Lions' Matt Prater, who has missed more than usual in 2020, remains lights-out in the clutch

DETROIT -- It’s hard to doubt Matt Prater, and the Detroit Lions kicker proved why once again on Sunday. Detroit won 30-27 with Prater drilling a field-goal from 59 yards out at the buzzer.

Prater missed six field-goal attempts through Detroit’s first eight games of the season, which is one more than he missed through all 16 games last year. While his struggles have been well documented, Prater has knocked down three game-winning kicks this season. Prater hit a 39-yarder at the buzzer to beat the Cardinals in Week 3. He then hit a 48-yard point-after attempt with no time on the clock in Atlanta in Week 7, then Sunday’s make from 59 yards out at the horn.

“For me personally, any time you’re not making every field goal, it can be frustrating, but all you can do is do your best and keep trying and figure out what the issues are, so they don’t repeat, keep repeating,” Prater said after the game. “We’ve had too many misses this year already, so I’m hoping that today is a start in the right direction. And hopefully, we will come through and make all that I get the opportunities for.”

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The veteran showed up in a big way against the Washington Football Team in Week 10 at Ford Field. He hit on all three field-goal attempts and all three extra-point attempts in Detroit’s razor-thin victory to move to 4-5. Prater was good from 53, 37 and 59 yards out on Sunday, which just so happened to be his 100th game in the Honolulu blue.

Detroit’s offense had to hustle -- and get a little help -- to get Prater one last crack to avoid overtime. Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford and the offense took over with 16 seconds left at their own 25-yard line. Stafford hit receiver Quintez Cephus for 10 yards to open things up. Then a roughing the passer call on Washington’s prized rookie Chase Young moved the Lions to midfield. Stafford hit Marvin Jones for 9 yards, the Lions called timeout, and on came Prater.

The ball exploded off Prater’s foot, looking like it could have been good from another 5 to 10 yards out. Prater was asked about his mentality when trotting on the field, saying it was the same as always during his post-game media availability.

“The same as any other kick. Just go out and swing hard and hope it goes straight type thing,” he said. “I don’t need any more pressure on myself or think that it’s anything more than it is. It’s just a field goal. Like I said in the past, 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 and great job by the team for getting down there to even give us a shot at it, with however many seconds were there when we got the ball after the kickoff. So it was pretty cool.”

Related: Lions to slow things down this week after Matt Prater misses fifth field goal in 7 games

Detroit’s staff has stuck to its guns backing Prater through his struggles in the season’s first half. Special teams coordinator Brayden Coombs said the team was taking things back to basics a couple of weeks ago before doubling-down on his faith in the veteran this past week.

Coombs pointed to the two recent misses earlier this week, saying they were Prater’s worst hits of the season. The first-year coordinator said he didn’t think it was a case of the yips, maintaining confidence in Prater’s ability to get the train back on the tracks.

“I was extremely happy for Matt Prater and that operation to get it up and through the uprights,” Stafford said. “I mean, 59-yarder to win it, that’s what that guy loves to do and what we love having him for -- he’s a special guy in those moments, and I was really proud of him for today for that.”