Can the Packers win the Super Bowl without Micah Parsons?
Can the Green Bay Packers win the Super Bowl without Micah Parsons? Since his December 14th ACL tear against the Denver Broncos, 4 consecutive embarrassments have knocked the Magic 8 Ball to the floor where it has cracked, leaked all over the carpet, and seemingly crusted into a permanent “Don’t count on it” response. Yet in a league where a guy like Eli Manning built a potential Hall of Fame career on a few fortuitously-timed plays overshadowing a mediocre baseline, anything is possible. Here are some key factors worth considering as the team prepares to head to the windy city this Saturday.
There’s no trustworthy team in the NFL this year
For starters, the Packers have cleared the single most critical hurdle on the road to the big game: they punched their ticket to the playoff tournament when the rival Detroit Lions completely collapsed on Christmas day. In a year when there simply haven’t been any consistently great teams, the “any given Sunday” idiom has never rung so true. The number 1-seed Seattle Seahawks gave up 38 in a loss to the 8-win Buccaneers and barely scraped past basement-dwellers like the Cardinals, Titans, and Philip Rivers-led Colts. The 2-seed Chicago Bears took a 52-point drubbing from the NFC North 4th-place Lions, lost to the JJ McCarthy Minnesota Vikings, and didn’t look particularly dominant in beating the Raiders, Commanders, Bengals, and Giants by a combined 11 points. Last year’s playoff nemesis and eventual Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, have lost to the Giants and Cowboys and could only manage 10 points against the Packers in what inexplicably was still enough to pull out a win back in their week 10 matchup. The San Francisco 49ers lost to the Buccaneers and had to squeeze out narrow victories over doormats like the Saints and Cardinals. Their roster is also as beat up as the Packers’, if not worse off. The Los Angeles Rams have fallen to the 8-win Panthers and 8-win Falcons. Lastly, the NFC South Champion Panthers are officially reigniting debate over reformatting playoff seeding rules after becoming just the 5th team in history to make the tournament with a losing record (7th if you count strike-shortened seasons). Things aren’t much scarier over in the AFC.
Playoff experience matters
Mike Holmgren didn’t earn a Super Bowl ring until his 4th crack at the tournament. It took Mike McCarthy 3 attempts to bring the big one home. Matt LaFleur and Jordan Love stack up better than half of their NFC counterparts this year when it comes to playoff experience, and there’s something to be said for having been there and felt the pressure before. Clearly they’ve got some work to do before they can hang with the grizzled veterans, but they just might have that perfect combination of experience and untapped potential to make a run to the big dance that almost always requires a few warm up tries, as pairings like Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson are likely to soon find out.
|
QB |
QB Playoff Record |
HC |
HC Playoff Record |
Combined Playoff Record |
Combined Super Bowl Appearances |
|
Matthew Stafford |
5-5 |
Sean McVay |
8-5 |
13-10 |
3 |
|
Jalen Hurts |
6-3 |
Nick Sirianni |
6-3 |
12-6 |
4 |
|
Brock Purdy |
4-2 |
Kyle Shanahan |
8-4 |
12-6 |
3 |
|
Jordan Love |
1-2 |
Matt LaFleur |
3-5 |
4-7 |
0 |
|
Sam Darnold |
0-1 |
Mike MacDonald |
0-0 |
0-1 |
0 |
|
Bryce Young |
0-0 |
Dave Canales |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
|
Caleb Williams |
0-0 |
Ben Johnson |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
You don’t have to be All-Pro to have a breakout game
In 2010, Jordy Nelson had 582 yards receiving and 2 touchdowns on the season before exploding on the national stage to the tune of 140 yards and a score against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV. Despite all of the injuries, bone-headed mistakes, and gnashing of teeth, only the most jaded fans could argue that the Packers don’t have a number of players with the potential to take a game over, if only for one lucky week or against one favorable matchup. Here are just a few guys who’ve proven to have game-breaking potential in more than one fluke game this year:
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Jordan Love
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Week 4 at Dallas - 337 yards passing, 3 TDs, 0 interceptions
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Week 8 at Pittsburgh - 360 yards passing, 3 TDs, 0 interceptions, franchise record 21 consecutive completions
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Week 13 at Detroit - 234 yards passing, 4 TDs, 0 interceptions
-
-
Josh Jacobs
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Week 4 at Dallas - 157 all-purpose yards, 2 TDs, 0 fumbles
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Week 6 vs. Cincinnati - 150 all-purpose yards, 2 TDs, 0 fumbles
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-
Christian Watson
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Week 14 vs. Chicago - 89 all-purpose yards, 2 TDs
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Week 17 vs. Baltimore - 113 all-purpose yards, 1 TD
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Rashan Gary
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Week 3 at Cleveland - 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 3 solo tackles
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Week 8 at Pittsburgh - 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 3 solo tackles
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Would having Micah Parsons breathing down Matt Stafford’s disintegrating neck have helped matters? Of course. That said, it’s not time to throw in the towel yet, especially when the Packers don’t even have a 1st round pick to look forward to in next April’s draft. Let’s dive into what the Packers’ road to the Super Bowl looks like.
