Micah Parsons Returns to Practice, and the Packers Are 5-3 Without Him
Micah Parsons is back at Packers practice but will miss at least two more games. Green Bay is 5-3, and the Patriots line has moved from -1.5 to -3.
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Key takeaways
- Micah Parsons returned to practice Wednesday but is expected to miss at least two more games, with the Rams on Thanksgiving Eve as the target, per ESPN.
- The Packers are 5-3 and have allowed 20 or fewer points in five straight games, their longest single-season streak since 2022.
- DraftKings opened New England -1.5 and now has the Patriots at -3, with the total down from 46.5 to 44.5, per ESPN's odds feed.
- Green Bay ranks sixth in sacks (22) with no player in the top 16, according to ESPN.
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Micah Parsons Returns to Packers Practice After ACL Injury
Green Bay pass rusher Micah Parsons returned to the practice field Wednesday, ESPN reported, but he is expected to miss at least two more games. The target is the Thanksgiving Eve game at the Los Angeles Rams. Parsons blew out his knee in Week 15 last season, after the Packers began 9-3-1 and then lost five straight.
The team he is rejoining is 5-3 and plays the New England Patriots on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET on Fox. Through Week 8 the Packers ranked 10th in yards allowed and 10th in points allowed, and they have given up 20 or fewer points in five straight games, per ESPN. They also have 15 takeaways, tied for second in the league.
I don't really buy into records.
Parsons also said he will likely be on a snap count when he plays, because his knee is not yet built for 50 snaps a game.
Packers at Patriots Odds: What the Market Did
The game is a pick-em on record, with both teams 5-3, and the market has moved toward New England at home. Per ESPN's odds feed (DraftKings) as of November 6 at 8:03 AM ET:
| Market | Opening | Current | Move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spread | New England -1.5 | New England -3 | 1.5 points toward the Patriots |
| Patriots moneyline | -125 | -166 | Shorter |
| Packers moneyline | +105 | +140 | Longer |
| Total | 46.5 | 44.5 | Down 2 |
The feed does not say why a line moved, so everything below is our reading and not a reported cause.
Our Read: What a Packers Defense Without Its Star Is Really Telling Us
- The defense is better than its pass rush looks. Green Bay is sixth in sacks and second in pressures, yet ESPN notes no individual in the top 15 of either. That points to scheme and disguise from coordinator Jonathan Gannon more than one star, which is why the unit may travel.
- Some of it may be takeaway luck. Fifteen takeaways is one more than the team had all of last season. Turnover rates tend to fade, so a defense that wins on takeaways is not the same as one that wins on stops.
- The market may be pricing the road, not the roster. Green Bay is 2-2 on the road and New England is 3-0 at home. The move to -3 is consistent with a home-field adjustment, though the feed gives no reason.
- Parsons is a December story. With a snap count and at least two games out, he does little for Sunday. His value is the stretch run, and the evidence on how fast a player returns from a knee injury is mixed.
A lower total fits a defense-first read of both teams, but it is a reading, not a fact.
What to Watch for Packers vs. Patriots
- Whether Green Bay reaches a sixth straight game with 20 or fewer points allowed and multiple takeaways, which would tie the longest such streak by any team in 30 years.
- Whether the spread settles at 3 or moves again before the 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff.
- Sack production from Lukas Van Ness, who leads the team with 4.5.
- Any update on Parsons' return timeline, now pointed at the Rams game.
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Odds describe a price and not an outcome. Set a limit before you bet, and bet only where it is legal.
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