With the final seconds ticking off the clock in Wednesday’s practice, the team turned to kicker Matt Prater to do what he did four separate times last season – convert a game-winning field goal.
Trailing by two points with :23 left on the clock and the ball spotted on the opponent 40-yard line, Peyton Manning completed a 7-yard pass to Demaryius Thomas that moved the ball to the 33-yard line. With time winding down, Prater ran onto the field and drilled a 50-yard field goal to win the game.
“It’s as close to realistic as you can get, especially with the crowd out here and everything,” Prater said about the situational drills. “It’s good, I like the practice and as long as I’m making them it’s always good.”
Prater converted three other clutch kicks during the situational sessions at the end of practice.
First, it was a 48-yarder that tied the game for the first-team offense with just seven seconds remaining in the game.
Then after Adam Weber led the second-team offense down the field, Prater converted from 34 yards out for the game-tying points.
Lastly, Prater ran out to cap a Caleb Hanie-led drill with a 48-yard game winner.
While the players that set up each kick changed throughout drills to rotate the reps, Prater is the only kicker on the roster, so all the training camp reps are his.
Along with punter Britton Colquitt, Prater is one of only two Broncos not competing with any other players in camp for a roster spot, but that doesn’t mean he’s gotten complacent with his status on the squad.
“With the NFL, you’re always competing, whether it’s with somebody in the building or on the other 31 teams with other guys in camp,” Prater said. “You have to do your best or they’ll always be looking for someone better.”
WINDSHIELDS BEWARE
Unbeknownst to Prater, his accuracy went beyond the field goal posts on Wednesday. One of his kicks split the uprights and crashed squarely into the windshield of a parked car in the employee lot at the team’s training facility.
When Prater found out about it after practice, he laughed and said it’s the fifth time that’s happened since he joined the team.
“It’s insurance, it’s not my fault,” he said, laughing when asked if he’d be responsible for the repairs. “I guess don’t park anywhere near the uprights.”
The team usually kicks toward its turf field, but to change things up today, Prater’s kicks all pointed the other direction.
“Today they wanted to switch it – maybe so I didn’t get too comfortable kicking it at one set of uprights,” Prater said. “The wind is always different, too, so depending on the wind, that kind of decides where we’re kicking.”
While he’s willing to kick at the employee lot from time to time, Prater joked that he’d be afraid of kicking towards his teammates’ cars.
“I never kick toward (the players’ lot) just because everyone in this building is a lot bigger than me,” Prater joked. “So I don’t want to hit their cars.”
Tags: Matt Prater, Training Camp 2012
lunch is calling my name……….see ya in a bit.
I don’t know how I get so lucky. First preseason game I go to and I was really only expecting one quarter. Andrew Luck must’ve had a hand in this somehow! LOL I hope to see some rhythm too… they did a great job eating up the clock last week. I want him to throw his first TD as a Bronco while I am there!
technically won’t be his first TD as a bronco cause pre-season stats don’t count……….hahahaha just razzin ya cat……..I know what you mean!
Technically, stats wise, but reality? Different story! LOL! They still say his first pass in the NFL went for a TD in preseason.
Last day of CAMP! Holy cow!!!
I just want to see a TD pass……….and a nice deep route would be the icing on the cake to shut up all the doubters! I think there’s camp tomorrow too cat………….but it’s only open to the media.
Oh, ok. The guys were saying on twitter they could go home tonight…
Yeah… that 400th touchdown pass will be icing on the cake, but it’d be awesome if it was a 45 yard pass to DMT.
yup, thought I read it in the DP and I went back to be sure I wasn’t giving bad info.
Friday, Aug. 17: 8:50-11:30 a.m. (open to media only)
Read more: Broncos training camp: 2012 open practices – The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_21147510#ixzz23j9sa42O
Read The Denver Post’s Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse
So after this week, the team gets back to regular type practices but they are closed to both fans and media?
yeah, I read it in the DP and went back to double check that I wasn’t giving bad info.
So after this week, the team gets back to regular type practices but they are closed to both fans and media?
Attention! Just got the results back on my dog!! My dog is cancer free, but apparently he needs to wear sunscreen. He has a disease from sun bathing (which he doesn’t do that often) that dachshunds do not normally get. Something to do with his hair follicles. He is light skinned so they think that has something to do with it. Overall, he is pretty much just a weirdo.
