Micah Parsons is everything the Green Bay Packers hoped for. He is the ultimate chess piece, a generational pass-rushing phenom who can obliterate an opponent’s game plan.
The Packers know it. Everybody knows it. Opponents see it, too, and that’s the issue. Parsons’ presence is exposing a major problem the Dallas Cowboys warned about. And, no, we’re not talking about Jerry Jones’ ridiculous claim that Parsons can’t stop the run — Green Bay boasts the league’s No. 1 rushing defense through six weeks.
Nobody can stop Parsons, so how do offensive linemen respond? Whatever it takes. Grab his jersey. His helmet. Tackle him to the ground. Opponents are bending, no, breaking the rules as a last resort to slow the All-Pro down, and they’re getting away with it.
Packers are learning a harsh lesson about Micah Parsons never drawing a holding penalty
Turn on the tape, and you’ll see some of the most blatant, ludicrous holding imaginable. It’s painfully clear for all to see, yet the refs look the other way. It’s as though Parsons has his own rulebook. He’s that dominant that refs allow linemen to go no-holds-barred.
“It’s frustrating when it’s blatant. Those should get called, right?,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “I know he’s frustrated by it. And there are some that are egregious and those need to be called.”
It’s nothing new. Parsons felt the same injustice in Dallas. FanSided’s Marcus Mosher noted that Parsons went on an 11-game run without drawing a holding call. It wasn’t that opponents weren’t holding him, just that the refs never called it.
It got so blatant that the Cowboys sent evidence to the league. The Packers may need to take a similar approach.
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Parsons is delivering the elite pass rush the Packers expected, and every metric highlights it. His 92.8 PFF pass-rush grade ranks No. 2 in the NFL behind only Aidan Hutchinson. Parsons has registered 29 pressures, tied for No. 4, despite featuring in one fewer game due to the bye week (and playing on a pitch count early in the season).
He has 2.5 sacks and six hits. The reality is that his numbers could be even scarier if the refs gave him a fair opportunity.
In Week 1, Parsons made Detroit Lions tackle Penei Sewell, a perennial All-Pro and a truly elite pass-protector, look like a backup. The world watched in awe, and tackles on the Packers’ schedule decided their only hope was to toss out the rule book and say a prayer.
Cowboys fans reading this will nod along, and the Packers are quickly realizing just how blatant it is. It’s hard to explain why the refs aren’t calling it more frequently, but if Parsons’ time in Dallas tells us anything, it’s that we better get used to it.
