Buffalo Bills kicker Stephen Hauschka earns AFC Special Teams Player of the Week again

The Buffalo Bills (3-1) are riding high following Sunday’s huge 23-17 road win over the defending NFC champion Atlanta Falcons, and for the second consecutive week, Stephen Hauschka was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week, becoming the first player in franchise history to bring home the honor in back-to-back weeks.

Hauschka continued to demonstrate his immense value as a scoring weapon. The veteran place kicker extended his streak of made 50-plus yard field goals to 11, one shy of the NFL record held by Robbie Gould (2010-2013), Matt Prater (2015-2017), Justin Tucker (2015-2016), and Blair Walsh (2012-2013).

Hauschka booted three fourth-quarter field goals to cement the win in Atlanta, making a 24-yard field goal to extend Buffalo’s lead to 17-10, then converting long-distance field goals from 56- and 55-yards to keep the high-flying Falcons at bay. Hauschka quickly distanced himself from a slow start to the season (missing a field goal vs. the New York Jets in Week 1 and doinking in a field goal vs. the Carolina Panthers in Week 2) and has now made four field goals from outside of 50 yards in four games. “Hausch-Money” sits two shy of Dan Carpenter’s team record of six 50-plus yard field goals, set during the 2014 season.

Hauschka is in rare company as only the third Bill to garner Player of the Week honors in consecutive weeks, alongside Cornelius Bennett and Bruce Smith. It is the third time he has earned Special Teams Player of the Week honors in his career.

(For those of you wondering, Micah Hyde’s two interception weren’t enough for him to win Defensive Player of the Week. Steelers defensive end Cam Heyward rode two sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery to that honor.)