Matt Prater's Late-Game Heroics Salvage Season, for Now
Matt Prater's 59-yard field goal as time expired Sunday against the Washington Football Team salvaged the Detroit Lions' season, at least for now.
The Lions pulled out a 30-27 win in the Week 10 contest, and with a record of 4-5, managed to keep their slim playoff chances alive.
But, the victory was not even remotely a result of the play of the defense.
Prater, who had been struggling prior to the tilt with six missed kicks on the season, bailed out Patricia & Co.
Even with his recent struggles, he approached the kick, as if it was any other one that he had taken in his 14-year NFL career.
He went out, and "swung hard" and was just hoping that it would go through the uprights.
"I don't need to add any other pressure on myself, or think that it's anything more than it is. It's just another field goal," Prater said after the game. "I know I haven't had the best year. But, any time I go out, I expect to make them. And coming through in those moments for the team is always big."
If he had missed the kick and the game had gone into overtime, the odds of the Lions winning the contest did not look very good.
Momentum had completely shifted in favor of Washington by this point.
The team's veteran passer Alex Smith, who was making his first start since suffering a devastating leg injury in 2018 that nearly caused his NFL career to come to an end, led his offense on three consecutive scoring drives that spanned from 7:58 in the third quarter to 6:09 in the fourth quarter.
Before the first of three touchdown drives spearheaded by Smith, the score was 24-3 in favor of Detroit.
Each of the first two Washington Football touchdowns were the result of long, drawn-out drives, too. They each consisted of 11 plays and 80-plus yards -- the first being of the 82-yard variety and the second being of the 84-yard type.
During this period of time, the Lions' offense stalled out, and scored zero points.
So, by the second of Washington's two fourth-quarter touchdowns, it was 24 all, and another fourth-quarter collapse looked inevitable for Detroit.
Luckily, the Lions had Prater on this day.
His game-winning field-goal keeps Detroit's slim playoff chances alive, at least for one more week.
His two fourth-quarter field goals delivered the organization its first victory at Ford Field since October 27 of last year when it defeated the New York Giants in a Week 8 contest, 31–26.
© Kirthmon F. Dozier via Imagn Content Services, LLC
Yet, it's far from a win to celebrate.
Smith thrashed Detroit's secondary for nearly the entire second half, and finished with almost 400 passing yards (390 total on 38-of-55 passing).
Sure, the victory keeps Detroit's slim postseason hopes alive in a crowded NFC wild card playoff race.
But, who really believes the Lions are legit playoff contenders?
I surely don't. And many supporters of the organization -- even some of the most avid ones -- share the sentiment, and won't by convinced by Sunday's performance that they all of a sudden are.
So, Detroit fans, be thankful for Prater's Week 10 heroics, but don't get too excited over the victory.
The defense is bound to repeat its disastrous second-half performance in subsequent weeks -- and maybe even next weekend against the Carolina Panthers.
Get the latest Detroit Lions news by joining our community. Click "Follow" at the top right of our SI All Lions page. Mobile users click the notification bell. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @DetroitPodcast.