Kod, that’s what I’m hearing. Which would make sense… the media could leak out our game plans and that wouldn’t be a good thing. Right?
lol………….so glad to hear about your dog. We have 2 Shih tzus and they are def part of the family. So funny that one doesn’t go near our little girl……..practically runs away from her while the other is by her side all the time. It’s amazing how two dogs of the same breed can have completely different personalities.
yah, that makes sense…………considering the last pre-season game is the last chance saloon for many players trying to make that cut……………the starters will be practicing and game planning for the Steelers. I’m so stoked to see our O show the world that the Steelers D is old and way past its prime!
Just read that Warren is back at practice…………….good stuff!
Kod, the Steelers are going to struggle without James Harrison, that’s for sure. Why are all the guys that Peyton wants to get sacked by going down? LOL!
My dog is deathly scared of these turkey feathers that I got from my cousin. He literally will not even smell them or go near them and I tried to make him and he went NUTS… it was HILARIOUS!
Yeah, and Goodell is gonna miss his whipping boy! lol
Yeah, but he can just keep picking on Suh, I’d be good with it. He got away with A LOT of crap during the Bears game against Jay and I was none to pleased about it, obviously. LOL
Irving is/was hurt, but he’s out there playing again. Omar Bolden is HURT
Shoulder injury.
Hey cat, its funny that you mention the media leaking out information about gameplans and practice stuff.. my response to that is …. Only if DJ doesnt beat them to it hahaha
Omar Bolden………shoulder injury. Holy wrath of injuries!
LOL@CB!
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Of course, DenverCB.
I thought it was appropriate!!!!! haha its really too bad about all our injury concerns but good to see warren is back in the lineup.
I agree. Injuries happen, but it’s nice that we have depth everywhere!
Im quite interested to see more of this Oman kid. I like what ive seen so far.
It’s great to have depth……….but you can’t dig too deep into the reserves before you start coming up short.
When I think about it now, I’m almost a bit glad that Kupe broke his arm. He was trying to come back from the ankle injury earlier than I think he should have so he should definitely be ready to go come New England.
btw, can I just say how much I detest Brandon Lloyd?
I agree CB. Would be great to see him and McGahee bang it up the middle and then use Hillman to bounce it to the outside.
I really want Omon to get some first/second string reps this week, just to see what he’s made of. He has been around for awhile and it’d be nice for him to have a break out year with US.
omar back in………….that’s a good sign!
I think you can say how you dislike him. I liked him when he was with “”Orton”" led the leauge but when timmy tebow came to town his highly inflated ego ruined it for me….
Lioyd is a diva………….never really liked him much when he was here. He’s all about himself.
Kod, YES!!! Go Bolden!
I think he’s a diva too… he’s good, but he’s a diva. I was glad when he left. I’d rather have DMT, humble and working on getting better rather than be around someone with his ego. I hope that Demaryius continues to be quiet and productive. He spent some time with Megatron this summer and I really like that. Calvin Johnson is a beast and if anyone can teach DMT good techniques to be successful it’s him.
DMT has all the physical attributes…………but now that Manning is here, he’s learning the cerebral game……..executing that executing the playbook to perfection and running precise routes will turn him from talented to elite. And if he wants to get there, he has nothing in his way. It’s all on him now to make it happen…………and what better leader to help get you there than PM!
Love John Elway: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2012/08/peyton-manning-john-elway-denver-broncos/1
“He’s never been the Nolan Ryan of football” LOL!
Can’t wait for my little girl’s jersey to get here! Got her a number 58………..VON MILLER! That’s her mom’s maiden name too so it’s fitting. lol
I met Brandon Lloyd at Old Chicago’s here in Highland Ranch… nice guy really.
That’s awesome, Kod! I am going to get me one of those…
Good to know, Royal. I just think he wants the ball, which he wasn’t going to get in a Tim Tebow offense and he knew that. I think Eric was EXTREMELY frustrated last year, but he never said anything. Never acted in poor form about the lack of balls he was getting. I felt that our team as a whole was very unselfish last year.
Vickerson left cause of a concussion too………..jeesh……..I hate concussions. They’re such a bizarre injury and hard to figure out as they afffect different people in completely different ways.
Bring on the training camp blog and the trivia question!
Mike Klis from DP reports Manny Ramirez does not have good lateral movement in pass protection…..
http://blogs.denverpost.com/broncos/2012/08/14/replace-chris-kuper/14854/