Packers’ Defense Is Clicking on all Cylinders at Just the Right Time

Twenty points. For the Packers, that figure is a defining statement through the first six games of their season. 

Through four weeks, Green Bay was 2–2 and listless. It lost to the Vikings and backup quarterback Carson Wentz. It was humiliated in front of a national Thursday night audience by the previously winless Falcons, 34–10, at Lambeau Field. The two wins came against another winless team in the Buccaneers and in an overtime squeaker against the Jets.

Then last week happened, a 31–7 win over the Bears. Seven nights later, given a chance to redeem themselves on a national stage, the Packers did exactly that, throttling the Cowboys in a 23–13 victory to move to 4–2 on the season in a competitive NFC North. The last time a Dak Prescott–led team was held to 13 or fewer points? Week 6 of the 2024 season.

While the offense should continue improving with running back Josh Jacobs being reinstated from the commissioner’s exempt list before Week 7, the defense is the real story.

Without star edge rusher Micah Parsons and linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, Green Bay has shown up in ways previously unimaginable based on the first month of the season. With Parsons nearing a return from a torn ACL suffered last December, the Packers should be thinking about the ceiling of the unit, knowing a pair of resounding wins over offensively led teams somehow isn’t it.

Against the Cowboys, Green Bay picked off a pair of Dak Prescott passes while holding them to 48 yards rushing on 3.2 yards per carry. The pressure was consistent throughout, as evidenced by seven quarterback hits. The Packers held Dallas to 5-of-13 on third down and permitted only four red zone trips (including one in garbage time), two of which ended in zero points. 

When Parsons was on the field last season for Green Bay, he was as advertised. The three-time first-team All-Pro and Defensive Player of the Year created 12.5 sacks and 27 quarterback hits, helping the Packers start 9-4-1 while looking like a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Without him, Green Bay lost its final three games before caving in against the Bears in the NFC wild-card round, losing 31–27. 

Through six games without Parsons in 2026, Green Bay has survived upfront with 15 sacks. It has gotten contributions from all corners of the room, including three from Cooper before being lost to an Achilles tear. Additionally, former first-round picks Lukas Van Ness and Devonte Wyatt have racked up 5.5 combined sacks, helping to crush the pocket of would-be passers.

Perhaps the best news for Packer backers is the offense is playing well to accompany the defensive showcases. Matthew Golden had another 100-yard game, continuing his trajectory to become one of the most dynamic young wideouts in football. Last year, Golden had 361 yards in 17 games. This season, he already has 503.

Once Jacobs comes back and Green Bay can run the ball, something it hasn’t done all year to the tune of a league-worst 302 rushing yards entering Sunday night, the passing game will only open up more. Although it will likely take Jacobs a few games to get back into game shape, he’ll be an immediate upgrade over the combination of MarShawn Lloyd and Pierre Strong Jr.

But for now, the offense can work through the ground game issues. The defense has it covered and then some, holding the seventh and 11th-ranked offenses, respectively, to minor outputs in each of the past two weeks. 

Soon, Parsons will return, not only adding arguably the best defensive player in the sport back into the fold, but also making everyone around him that much better with the attention paid to him.

The Packers had a rough first four games, but they’ve suddenly found their stride.