The Minnesota Vikings might be out of the playoff hunt, but that doesn’t mean their season is ending quietly. In fact, they just got a surprising late-season twist that could shake up the NFC North’s final week - and it comes at the expense of their biggest rival.
Green Bay’s star pass rusher, Micah Parsons, suffered a torn ACL during the Packers’ 34-26 loss to the Denver Broncos. The MRI confirmed what the team feared: Parsons is done for the year, and likely won’t be back until well into the 2026 season.
For a Packers team still in the postseason picture, this is a massive blow. For the Vikings, who host Green Bay in Week 18, it’s a game-changing development.
Let’s be clear - losing Parsons is more than just a hit to the Packers’ defense. It’s arguably the most devastating personnel loss the franchise has faced in over a decade.
Parsons wasn’t just producing - he was dominating. With 12.5 sacks on the year, he was one of only six players in the league to hit double digits in that category, and he had done so for five straight seasons.
That kind of consistency and disruption off the edge is rare, and it made him a nightmare for opposing offenses.
Now, the Vikings won’t have to deal with him.
That’s a huge sigh of relief for Minnesota’s offense, especially for second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who’s starting to look more comfortable under center.
After a rocky start to his NFL career, McCarthy has begun to settle in - and the numbers show it. Over the last two games, both wins, he’s completed 66 percent of his passes for 413 yards, five touchdowns, and just one interception.
Those came against the Commanders and Cowboys, and now he gets a shot at a Packers defense missing its most dynamic player.
Parsons was more than just a sack artist - he was a game-wrecker. His 91.9 PFF grade ranked third among all edge defenders, and his 23 percent pass rush win rate was elite, tied for third at the position.
He was the kind of player who could tilt the field with one play, and Green Bay paid a premium to get him - two first-round picks, franchise mainstay Kenny Clark, and a record-setting contract. And up until the injury, that investment looked like a home run.
But now, the Packers are left scrambling. And the Vikings? They’ve got a golden opportunity to play spoiler.
Week 18 suddenly has a different feel. It may not be a playoff decider for Minnesota, but it’s a chance to finish strong, build momentum heading into the offseason, and maybe - just maybe - knock their rivals down a peg. With McCarthy finding his rhythm and Parsons sidelined, the Vikings have every reason to believe they can close out the season with a statement win.
In a rivalry as storied and intense as Vikings-Packers, there’s always something to play for. And now, with the spotlight on a young quarterback and a defense missing its centerpiece, this finale just got a whole lot more interesting.