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Aug 2, 2008 4:57 pm US/Mountain
Prater Kicks 68 Yard Field Goal In Training Camp
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DENVER (AP) ―
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Matt Prater during practice kicks in Denver Broncos training camp on Saturday.
CBS
Mike Shanahan grinned from ear-to-ear when he talked Saturday about the performance of Denver Broncos placekicker Matt Prater, the replacement for longtime favorite Jason Elam.
"What impressed you most?" quizzed the Broncos coach after practice. "Not missing or the 68-yarder?"
Prater was a perfect 11-for-11 kicking field goals including boots of 59, 68 and 54 yards. The 54-yarder with three seconds left came in a simulated game-winning drive.
"I kind of liked the last one to be honest with you," Shanahan said. "We put all the pressure on him, the game-winning field goal and he made the kick."
Prater is taking over for Elam, who darted from the Broncos in the offseason to join the Atlanta Falcons.
Elam's numbers rival the best kickers in NFL history: 395 field goals, fifth on the career list, over a 15-year career in which he played in more games than anyone in Broncos history and piled up a franchise-best 1,786 points.
"Matt has been doing that pretty consistently since he's been here," Shanahan said. "So it didn't really surprise anybody, but it's nice to see him do that in his first live two-minute drill."
As for Prater, he shrugged it off as all in a day's work.
"It felt good to just show the team that I can do it and give them some confidence in me so in the game when I do have a chance to have a game winner," Prater said. "I still have to do it in the game, there will still be some questions but hopefully I'll get the opportunity and do well in the game."
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