The Green Bay Packers Know They’d Be In A World Of Hurt Without Micah Parsons

The great NFL coaches adjust on the fly.

When Plan A doesn’t work, they’re quick to move to Plan B.

When the first option fails, they’re ready with an audible.

No one will be using the word “great” with the Arizona Cardinals’ coaching staff.

The Cardinals were bullheaded in their approach with Green Bay star edge rusher Micah Parsons, and Parsons made them pay.

Arizona tried blocking the All-Pro Parsons with one man all game, and Parsons had a career-high three sacks in the Packers’ 27-23, come-from-behind win.

Parsons saved his best for last with a critical sack in the final minute that helped Green Bay kill the Cardinals’ potential game-winning drive. And the three sacks Parsons posted came in blistering times of 2.90, 2.56 and 2.35 seconds.

“He’s a hell of a player,” Green Bay safety Xavier McKinney said of Parsons. “Everybody’s like ‘Oh he got this.’ I see his ability and what he does on a day to day basis and what he does when he comes out here on this game and the affect he has on the game is huge for us.”

Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love agreed.

“Man, it’s amazing,” Love said of Parsons. “I can’t state enough how fun it is just to have him on this team, and how much of a playmaker he is in big situations like that.

“Having three sacks on the day is big-time. You can’t say enough how much of a playmaker he is.”

There really aren’t enough adjectives to describe what Parsons meant to the Packers Sunday — and really, since his arrival via trade from Dallas on Aug. 28. Without Parsons, there’s no way Green Bay is 4-1-1 and leading the NFC North.

What’s even more mystifying is Arizona tried blocking Parsons most of the day with just one man. In Green Bay’s first five contests, opponents typically used two linemen against Parsons, or used a running back or tight end to help a tackle. Heck, there were even some triple team blocks sprinkled in.

“I think there’s levels to this game and if I get the same looks at some of these other guys, this is the result,” Parsons said. “Look across the league, usually guys like me don’t get those type of looks. That’s a rarity. And there’s levels to this. If I get those type of looks, I can do those same results as those other guys.”

He certainly did against the Cardinals.

Here’s a look at Parsons’ sacks:

SACK NO. 1

Arizona drove to Green Bay’s 8-yard line on its opening possession and faced and third-and-goal. Parsons beat left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. around the edge in 2.90 seconds, got his left arm around quarterback Jacoby Brissett, then brought Brissett to the ground forcing the Cardinals to settle for a field goal.

“I just felt like we came in with a rush plan, they kinda let us … they kinda said we’re just going to go best on best,” Parsons said. “And I feel like when we get those looks, we’ve got to take advantage of them.”

SACK NO. 2

With the game tied at 20 and 9:50 left in the fourth quarter, the Cardinals had third-and-goal from Green Bay’s 10. This time Parsons lined up over right tackle Jonah Williams, and raced around the former first round draft pick like he wasn’t even there.

Parsons reached Brissett in 2.56 seconds, dumped him for an 11-yard loss and forced another Arizona field goal.

“They work in funny ways,” Parsons said of multi-sack games. “It’s like it just happens when it happens. When it rains, it pours.”

SACK NO. 3

Parsons saved his best for last.

The Cardinals trailed, 27-23, with 32 seconds left and had a first down at Green Bay’s 26.

Parsons had left the game the previous play, and the quick rest seemed to do him good.

Parsons again lined up one-on-one with Williams, and once again, quickly beat him to the corner. Parsons reached Brissett in 2.35 seconds and dumped Brissett for a 9-yard loss back to the 35.

The Cardinals gained just eight yards in their next three plays, and their potential game-winning drive had been killed by Parsons.

“It’s just resilience,” Parsons said. “For me, I don’t rush with a plan. I just rush to go. Like I told y’all, I just know go and I just know full speed and I don’t really say, this is what I’m going to do. I just kinda attack him how he attacks me and I just was attacking today.”

Parsons is now tied for sixth in the league with 5.5 sacks. And it’s frightening to think where Green Bay’s defense would be without him.

Even with Parsons wreaking havoc — and getting to the quarterback in warp speed — opposing QBs have thrown seven touchdowns and no interceptions against Green Bay in the last three games. Those same quarterbacks — Dak Prescott, Joe Flacco and Brissett — have also averaged 272.3 passing yards per game, have completed 70.3% of their passes and have a passer rating of 108.04 over the last three contests.

Just imagine what those numbers would look like if Parsons was still in a Dallas uniform?

“Micah being Micah,” Green Bay defensive end Rashan Gary said of Parsons. “Shoot, same player you seen from Dallas making big-time plays is the player you see now. The confidence, the swagger, what he brings to the defense, that’s what you expect from him. It’s going to be hell for anybody that goes against him.”

Especially if that player doesn’t receive any double team help.