It’s a big showdown, and quarterback Jayden Daniels is off the Washington Commanders' injury report. However, the Commanders have a problem looming with the Packers’ defense. And here is why Packers defensive end Micah Parsons will be the Commanders' worst nightmare on Thursday Night Football.
First, Parsons knows the Commanders all too well. Yes, he hasn’t had to deal with offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil in the burgundy and gold, but there’s no doubt this will feel like a division game for the former Cowboys standout.
Plus, it’s a national television game, and that means Parsons will be amped to the max. He loves the spotlight. The Commanders should be scared.
Packers LB Micah Parsons an all-night problem
Who knows how many snaps Parsons will get? But rest assured that Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels will feel like Parsons is coming hard and heavy on every snap.
Part of the problem for the Commanders is Parsons’ speed, as noted by Dan Quinn, according to commanders.com.
“In Dallas, he was one of our fastest players, so that's the hardest thing to simulate for an offensive tackle to see the first couple, two or three steps,” Quinn said. “It's not at a speed that you can simulate in a practice rep.”
Sure, a speed rush won’t win every time. And the Commanders will pull out every trick in the bag to slow him down and minimize his impact. But it won’t help. Parsons makes every other player on the Packers’ defense better.
Parsons should get a lot of shots at Josh Conerly Jr., the Commanders’ rookie tackle. Certainly, the Commanders will give Conerly help. But again, that exposes things elsewhere.
“You wanna have enough balance in how you do things to make sure that one player doesn't get too much attention, but also enough that they don't wreck the game,” Quinn said.
And guard Brandon Coleman said the Commanders’ line must focus on all members of the Packers’ defensive front.
“Obviously, there's a ton of respect for a guy like that,” Coleman said. “But you can't overestimate or underestimate. You gotta play your game.”
Why Micah Parsons will make the difference
This is a great early season matchup. The Packers and Commanders are among a handful of teams truly in the mix for the NFC Championship game. Green Bay is No. 2 in the power rankings, according to The Athletic.
And the Commanders are No. 5. That puts this matchup as No. 2 versus No. 3 if you take away the AFC teams. So that makes the contest a big showdown.
And when showdowns happen, one or two plays make the difference. Consider the Ravens and Bills game. Derrick Henry’s first-down fumble with a little over three minutes remaining proved to be a huge part of the Bills' triumphant outcome.
And in this contest, one well-timed sack by Parsons that ends a drive will likely turn things around. It may be the difference in a two-point game. Or it could change a three-point game to 10.
Whatever the final score is, the Commanders have a Parsons problem that they likely won’t be able to solve, according to a post on X by Peter Bukowski.
“The Lions couldn’t block Micah Parsons with Penei Sewell and help. The Commanders will start a rookie RT on Thursday night.”
Daniels said the Commanders will do their level best not to let Parsons destroy their attack.
“You don't let game wreckers wreck the game,” Daniels said. “You gotta keep an eye on him.”
Maybe sympathy from Micah Parsons would help?
Parsons said he holds Quinn in high regard, according to tsn.ca.
“It’s just like a father figure, uncle, however you want to put it,” Parsons said. “That’s my guy, and we’re going to go forever. We’re in this for the long run, and maybe our journeys might cross again one day.”
But that won’t keep him from making this a miserable Thursday night for his old buddy.
With the Packers holding home-field advantage, and the Commanders' defense likely not up to the task of slowing down the Green Bay offense, this looks like it will go in Parsons' favor. The wild-card is Daniels, but he will be busy running away from Parsons.
