Green Bay Packers lose D.J. Smith for season

[Lake Louise]

Green Bay Packers inside linebacker D.J. Smith as been declared out for the season, coach Mike McCarthy announced at his press conference. Smith suffered a knee injury Sunday against the Houston Texans.

The second-year player moved up the lineup after Desmond Bishop was lost for the year with a torn hamstring during the preseason. Veterans Robert Francois and Brad Jones should have the first opportunity to replace Smith. Francois started two games on the inside in 2011 while A.J. Hawk dealt with a calf injury.

The Packers defense played admirably in a 42-24 win against the previously undefeated Houston Texans. Cornerback Sam Shields (shin) and outside linebacker Nick Perry (knee) were also injured during the game. Nose tackle B.J. Raji sat out with a sprained ankle suffered the previous week against the Colts. McCarthy expected to know more about Shields and Perry later in the week, the Green Bay Press-Gazette reported.

Green Bay is ranked the No. 15 scoring defense in the league (22.5 points per game). If guys are going to be banged up, this is a good stretch with the St. Louis Rams, Jacksonville Jaguars and Arizona Cardinals on the schedule the next three weeks.

Packers are getting scarce at LB now with this injury. They still have Clay Matthews on the outside, but the inside has become weaker. Puts more pressure on A.J. Hawk, and whoever is going to replace Smith on his side.

Also, Nick Perry left that game with an injury and didn't return. Don't know his status yet, but if he is out too, that's another shot to the LB core.

As the article says they play the Rams, Jags, and Cardinals the next three weeks, all teams they should be able to outscore, If they had to.