Matt Prater Named AFC Special Teams Player Of The Week

by John Bena on Dec 13, 2011 4:10 PM MST in Denver Broncos in the News

DENVER, CO - DECEMBER 11: Place kicker Matt Prater #5 of the Denver Broncos kicks the game winning 51 yard field goal from the hold of Britton Colquitt #4 of the Denver Broncos against the Chicago Bears in overtime as the Broncos defeated the Bears 13-10 at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on December 11, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Denver Broncos kicker Matt Prater will be named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week, the National Football League informed the Broncos on Tuesday.

Prater tied a career long with a 59-yard field goal with 0:03 remaining against Chicago on Sunday to send the game to overtime, where he connected on a 51-yarder for the 13-10 Broncos win.

With his performance against the Bears, he joined Indianapolis kicker Mike Vanderjagt (at Den., 11/24/02) as the only two players in NFL history to kick a 50+yard field goal with less than a minute remaining to force overtime in addition to kicking an overtime game winner from 50+ yards.

Prater, who has connected on 28-of-29 career field goals in the fourth quarter or overtime, owns four game-winning field goals for Denver this season on the last play of the game (three overtime and one at the end of regulation), tying him for the second most all-time in a single season (5 - Jason Elam, 2007).

This is the third time Prater has been named the conference's special teams player of the week during his five-year career. He also received the honor in 2008 (Week 5) and 2009 (Week 12).

For the season, Prater has made 17-of-23 (.739) field goals and has produced touchbacks on 40-of-57 (70.2%) kickoffs.

Tweet Comment 21 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

This was a no brainer call. And the blocked FG was on Beadles.

Tim Tebow is Denver's 2012 starting QB. I'm not even kind of sorry that offends some of you.

by McGeorge on Dec 13, 2011 4:12 PM MST reply actions

it's true

Idonije went right up his lane

Brad James

Follow me on Twitter

With Coach Zorro on our side, we will slice opponents to ribbons. Tim Tebow gives me hope and I already have faith and charity in my heart! I see a propitious future rife with Lombardis for our Broncos!

by the new Bradfather on Dec 13, 2011 4:16 PM MST up reply actions

Uh...Low kick...

"What's better than 5 - 0?!?...[The whole locker room] 6 - 0"!!!
Head Coach John Fox in the locker room madness following a 13-10 victory over the Bears...

by bfree2bronc on Dec 13, 2011 4:40 PM MST up reply actions

Definitely low kick.

Good penetration, but should not have been enough.

by idahobronc on Dec 13, 2011 5:39 PM MST up reply actions

Wanna blame the kicker?

Be a Cowboys fan, Prater did good

REVELATION 6:8
And I looked, and behold a pale [Bronco]: and his name that sat on him was [Tebow], and [a Ferocious Defense] followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth [Quarter of the Game], to kill with [the 1st ranked run attack], and with [clutch plays], and with [bone crunching sacks], and with the beasts of the [Mile HIgh City].
Follow @TrappedInOC

by Trapped in O.C. on Dec 13, 2011 7:38 PM MST up reply actions

Prater is the man!!!!

Congrats bro ham!!!

by Bronco Mike on Dec 13, 2011 4:14 PM MST reply actions

I was a kicker when I played football

so I love kickers, when they’re this good!

Brad James

Follow me on Twitter

by the new Bradfather on Dec 13, 2011 4:16 PM MST reply actions

Completely deserved!!

Gave “clutch” a new meaning Sunday night!

"Tim Tebow once urinated in a semi truck's gas tank as a joke....that truck is now known as OpTIMus Prime."

by iBleedorangeandblue on Dec 13, 2011 4:23 PM MST reply actions

Those kicks were crushed

Couldn’t believe that 59 yarder went half-way up the net. The 51 was even higher up. Just crushed them both. Would have been good from 70, maybe even 75. Scary.

by shasta77 on Dec 13, 2011 4:24 PM MST reply actions

Very deserving and I feel he will break the field goal record soon in Denver...

"What's better than 5 - 0?!?...[The whole locker room] 6 - 0"!!!
Head Coach John Fox in the locker room madness following a 13-10 victory over the Bears...

by bfree2bronc on Dec 13, 2011 4:41 PM MST reply actions

Well deserved

Go Broncos!
I believe.... 11-5 till we ain't baby!

by Sean in Pa. on Dec 13, 2011 5:03 PM MST reply actions

Prater is great !!

Hey John,

I have an idea for an article if you could sic someone on it..

I noticed that not only does the winning spirit affect the Broncos..

am I wrong or did Miami, San Diego, NYJ’s et al IMPROVE AFTER playing us ?

Seemed like after the next weeks loss Miami put three W’s and it did the same thing for Phyliss and the Chargettes

"We've clawed our way back in this thing," safety Brian Dawkins said."We're going to go out and give it everything we got."

by csason on Dec 13, 2011 5:09 PM MST reply actions

Prater ST Player of the Week Ridiculous

Prater shouldn’t be the special teams player of the week. That’s ridiculous.

He should be the special teams player of the year! How many wins came off his foot?

by FormerUMP on Dec 13, 2011 5:16 PM MST reply actions

Two premier kicks back to back. Combine the distance involved and

the game situation and it does not get any tougher than that! We are very fortunate to be able to follow one the top kickers in NFL history with another of high quality and “nads of steel!” Congratulations M. Prater. Glad we have ya.

"I'm very important. I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany."

by rubincarterrocks on Dec 13, 2011 5:32 PM MST reply actions

Prater is an amazing kicker, the award is well deserved.
Here’s hoping Britton Colquitt also gets recognition, he’s definitely Pro Bowl material.

by red13th on Dec 13, 2011 6:35 PM MST reply actions

Congrats Prater!

Hopefully you won’t need a hooker now!

Atheist for Tim Tebow!

by CombatChuk on Dec 13, 2011 7:06 PM MST reply actions

Sometimes you just want to have all the cards on the table.......

It sure isn’t a lack of confidence. :P

Go Broncos!
I believe.... 11-5 till we ain't baby!

by Sean in Pa. on Dec 13, 2011 7:26 PM MST up reply actions

New Super Hero

We’ve got the Wolverine (Dawkins), now we have PRATER the PREDATOR, who consumes opponents hopes for a win!
Good Article John! Two out of the last three should games should do it. We don’t need no stinkin tie breakers! GO BRONCOS!

by lobouno on Dec 13, 2011 7:19 PM MST reply actions