Detroit Lions

Jake Bates breaks Lions record in wild MNF win vs. 49ers

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Jake Bates adds to his memorable first season with the Lions.

The Detroit Lions are one of the highest-scoring teams in the league and a big reason for that is their special teams, particularly kicker Jake Bates. The 24-year-old Bates has been a revelation in the 2024 NFL season, and he proved his worth again to Detroit in the team’s 40-34 win at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California over the San Francisco 49ers Monday night.

In fact, Bates made history versus the Niners, per the Lions.

“@Lions K Jake Bates has established the new single-season franchise record for points scored, passing Jason Hanson’s previous record of 134 points in 2012,” Detroit’s official X (formerly Twitter) announced during the 49ers game.

However, it wasn’t exactly a clean night from Bates, who went 2-for-2 on his field goal attempts against the 49ers, including one from 57-yard out. That field goal brought the Lions within four points of San Francisco in the third quarter. Just before the end of the quarter, Bates made an extra-point kick after a touchdown score from Amon-Ra St. Brown to put Detroit ahead by three points. The Lions did not look back from that point, with Bates adding a field goal from 42 yards in the middle of the fourth quarter to stretch Detroit’s lead to six points.

Bates went just 2-for-4 on extra-point kicks, so that’s one area he had to clean up, as the Lions prepare for an important battle in Week 18. Also stepping up for Detroit against San Francisco is quarterback Jared Goff, who went 26-of-34 for 303 passing yards and three touchdowns with zero interceptions.

Bates has truly capitalized on the opportunity that opened up for him when veteran kicker Michael Badgley was ruled out for the rest of the 2024 NFL season after suffering a torn hamstring injury in the offseason.  Bates saw action in the 2024 NFL preseason and became one of just two players from the UFL to crack an NFL team’s 53-man roster. He was signed by the Lions to a two-year, $19.98 million in June. So far, that investment by the team is paying off nicely.

Coming up next for the Lions is a battle for the NFC North division title against the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field in Detroit.

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