Even a rival coach is praising a Packers rookie after two dominant preseason performances
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton praises rookie kicker Trey Smack after impressive game on Friday night.
Green Bay Packers rookie kicker Trey Smack has been perfect through two preseason games, and even an opposing head coach has taken notice. Smack converted four field goals and three extra points in Green Bay’s 33-13 win over the Denver Broncos in Week 2 of preseason, extending a flawless streak that began with the preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Against Pittsburgh, Smack connected from 37, 58, and 38 yards while also converting a 58-yard attempt that was washed out by a Steelers penalty generating a first down. On Friday night against Denver, he drilled kicks from 51, 59, 43, and 38 yards. The production has been nothing short of stellar for a player the Packers selected in the sixth round.
Sean Payton’s praise
Broncos head coach Sean Payton had no trouble identifying the best player on the field after the loss.
“The kicker is going to be the player of the game, right? The rookie,” Payton said. “I can’t think of an area that we outplayed them, honestly.”
The impression Smack has made through two preseason contests is undeniable. The range, the consistency, and the confidence have all been on display, despite some early struggles throughout the offseason program and training camp.
LaFleur’s measured approach
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur acknowledged Smack’s strong start but made clear the standard doesn’t change.
“He’s got to do it again,” LaFleur said after the game. “I mean, that’s life in the National Football League. You’re only as good as your last performance, and he’s put two darn good performances back to back. So the talent’s there, and he’s just got to continue to be consistent.”
Preseason production matters, but the regular season is a different experience entirely, and that’s what LaFleur wants to emphasize. Smack has shown the talent and the accuracy to earn trust, and now the challenge becomes sustaining that level when the games count.
Green Bay traded two seventh-round picks to move back into the sixth round and select Smack. He was the only kicker taken in this year’s draft. And while there are fair concerns about the capital spent on a kicker, because history doesn’t suggest this is necessarily a good process, the early results have been impressive for the Packers.
