Preston Smith Seems Set to Keep Consecutive-Games Streak Alive
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Only nine NFL position players have played at least 100 consecutive games. One of those players is Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Preston Smith, who will try to keep that streak alive on Sunday.
Smith suffered an oblique strain last week at Chicago, an injury that limited him to only eight snaps. He did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday but did practice on Friday. The expectation all week is that Smith would play, and his appearance on the practice field did nothing to change that belief.
Coach Matt LaFleur said he would list Smith as questionable on the injury report.
Green Bay hosts Washington on Sunday. Washington drafted Smith in the fourth round in 2015. He played in all 64 games for Washington and has played in all 38 games for Green Bay, giving him a streak of 102 in a row.
“I was told the best ability is availability, and you don’t get no love in the tubs,” Smith said on Sept. 30. “So, I just try to make sure that I do what I have to do to be available and ready for each week and make sure I’m here for the team but also myself. I take pride in making sure I take care of my body to make sure that I’m out there every practice and every Sunday. Because I love football and, knock on wood, I’ve played every game. I’m not going to say I finished every game. Injuries happen and stuff during the game. But even though I didn’t finish some of those games, for whatever reason, I didn’t sit on the sideline. I don’t even like sitting on the sideline in preseason. It’s kind of boring not being out there hitting somebody or playing football. So, I just take pride in taking care of my body and doing whatever it takes to get out there on the field and get out there playing this game I love so much.”
Smith returned to Green Bay via an incentive-laden renegotiation. He has two sacks in six games, not much better than last year’s disappointing four sacks in 16 games (13 starts), but his run defense has been a major reason why the Packers are playing better in that phase.
Here are the NFL’s 100-game ironmen, not including specialists:
Edge Cameron Jordan, New Orleans: 165
S Duron Harmon, Atlanta, 132
S Malcolm Jenkins, New Orleans: 124
LB Demario Davis, New Orleans: 102
OT Jake Matthews, Atlanta: 115
C Jason Kelce, Philadelphia: 111
Edge Preston Smith, Green Bay: 102
OT Alejandro Villaneueva, Baltimore: 102
OT Charles Leno, Washington: 102
Among all players, Packers kicker Mason Crosby has the longest current streak at 230 and counting.
Also practicing for the Packers were safety Darnell Savage, who missed the second half of the Chicago game with a concussion, at cornerback Kevin King, who missed the Chicago game with a shoulder injury. All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari, who is coming back from last year’s torn ACL, took part in all three practices this week. Savage and King would be questionable; LaFleur would not say what the plan was for Bakhtiari.
