Buffalo Bills kicker Matt Prater, who has been dealing with a quadriceps injury, is officially active for the team's wild-card playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. The injury update comes after Prater participated in a full practice earlier in the week but sat out on Friday, earning a questionable designation. The Bills' decision not to elevate another kicker signals confidence in his availability.
The Buffalo Bills face uncertainty at the kicker position heading into their wild-card matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but recent updates indicate relief for the team. Matt Prater sustained a right quadriceps injury during Week 18 of the regular season, mirroring a similar issue from Week 15 that caused him to miss two games. Despite the concern, Prater completed a full practice on Thursday before being held out on Friday, resulting in his questionable status for the Sunday afternoon contest at 1 p.m. ET.
An official update confirms Prater is active for the game, and he is expected to suit up. The Bills chose not to call up practice squad kicker Matthew Wright, a move that underscores their expectation that Prater will handle kicking duties. Final confirmation of his status will come about 90 minutes before kickoff.
Prater joined the Bills prior to the season after starter Tyler Bass suffered a hip and groin injury that sidelined him for the entire campaign. In Bass's absence, Prater has performed strongly, converting 90% of his field goal attempts (18 out of 20) and 93.9% of his extra points. His postseason track record is equally impressive, with an 87.5% success rate on field goals (14 out of 16) and a perfect 15 out of 15 on extra points across his career.
This reliability could prove crucial for Buffalo as they aim to advance in the playoffs.