The Green Bay Packers got exactly what they needed out of Trey Smack in their 45-27 blowout of the New England Patriots. After a rough opening stretch, the rookie delivered a clean day when the Packers were rolling in every phase, knocking through all three of his field-goal tries and all four extra points.
That kind of outing matters because Smack had been in a shaky place before facing New England. He had gone 5-for-9, and the misses weren’t the sort you can easily shrug off. They were real chances, the kind that can turn a kicker’s early-season story into a problem fast.
Green Bay still chose not to make a move, and that decision carried some obvious baggage. The Packers have already lived through a kicking situation that went sideways last season, when Brandon McManus showed troubling signs and the team stuck with him anyway. That ended with a playoff exit that was defined by the kicking game completely collapsing and sending Green Bay out of last year’s postseason in ugly fashion.
So yes, there was plenty of reason for fans to wonder whether they were watching the same movie again. But the Packers’ patience also makes sense when you look at the market. There simply aren’t many appealing alternatives out there, whether in free agency or on practice squads.
The current kicking landscape says a lot about that shortage. The Kansas City Chiefs kept a struggling Harrison Butker rostered while signing Justin Tucker to the practice squad, a move that drew attention because of the incredibly alarming accusations that the kicker faced. It was another reminder of how thin the options are and how desperate teams can get when they’re hunting for help.
If Green Bay did cut Smack, he would still be the most realistic addition for a team searching for a kicker. The hope would be that his early misses were nothing more than rookie jitters and that Sunday’s performance was the sign of a reset. That’s still an open question, and the Packers are taking a gamble either way.
For now, though, the performance against New England gives them something to work with. A perfect 7/7 day is the kind of showing that can steady a young kicker and calm a nervous locker room. It also helps keep Green Bay on track as a roster that looks complete, especially after a dominant win over an AFC playoff team.
In Other News...
Packers Still Hunting For O-Line Help As Deadline Intrigue Builds
As the trade deadline approached, the Packers kept doing their homework on offensive line help, checking in with the Colts about Matt Goncalves on Nov. 9. Green Bays interest makes sense for a team still looking at ways to shore up the front, and Goncalves ability to work at both guard and tackle is the kind of flexibility that tends to draw attention this time of year.
Indianapolis, though, does not appear inclined to part with him. League sources do not expect the Colts to move Goncalves, which leaves Green Bay still scanning the market as the deadline clock keeps ticking and the search for protection help continues. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Face Their Biggest NFC North Test Yet Against Minnesota
The next step in the Packers push in the NFC North comes with a familiar kind of pressure, a divisional game against Minnesota that carries real weight in the standings. Green Bay has leaned on Jordan Love and a team that has looked better on both sides of the ball, and now gets another chance to measure itself against a rival with the same goals in mind: the division lead and a playoff berth.
Minnesotas quarterback situation adds another layer to the matchup, with Kirk Cousins back in the fold and operating as the steady center of the Vikings offense. For Green Bay, the challenge is less about the calendar and more about proving the first meeting was not the final word on this rivalry, because this one could shape the race in the NFC North for weeks to come. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Suddenly Face A Much Tougher Vikings Test At Worst Time
The Vikings have suddenly made their next NFC North matchup a lot more complicated by bringing Kirk Cousins back into the picture. Minnesotas offense now has a quarterback who knows the system and the key players around him, which changes the feel of a division race that was already tight enough without another proven veteran entering the mix.
For Green Bay, the timing could hardly be worse. A trip to face a familiar rival is one thing, but preparing for a quarterback with that level of comfort in the offense adds a different kind of pressure, especially with the standings still so unsettled. The Packers will spend the week adjusting to a version of Minnesota that looks far less predictable than it did just a few days ago. [Read more 🡒]