The quest to replace longtime Lions kicker Matt Prater has led to Detroit turning over many rocks. A couple of the options unearthed in the process who tried and failed have gone on to find success elsewhere.
The NFL released the players of the week for Week 8 and the names for the Special Teams Player of the Week in both the AFC and NFC are familiar for Detroit. Randy Bullock of the Titans captured the AFC honor while Zane Gonzalez from the Panthers earned the NFC nod.
Bullock, of course, was the initial choice to replace Prater, now with the Arizona Cardinals. But he struggled throughout training camp and the preseason and was dumped prior to the regular season starting.
Gonzalez was brought in midway through training camp to compete with Bullock but didn’t fare much better. He began the season on the Lions practice squad before the Panthers signed him after Week 1. Ironically, he replaced Rayn Santoso as the kicker in Carolina. Santoso is now on the Lions practice squad and was perfect in his two games filling in for current Lions kicker Austin Seibert, who missed a field goal in Sunday’s 44-6 loss to the Eagles.
Congrats to both ex-Lions on the honors. Gonzalez hit all four of his field goal attempts, including two from beyond 50 yards, in the Panthers’ 19-10 win over the Falcons. Bullock drilled a 44-yard game-winner in overtime to lift the Titans over the Colts.