You know how kickers are, right? Everyone talks practice, but when the pads go on, when the lights are bright, that’s when you find out. And let me tell you, Green Bay rookie Trey Smack just dropped a bomb on the NFL in his preseason debut, hitting a perfect 4-for-4 on field goals against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Yeah, he really went 4-for-4 on the night, and that included not one, but *two* insane 58-yarders. Seriously, two from 58 yards out. One didn’t count officially because of an old friend Dean Lowry drawing a penalty, but the ball still went through the uprights! This kid, picked by the Packers after they traded up in the 6th round of the NFL Draft, turned a notorious kicker’s nightmare, Acrisure Stadium, into his personal playground. After some mixed results and rough days in practice all spring and summer, he absolutely showed up when it counted.
Smack’s Bombshell Debut Changes Everything for Green Bay’s Kicking Game
Smack’s performance was the absolute highlight of the night, even with the Packers losing the game 28-9. Forget the final score in preseason; what matters is individual performances, especially for a rookie at such a high-pressure position. He not only made every kick, but he did it from deep, going in opposite directions on those 58-yard monsters. Talk about showing poise under pressure! This kind of clutch kicking, especially after those “mixed results” in practice, tells you everything you need to know about his potential. The national narrative is already buzzing about his excellent performance.
Starters Look Solid, But Reserves Need Work
While Smack was the undisputed star, the Packers did get some other good news out of the game. The starters, both on offense and defense, got their one series each and looked pretty solid. The offense started with a field goal on their opening drive, which is exactly what you want to see. And the defense? They shut down the Steelers with a quick three-and-out. Lukas Van Ness even put some serious pressure on the quarterback, which led to a big sack by Zaire Franklin. Later on, even Kyle McCord showed some nice composure in tough spots with the third-string offense.
Now, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. The reserve defense looked completely lost later in the game, giving up three touchdowns. That’s definitely something to clean up, but for a preseason opener, the important metrics were met: Smack’s incredible night, solid play from the starters, and no major injuries.
What does this mean going forward? Trey Smack just put the entire league on notice. The Packers have to be pumped with what they saw. Can he keep that level of performance up through the rest of the preseason? We’re all watching to see if this perfect night was a sign of things to come for the rookie.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Acme Packing Company.
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