Micah Parsons says stopping Bryce Young not Packers' top priority

Carolina Panthers fans can thank Jerry Jones for part of the pain they're about to receive. Going into today's game against the Green Bay Packers, the Panthers' offensive line is very banged up, leaving them particularly vulnerable to Green Bay's new superstar Micah Parsons.

Parsons came over from the Dallas Cowboys in a lopsided trade just before the regular season began, transforming a good Packers team into a great one - currently on top of the NFC standings.

A four-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro, Parsons is the best edge rusher in the league not named Myles Garrett. He has totaled 59 sacks in 70 career games, including 6.5 sacks already in seven games this season.

Parsons knows that getting after Bryce Young will be important for the Packers, but he says stopping the run is even more important - per Mark Inabinett at AL.com.

Micah Parsons on Packers-Panthers

“We got to make it as hard as possible for him. I have a good history with Bryce, and I understand he’s an elite competitor. He’s one of them Bama guys. I know how he prepares, and I know how he’s going to come in and try to exploit our team. … When he’s on, he’s on, and we don’t want to see that happen, so we got to get after the quarterback. But most importantly, we got to stop the run.”

For what it's worth, the Packers have been one of the league's best teams against the run so far this season, allowing the third-fewest yards per game on the ground.

However, Green Bay hasn't faced a rushing threat quite like the one they will today.

After two weeks of an inexplicable and maddening rotation at running back, head coach Dave Canales plans to start Rico Dowdle today and give him the bulk of the carries against the Packers.

Dowdle has been one of the most explosive and efficient runners in the NFL this year, averaging 5.7 yards per carry. Only James Cook and Jonathan Taylor are ahead of him in that stat going into Week 9.

It won't be easy against Green Bay's front seven, but a dominant performance by Dowdle would go a long way towards an upset.

Oct 5, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle (5) celebrates with quarterback Bryce Young (9) after scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

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