On Thursday, Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates took all of the field goal reps in practice, and quietly went about his work. It appeared he made all six of his attempts, with two coming for 50 yards or more.
It was 24 hours later that we learned that Bates was suddenly in line to be the team’s starting kicker. Before Thursday’s practice got underway, incumbent kicker Michael Badgley suffered a torn hamstring in warmups and is now out for the season.
On Saturday, Bates took the field for the first time as the presumed starting kicker for the Lions, and it was an up-and-down day for the young kicker.