For the second time in just nine career games, Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates has been named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
Bates was a no-brainer this week after making two huge kicks in the final 5:01 of Sunday night’s game against the Houston Texans. The first, a 58-yard boom, tied the game up 23-23. Almost exactly five minutes later, Bates booted the 52-yard game-winning kick to complete Detroit’s comeback victory, 26-23.
“We’re getting some pretty long kicks here,” coach Dan Campbell said after the game. “I don’t particularly like to do that all the time, but sometimes you need it when you get in a game like that.