MATT PRATER

The 2021-22 NFL playoffs kicked off this past weekend and Knight Nation had six different reasons to tune in. The University of Central Florida saw six of its football alumni compete in the NFL playoffs this weekend. Let’s break down how each former Knight performed in the opening round of the playoffs. Buffalo Bills WR Gabriel DavisIn Buffalo’s blistering cold battle vs. the New England Patriots on Saturday night, Gabriel and the Bills absolutely dominated the Patriots en rout to a 47-17 victory. Philadelphia Eagles DB Tay GowanGowan was listed as inactive in the Eagles’ 31-15 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

The Cardinals failed to clinch a playoff spot for the third straight week after a 22-16 loss to the banged-up Indianapolis Colts, who were missing arguably their best defensive player and four starting offensive linemen. After a 7-0 record to start the season, the Cardinals are just 3-5. The mistakes started early Saturday and piled up in a brutal first half: Kicker Matt Prater missed a long field goal and an extra point.

The Cardinals (10-5) failed to clinch a playoff spot for a third straight week and are 3-5 since starting the season 7-0. Arizona's Matt Prater missed two field goals, including a potential go-ahead try early in the fourth quarter, and an extra point. The Colts added a safety late in the second quarter when Murray couldn't handle a low snap. INJURIESColts: Fisher left with a knee injury in the second quarter. Doyle went down with a knee and ankle injury in the first quarter G Chris Reed had a back injury and left in the second quarter.

Carson Wentz threw a pair of touchdown passes, Jonathan Taylor ran for 108 yards and the banged-up Indianapolis Colts continued their late-season surge with a gritty 22-16 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night.

The six-time All-Pro finished with three sacks — the first on the initial play from scrimmage and the last as time expired — while Matthew Stafford threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Rams past the Arizona Cardinals 30-23 on Monday night. Seven plays later, Stafford hit a diving Kupp for a 4-yard touchdown and the Rams led 27-13. The Rams converted Jones' interception into a touchdown when Stafford found Beckham for a 2-yard score. NOSE FOR THE END ZONEConner scored his first TD from 1 yard out late in the second quarter, bursting into the end zone on a second effort after bouncing off a pile. Cardinals: Arizona activated DL Rashard Lawrence (calf) and long snapper Aaron Brewer (broken arm) before the game.

The Cardinals (10-3) will have to wait at least one more week before clinching their first playoff spot since 2015. The Cardinals had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds after recovering an onside kick. Seven plays later, Stafford hit a diving Kupp for a 4-yard touchdown and the Rams led 27-13. The Rams converted the interception into a touchdown when Stafford found Beckham for a 2-yard score. Cardinals: Arizona activated DL Rashard Lawrence (calf) and long snapper Aaron Brewer (broken arm) before the game.

Matthew Stafford threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns, Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr. each caught a touchdown pass and the Los Angeles Rams held on for a 30-23 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

From Lamar Jackson’s improbable comeback that ended in an overtime win for Baltimore to the missed kick festival between Green Bay and Cincinnati, the NFL had several more games go down to the wire in Week 5.

The Arizona Cardinals improved to 5-0 for the first time since 1974, riding a stellar defensive performance to a 17-10 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

Matt Ryan threw for 342 yards and two touchdowns including the first NFL score for Kyle Pitts and the Atlanta Falcons held on and closed out the New York Jets in a 27-20 victory in the NFL’s return to London.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Jaguars kick returner Jamal Agnew secured a place in NFL history on Sunday, returning a missed field goal 109 yards for a touchdown to become the third player to achieve the feat. Arizona Cardinals kicker Matt Prater attempted a 68-yard field goal with two seconds to go, NFL.com reported. >> Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker boots NFL-record 66-yard field goalAgnew also had a 102-yard kickoff return in Week 2, ESPN reported. He entered the day with the NFL record for the longest field goal at 64 yards, set in 2013. But Baltimore Ravens’ kicker Justin Tucker kicked a 66-yard field goal to beat Detroit and erase Prater’s mark.

Record kick: Baltimore's Justin Tucker (9) celebrates after hitting an NFL-record 66-yard field goal to defeat Detroit on Sunday. (Duane Burleson/Associated Press)DETROIT — Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker set an NFL record for the longest field goal on Sunday, connecting on a 66-yard attempt with three seconds left to beat the Detroit Lions, 19-17. Tucker, whose 61-yard field goal won the Ravens’ last game at Ford Field eight years ago, was his previous longest field goal made, according to ESPN. For more deja vu, the Lions also lost a similar game on a final-second, long field goal. At the time, it was the longest field goal in NFL history and the first to surpass 60 yards.

APTOPIX Vikings Cardinals Football Arizona Cardinals wide receiver A.J. He made two 52-yard field goals earlier in the game, giving no indication he'd have trouble pushing the Vikings to a win. Murray shook off the mistake and led the Cardinals on an eight-play, 75-yard drive capped by a 9-yard touchdown pass to veteran A.J. The Vikings scored on just the second play of the game when Cousins connected with a wide-open K.J. UP NEXTThe Vikings play at home for the first time this season when they host the Seattle Seahawks.

