Champions are forged in December, not September

Micah Parsons and Raising the Standard

You can be forgiven if you are still recovering from the shock of the collapse of the Green Bay Packers defense down in Dallas. It’s understandable. It really was quite stunning to see a unit that had pretty well shut down the Lions, Commanders and Browns, suddenly turn into a sieve of ineptitude, unable to sack the quarterback, tackle, cover, or take the ball away. A unit that gave up 40 points to a team that was beaten 31-14 by the Bears the previous week. Did we all overrate this defense? Were those first three games a mirage? An illusion? A fluke?

Micah Parsons says no. The defense is for real. He called the Dallas game “a rough patch”. It is not who they are, he says. And certainly not what they will become. He wants you to understand that his arrival on the team completely changes its potential, in a way that perhaps the players and the coaches don’t yet understand. “I can play all five spots,” the two time all pro states, in a way that seems matter of fact, void of conceit. “I don’t think there’s anyone that can do what I do. I mean that in the most humble way possible.”

It’s not bragging if it’s true. Parsons has 24 pressures, 9 QB hits and 2.5 sacks through four games. He's done that despite being with his new team for only a little over a month. Whatever caused the breakdowns against the Cowboys, it wasn’t because of Parsons. He, of course, won’t say that, but reading between the lines of his comments after the game isn’t difficult.

One thing he hopes will develop in light of his presence is a general raising of the standard on defense. He pointed to the praise he has received for chasing down Dak Prescott from behind inside the five yard line in the fourth quarter. The sack prevented a touchdown that likely would have lost the game. “I’m here because I’m supposed to make that play, not because ‘oh my god he made that play’, I’m supposed to make that play. I’m supposed to help our defense. That’s the reason I was brought here. Making plays is what I’m supposed to do. Taking over games is what I’m supposed to do. I don’t think I should be rewarded for that play. That’s the reason I’m here.”

Are you a Die Hard fan? You’ll love our Die Hard Level!

Exclusive to Die Hard Members:

~ Weekly Game Preview Video with Aaron Nagler and Andy Herman.

~ Weekly post-game analysis by former Packers broadcaster Ken Lass.

~ Free access to join other Die Hard fans in the weekly CHTV Happy Hour

~10% off anything in the CheeseheadTV merch store.

You can get all of these exclusive benefits for just $5 per month as a Die Hard Member.

You can sign up right here!

Growing Pains of a Contender in the Making | Packer Transplants Live 306

The Packers come out of the bye week reloading for a Lambeau showdown with Joe Flacco and the Bengals.CHTV co-founders Aaron Nagler and Corey Behnke break down all things Green and Gold on the latest installment of Packer Transplants Live!

Burning Questions for the Rest of the Season

It’s fall, and that means the days are getting a chillier, the leaves are beginning to fall, and the halloween decorations have been busted out. It also means that the NFL has been playing long enough for most teams around the league to have a good grasp on their strengths and weaknesses. The Green Bay Packers are coming out of their bye (hopefully) rested, refocused, and ready to take on a stretch of their season that appears to be heavily tilted in their favor.

The Packers start the next portion of their schedule as 14 point favorites over the Cincinnati Bengals, before heading to Arizona for a contest with the reeling Cardinals. The week after that, the Packers are headed to Pittsburg, who have some guy named Aaron Rodgers playing QB for them. Lastly, the Packers head back to Green Bay for a home game against the Panthers, who are playing so poorly they made a local podcast covering the team quit in frustration.

Obviously the matchup with the Steelers in week 8 is the marquee event, and likely is the most narratively important matchup in the regular season since 2009, when Brett Favre came to town in purple and gold. But there’s a whole lot of football between now and then, and the team can’t afford to look ahead to it.

This week we take a look at new questions that have developed over the course of the 2025 season, and what answers can find.

Champions aren’t made in September — they’re forged in December.

CHTV co-founder Aaron Nagler and Pack-A-Day Podcast creator Andy Herman put early-season panic in perspective, reminding Packers fans that the road to greatness is never smooth. From preseason overreactions to potential win streaks, this one’s all about the Packers staying on target.

Packers designate Watson to return from PUP

Christian Watson was on the practice field for the Packers on Monday as the team designated him to return from the Physically Unable To Perform list.

Watson practicing doesn't necessarily mean he'll be playing on Sunday against the Bengals. What it does mean is that the Packers have opened up his 21 day practice window wherein they must decide to either activate him to the 53 man roster or shut him down for the remainder of the season. The team currently only has 51 players on their roster, so a corresponding move will not have to be required if the team activates Watson.

