The Green Bay Packers have been enjoying the Micah Parsons effect all season long. Parsons was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month in October, and while that recognition has more to do with his individual production, it's not lost on Packers fans how much he helps the players around him.
A prime example is his edge-rushing partner, Rashan Gary. In his seventh season, Gary is on track to have his most productive season in the NFL. And it's no wonder with Parsons drawing the attention he does.
Take one of his sacks against the Pittsburgh Steelers last week. Parsons draws the attention on third-and-long, standing behind the nose tackle. Aaron Rodgers was keyed in on Parsons every time the Packers' defense went to this look, but it was Gary who would take full advantage.
Gary got his first sack against the Steelers in a similar fashion. Obvious third-and-long scenario, Parsons pressures inside, and Gary cleans up.
Gary has 7.5 sacks this season, tying his team-leading mark from 2024. He also has 13 QB hits, barely trailing the 15 he had a year ago. While the Packers aren't exactly on pace to crush their sack totals from a season ago, Gary is on a career pace, matching last year's production in less than half the snaps.
Packers reaping the rewards of their patience with Rashan Gary
It's surprising to a point, but Gary has never posted double-digit sacks in his NFL career. Despite that, he's been a cornerstone of sorts on the defense. Still, ahead of the Parsons trade, Gary's name would often come up in trade discussions pointed at adding an elite pass rusher.
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Now, Gary is poised for his best sack totals since high school, which brings with it a renewed appreciation from the fans in Green Bay.
Clearly, the Packers made the right decision to move on from Kenny Clark instead, keeping Gary around to reap the benefits of the attention Parsons draws to himself.
It's Gary who leads the team in sacks heading into Week 9, not Parsons. But with the duo combining for 14 sacks, 27 QB hits, and a lot more pressures, Green Bay has solved one of the biggest concerns the defense had coming into the season.
The next step is to translate that pressure on the quarterback into turnovers, allowing the team to build on their leads, as they did against Pittsburgh.