Bears Catch a Big Break for Week 5 with Latest Packers Injury Update

Superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons is likely to miss his third straight Bears-Packers rivalry game.

Green Bay Packers DE Micah Parsons during a game against the Chicago Bears. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Chicago Bears' defense caught a break for their Week 4 matchup against the New York Jets, with multiple Jets offensive playmakers ruled out, and it looks like the Bears' offense will get their turn in Week 5. According to a report from NFL insider Tom Pelissero, Green Bay Packers superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons is "not expected to practice next week" ahead of their Week 5 game against the Bears, and "it could be November before he's ready" to return.

Shortly after tearing his ACL last December, there was optimism that Parson's injury return timeline could only stretch to September, which would make him available at the start of the season. That was always a longshot, however, and now it appears he will miss his third straight Bears-Packers rivalry game.

You never want to see injuries to NFL players, especially not to game-wreckers like Parsons. But the toothpaste can't be put back in the tube, and the Bears' offense can breathe a little easier in Week 5 knowing that they won't have to face a motivated Micah Parsons.

Micah Parsons has yet to make his mark on this historic rivalry

Green Bay Packers DE Micah Parsons pursues Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams. Mandatory Credit: Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

There's no denying that Parsons is the kind of player who can completely change the trajectory of any given game or even an entire season. There's a reason why the Packers became Super Bowl favorites after their blockbuster trade with the Cowboys last year. However, he has only appeared in one Bears-Packers rivalry game thus far, and he was almost a complete nonfactor in that one.

During Chicago's Week 14 loss to the Packers at Lambeau Field, Parsons got plenty of pressure on Caleb Williams, but his final statline showed only one tackle, with no sacks or forced fumbles. Beating the Bears despite poor production from Parsons was surely encouraging to the Packers, but they didn't trade two first-round picks and a good defensive tackle for only marginal benefits against their division rival.

As Pelissero noted, the hope is that Parsons will be able to return in November, which means he's practically guaranteed to be available for the Packers' Christmas day showdown against the Bears at Soldier Field, barring any setbacks in his recovery. That's good news for Green Bay, but they'll still need to hold a cautious, collective breath until he can prove that he's back to his dominant self.

The Bottom Line

Green Bay Packers DE Micah Parsons leaves the field after a game at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Parsons' first game agains the Bears as a Green Bay Packer may not have been what he envisioned, but there's no doubt that he's the kind of player who can take over any game at the drop of a hat. If he was available for Week 5, the Bears would have had to devote serious attention to him, even coming off a major injury.

But with this latest injury update, it looks like the Bears will once again dodge a bullet. The biggest question facing Chicago for their Week 5 matchup with the Packers remains whether Caleb Williams will return from his injury in time to play.

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