| Detroit Free Press
Even in a win, Detroit Lions’ flaws are apparent. Can they fix them?
Dave Birkett, Carlos Monarrez and Shawn Windsor break down the Detroit Lions after their 30-27 win over Washington on Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020.
Matt Prater has had some atypical moments this season, but the Detroit Lions kicker still has one of the most clutch legs in the NFL.
Prater was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday for the second time this season and 12th time in his career.
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Prater made all three of his field goal tries in last week’s 30-27 win over Washington, including a 59-yarder as time expired that gave the Lions the victory.
He also was named Special Teams Player of the Week after a Week 3 win over the Arizona Cardinals, when he made four field goals, including a game-winning 39-yarder as time expired.
“The most clutch kicker in football,” Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford said Sunday. “I was extremely happy for Matt Prater and that operation to get it up and through the uprights. I mean, 59-yarder to win it, that’s what that guy loves to do and that’s what we love having him for. He’s a special guy in those moments and I was really proud of him for today for that.”
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Prater struggled in the first half of the season, making just 6 of 12 field goals of 40-plus yards. But he has best percentage on 50-plus yard field goals in NFL history (57 of 76, 75%) and his 57 makes from that distance (on 76 attempts) are one behind Sebastian Janikowski’s NFL record (58 of 105).
Stephen Gostkowski ranks second in made 50-plus-yard field goal percentage (31 of 42, 73.8%)
Along with Prater’s two Special Teams Player of the Week awards, Lions punter Jack Fox was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for September, when he netted 51.1 yards per punt, the highest mark by a punter through the first three games in NFL history
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.