
Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated noted that the Packers could be destroyed if their pass rush gets stuck without Parsons.
The Packers are fortunate to face mediocre passing games to start the season, but they need to take advantage of it.
Without a pass rush, the Packers could be buried in a hurry, whether it's against a journeyman quarterback like Geno Smith or a prolific passer like Dak Prescott.
The Packers' cornerback room has major questions, even after two new additions.
The team needs more than just a breakout campaign from Van Ness to help their defense.