GREEN BAY, Wis. – Rest? Who needs rest?
Less than 48 hours after recording two sacks against the Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers star Micah Parsons said he was ready for Thursday’s Thanksgiving showdown against the Detroit Lions.
“I feel ready right now, to be honest,” Parsons said.
That was music to defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s ears.
“I’m glad he’s ready right now because we’re going to need him to be ready, especially with how physical he played in that game,” Hafley said. “He’s got so much energy. Whether he’s in the meeting room, whether he’s on the practice field, gameday, he’s a guy that bounces around and kind of lights up the room and just never seems to be stopped. We’ll see what he can do on Thursday.”
Parsons is different. He is one of the NFL’s true game-wreckers. He’s fifth in the NFL with 10 sacks and is tied for first in the NFL with 60 pressures, according to Next Gen Stats.
It’s not just the production, though. He is relentless. His motor always has another gear and his energy level always has some in reserve.
Since getting acclimated after being acquired from the Cowboys before Week 1, Parsons since the bye has played 84.8 percent of the defensive snaps. That’s the fifth-highest percentage among NFL defensive linemen over that span. The team’s other starting defensive end, Rashan Gary, is at only 63.5 percent.
“I probably have an advantage. No doubt in my mind,” Parsons said. “I got that advantage and it’s the mentality of we’re all hurt, we’re all banged up, but who’s going to play harder?”
Parsons said his “mindset” gives them that advantage, even in a best-on-best matchup against Lions offensive tackles Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker.
“They’re not going to outplay me,” he said. “I get like they probably got one of the best duo tackles in the league. That’s cool. I feel like we got one of the best rush duos in the league, so I’m already anticipating the game plan and the matchup. I’m excited about it.”
Of Parsons’ 10 sacks, five have come in the fourth quarter and eight have come in the second half. Two of those came during the decisive third quarter against the Vikings, when Parsons seemed to deliver the early knockout.
“Even the one he didn’t have, where he just ran the center over, kind of sent a message,” Hafley said. “The energy level with that group and the way they were playing after that, yeah, it almost felt like whatever was going to be called, they were going to get through, and that was him closing it out that early.”
With his two sacks in that game, Parsons [made some history last week](https://www.si.com/nfl/packers/onsi/micah-parsons-makes-nfl-history-after-powering-pass-rush-vs-vikings). In five NFL seasons, Parsons has 10-plus sacks in all five. The legendary Reggie White is the only other player to accomplish that feat; White did it in each of his first nine seasons.
“I think that’s just a hell of a start,” Parsons said. “That’s the standard when you’ve got a guy like Reggie White, who’s represented greatness in all he’s achieved. I’m just trying to reach what these guys done and obtain that greatness and leave my stamp into this league with consistency. I know that consistency is the epitome of greatness.”
That’s where all that offseason work comes into play. It’s one more sprint. One more rep to build his game.
It’s all about building his legend. It’s about chasing the greats of the game and holding off the aspiring greats.
“What you want to achieve, you’ve got to be consistent year in and year out,” he said. “That goes into your training. How do I get better from this year? I think people don’t understand they’ve got five years of film on me, so I have to find each year to get better, to amplify my game, because there’s people that’s watching this film like, ‘OK, this is what he likes to do.’ So, maybe I’ve got to get stronger. Maybe I’ve got to get faster. Maybe I’ve got to get off the ball faster or transition or faster. Every year, you’ve got to find a way to amplify your game so that way you don’t slow down.
“I’m just excited to be joining Reg and I hope I can continue that. I think he’s the only player that got like nine, so I’m hunting that down. There’s always ways that we’re trying to keep going. Like, OK, great, you collect that accolade and you join some greatness.
“I just saw that thing with Myles Garrett. That’s greatness. What is it, 18 sacks in 11 weeks? How do I get there? We’re always chasing and climbing to our peers, the past elders of this game. And you know why? Because, they’re role models for us. We’re like, we could look up to that. So, I think it’s pretty cool, to be honest. Because there’s going to be another young player that’s going to come in and try to do the same thing I’m doing, same thing Reg is doing.”
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