The Dallas Cowboys welcome the Green Bay Packers in Week 4 for one of the NFL’s most anticipated showdowns, with former star Micah Parsons making his first return since being traded.

Parsons’ return is the clear headline leading into Sunday, especially with Dallas’ defense struggling to find its footing. But head coach Brian Schottenheimer played coy when the subject came up during Monday’s media session.

“Who is coming to town this week? He plays for Green Bay?” Schottenheimer said with a grin.

Parsons has also steered clear of discussing his return to Dallas. When asked about it last week, he quickly shifted the focus to the Browns, the Packers’ Week 3 opponent.

“Man, really just getting after (Browns QB Joe Flacco). I kind of like the name ‘The Hunter.’ I haven’t had Flacco yet. I need him. I want him,” Parsons said when asked about the Cowboys. “It’s time to go get him. I couldn’t be more excited. It’s just about that QB right in front of me. I don’t want to look past him. I need him.”

The Cowboys sent Parsons to the Packers in August for two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark. It seemed unfathomable that Dallas would deal Parsons, a perennial Pro Bowler and Defensive Player of the Year contender. But it happened and the Cowboys have been forced to find their footing without him.

The Cowboys have managed just three sacks as a team this season, while Parsons has already collected two with the Packers despite seeing limited snaps early on. Dallas is coming off a 31-14 loss to the Chicago Bears, who torched the defense for 385 yards and repeatedly cashed in on explosive plays.

“Like I said, the defense, it’s all tied together. Are we getting enough pressure on the quarterback? No. When you look at it, we could do better. Coming out of that game with no sacks is not good enough,” Schottenheimer said. “Again, there’s things that we can do from a scheme standpoint, but certainly a coverage’s best friend is the pass rush. I think there’s been highs of where we rushed it pretty well, and it’s been good. Then, there’s been times where the pass rush hasn’t been there. So we’re looking at that.”

The good news for the Cowboys is that Jadeveon Clowney will join the mix against the Packers. Dallas signed Clowney last week but he did not play against the Bears. The veteran three-time Pro Bowler should provide a much-needed boost up front.

“Yes, we fully expect him to be able to come in and help,” Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones said on Monday. “We’re gonna look at this film very closely and seeing exactly where our shortfalls are and seeing where we can do some things differently to have success. I certainly believe we have the coaching staff and the players to play good defense.”

Clowney is not the impact player he once was. However, he brings experience to a defensive front that needs it. Clowney has logged 127 starts and 58 sacks over his 11-year career. He was last a Pro Bowler in 2018.