Jake Bates Named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week

Bates earns second weekly award after game-winning kick against Texans.

Detroit Lions place kicker Jake Bates (39). / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions have yet another player honored with a weekly award.

Kicker Jake Bates was honored as the NFC Special Teams Player of the week for the second time this season after hitting a pair of 50-plus-yard field goals, including a 52-yard boot at the buzzer to help Detroit defeat Houston 26-23.

Bates also hit from a career-best 58 yards earlier in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 23. He is now a perfect 14-of-14 on field goal attempts through the team's first nine games.

A calling card with Bates' success has been his demeanor under pressure, with coach Dan Campbell attempting to put him in as many high-level situations as possible. On Sunday, like he has many times in practice, the rookie kicker rose to the occasion once again.

"I think that’s important. I try to apply a little pressure and I have, really since training camp. Just in my own way, stuff that I know would probably irratate him and just to make him not worry," Campbell said. "Don’t worry about it, block everything out, do what you do. And he’s good about that, he really is. He’s pretty good about, he gets away from everybody and he can get in his own head in a good way and shut everything else out. I do feel like there’s something to him when you put him in a competitive setting, and he’s pretty good about that." 

Bates expressed appreciation for this approach following the win. He's had plenty of opportunities to convert in intense moments leading up to game days, and made good on his second game-winning kick attempt of the year.

“The more you put yourself into that, your body in that stress and your mind into that real game scenario is beneficial," Bates said. "This coaching staff has done a really good job going all the way back to camp of putting us in game-like situations and making practice as real as it can be.”