If the Detroit Lions thought they had a tough run up against NFC North opponents, they just got handed another obstacle to overcome very early in their season.
Green Bay Packers star Micah Parsons, who is recovering from a major knee injury suffered in 2025, told reporters amid OTAs that he expects to be back by "mid-October," as the pass rusher is not trying to rush a return to play given his age and the seriousness of that injury.
Mid-October lines up almost perfectly with the Lions' game against the Packers on October 25. Good news: it's a home game for Detroit ahead of the teams' major clash in Week 18. The bad news: this is a very early test for a very fresh offensive line for the Lions, and knowing how badly Parsons made their 2025 line look in Week 1, it's scary to imagine what he will do against this unit.
Parsons gives an update on return to field
Detroit's going to have plenty of other tests for their O-line prior to this Green Bay game, though. They play Chase Young and the New Orleans Saints in Week 1, Bradley Chubb and the Buffalo Bills in Week 2, David Bailey and the New York Jets in Week 3, and Jaelan Phillips and the Carolina Panthers in Week 4. No days off for the line ahead of this Packers contest.
So, maybe they'll already have weathered the storms necessary to feel confident heading into a matchup that prominently features Parsons. But, it could also be a game where the Packers are catching the Lions on their back foot, still catching up to one another and seeking to gain consistency up front.
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Last year, Parsons had 3.5 sacks, five quarterback hits, and four tackles for loss against the Lions. He was essentially unstoppable, especially since the Lions barely had resistance for him thanks to Taylor Decker's decline and the lack of force up the middle from Detroit to stop him in his tracks. Jared Goff being pretty much a pocket passer also didn't help. Both games were losses for Detroit.
This will be a huge game for both teams as each will be looking to establish dominance in the NFC North early on in the year. Following this Week 7 bout, the Lions will have the Minnesota Vikings at home in Week 8, further driving home the need for a win against the Packers. Parsons, however, seems ready to throw a wrench in that idea.
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