Dan Quinn understands, first-hand, how quickly and how often Packers All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons can alter the course of a game.
Quinn, of course, coached Parsons as the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive coordinator before taking the Commanders head coaching job prior to last season, and now enters Thursday night with the unenviable task of keeping Parsons from wrecking Washington’s night.
Packers’ Micah Parsons has Dan Quinn’s respect
Green Bay defensive end Micah Parsons (1) against Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) and offensive tackle Taylor Decker (68) on Sunday, September 7, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers defeated the Lions 27-13.
Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
In Week 1, Parsons logged a sack, in the fourth quarter, of Lions quarterback Jared Goff, while also generating a pair of pressures–one that forced a third-down incompletion and another that forced an errant throw Packers defensive back Evan Williams pulled down for an interception.
As Commanders head coach Dan Quinn puts together Washington’s gameplan, he’s acutely aware of where No. 1 is lining up on every snap.
“You want to make sure there’s a plan to go into it,” Quinn told reporters. “And so, for teams like Green Bay, they’ve got a number of good players and that makes it also more challenging when this one and this one and that one over there. So, when there’s just one player that to stop and say, ‘OK, this is what we want to do,’ that’s easier than when there’s multiple people in different locations. So, in my experience, the best of the best teams have had a number of players that were high-level hitters and now this one gets too much attention. You leave this one open, he’s going to shoot the three and make you pay. And so, you want to 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.”
Parsons didn’t have a prolific statistical game against Detroit, but he was one of the most dominant players on the field for the Packers’ defense in the opener.
If Green Bay is going to remain undefeated with a pair of signature victories in the NFC that could be pivotal in the race for homefield advantage later this season, Parsons will likely play a starring role.
Sep 7, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay defensive end Micah Parsons (1) celebrates after their win against the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
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