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Matt Prater has been one of the NFL’s most reliable kickers over the last decade, but the Lions longtime kicker is mired in a bad slump. Prater has missed a field goal attempt in four straight games, including a 46-yard attempt that he pushed wide left early in the Week 9 loss to the Vikings.
No kicker has missed more field goals in 2020 than Prater, who has missed six (14-for-20). He hasn’t missed six field goal attempts in an entire season since 2011 when he was with the Denver Broncos.
Despite the mounting issues with executing and leaving key points on the field, Lions head coach Matt Patricia remains an enthusiastic supporter of Prater. He was asked about his struggling kicker in Monday’s press conference.
“I have the highest amount of confidence in Matt Prater,” Patricia said via Zoom. “He is one of the mentally toughest guys I know. He’s physically tough. He works extremely hard. He’s a true perfectionist. He wants everything to be perfect all the time. He’s outstanding at what he does, and that’s why there’s no really concern from that standpoint. I think we have to put him in better situations and try to get him out there when we can when, you know, those are better kicks, and not put him on some of those difficult situations. But complete confidence in Matt Prater.”
Prater, now 36, has missed three field goals between 40 and 49 yards. Oddly enough, Prater has been better in his career from beyond 50 yards (74.3 percent) than between 40 and 49 (69.6 percent). However, he’s also missed three of his five attempts beyond 50 yards and has a long of 51, which would be the shortest successful make for a full season since 2009.