Kyler Murray Throws Interception on First Vikings Pass as Packers Take 3-0 Lead

Q: Can rookie Trey Smack’s historic 59-yard field goal finally solve the Packers' turbulent kicking woes?

Not by itself, but Trey Smack’s 59-yard kick is the strongest sign yet that Green Bay may finally have a real answer. The field goal was historic for the rookie and immediately showed the trait the Packers drafted him for: elite range. It also mattered because Green Bay’s kicking problems have lingered since Mason Crosby’s exit, with misses helping define multiple playoff losses, including Brandon McManus’ costly struggles and earlier inconsistency from Anders Carlson. Smack’s make, the second-longest in Packers history, suggests he can give the offense scoring chances from distances that many teams would not even attempt. Still, one big kick does not erase the concerns. Smack’s offseason and camp were uneven, with reports of missed attempts from makeable range and overall inconsistency. Even team officials have stressed that the real evaluation would come in game settings, not practice. That is especially important in Green Bay, where cold, wind and pressure often expose young kickers. What the 59-yarder does change is the tone of the discussion. Instead of Green Bay hoping Smack can merely survive the job, there is now visible evidence he might upgrade it. His leg strength has shown up before in preseason, and this kick backed it up on an NFL stage. So the Packers’ kicking woes are not solved yet. But if Smack can pair this kind of range with week-to-week accuracy on routine kicks, Green Bay may finally be closer to stability than it has been in years.

3 articles · Updated · NBC Sports · Sep 13

Keisean Nixon picked off Murray’s first throw for Minnesota, ending the Vikings’ opening possession after heavy pressure forced a deep sideline heave to Jauan Jennings.
Green Bay turned the takeaway into only 3 points when Jordan Love threw incomplete on third-and-12 from the Minnesota 41, but rookie Trey Smack drilled a 59-yard field goal.
The early sequence gave the Packers a 3-0 edge with 12:11 left in the first quarter, while new coordinator Jonathan Gannon faced Murray after previously coaching him in Arizona.