Wild Card
First, they have to travel to Chicago on Wild Card Weekend and take down their oldest rival in the Bears. They split the season series 1-1 and frankly should have gone 2-0 if not for Romeo Doubs doing his best Brandon Bostick impression on an onside kick that the Bears recovered. Chicago has relied on a lot of luck to get where they are, the Packers’ leaders are more battle-tested in the playoffs, and Christian Watson has already shown he can be elite against the Bears. In other words, it’s a totally winnable game.
Divisional
If the Packers do break the hearts of the Chicago faithful, then they’re guaranteed a matchup with a well-rested number 1-seed in their house. That team is the Seattle Seahawks, who’ve looked very shaky in at least 3 games they should have dominated this year. Their head coach has never experienced a playoff game, and you have to imagine that every Seahawks fan will be crossing their fingers and toes that QB Sam Darnold doesn’t repeat the whopping 9-point performance he put up in his only other playoff appearance.
We don’t have a head-to-head matchup to inform projections this year, but it’s worth noting that the Pack did take care of business in Seattle last season against the same staff, with a 30-13 victory in which Josh Jacobs went off for 136 all-purpose yards and a TD and Edgerrin Cooper had an interception, a sack, 2 passes defensed, 2 tackles for a loss, and 6 solo tackles; Kingsley Enagbare chipped in with 2 sacks, 3 tackles for a loss, and 5 solo tackles as well.
You can bet that Matt LaFleur and Jeff Hafley will be reviewing that tape should this matchup arise, and they’ll likely put a large emphasis on Seattle’s giveaway rate of 1.6 turnovers per game this year, good for 31st worst in the league. Let’s get poetic and say that the football gods subjected Packers fans to a recreation of the 2014 NFC Championship meltdown via the week 16 loss in Chicago this year just to make it that much sweeter when Green Bay sticks the dagger in Seattle.
Conference Championship
And that brings us to the NFC Championship game. It’s anyone’s guess who makes it through the gauntlet this far, but if I were to hazard a prediction, I’m going to say that 6-seed San Francisco’s injuries prove too much to overcome and they fall to the 3-seed Eagles, and the 5-seed Rams beat the 4-seed Panthers on Wild Card Weekend. Then in the Divisional round, despite Philly’s home-field advantage, Sean McVay’s Rams edge out Nick Sirianni’s Eagles in a nail-biter. Green Bay gets to travel to Los Angeles for the first 5th vs. 7th seed NFC Championship game in history.
And guess what, Matt LaFleur is 1-0 against Sean McVay in their only playoff matchup. Adding in the regular season, LaFleur is actually 5-0 against McVay. What about Matt Stafford? How does a 7-15 career record against the green and gold sound? Maybe this run isn’t as crazy as it sounds?
Super Bowl LX
While none of this is likely to happen, nobody in their right mind would have said that Aaron Rodgers was likely to end his illustrious Packers career with a 1-4 record in NFC Championship games. Things tend to get a little wacky in the playoffs; it’s why we watch them. As for who the Packers could see on Super Bowl Sunday, I don’t think it’ll matter if they actually roll into the matchup after ripping off 3 improbable road wins. Micah Parsons shakes that Magic 8 Ball from the sidelines and it replies: “It. Is. Time.” The age 27 prophecy comes true for Jordan Love and he brings the Lombardi back home. Right?
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__________________________
Cody Cottrell is a proud shareholder of the greatest sports franchise on Earth, the Green Bay Packers. He's also a complicated fella who loves writing a good hot take.
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Comments (38)
GregC
January 09, 2026 at 11:47 am
Got into some serious spiked Kool-Aid in speculating that Rashan Gary could have a big game (I'm afraid that ship has sailed), but we can all dream, can't we?
SicSemperTyrannis
January 09, 2026 at 11:48 am
Frank Sinatra had something to say about this.
