Parsols ruled out Sunday; Green Bay's secondary goes to Dallas shorthanded again

Micah Parsols will not play against the Cowboys this week, continuing an absence that was always expected to stretch into mid-October but still stings given the matchup. The cornerback has been working back from an ACL tear that landed him on the PUP list before camp opened, and the target has been Week 6 against Dallas since the start. That date has now come and gone without him.

The secondary that takes the field Sunday is thin in ways that go beyond one missing player. Keisean Nixon is the only cornerback who has logged meaningful snaps this season, and Brandon Cisse remains questionable after the knee injury he picked up in the preseason game against Denver. Behind Nixon, the depth chart lists Kahlef Hailassie and Domani Jackson — neither has played a significant role yet. Xavier McKinney anchors the safety position, but there is no established backup behind him either. Green Bay has been one injury away from a real problem in the secondary for weeks. It is already there.

The Cowboys are a tough draw for a defense in this condition. My read is the Packers will lean on Devonte Wyatt and the front to generate pressure and keep Dallas's passing game manageable, because the corners behind Nixon are not equipped to win extended one-on-one battles. That is a lot to ask of a defensive line that has had its own depth problems this month. Green Bay has dropped four straight and is playing worse than its season record suggests. Sunday does not get easier without Parsols.