Micah Parsons’ absence is turning into a problem the Green Bay Packers can’t ignore.
What looked like a winnable road opener against the Minnesota Vikings slipped away in ugly fashion, and the difference showed up everywhere. Green Bay spent much of the game in control, only for the fourth quarter to unravel. Jordan Love spent the second half under constant pressure and eventually threw an interception, while the Packers defense had no clean answer once Carson Wentz entered at quarterback.
The numbers tied to Parsons’ absence are hard to miss. Since he got hurt against the Denver Broncos late last season, Green Bay is 0-6 without him. That stretch includes losses to the Broncos in Week 15, the Bears in Week 16, the Ravens in Week 17, the Vikings in Week 18, the Bears in the Wild Card round, and now the Vikings again in Week 1 of 2026.
That run has come with plenty of damage on the scoreboard. The Packers have been hit with some major offensive outings against them, including the playoff loss to the Chicago Bears that had fans questioning Matt LaFleur’s future as head coach.
Against Minnesota, the final breakdown was especially rough. Green Bay stayed in the fight for most of the afternoon, then managed nothing offensively in the fourth quarter while the Vikings scored 22 points. It was another example of the same issue that has followed the Packers: getting a lead, then failing to finish.
Parsons’ return still isn’t clear, and he’s expected to miss at least the first few weeks of the season. Until he’s back, Green Bay’s defense has to find a way to generate stops and keep games from slipping into the kind of late collapse that keeps piling up.
The Packers are back in action Sunday with a trip to New York for a Week 2 matchup against the Jets.
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Aaron Rodgers Sent A Message Steelers Fans Will Love After Week 1
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Rodgers and Smith spent three seasons together in Green Bay, so the message carried the kind of respect that usually comes from shared locker rooms and a few battles together. Smith had only recently signed with Atlanta after a brief retirement, and he played through a shoulder issue in the opener, a detail Steelers fans will appreciate even if the note itself was aimed at an old teammate. [Read more 🡒]