More recently so did Steven Tyler (he wrote Dream On at age 17, quite impressive if you look at the lyrics)
And how are we writing in italics?!?
Since'75
January 09, 2026 at 12:30 pm
OFF topic......
Sic....I always thought Tyler and Plant, with J. Keith and R. Thomas, a close second.
The coolest people in rock.
jont
January 09, 2026 at 03:56 pm
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TOMMY'63
January 09, 2026 at 05:41 pm
The reason why arod went to only one sb in your article? It's tt never gave him a competent defence in his prime! He had to cary the team on his back! Tt wasted the youth and prime of generational talent! In 2001 ,15-1 , we did what detroit last year, numerous turnovers,dropped passes,etc,2016 lost 4 dfbs against dallas in divisinal,nfccg at atlanta Ryan easily carved opened the secondary, just like when you slaughter a pig! We should have won numerous sbs with arod,at seatle he could barely limp,Mccarthy going 3 times for fgs,atthe 2yrd line,and what followed, under mlf first nfccg at sf,sf was the much better team, garraopolo threw 8 passes,knew knew the run was going, couldn't stop it ,down 3 scores at half time...at Arizona 3 hail mary passes to get to extra time,then? The defence couldn't stop a a parked car in a car park! Just saying, tt wasted the prime years of arod! Look at mahomes, won 3 sbs,lost 2 sbs. He is not half what arod was in his prime! Tt,gravy fart,ex d c, a bit of everything!
Real Talk Ryan
January 10, 2026 at 08:32 am
Besides the convoluted writing, I 100% agree with this. We rarely ever had a complete team with ARod in his prime. He had to consistently carry the team on his back because more often than not the defense wasn't up to snuff. Very unfortunate.
Since'75
January 09, 2026 at 11:47 am
Lets ummm ....get by the bear game first. 😁😏
SicSemperTyrannis
January 09, 2026 at 12:05 pm
Great article!
I like my analogy for this season better, and do not promise this will be the last time I write it:
at least as fans, this was our Cinderella season. I have no idea if anyone connected with the team viewed it this way, but based purely on key player's contracts and cap space our talent will be decreasing beginning next season.
Our glass slipper was found, and then broken in two. (A clean break?) In recent weeks it has been further smashed into a zillion pieces. If our coaches can melt all that down and fabricate something new, it will necessarily be substantially different from what anybody was thinking in August.
Can MLF adjust? I identified that as his biggest weakness many moon ago, but I'll still say
GPG
I'll be watching this game intensely, but a loss wouldn't hurt nearly as much as any other this season as I have 0 expectations.
TarynsEyes
January 09, 2026 at 12:27 pm
The pumpkin never changed into a carriage.
Since'75
January 09, 2026 at 02:00 pm
Zero expectations?
Hmmmm.
Sounds to me like your waving the white flag.
It isn't over till it's over
My view of a Cinderella season, is going in thinking, we don't have much of a chance, but then we win it all.
My outlook of this season is in reverse order of that.
Weeks one and two i thought the Packers were the team to beat of the entire league and i was oozing championship season.
But then something happened in Cleveland, and it slowly dissipated from there.
The Packers have lost 3 of their last 4 playoff games, lets not make it 4 of 5.
Especially against the bears.
NFLfan
January 09, 2026 at 12:08 pm
No.
Even with Parsons, the OL is too weak
Since'75
January 09, 2026 at 12:21 pm
I'm not discussing the SB...lets be real.
********
As far as the bear game....
Ideally i'd like the Packers to dominate this game.
But i will take any kind of win, hook or crook.
IF...the Packers lose this game, there will be a shit storm from Packer Nation this off season in Green Bay.
Equal to or greater than the fall out after the Seattle NFCCG.
When was the last time the Packers lost 5 games in a row, two of them to the bears?
I don't know either.
In regards to Gary, Rashan could very well have a good game.
I'm speaking about the law of averages.
History tells us, he does enough every 3 or 4 games, to keep the skeptics off his back (until now).
Now that he hasn't done much for 9 weeks, Joe 6 pack Packer fan is now crawling out of the woodwork saying something.
As stated throughout the years, i wasn't happy he was overpaid after his contract signing.
If....Gary has a sack or 2 (law of average)
He will no doubt, start strutting around the field, doing his Mr. Universe pose in front of the camera.
Acting like he's a future HOF'r.
