The Green Bay Packers have a kicker problem.
Rookie Trey Smack missed a pair of field goals in the loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 7. The second misconnection was a 35-yarder which would have given Green Bay the lead with 3:25 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Detroit answered the miss with a field goal in the final seconds to win 20-17.
After the game, reporters asked Packers head coach Matt LaFleur whether Smack would keep his job.
“Yes,” said LaFleur in a 1-word response.
The Packers head coach delivered the answer with an emphatic tone almost before the reporter even finished asking the question.
After Sunday, Smack has begun his NFL career 11-for-16 on field-goal attempts, which is 68.75%. Smack has also missed two extra-points.
Packers’ Matt LaFleur Speaks out on Kicker Trey Smack After Loss to Lions
The real answer on whether the Packers will pursue a different place-kicker will likely come Monday or Tuesday. If Green Bay doesn’t try out any new kickers, then Smack’s job will be safe another week.
But at least in the emotional postgame press conference, LaFleur clearly stated Smack is safe.
In Smack’s defense, his second field-goal attempt was technically a block. A Lions defender got two finger tips on the ball, which may have redirected it to the right.
Interestingly, LaFleur admitted he didn’t know the kick was officially ruled a block and not a straight miss.
“I just saw it miss,” said LaFleur. “I didn’t see a block.”
In a second follow-up question, the Packers head coach stopped short of calling Smack’s struggles rookie mistakes. But he didn’t rule out the possibility either.
“I guess. I mean, certainly, you never want to go through it, but Trey is a guy, I think he’s proven he can do it. I know he can do it. We gotta wipe this one clean. Gotta move on, and then hopefully, we can be a little bit better.”
One thing that definitely wasn’t a factor Sunday was wind. Smack was kicking inside at Ford Field in Detroit. Previously, LaFleur blamed wind at Lambeau Field for Smack’s misses against the Chicago Bears in Week 5.
Packers’ Matt LaFleur Gives 1-Word Response on Trey Smack’s Future