Micah Parsons found a way to make an impact in his Green Bay Packers debut despite playing on less than half of their defensive snaps in Week 1’s win.
The 26-year-old superstar pass rusher also said he found a new rival in Detroit Lions stalwart right tackle Penei Sewell, praising him as “a hell of a player” but also sending him a warning about their future matchups as opposing players in the NFC North.
“I’m not gonna be able to get rid of him,” Parsons said of Sewell on Sunday following the Packers’ 27-13 victory. “He’s a hell of a player. I told him, I said, ‘You’re my new rivalry now. I don’t got [Philadelphia Eagles veteran right tackle] Lane [Johnson] no more. It’s gonna be you. I’mma see you twice a year, so you might as well buckle up.’”
Micah Parsons Tallied 1st Packers Sack Against Lions
The Packers did not have Parsons at full strength for Sunday’s game against the Lions. He has a joint sprain in his back that sidelined him for all of training camp with the Dallas Cowboys before his trade to Green Bay. The injury has also forced the Packers to limit his practice and playing time before unleashing him as an every-down rusher.
During Sunday’s game, though, it might have been hard to tell that Parsons is ailing.
Parsons played just 45% of the team’s defensive snaps against the Lions, but he tallied three quarterback pressures on those snaps that amounted to quite a bit for the defense. According to ESPN Stats & Info, Parsons’ three pressures resulted in a completion for a 2-yard loss, an interception to safety Evan Williams and a fourth-quarter sack.
Parsons’ strong season-opening performance should validate the Packers. They made a bold, all-in play when they traded two first-round picks and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark to the Cowboys in exchange for Parsons. They also signed Parsons to a four-year, $188 million contract extension as part of the trade, pushing all of their chips to the center of the table to give themselves an excellent shot at vying for a Super Bowl.
Whether it works out for the Packers remains to be seen, but the early returns are good.
How Will Packers & Lions Fare in November Rematch?
The Packers flipped the tables on the two-time reigning NFC North champion Lions in their first game of the 2025 season, thrashing them in a dominant victory that makes them look like the favorites to control the division race over the next several months.
The Packers and Lions both could look much different in November, though, when they meet again for their second regular-season matchup — this time, on the road in Detroit.
The Lions struggled in many ways against the Packers in Week 1, but they are adjusting to the loss of both their offensive and defensive coordinators — Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn — from the past few seasons. It showed in their running game, which averaged just 2.2 yards per carry with its elite tandem of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery.
The Lions also had difficulty disrupting quarterback Jordan Love. On his 22 dropbacks, they managed just seven pressures and two quarterback hits, notching zero sacks.
Between now and November 27’s next matchup, though, the Lions will have ample time to figure out their messiness and make moves to improve their roster, which could lead to the Packers facing a more formidable opponent when they clash again.
The Packers are also dealing with a crowded injury report in just the second week of the season, with eight starters listed on the report in some capacity. Optimistically, things should look better by late November, but the Packers could have a tougher time stifling the Lions in the rematch if they take even more injury hits and lose key contributors.
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