LambeauPlain
January 09, 2026 at 12:30 pm
Few gave the 6th and last seeded, all banged up Packers much of a shot in the 2010 Season tournament, either.
They needed to win their last two games to punch their ticket...they did, had strong momentum and confidence and rolled to a Lombardi.
This Packers underdog version is backing into the playoffs on a 4 game skid. Bares are on a 2 game losing streak of their own. I like our chances tomorrow. After that win, it is playing with house money.
It is difficult to do too much in the playoffs with weak OLs and DLs.
Coldworld
January 09, 2026 at 12:41 pm
If you are in, you can win. Are we favorites? No. So it’s time for these guys on and off field to stand up and show that they are for real.
LeotisHarris
January 09, 2026 at 01:14 pm
I've never gotten the impression that any of them aren't real off the field. I mean, they *look* real. I haven't seen all of them standing up though. I'll give you that.
BabeParilli
January 09, 2026 at 12:47 pm
In Lafleur’s first 3 years with Jordan as starting QB, Jordan is now 11 wins 18 losses and 1 tie in games where Jordan drops back to pass more than the Packers run - that is a ABSYMAL 38.3% winning percentage!!!
You cannot survive as a Super Bowl contender in today’s NFL with a quarterback that has an ABYSMAL 38.3% winning percentage when you pass more than you run, as today’s NFL is a passing league!!
In Lafleur’s first 3 years with Rodgers as starting QB, Rodgers was 34 wins and 12 losses where Rodgers dropped back to pass more than the Packers ran – that is a 73.9% winning percentage.
You have over 50 games of data points - starts - for each QB with Lafleur.
*****Lafleur with Rodgers when passing more than running - 73.9% winning percentage.
*****Lafleur with Jordan when passing more than running - 38.3% winning percentage.
Lafleur – a very very smart and aware coach – recognized that Rodgers passing accuracy, arm strength, ability to think and quickly process the field, and agility in the pocket and pocket awareness made passing a winning formula with Rodgers as starer so the Packers passed more than they ran in 46 of the 53 games - that is 86.8% - that Rodgers started under Lafleur in Rodgers first 3 years with Lafleur.
Lafleur – a very very smart and aware coach – recognized that Love had poor passing accuracy, weaker arm strength than Rodgers, an inability to think and quickly process the field, and a lack of agility in the pocket and pocket awareness made passing a losing proposition with Jordan as starter so the Packers have passed more than they ran in just 30 of the 51 games – that is 58.8% - that Jordan has started under Lafleur in Jordan’s first 3 years with Lafleur.
This all tells you that the problem is Jordan Love, not Lafleur.
And that tells you that THE CORE PROBLEM IS GUTEKUNST.
You cannot survive as a Super Bowl contender in today’s NFL with a quarterback that has an ABYSMAL 38.3% winning percentage when you pass more than you run, as today’s NFL is a passing league!!
Unfortunately due to "Gutey" and his BONE HEADED choice of Love and destruction of the Packers Super Bowl bound teams, after 8 years of Gutey we have nothing.
Gutekunst must BE FIRED! Only the Gutekunst couple propagandists on here - the "Baghdad Bob's"/"Comical Ali's - a couple bitter enders do not now see that Gutekunst has destroyed years of past, present and future Packers Super Bowl chances with his disrespect of Packer veterans, ego, lies and incompetence.
Love must be traded - just like Howie Roseman traded Carson Wentz.
Malik Willis must be made the Packers starting QB - just like Howie Roseman made Jalen Hurts the Eagles starting QB.
If the General Manager for the Eagles Howie Roseman and the Eagles' accountants can figure out how to get rid of Carson Wentz and his then RECORD CONTRACT AND RECORD DEAD CAP HIT, how come Gutekunst and the Packers accountants can't figure out how to get rid of Jordan Love and his Record Contract and Record Dead Cap hit?
Since'75
January 09, 2026 at 02:44 pm
You're kind of in a repeating post mode Sparky.
I like reruns occasionally, as much as the next guy, but i need a few years to go by first.
13TimeChamps
January 09, 2026 at 03:27 pm
Actually, I thought this post was relatively short compared to most of his long winded diatribes.
Could early on-set carpal tunnel be at work here?
BabeParilli
January 09, 2026 at 11:39 pm
Well "Sparky", the Jordan problem and - more importantly - the Gutekunst problem and the Willis opportunity are the ELEPHANTS in the room and most important issues for Packers team success.
Everything else pales by comparison.
