Eagles Prepare for 'Micah Week' Vs. Packers

PHILADELPHIA - “Micah Week” has arrived for the Philadelphia Eagles, something that isn’t exactly unfamiliar territory for the reigning Super Bowl champions.

In fact, the scheduled Micah Parsons angst for the coaching staff has been cut in half this season with the superstar pass rusher’s move from Dallas to Green Bay.

There are few players the Eagles respect more than Parsons, something highlighted by their actions behind the scenes.

When Jerry Jones was fumbling things with the superstar in Dallas, Eagles’ GM Howie Roseman explored every avenue to change course from a maintenance offseason to convincing the Cowboys to move the Harrisburg native within the NFC East.

It was always pie in the sky, but Roseman tried to grease the skids to turn fantasy into reality by dangling multiple first-round draft picks, a third-rounder, and a fifth-round selection, along with other assets (meaning players), according to multiple NFL sources.

Jones wisely didn’t take the bait, although the Cowboys made a somewhat similar mistake by keeping Parsons in the conference with an organization that typically makes good decisions.

Through a 5-2-1 start, Parsons has helped transform the Packers defense into a top-10 unit in virually all major categories.

Minimizing the Disruption

Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Micah Parsons (1) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The three-time All-Pro entered Week 9 with an NFL-high 44 pressures and a 19.7% pressure percentage, good for third in the league for edge rushers before being held to zero pressures for the first time in his professional career by Carolina.

Turning that outlier against the Panthers into a trend is the goal for the Eagles’ offensive line this week, but it’s probably an unrealistic one.

In the past, Philadelphia’s plans have been to put Parsons in conflict.

“If you can’t block him, read him,” has been a familiar refrain.

Typically, the Eagles’ star offensive tackles – Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata – look inward, something Mailata again emphasized when talking with Eagles On SI on Thursday.

“We faced Micah a lot of times so we know the player that he is and we know how much of a disruption he can be,” Mailata said. “So for us up front, we've never made it about anybody [else].  We've always made it about ourselves, and if we're gonna play a good game we need to focus on what we can do to make sure he doesn't disrupt that game.

“Now, the coaches have to put us in those positions, but we have to go out there and execute it. That's what we're worried about, you know?  Just doing our job."

Parsons, though, does generate more angst at the NovaCare Complex than most, something highlighted by offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland naming some of his protection schemes for the week after the player, according to multiple team sources.

Stoutland only does that for top-of-the-food-chain pass rushers like Parsons and Myles Garrett.

“Micah Parsons is a phenomenal football player that can hurt you in many different ways,” Eagles head coach Nick SIrianni admitted. “It just creates a lot of disruption, and I think sometimes you think about it just only in the pass game. He creates a lot of disruption in the run game. … So much respect for the player and who he is. I can't say enough good things about him. Thankfully, we only play him once a year.”

Sirianni then caught himself, realizing Monday night in Lambeau may not be the last time he and the Eagles will see Parsons and the Packers this season.

The idea for Philadelphia is to stay efficient and ahead of the sticks to best minimize Parsons’ impact.

“Carolina did a good job of-- I know they stayed efficient on first and second down, stayed out of some known pass situations where he can be even more disruptive,” said Sirianni. “But again, like I said, he's disruptive in everything he does.

“They're doing a good job of moving him around, putting him in different spots. You have to account for where he is, but it's hard to account for where he is because he is moving around so much.”

The real trick is like defending a high-level NBA scorer: make Parsons work for everything he gets.

"I mean, it's hard to [explain],” Mailata said when asked what makes Parsons who he has become as a player. “... Some people have like this feel for the game that's like a sixth sense. He got that sixth sense.  

“Just the feel for it, you know? You could try and bait somebody in and that's what separates a good player from the greats. … He's got it. He's got it."

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