Getty Za'Darius Smith of the Green Bay Packers warms up prior to a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on August 15, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland.
Among the top defenses in the NFL through the first three weeks of the season, the Green Bay Packers are now hoping to stay whole Thursday night.
The Packers listed outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith as questionable for Thursday night’s prime-time game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lambeau Field after the star pass rusher picked up a knee injury Tuesday on the team’s injury report and was limited in practice.
Smith is one of several offseason additions that has helped the Packers’ defense rise to prominence through the first three weeks, pairing with fellow newcomer Preston Smith — who was named this week’s NFC Defensive Player of the Week — to form a dangerous pass-rushing attack for any quarterback that has faced them.
Should Za’Darius Smith sit Sunday, Packers rookie Rashan Gary would be in line for a bigger role against the Eagles after tallying a career-high four tackles in a Week 3 victory over the Denver Broncos, picking up his first career sack against Joe Flacco and recovering a fumble forced by Preston Smith.
The trio of Gary and the Smiths combined for all six of the Packers’ sacks against the Broncos, with Preston now the team leader with 4 1/2 and Za’Darius flanking him with three.
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Money Well Spent for Packers
GettyZa’Darius Smith #55 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates with Kyler Fackrell #51 of the Green Bay Packers after his tackled in the fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos at Lambeau Field on September 22, 2019 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
Unusual spenders in the offseason, the Packers have no been given any reasons to regret some of the big-time acquisitions made to improve their team after a disappointing 2018. Two of the biggest pieces for the defense were the Smiths, who each have seven quarterback hits between them to tie one another for fourth-most in the league.
#Packers DC Mike Pettine says Za’Darius Smith wants to be on the field so badly that he almost tried to “fight” Pettine when he took him out during second preseason game.
Asked Pettine who would win that fight.
“Oh please, do I have a weapon? Am I in my car?”
Za’Darius inked a four-year, $66 million contract with Green Bay after amassing 25 quarterback hits and 8 1/2 sacks in 16 career games, while Preston also signed a four-year deal and has already surpassed his sack total (four) from last season.
The Packers also signed former Chicago Bears safety Adrian Amos as well as using both of their first-round draft picks to add defensive talent: Gary and now-starting safety Darnell Savage Jr., who added his first career interception last week against Denver.
Together with other mainstay pieces, including signal-calling inside linebacker Blake Martinez, the Packers have beefed up their pass protection to stand as the fifth-best passing defense in the league as one of the only teams allowing fewer than 200 passing yards per game.
Considering the passing carousel against them has been Mitchell Trubiksy, Kirk Cousins and Joe Flacco, though, the Packers defense can hardly afford to take its foot off the gas now.
Can Rashan Gary Fill Za’Darius Smith’s Shoes?
The Packers received some positional security when they took Gary, but defensive coordinator Mike Pettine has said the team knows the former Michigan edge rusher will be a “work in progress” as he is converted to the outside linebacker position. Week 3 was a good start for Gary and saw him make some impact plays, but taking on starter duties is a different beast.
To make matters worse for the Packers, the other second-stringer at outside linebacker — Kyler Fackrell — is also questionable against the Eagles with a shoulder injury that earned him limited-participant status all week on the team’s injury report. Montravious Adams, a defensive line starter for the Packers, was also ruled out Thursday with a lingering shoulder injury.
The Packers likely won’t have to worry about DeSean Jackson in the Eagles’ passing game, as he is expected to miss another week, but Alshon Jeffery should return to the lineup and poses a legitimate downfield threat against Amos and Savage in the secondary.
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