LeotisHarris
January 09, 2026 at 01:11 pm
I suppose, but everyone will have to give 110% in all three phases of the game for a full 60 minutes.
Did I miss the article on how CHTV has some tough choices to make regarding using a different font?
Starrbrite
January 09, 2026 at 04:36 pm
You always crack me up—makes my day.
Dragon5
January 09, 2026 at 01:14 pm
The Packers have failed to cover the spread in seven of their last eight road games against NFC opponents.
Change can't come soon enough. With Miami signing Jon Eric-Sullivan, hopefully he can poach some of the deadweight off this franchise. After another choke job tomorrow, In one fell swoop, Policy can fire yes men GM, HC, where the duo can then reconnect in ATL or MIA. MIA #11 pick for Love or ATL #48, #77, #114, and '26 2nd rd. Sign Willis.
NFLfan
January 09, 2026 at 02:38 pm
I've decided it would be easier if I, as a 20 year Packer fan, just jumped ship-I'm praying Hafley is signed with a contending team.
PackerBackerAZ
January 09, 2026 at 01:15 pm
Seattle doesn't have the same staff as 2024. Kubiak is the new oc, Benton is the new o-line coach and they added Dennison as run game coordinator. They made other staff changes besides these. I hope Hafley isn't looking at last years game film.
Leatherhead
January 09, 2026 at 01:27 pm
I don't know if we can win the Super Bowl without Parsons, but somebody will win the Super Bowl, and it'll be without Parsons. We can beat the Bears tomorrow. I'm not looking any farther down the road.
dobber
January 10, 2026 at 12:32 pm
"We can beat the Bears tomorrow. I'm not looking any farther down the road."
It's a one-game-at-a-time league.
Every week is a new opportunity.
You can only play the team that gets off the bus this week with the players you have this week.
...I'll come up with plenty more cliches during the watch party tonight.
TheBigCat
January 09, 2026 at 01:33 pm
Attention: Matt LaFleur
I'm getting my vocal cords ready for several rousing renditions of "The Bear Still Suck" Saturday night. Don't let me down.
NFLfan
January 09, 2026 at 02:05 pm
-mature adults should be able to exist in reality w/o anxiety.
THESZOTMAN1
January 09, 2026 at 02:29 pm
One word: NO.
the Szotman
Starrbrite
January 09, 2026 at 02:42 pm
I believe your best point is there are no world-beaters; in either conference. I think we can beat any one of them if the offense catches fire.
Go Packers!!!
GreenandBold
January 09, 2026 at 06:43 pm
No not even with Parsons . Weak OL . Can’t stop the run . Even weaker CBs . Way too many holes .
GreenandBold
January 09, 2026 at 06:45 pm
I forgot Love will throw some stupid INT in a critical moment (s) .
TheKanataThrilla
January 09, 2026 at 09:23 pm
It would be great if it was possible. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to play consistent football in all 3 phases even when we had a healthy Tucker and Micah in the lineup.
I can see a win tomorrow, but to not have one of our groups fail to perform in 4 straight games against top opponents would take some severe intervention by the football gods.
Real Talk Ryan
January 10, 2026 at 08:36 am
The title of this article should be "CAN MATT LAFLUER GET THE PACKERS TO THE SUPERBOWL?" That's a more accurate and pertinent question. After 7 years and some very weak playoff showings, I don't think so. Our best chance was in 2020 when we were at home in the championship with ARod and lost to the Buccs. After that I pretty much resigned myself to LaFluer never being able to get over that hump.
Packerlifer
January 10, 2026 at 01:29 pm
"20 was certainly a good chance but it was against Brady and a great defense. I think 2021 was the worse blow. The Number One seed, home field advantage,a third straight 13 win season, the best quarterback in the league at the time. The team and the opportunity vs that season's playoff field were all there.
And they lost their first playoff game 13-10!
Ikrispy
January 10, 2026 at 10:32 am
Super Bowl?! Don't talk about - Super Bowl?! You kidding me? Super Bowl? I just hope we can win a game!
HarryHodag
January 10, 2026 at 12:21 pm
To answer the article's main question: the answer is no. With Parsons they had a puncher's chance, to use a boxing analogy.
dobber
January 10, 2026 at 12:38 pm
You can't win the SB if you don't win the WC game.
Optimistic that getting Tom back will make a difference in OL play.
Kinnard moves back to his jumbo package role.
Diggs gives the Packers a little more man-coverage clout and a chance to change things up and bring extra rushers, even though Williams struggles more against zone.