A big silver lining is sitting in front of the Packers yet it will only pay off if they take advantage in time
Micah Parsons’ injury is awful, but the Packers can still fight in the NFC playoffs.
There’s no way around it, losing Micah Parsons for the rest of the season is a killer for the Green Bay Packers’ chances of winning the Super Bowl. The roster still has good pieces, obviously, but it will be hard to overcome the lack of pass rush without their primary defensive star.
It’s not all bad, though, even after a crushing 34-26 loss to the Denver Broncos.
Playoff picture isn’t bad at all for the Packers
Sunday was a nightmare for the Packers in every sense, which included a loss and the Chicago Bears winning, getting back to the top of the NFC North. However, The Athletic still puts Green Bay with better chances of making the playoffs out of this division. However, the Bears now have a better chance of winning the North.
Obviously, the scenarios get much harder without Parsons on the field, because the Packers will have to beat the Bears next Saturday.
The Athletic’s projection tool indicates the Packers have a 43% chance of winning the NFC North, versus 53% for the Chicago Bears and 5% for the Detroit Lions.
If the Packers beat the Bears in Chicago next Saturday, they’ll have an 76% chance of claiming the division title for the first time since 2021. However, a loss drops those chances to 10%. It’s a massive first game without Micah Parsons.
Playoff scenarios
Despite the loss, the Packers still have a 91% chance of making the playoffs. Even if the team loses two out of its final three games, it will have an 86%+ chance of getting into the postseason. Two wins, whatever they are, and the Packers are in. Even if they lose all three games, they’d still have a 44% chance of making it.
In the NFC North, the Bears have now an 85% chance of making the playoffs, and the Detroit Lions sit at just 25% after losing to the Los Angeles Rams. Even though it feels good for Green Bay fans that the Lions are likely out, the Rams’ win basically gets the Packers out of contention for the first seed.
Things are not getting easier for the Packers, but if they are able to win the division in spite of losing Parsons, the pathway in the postseason would be much more feasible in a crowded NFC.
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