Another award is coming the Broncos’ way.
The NFL announced on Tuesday that Matt Prater will be named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 5.
Prater’s selection as AFC Special Teams Player of the Week marks the first such award of his two-year NFL career.
During the Broncos’ 16-13 win against Tampa Bay on Sunday, Prater made all three field goal attempts — a 55-yarder, a 40-yarder and a 27-yarder — and his lone extra point try, racking up 10 points for the team. He also recorded touchbacks on four-of-five kickoffs. His 55-yarder in the second quarter was the longest field goal in the NFL for Week 5 and tied for the fifth-longest field goal in Broncos history.
Prater’s four touchbacks also led the NFL for the week, and he averaged 69.4 yards on his five kickoffs. He is tied for the NFL lead with 11 touchbacks on kickoffs this season.
Prater is the first Bronco to be named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week since punt returner Glenn Martinez earned that award in Week 11 of the 2007 season. His selection marks the 18th time a Broncos player has received AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors since the award was initiated by the NFL in 1993.
Tags: AFC Awards, Matt Prater, Week 5
I gotta be honest…i panicked when we let go of Elam, but Prater has turned out to be the man!!
Kickers and punters never get the credit they deserve. Tough games turn out to be a game of field position. Great field position can be the differense when the clock reaches double zeros. An easy way to fix special teams coverage is to kick touchbacks. I’d like to see Shanahan let him try to break the record say right before half time. Jason Who? Go Broncos
I was shocked when we let Elam go too. Didn’t really know who we had to replace him, just thought that maybe we would let our punter kick it through the same way the bloody patriots did a few years back, with wasn’t it Flutie? lol
Great job Matt! Well earned, I remember him saying he thought his 55 yarder would have been good from 70. I would love to see it! I mean imagine if we were in a dome, field position wouldn’t matter, cuz without the wind, and the help of a first down or two we would always get 3 points from each drive! LOL
I would just like to see Madden give him some credit so I can actually kick some touchbacks without 20 mph wind at my back!
way to go matt. i hope one day shanny will let him try to beat elam’s record.
shanny said one day hes gonna let prater try and hit from 64
Mon, Oct 6 Bill Williamson, of ESPN.com, reports Denver Broncos PK Matt Prater said he is expected to attempt a 64-yard field goal this season, which would be a league record. “We are going to try it this year,” Prater said. “My coaches told me we are going to do it when we get the chance. I think I can do it.”
Magic08 please don’t say Jason who? That man is a legend and not just in the Denver Broncos organization.
I panicked as well when we let Elam go but Prater has filled his shoes rather well. I would like to see him attempt to break the record as well. Since practice we’ve known he had the leg power and he has improved his accuracy.
Way to go Prater. You earned it. Don’t get too relaxed though, always gotta stay sharp. Will be rooting for you and am glad I drafted you in my fantasy. Way to man. GO BRONCOS!!!!!
I too was another fan who panicked after Elam left for Atlanta. Kudos to Prater who has been doing an outstanding job !! I was at the Broncos/Saints game and was amazed to see him send a couple of kickoffs thru the opposing Teams uprights! Awesome leg strength! Didn’t realize Prater was a college teammate of Brandon Marshall at UCF. Keep up the great job Prater!!
Panicked??? Shocked??? Man, I fell flat out of my chair and my mind when I heard (or read) that Elam was gone. I’m pretty sure I came very close to a heartattack at 21 yrs old.
And PLEASE, like Gami3it said, don’t say anything that negative about Jason. He is a legend, he always will be a legend in Denver… don’t disrespect a great player like him. No one in Broncos Country would even think about saying something like that about Elway, don’t go there with Elam. I miss him terribly but…
Prater has lived up to my expectations and apparently Shanny’s. I was so angry about that move but now that he’s been given several chances to prove himself he’s done a VERY good job. What really amazes me is that I think the game against KC he missed a 28 yard field goal but made one that was like 55 or something like that. Is that just weird or what??? Anyway, I’m proud of him that he’s done a GREAT job and although I’ll NEVER EVER EVER forget what Elam contributed to this franchise – his years, his entire career till this offseason, his records, his time and effort all of it – Prater is a good replacement. Should be interesting when we play against Atlanta later this year.
A part of me will always have wished that Elam would have retired as a Bronco rather than go to another team. I wanted him to stay with this team and retire as a Bronco. Something like that is so rare b/c in the NFL a player can always be traded and things like that and when you have someone that has dedicated not only their time, effort, life AND career all to the same team… I wanted that to be preserved. But that didn’t work out and obviously he still wanted to play and be apart of football so much that he was willing to go to Atlanta for it. The reason why he left is still bugging the crap out of me b/c it really was a silly thing but anyhoo.
And I also got really peeved when I saw our punter (Kern I think it is) where that #1 jersey for the first time in a game and I swear I had smoke fuming out of my head in all directions. At that very moment, I really had wished Elam would’ve retired as a Bronco to preserve what a rare thing he gave to this team but I wanted his jersey to be retired… but for the most part now, I’m over it… not really but sort of, okay not at all. Well, enough of that. Man I sure got off on a rant didn’t I???? Whew!!!!!
Not to overshadow #5, Congrats to Prater, job well done and keep up the good work.
GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!
Prater has filled in admirably for the legendary Elam, and I’m glad for that, obviously, but the remarkable thing is how prodigious Prater has been from 50-plus yards. Hopefully, he keeps up the good work because as the New Orleans Saints know, when you have an unreliable kicker, it’s hard to win tight games. Congratulations, Matt!
Jason Elam can never be replaced. He was with the Bronco’s way too long and I hope he retires a Bronco. It can be done. Prater is on his way tof becoming another Bronco star! The Bronco’s have to be respected for who the are. Good or bad I will always be a Bronco fan! We will make it again. I want to see Mike go out a proud man and in all his Glory! Cutler is awesome as is the rest of the team! I am proud to be a native of Colorado and have the Bronco team!
Way to go Matt Awesome performance, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Very well stated BradJames
Elam who????????? Prater all the way.
Matt,
YOU ARE AMAZING!
YOU WILL BREAK THAT RECORD! AND I FOR ONE WILL BE ROOTING LIKE HELL FOR YA!
I JUST THINK I MIGHT GO GET YOUR JERSEY!
DO ME 1 FAVOR THOUGH, KICK THE HELL OUT OF THAT BALL THE REST OF THE SEASON AND YOU MY FRIEND WILL BE WEARING A RING IN 2009!
GO GET EM’ BOYS!
I have to say that I was sad to see Elam go because its so rare to have a player around for that long. The one thing that bothered me about keeping him though, was the fact that he couldnt kick off anymore. So we had to use an additional roster spot for another kicker!
I am excited that Prater has been so accurate. His leg strength has never been in question, but his accuracy under pressure had yet to be seen. So far, so good. One thing that I really like is the fact that he has so much leg and seems to hit the sweet spot on the ball so often that he doesnt have to “overkick” to kick a long one, he just goes through his normal set up and routine.
I read somewhere that Shanny and coaches said they are going to give him an opportunity to go for the record. It would be great to see. I am hoping at the end of the half or something like that, he will get a chance to try a 70 yarder.
Go Matt!
Way to go Matt! You are an excellent replacement for Elam. Keep up the good work and one day you will break the record. I believe Jason will be in the Hall of Fame one day, and I would expect and hope he goes in ther as a Bronco!
07 elway you have way to much time on your hands your blogs are like reading a book.
Keep up the alsome work guys!!!!