The Green Bay Packers started the NFL season 3-1-1 and opened multiple games with sustained bursts that left opponents staring down multi-score deficits.
However, while the Packers have shown an ability to win tight contests, they’ve also allowed far too many late surges, turning what would otherwise be blowouts into close games.
Over the past two games alone, the Packers gave up 40 points to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4, including 21 points in the second half, and 18 points to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 6 - all in the second half.
In fact, over the last three games, Green Bay has surrendered 18.3 points per game after halftime; the second-worst mark in the NFL behind only the Baltimore Ravens. They’ve also allowed a league-leading 13.7 points per game in fourth quarters and overtime.
So, while the Packers may currently lead the NFC North, their inability to close out games is quickly becoming a problem - one that Micah Parsons, the team’s offseason blockbuster acquisition, is no longer willing to shrug off.
“Just the first half, it just shows who we are,” Parsons recently told ESPN. “Like we’ve been trying to figure it out. We’ve been showing glimpses, but how can we just do it for a complete four quarters? We held up our end of the bargain, we held them to under 20, so I’m just happy we got a win. But we want to get to that point where we get teams under 14, 10, hold them to that range all game.”
Parsons was acquired in a blockbuster trade from the Dallas Cowboys ahead of the 2025 season. The deal sent Parsons to Green Bay and defensive tackle Kenny Clark plus two first-round picks to Dallas. Immediately after landing in Green Bay, Parsons signed a four-year, $188 million deal with the Packers - a contract that made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history at $47 million per year.
Through six weeks with the Packers, Parsons has played in five games and put together a modest stat line of 11 total tackles and 2.5 sacks. However, his advanced metrics are more impressive: six QB hurries (tied for third in the NFL), 13 QB pressures (tied for fourth) and four QB knockdowns (tied for seventh).
The trade that brought Parsons to Green Bay was designed to remake the front seven and signal the team's intent to win now.
While Parsons has contributed pressures and sacks, the team’s broader defensive goals-more turnovers, higher second‑half stoppage rates and cleaner situational play-remain works in progress as the four-time Pro Bowler adapts to a new scheme and personnel.
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