Kicking game in Denver

by kybroncomaniac on Mar 8, 2009 11:44 AM MDT

First off, I appologize. I posted this earlier, and accidentally erased it. So here is take two.

I have been thinking about our kicking game in Denver, and the question keeps running though my mind, "is Prater really that bad"?

I did some research on this and thought I would post what I found. I looked at the first year of several kickers in the league, and narrowed it down to two comparisons:

Matt Prater 1-29 30-39 40-49 50+ total FG% Year

7-8 8-9 5-11 5-6 25-34 73.5 2008

Jason Elam 1-29 30-39 40-49 50+ total FG% Year

11-12 7-7 4-10 4-6 26-35 74.3 1993

Neil Rackers 1-29 30-39 40-49 50+ total FG% Year

5-5 5-9 2-7 0-0 12-21 57.1 2000

4-6 8-11 4-9 1-2 17-28 60.7 2001

There are some kickers that had worse first year kicking stats than Prater, and are doing well in the league right now (Josh Brown had a 73.3% in his first year, Matt Stover stayed in the 72-73% range for his first three years).

There are great kickers that had bad years even after good years. Adam Vinatieri kicked 73.5% in 2003, and our beloved Jason Elam was very hit and miss, kicking 75% in '96, 72.2% in '97, 75% in 2000, 72.2% in '02, and 75% in '05.

In conclusion, Prater has really only kicked one full season in the NFL. He has huge potential with that cannon leg of his. Only time will tell if he is a stable kicker in this league, and if he is, I would rather he stay in Denver than go elsewhere. I just hope his potential comes to fruition soon.

This is a Fan-Created Comment on MileHighReport.com. The opinion here is not necessarily shared by the editorial staff of MHR

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Comments

Ahhh, thanks...

for leveling our expectations, KY!

I can’t say how frustrated I was with Prater over the last half of the season last year, but you’re totally right and we were definitely spoiled by Elam and also by the fact that Prater was kicking so well during the first half of the season. If he can come back and work on his consistency then we should have a winner without a doubt.

by tunga77 on Mar 8, 2009 11:49 AM MDT reply actions

In Addition....

Happy 39th Birthday to Jason Elam. Born 03/08/1970!

Strength and honor

by kybroncomaniac on Mar 8, 2009 12:20 PM MDT reply actions

Garrett Hartley (former Bronco - actually in camp at the beginning of the season)

1-29: 5-5
30-39: 4-4
40-49: 4-4
50+: 0-0
Long: 47
Total: 13-13
FG Pct.: 100%
Year: 2008

I don’t know why everyone seems to forget this guy was an UFA on the roster in Denver. The reason he kicked 13 field goals is because the Saints finally needed to get themselves a decent kicker and found pretty dependable numbers at the end of the season from this guy. Another one that got away? We’ll have to see.

by phantom818 on Mar 8, 2009 12:38 PM MDT reply actions

I was really hoping that we would have kept him...

but the one thing is that Prater did some long kicks that he couldn’t have. i still would have liked to have had hartley though.

"Hey Raiders fans!!! If you leave now you can beat traffic!"
-Rod Smith

by GarretBarnes on Mar 8, 2009 12:59 PM MDT up reply actions

Agreed.

Going in, Prater was clearly the guy with the bigger leg and Hartley was a little more consistent. Glad to see there are some with the same views out there. However, hopefully Prater can start getting that accuracy down a little more (especially from that 40-49 range, as evidence by the stats).

by phantom818 on Mar 8, 2009 2:25 PM MDT up reply actions

Jason Elam

over his career was 108-163 from that same range.

I was not really against Hartley staying or going last year, Elam certainly thought Prater was going to be the man in the long run, but at the end of the day, Matt Prater is our kicker now, and my best wishes goes out to Heartley and his career.

But, my fellow Bronco fans, here is to hoping Prater will fulfill his potential, huh?

I also want to appologize to Ohiobronco. I see that he posted a Fan Post on the same subject two days ago. I missed the fact that he did.

Strength and honor

by kybroncomaniac on Mar 8, 2009 4:01 PM MDT up reply actions

I'm with ya. Go Matty P.

by phantom818 on Mar 8, 2009 4:25 PM MDT up reply actions

How about if they meet at the Pro Bowl 7 or 8 times in the 2010's?

by MattR on Mar 9, 2009 5:50 PM MDT up reply actions

few points

7 were in a dome
2 more were in nice weather City of Tampa
4 were KC/Chicago (30, 23, 35, 30)

Owning the Patriots since September 9, 1960

by Darin H on Mar 8, 2009 4:20 PM MDT up reply actions

Haha, Hey now, I know I know :-P

Wait to check me though. I still think the kid’s gonna be decent…dome or not.

