Green Bay Packers pass rusher Micah Parsons is believed to have suffered a torn ACL in his left knee following a non-contact injury in the 3rd quarter on Sunday vs. Denver.
Parsons was attempting to sack Broncos QB Bo Nix before reaching for his knee and remaining down on the field for some time. The 26 year old limped back to the locker room and was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the contest.
“That’s obviously a really tough night in a lot of ways in regards to losing the football game,” head coach Matt LaFleur said. “Give Denver a ton of credit. That’s a really good football team. I thought it was a dogfight for most of the game, and then they kind of ran away with it in the second half.”
“It was also a double whammy for us, just losing some pieces that are critical for our success. But that’s the name of the game. I told the guys nobody’s going to feel sorry for us. We’ve got to rally around one another. Everybody’s going to have to elevate their play.”
The other “piece” that Green Bay lost was wide receiver Christian Watson, who suffered a chest injury and was taken to a hospital for further evaluation. Broncos CB Patrick Surtain II landed on top of Watson while intercepting a deep pass from Packers QB Jordan Love. It’s unclear what the exact nature of the injury is, though rumours out of Wisconsin seem to indicate that it could be a shoulder injury.
As for Parsons, his on field production will be difficult to replace. The former Cowboy came into the game with 12.5 sacks on the season, and a league high 60 pressures. Prior to going down, Parsons had already recorded 2 tackles, a pass deflection, and a forced fumble.
“We’ve got a connected team,” LaFleur said. “I know how our guys will respond. We’ve got a great test coming up going to Chicago, a game that went down to the wire last time we played. Obviously, they rolled today, so it’s to go back on top of the division. I know we’re going to get their best, and they’re gonna get our best.”
With Parsons out of the lineup, Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness will be expected to shoulder a large portion of the pass rushing load. The team is expected to evaluate several options, including promoting from their practice squad, and also taking a look at possible veteran additions as the team continues its push for the postseason.
Green Bay currently sits in 2nd place in the NFC North at 9-4-1, a half game behind their rivals in Chicago. The team’s December 20th showdown vs. the Bears could very well determine the fate of the division title.
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