Parsons' injury throws major wrench into Packers' hopes of competing for Super Bowl berth

Even before Green Bay acquired Micah Parsons in late August, the Packers considered themselves prime Super Bowl contenders.

Now they face the unwanted challenge of proving their worth without their superstar pass rusher.

Just when it appeared the Packers were establishing themselves as NFC favorites, they lost their best overall player when Parsons tore his left anterior cruciate ligament in the third quarter of a 34-26 loss at Denver on Sunday.

That

puts the Packers (9-4-1) in a much more precarious position with three weeks left in the regular season.

“We’ve still got a chance to do what we want to do — win the division and make a big run in the playoffs,” safety Xavier McKinney said. “So yeah, obviously, guys got hurt today but that don’t mean the season’s just over.”

Parsons’ injury was the most serious on a day when a handful of Packers, including wide receiver Christian Watson, were knocked out of the game. Parsons joins center Elgton Jenkins, tight end Tucker Kraft and defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt as notable Packers who have suffered season-ending injuries.

“It’s kind of weird because it gives you that feel of last year when we towards the end of the year kind of started getting banged up,” running back Josh Jacobs said.

The Packers want to avoid a repeat of last season, when they dropped their final three games, including a 22-10 defeat at Philadelphia in the wild-card round of the NFC playoffs.

But they’re in a familiar situation, as they’re on track to end up with the NFC’s seventh and final playoff seed for a third straight year. The Packers still control their destiny in the NFC North race as they prepare to head to Chicago on Saturday for a rematch with the division-leading Bears, who lost 28-21 at Green Bay on Dec. 7.

Green Bay’s biggest challenge could be how to apply a consistent pass rush without Parsons, whose 12½ sacks put him in a tie for third place in the NFL. The Packers didn’t sack Broncos quarterback Bo Nix a single time Sunday.

Rashan Gary, who ranks second on the team in sacks, said he led a meeting late Sunday to discuss how the defensive linemen should pick up the slack in Parsons’ absence.

“For the rest of the season, what we got? Three more opportunities?” Gary asked rhetorically. “Watch how the front plays.”

What’s working

The big-play ability that Green Bay showcased against the Bears a week earlier carried over to the first part of Sunday's game. The Packers had seven plays from scrimmage of at least 24 yards — five of them coming before halftime — against a Denver defense that ranks among the NFL's best. ... Green Bay gained 5.8 yards per rush and limited Denver to 2.9 yards per carry.

What needs help

An offense that had scored 23 points just over 16 minutes into the game totaled just three points in its final six series. ... QB Jordan Love was sacked three times. ... Nix picked apart the Packers' secondary while throwing for 302 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. ... Packers defenders were unable to grab plenty of potential interceptions that were thrown in their direction. ... The Packers committed 10 penalties, matching their second-highest total of the season.

Stock up

Jacobs played through a knee issue and scored two touchdowns — one rushing and one receiving. One of those touchdowns came on a season-long 40-yard carry. ... LB Edgerrin Cooper recovered a fumble in the first quarter and made two fourth-down stops in the fourth quarter.

Stock down

LT Rasheed Walker was penalized four times. ... After collecting 7 1/2 sacks in Green Bay's first seven games, DL Rashan Gary has none in his last seven contests. ... S Javon Bullard committed an unnecessary roughness penalty that turned a potential second-and-11 situation into an automatic first down on Denver's first touchdown drive.

Injuries

Other players injured in the Broncos game along with Parsons and Watson included RT Zach Tom and S Evan Williams with knee issues.

“I don’t have any updates as far as how long that’s going to be," Packers coach Matt LaFleur said after Sunday's game. "Long-term, I think we’re going to be all right, but whether that’s a week or two or three, I couldn’t tell you.”

Key number

28 — That's the number of touchdown runs Josh Jacobs has in his two seasons with Green Bay. The only NFL player with more touchdown runs over the last two seasons is Detroit's Jahmyr Gibbs, with 29.

Next steps

The Packers play each of the next two Saturdays — visiting Chicago (10-4) this week and hosting the Baltimore Ravens (7-7) on Dec. 27 — before finishing the regular season Jan. 4 at Minnesota (6-8).

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