Packers need more from Preston Smith after bye week
The Packers need more from Preston Smith after the bye.
Last season, the Smith Bros. were unstoppable for the Green Bay Packers.
Both Preston and Za’Darius Smith put up double-digit sacks in the regular season, combining for more sacks than any other pass-rushing pair in the league.
Preston Smith more than played his part, finishing second on the team and eighth in the NFL with 12 sacks. He also had 23 quarterback hits, 11 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and an interception. Smith also made the top 10 among edge rushers for ESPN’s pass rush win rate metric. As a team, the Packers ranked ninth in the metric.
However, through four games this season, Smith hasn’t made the same kind of impact. He only has one sack and one quarterback hit, with no tackles for loss.
With Smith struggling to find last season’s form, the Packers’ pass rush is also not as dominant. Green Bay currently ranks 29th in the league for ESPN’s pass rush win rate, a concern they need to address before they return to action this week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Za’Darius Smith dominated in Week 4 against the Atlanta Falcons with three sacks. Rashan Gary has made a bigger impact this season when healthy, making 1.5 sacks in three games. Second-year defensive tackle Kingsley Keke has two sacks. Kenny Clark could return this week, which would give the interior pass rush a huge boost.
However, the Packers will also need a bigger contribution from Preston Smith. He made GM Brian Gutekunst look good for signing him to a four-year deal worth $52 million last offseason. So far this year, it’s been the complete opposite.
Smith has the talent to turn it around. The return of Clark will also help everyone on this defense, creating more one-on-one matchups. Gary should also make his return from injury soon.
If Smith can get back to his best, along with the contributions from Gary and Keke and a returning Clark, this defense can be special.
But to reach their potential, the Packers need Preston Smith to bounce back after the bye week.