Kyler Murray threw for 400 yards and three touchdowns, and the Arizona Cardinals topped the Minnesota Vikings 34-33 after Greg Joseph missed a 37-yard field goal wide right in the final seconds.

Kyler Murray scored five touchdowns and linebacker Chandler Jones had a career-high five sacks as the Arizona Cardinals simply dominated the Tennessee Titans 38-13 for a big road win to open the season.

The Cowboys' ensuing drive quickly fizzled, giving the Cardinals enough time to drive downfield and set up Prater's game-winning kick. It was the first preseason game for the Cardinals and second for the Cowboys, who lost to the Steelers 16-3 in the Hall of Fame game last week. Most of the stars from both teams — including Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray and Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott — didn't play on Friday. Eno Benjamin ran for a 6-yard touchdown to give the Cardinals a 10-3 late in the second quarter. The Cardinals host the Chiefs in a preseason game on Aug. 20.

Matt Prater kicked two field goals in the final two minutes, including a 47-yard game winner with no time remaining, to lift the Arizona Cardinals over the Dallas Cowboys 19-16 on Friday night in a preseason game.

FILE - Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky throws a pass during an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis, in this Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020, file photo. Now that the muzzles have been removed for NFL team executives and the players they either re-signed or added in free agency, Thursday was a time for explanations and reflections. New England bringing back LB Kyle Van Noy, Buffalo grabbing QB Mitchell Trubisky, and Tennessee getting All-Pro long snapper Morgan Cox. Green), players staying put (Leonard Williams, Derek Wolfe) and even a player coming out of retirement (Kyle Long). He played 14 games with eight starts for Baltimore after signing a $3 million contract to join the team from Denver.

Henry came into Sunday’s regular season finale needing 223 yards rushing to become the second man in franchise history to reach 2,000. He came in as the NFL’s rushing leader for a second straight season with a career-best 1,777 yards rushing. The Green Bay Packers have set an NFL season record for second-quarter points. With the run Newton also passed Grogan for the single-season team record for rushing yards by a quarterback. Newton entered the game 26 yards behind Grogan, who had 539 rushing yards in 1978.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020, in Detroit. Rodgers ran for a tiebreaking score in the third quarter and threw three touchdown passes, lifting the Green Bay Packers to a 31-24 win over the the Detroit Lions to clinch the NFC North title. “To have the whole thing come through Green Bay is something we’ve talked about for a long time," Rodgers said. “That would definitely be in our favor with the weather that we have in Green Bay. Green Bay repeated as division champion with its win and Minnesota’s loss to Tampa Bay earlier in the day.

Cleveland Browns running backs Nick Chubb (24) and Kareem Hunt (27) walk off the field after an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020, in Cleveland. A win is a win; let Las Vegas worry about the margin of victory. It appeared there were actually 10 seconds left when down judge Dana McKenzie blew his whistle and raised his left hand. There actually should have been only 4 seconds left, which probably would have forced a Hail Mary by Stafford. But with 6 seconds left, Stafford had time for a quick pass, and he hit Marvin Jones for 9 yards.

(AP Photo/Duane Burleson)DETROIT – The Detroit Lions leaned on their dynamic duo for comebacks and they came through again. Matthew Stafford directed the final drive with just 16 seconds left to set up Matt Prater's 59-yard field goal as time expired, lifting the Lions to a 30-27 win over Washington on Sunday. Prater made a go-ahead, 37-yard field goal with 2:42 remaining. It made a field goal and had a punt, missed field goal and Terry McLaurin's fumble on the possessions. In the second half, Washington got into the end zone on 82- and 84-yard drives and had the ball midway through the fourth quarter down a touchdown.

Detroit Lions defensive end Trey Flowers (90) celebrates during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Detroit Lions defensive end Trey Flowers (90) celebrates during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020, in Atlanta. Gurley landed on the goal line for a touchdown that, as it turned out, led to another stunning loss for the Atlanta Falcons. Detroit let Gurley score with just over a minute remaining to get the ball back, giving Matthew Stafford enough time to drive the Lions to the winning TD as time expired Sunday. “Just an amazing game,” Detroit coach Matt Patricia said. That backed up the extra-point attempt to the 30-yard line, but Prater knocked it through to win the game.

Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford throws against the Chicago Bears in the first half of an NFL football game in Detroit, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)DETROIT – Mitchell Trubisky perfectly lofted a 27-yard go-ahead touchdown pass to Anthony Miller with 1:54 remaining and the Chicago Bears held on to beat the Detroit Lions 27-23 Sunday. Trubisky threw three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to help Chicago come back from a 17-point deficit. It looked familiar to Lions fans: Detroit opened last season by blowing an 18-point lead at Arizona and settling for a tie. Late in the game, Lions fans likely would've filled the facility with a chorus of boos.