The Packers and Watson recently agreed to a one-year, $13.25 million contract extension. Last season, Watson caught 29 passes for a career-high 620 yards and two touchdowns, while averaging 21.4 yards per reception.

Packers vs Bengals - Recent Games Have Been Adventurous

Sunday afternoon the Green Bay Packers enter their Week 6 contest with the Cincinnati Bengals as 14.5-point favorites, the biggest favorites they will have been since being a 16-point favorite against the 2012 Jacksonville Jaguars. Will Tuesday’s trade for Joe Flacco affect that point spread?

The Bengals enter the game with a 2-3 record, but have been one of the bigger disappointments this season after the loss of star quarterback Joe Burrow. In the three games with starting quarterback Jake Browning the Bengals have lost to the Vikings, Broncos and Lions by scores of 48-10, 28-3 and 37-24. In all three games, the Bengals did not score a first half touchdown.

After two tough results against the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys, a team like the Bengals could be just what the doctor ordered for the Packers. Sunday is a chance to get the team’s first win in a month, against a team that’s struggling mightily in the last three weeks.

However, based on the last 20 years, this matchup always brings the unexpected. Will this weekend be more of the same? The two teams have met 5 times since 2005, and all have been memorable games.

Packers Look to Bounce Back in the Trenches

The Packers are staying optimistic despite some bumps in the trenches. With right guard Sean Rhyan working to improve, young tackle Anthony Belton showing promise when healthy, and Devonte Wyatt fighting to return soon, Green Bay’s depth and resilience will be tested — and could shine — against the Bengals.

Aaron breaks down how the Packers can steady the offensive line, adjust on defense, and turn adversity into opportunity heading into Sunday.

The Packers Need More From These Positions

The Packers are about a quarter of the way through the 2025 season, but it’s hard to know who the Packers are yet. After two impressive wins against Detroit and Washington, the Packers looked like the best team in the league. Both the offense and defense looked like juggernauts. That all changed against Cleveland. The Browns began to expose some of the Packers’ deficiencies, and some of the concerns that had been present going into the season started to surface. The bye week came at a much-needed time, so the Packers can address these issues before it’s too late.

The bye week offered a week without Packers’ football but honestly led to more questions than answers. The Packers have shown both glimpses of moments of brilliance and moments of ineptitude. The awesome moments aren’t a fluke, but neither are the head-scratching occasions.

It’s not the time to sound the alarm. There is a lot of football left, and the Packers are still a good football team, but it’s clear they aren’t perfect. The offensive line needs to improve. There are concerns about the defensive line. There is also uncertainty at the cornerback position. If the Packers want to get back to being one of the best teams in the NFL, they will need players to step up to answer some of these questions.

Check out exclusive Cheesehead TV merch!

Assessing the Packers at the Bye: Special Teams Remains a Concern

The offense and the defense both have things to work on coming out of the bye week but both sides of the ball have shown promise enough to give fans hope that this team could be going places.

Special teams is a different matter entirely.

LaFleur had it right when he said that when special teams make a mistake, it’s usually catastrophic. Rich Bisaccia has said multiple times that his unit only gets one down to get a play right, and too often, they have got it wrong. There is every reason to believe the offense and defense will get the job done when it matters most, but unfortunately, it is probably going to be a case of just hoping the special teams does not make a huge blunder in the postseason, and if they do, that it does not sink the Packers.

Ultimately, like every team, there are flaws that could prevent the Packers from reaching the ultimate goal, but the only recurring problem that should be cause for real apprehension is on special teams. Plenty of teams with bad special teams units have won the Super Bowl before, Green Bay just needs them to be competent at the right time. They have until January to get their act together. They are not a perfect team, but at least from scrimmage, they have the ingredients on offense and defense to win it all.

Carry The G Radio - 10/7/25

Aaron Nagler, Bill Schmid, and Armen Saryan look at the NFL landscape as the Packers prepare to take on the Bengals after their bye week and react to the Joe Flacco trade.

Reminder! If you're in the Green Bay area this weekend, come on out to Hagemeister Park on Saturday at 5pm for the next CHTV Meet Up! Plenty of Carry The G and football talk on offer. See you there!

Bengals-Packers Cheesehead TV Nation preview

For our Die Hard members, Aaron Nagler and Andy Herman preview the Green Bay Packers Week 6 showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Subscribe to Die Hard to read the rest.