I’d say he’s interchangeable with Murray at #2, but Hanson is hands-down at the top-of-the-heap.
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Don’t they still have Kirk as well?
Prater is the kind of kickwr that belongs on a playoff team. Detroit is not that type of team. While I liked having Prater, I understand the decision. I mean look at the Lions roster - this team isn’t trying to win a lot this year.
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Prater and Stafford didn’t need to be part of another rebuild. Happy for both of them.
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Not even close:
Phunnypharm
2020–2 GW FGs (WFT & Cards) + 1 GW XP (Falcons)
2019–None
2018–None
2017–2 GW FGs (Bears & Bucs)
2016–4 GW FGs (Colts, Eagles, Rams, Vikings + 1 59 yard FG to Tie (Vikings–the Golden Tate flip game)
2015–1 GW FG (Bears)
2014–2 GW FGs (Falcons, Vikings) + 1 GW XP (Saints)
I’m defining GW FG as one which put the Lions ahead and was the last score of the Jason
Hanson booted 17 game-winning field goals in his career; eight in regulation and nine in overtime.
That sounds like a lot, but not when you consider he played in 327 games. Prater did what he did for the Lions in only 108 games.
Hanson was here longer, but Prater was better.
Murray missed the only FG in his career that mattered in 1983.
Let me go on record saying I had no problem with them moving on from Prater. Prater was not great last season. Prater is getting old.
In a perfect world, you nail getting rid of a player just before their decline, (like when the Twins parted from Joe Nathan and the Tigers snatched him up. Ooops.) but in reality, sometimes you’re off by a season or two.
Whoa whoa whoa
You said best Lions’ FG kicker in Lions history. To me, Hanson is the best Lions’ FG kicker in history, because it did it for longer, had more FGs, and I believe he still holds league records for most FG over 40 yards and consecutive made over 40 (If not, it’s been very recently that he was knocked off). If Prater would have been here for 20 years, then I’d be willing to revisit the argument. Now as you outlined, if the criteria you use is GW FG, I won’t disagree with it being Prater or even him being the most clutch Lions’ GF kicker with his long range consistency.
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He won the Lions a shit load of games with his ability to bang then deep.
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wait…he only kicked a 59 yarder for us? I swear I thought I saw him kick one that tied his record, or was 1 yard shy of that.
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Prater’s percentage of FGs made while with the Lions = 84.4%
Hanson’s percentage of FGs made over his career = 82.4%
Prater, from 50+ yards, was 38 of 52 for 73.1%
Hanson, from 50+ yards, was 52 of 93 for 55.9%
Prater, from 40+ yards, was 82 of 111 for 73.9%
Hanson, from 40+ yards, was 188 of 279 for 67.4%
Prater may have only played for the Lions for 7 seasons, but he was better than Hanson.
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So is Prater now a Hall of Famer?
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Prater is pretty much a legend now.
Yes. At a time in the NFL when kickers could routinely kick 50 yarders and boot kickoffs out of the endzone, he stands above them, let alone light years ahead of the kickers already in the hall. He’s definitely the best kicker I’ve ever seen, nothing off Jason Hanson but I’d be real curious about Praters numbers had he been a lion the whole time. I’d bet it’d even look more ridiculous kicking in the dome all the time and having an offense that sputters out giving him a shot at more long field goals.
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60 of 80 from 50+ yards for his career–75%–simply the best and most consistent from that range.
Even better than Justin Tucker who is 42 of 60 for 70%. However, Tucker is No. 1 all time in FG accuracy with an incredible 90.74% on all FGs
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Yeah, I thought I remembered him kicking one from like 60 yards or something. Maybe it got adjusted down. Or, maybe my memory is weak.
Those stats use Prater’s 7 years up against Hanson’s 21 years, so it’s not an equal comparison, which is why I said “if Prater were here 20 years it could be revisited.” Case in point, using the same criteria, I can say Hanson had more perfect seasons of 50+ yard FG (4v1), and the higher Lions’ top season FGM % with it being 95.65% (Hanson) vs 91.67% (Prater). Also, the 40+ yard stat is double dipping the 50+ yard stat; Hanson was better from 0-39 yards and 40-49 yards. Those numbers support Hanson being the “best.” Prater kills it beyond 50 yards without a doubt, and giving him opportunity to take those shots at 50+ yards, which plays right into his wheelhouse, is the perfect storm for his numbers. My argument isn’t trying to take anything away from Prater, he’s a baaadddd man, should be a Hall of Famer and is definitely one of the very best to ever play the position. It comes down to “best in Lions’ history” being a combination of both objective and subjective (Jordan v whomever), because it all depends on the criteria selected. It is one of those thing people have to agree to disagree about, and I’m good with that. Peace, brother.
I’d argue there’s a few kickers from this recent era that deserve to add to the meager ranks of kickers in Canton.
Adam Vinatieri
Justin Tucker
Probably Prater when it’s all said and done.
Even Hanson has a case.
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He did get to kick in Denver alot before coming to the Lions.
For my money Justin Tucker is the best kicker I’ve ever seen. When we started our full roster keeper league I took Tucker in a ridiculously early round like 4th or 5th just to be sure I never had to worry about kicker again.