However, I like Prater’s ability to boot the ball from distance when needed. I agree with what was said here as well…Denver will be fine there. There are much bigger holes to fill at the moment. Plus, he’s only had one year in orange and blue (Prater).

by phantom818 on Mar 8, 2009 4:26 PM MDT up reply actions

Everything is going to be fine at this position !

  last season was just growing pains for pratter ! I think he knows that he has got to
  pick his game up this year . He has far better tools and psyical ablittiy than most of
  the current NFL kickers . He just needsto straighten a few things out . Be patitent !
  People will be quitely supprised when pratter goes on a nice long streak of various
  length good FGs next season ! + Will probably have competition in traning camp
  this year to motivate him some more .

by broncosfaninphilly on Mar 8, 2009 12:52 PM MDT reply actions

I agree

I hope whoever is making this decision (I would say McDaniels?) just keeps him. Maybe brings someone else in to camp just to light a fire under him, but to tell the truth, even with his struggles he wasn’t bad. I think it’s pretty apropos that the Saints came up, they really know how bad kickers can be.

Furthermore, he started out the season very strong (and don’t forget preseason too!), and only struggled down the stretch. I think his struggles have been mental in nature, once he missed a couple he got rattled and the scrutiny became pretty ridiculous. I don’t see any games where he actually lost the game by his performance, and I think he was pivotal in a few games, like Tampa and New Orleans.

From many news stories, it sounds like he keeps in touch well with Elam, and I would rather have no other mentoring our young kicker. Pretty stand up move by Elam as well in giving him all the advice.

Please keep Prater McD!

Jason
The Hanging Curve

by poorboywilly on Mar 8, 2009 4:05 PM MDT reply actions

For your entertainment...

Here is KOA’s call of Praters 55 yarder that would have cleared “by a mile” as Logan says. It’s fun to listen to.

http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=1862&audioID=1887&type=audio&year=2008&month=10

Strength and honor

by kybroncomaniac on Mar 8, 2009 4:35 PM MDT reply actions

Lol

I don’t know how I didn’t see this before, but after reading Woody Paige suggest that X-Man and McD have been negligent in finding a new kicker, I got so worked up that I got halfway through what amounted to the exact same article. I’m apparently 13 hours too late. :p
A few thoughts, though:
Matt Prater had the second lowest Field Goal percentage in the league last season at 73.5, but in his defense, only 4 kickers attempted more field goals from 40+ yards out than Prater, and two of those four were comparably bad; Shaun Suisham hit 12 of 20 from 40+ (60), Ryan Lindell hit 11 of 18 (61) and Matt Prater hit 10 of 17 (59).

Also, while I’ve heard a number of people bemoan that we missed out on Mason Crosby, who was drafted in the 6th round the year before Elam left, when you compare the two, Crosby really hasn’t been much better than Prater.

In two years as a full time starter, Crosby is 36/40 (90) from less than 40 yards and 20/31 (64.5) from 40+. For comparison, in one year as a full time starter, Prater is 15/17 (88.2) from less than 40 yards, and 10/17 (58.8) from 40+. Age is not a factor because the two were born less than 1 month apart.
Crosby obviously has the edge, but not by enough to justify people suggesting we should replace Prater while crying that we missed out on Crosby.

"Battle not with stupid, lest ye become stupid, and if you gaze into the Internet, the Internet gazes also into you" -R. K. Milholland

by jack_ on Mar 9, 2009 1:13 AM MDT reply actions

The truth is

Matt Prater was as much a victim of really poor coaching as anything. Too many desperate attempts from too far out. To many redzone failures blamed on him. He certainly has the leg strength. He just needs to get the mental side down. Hopefully the new coaching staff will rectify some of that.

by SlowWhiteGuy on Mar 9, 2009 8:03 AM MDT up reply actions

I'm not gonna lie,

I was one of those people who were begging to can Prater at first, but after reading this post I’ve changed my mind. I didn’t realize how much of a luxury his big leg might end up being, and I definately think his poor kicking of late was a mental issue. We have got to keep him for at least 1-2 more years and if he still doesn’t improve, then we search for a new kicker.

"The fish who keeps on swimming is the first to chill down stream."-311

by PhillyBroncoFan on Mar 9, 2009 10:01 AM MDT reply actions

+1

Totally agree with you

I don’t want breakaway speed. I want break-some-poor-fool-as-I-bowl-you-over power getting 6 yards off a play that should have been stopped for 2 at most.

by sadaraine on Mar 9, 2009 2:02 PM MDT up reply actions