Less than 24 hours after Micah Parsons went off on the NFL's treatment of defensive players, the latest Green Bay Packers injury report made it clear that more eyes will be on his performance than ever this Sunday.
Defensive end Lukas Van Ness (foot) and defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt (knee) have both been ruled out for Sunday's matchup in Arizona, meaning that the Packers will be relying on a statement game from Parsons, with his latest comments on officiating fresh on everyone's mind.
With both Van Ness and Wyatt on the sideline, defensive tackle Karl Brooks is expected to see more action, even after playing a career-high 81 percent of snaps last week.
Micah Parsons' comments about the refs will take center stage after Packers' injury concerns
However, rookies Nazir Stackhouse and Warren Brinson could also be called upon to deal with an unfamiliar Cardinals team. With new players being added to the mix, there's no telling how prepared Arizona's defense will be, but one thing is for certain: Parsons will be more aggressive than ever.
Parsons's recent comments on missed calls have started a conversation about the NFL's bias towards offenses. And with just one sack in the last three games, it's tough to argue that some of the treatment he's receiving from opposing offensive lines hasn't been suspect.
"You can tell how they call the games," Parsons told reporters. "They don't call offsides for offense but they'll call it on defense. They won't call offensive pass interference but they'll call defensive pass interference immediately. We know what they're trying to do. They want to load the points up so fans can be happy."
Now that two of Green Bay's starting defensive linemen won't be seeing the field, Parsons's movements will be examined with a microscope. One way or another, this Sunday's officiating will be viewed as a reaction to the Packers' frustrations.
Earlier this week, head coach Matt LaFleur spoke on the issue, saying there would be a conversation with officials before kickoff. Hopefully, Packers fans and staff alike will be satisfied with this week's rulings and see some of Parsons's pressures turn into full-fledged sacks.
While the absences of Van Ness and Wyatt will create the need for some new lineups along the defensive line, it's Parsons's comments that will be on the back of everyone's mind. Each snap will be an opportunity for the three-time Pro-Bowler to either make a play or force an obvious penalty, with the hope that his off-field interviews produce some real change.