Matt Prater named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week

Below is the press release from the Broncos announcing Prater’s special teams award. Congrats to Prate on another well-deserved nod!

Denver Broncos kicker Matt Prater will be named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for games played during the 12th week (Nov. 26-30) of the 2009 season, the National Football League informed the Broncos on Tuesday.

Prater, who was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Month in September, will receive the second player of the week award of his three-year NFL career. He also was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week last season in recognition of his Week 5 effort vs. Tampa Bay (10/5/08).

During Denver’s 26-6 win against the Giants on Thanksgiving, Prater converted all four field-goal attempts (26, 32, 47 and 24 yds.) and both extra-point tries to account for 14 points. He posted touchbacks on five of seven kickoffs, helping to force New York to an average drive start of its own 22.6-yard line for the worst such mark by a Broncos opponent this year.

Prater, whose four field goals tied for the NFL lead for the week, posted a career-high 14 points against the Giants that led the league for Week 12 and were the most by a Broncos kicker in five seasons. His five touchbacks on kickoffs tied for the most by an NFL player in a game this season and ranked as the second most by a Bronco in the last 15 years.

A former standout at the University of Central Florida, Prater is the Broncos’ 20th AFC Special Teams Player of the Week winner since the award was initiated by the NFL in 1993. He is Denver’s second AFC Special Teams Player of the Week winner this year, joining wide receiver/returner Eddie Royal, who was recognized by the league for his Week 6 effort at San Diego (10/19/09).