ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - Just 300 days after putting his name in the record books with the longest field goal ever, Matt Prater is history.At least in Denver.The Broncos cut ties Friday with the eighth-year kicker whos about to come off his four-game suspension.That means first-year kicker Brandon McManus has turned his temp job with the AFC champs into a full-time one.From the moment the Giants traded him to the Broncos in late August, McManus looked at Denver not as a stopover but as a destination. He said last month that his aim was to convince the Broncos he, and not Prater, was their man.Still, he was surprised hed done just that.I mean, Matt had a great year last year and hes done very well for himself. I still consider him in the top three kickers in the NFL, McManus said. Just the chance the Broncos are giving me (shows) the confidence they have in me and Im excited with that opportunity.GM John Elway said releasing Prater, the longest-tenured member of the team, was a very difficult football decision.But perhaps an easy financial choice: Prater was due $2.294 million in base salary this season and $3.25 million next year. McManus is making $420,000 this season and $510,000 next year.Thats a difference of more than $4.6 million, money that could come in handy as the Broncos turn their attention to long-term deals with Demaryius Thomas, Julius Thomas and Chris Harris Jr.McManus, Elway said, has earned the opportunity to continue kicking for our team with how well hes played to start the season. He has a very strong leg and we have confidence in him on both field goals and kickoffs.This summer, McManus pushed Giants incumbent Josh Brown just as he had Adam Vinatieri in Indy a year earlier. By sticking with McManus, the Broncos owe New York a seventh-round draft choice in 2015.Prater had given the Broncos reason to fret not only with his continued slip-ups but also with a poor performance in the preseason, something he blamed on his pending punishment weighing on him.Prater has been in the NFLs substance-abuse program, which includes alcohol, since a DUI arrest on Aug. 12, 2011. He was originally facing a ban for a full season but his lawyer negotiated a four-game ban instead.Prater said he realized one more strike meant hed face sitting out an entire calendar year when he had some beers not long after the Super Bowl.Why did I risk it? Prater said back on Aug. 25. I made a mistake. I dont have an excuse for it. I screwed up and now Im paying the price for it.That price got heavier Friday.Prater led the league last year by making 25 of 26 field goals, including a record-setting 64-yarder against Tennessee. He also led the NFL with 81 kickoff touchbacks.Prater missed two of four field goal attempts in the preseason, including a 49-yarder in an 18-17 loss to Houston after learning before kickoff that hed be suspended.McManus didnt face a clutch kick in Denvers first three games, but he did everything he was asked, making a trio of short field goals and all eight of his extra points. He also allowed just two returns on 16 kickoffs.Ive been very impressed with him, coach John Fox said. Hes got great potential. Hes a great young kicker.Broncos holder Britton Colquitt said Prater wont be out of a job for long.I think there will be at least 20 teams trying to put offers in, Colquitt said. And hell be able to have his choice, because hes that good. No one can argue with that. Hes probably just in the middle of his career. He could be at Kansas City or Oakland or San Diego.Some fans took to Twitter to criticize the Broncos for jettisoning Prater when they stuck by two front office executives who were arrested on drunken driving charges in 2013, one of whom is serving a work-release jail sentence.Anytime you make football decisions in an organization, especially with somebody thats been with you for a period of time like Matt, its always difficult, Fox said. But its always a football decision, whats going to give us the best chance in our opinion. And I wish Matt nothing but the best moving forward.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Darren Helm Jersey . - The situation looked bleak at best for the coach Doc Rivers Clippers — down by four points with 18 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Pavel Datsyuk Red Wings Jersey . - Canadian tennis star Eugenie Bouchard has signed with WME-IMG, saying the sports management powerhouse will help maximize the value of my brand. http://www.redwingshockeyauthentic.com/g...e-jersey/.Bacca took advantage of Cristian Alvarezs hesitation to head a lobbed pass over the goalkeeper and then used his feet to roll the ball into an empty net in the eighth minute. The Colombia strikers 10th goal pulled him level with Lionel Messi as the leagues third-leading scorers, far behind Cristiano Ronaldos runaway tally of 23 goals. Niklas Kronwall Jersey . "That was a great lift for the staff," Padres manager Bud Black said. Yonder Alonso and Yasmani Grandal homered, and Chase Headley drove in three runs, as the Padres beat the Chicago Cubs 11-1 on Friday night. Michael Rasmussen Red Wings Jersey . Price was hurt at the start of Wednesdays practice after facing just one shot as the team worked on their power play. He left the ice in discomfort and appeared to be favouring his leg. A Habs source told TSNs John Lu that Price suffered the injury in Sochi and not before the Olympics.MONTREAL -- The Montreal Impact were in no mood to celebrate despite winning for the first time in their last four games. Montreal was eliminated from CONCACAF Champions League competition despite a 2-0 win over CD Heredia on Tuesday night. The Impact, who won the Amway Canadian Championship, needed to score early and often to keep their slim hopes of advancing past the group stage alive. Montreal, which had lost its last two Major League Soccer games at home, managed the first part when Daniele Paponi scored just four minutes in to the delight of the enthusiastic Saputo Stadium crowd of 13,703. Andrew Wenger made it 2-0 in the 54th minute but the Impact needed to win by at least six goals to avoid being knocked out of their second Champions League competition, and their first since 2008. "It is bittersweet," said Montreal goalkeeper Evan Bush, who played every minute of the Impacts games in ACC and CONCACAF Champions League competition. "After the game you cant really celebrate it. Youre happy you won and psychologically its good to break a three-game losing streak over the two competitions, but at the same time we knew what we had to do and the goal was 6-0, not 2-0." CD Heredia would have clinched the three-team Group 5 with a draw or a win after 1-0 victories in both of their home games against Montreal and the San Jose Earthquakes. "The Impact are a very fast team so we had to adjust our strategy," CD Heredia coach Juan Carlos Elias said in Spanish through an interpreter. "Our tactics werent as good as theirs were. They were just faster on the ball. They were just faster in every situation than we were." The Guatemalan side can still move through to the championship round with a point in the final group stage game next month in San Jose. An Earthquakes win on Oct. 23 would bring about a three-way tie and San Jose, which beat Montreal 3-0 last Tuesday, would advance by virtue of the best goal-differential. The Impact are third in the MLS Eastern Conference with 45 points in 28 games. They play in Chicago on Saturday and are on the road for four of their six remaining regular season games. "It was very important to finish like this for the morale," Montreal coach Marco Schallibaum said. "I think the team was very well prepared and they had a good mentality tonight. Of course they could have scored more goals, it was only 2-0, but I think the way they played tonight, I think thats the way we want to go with together because the guys gave everything for the club and the result.dddddddddddd We won the game, but that was not enough, but I think the base was very solid." Defender Hassoun Camara and midfielder Felipe were the only two regulars in Montreals starting 11, which included three Quebecers on the back line -- defenders Karl Ouimette, Maxim Tissot and Wandrille Lefevre. "Its incredible the experience you get by just being on the field and playing at this level," Ouimette said. Marco Di Vaio entered in the 57th minute and quickly made his presence felt. The 37-year-old Italian striker dove to head Wengers centring pass, forcing goalkeeper Jose Calderon to dive to his right to deny Di Vaios sparkling attempt. Impact forward Justin Mapp replaced Andrea Pisanu 66 minutes in. Both Di Vaio and Mapp put drives off the post as the Impact pressed for more offence without success. "We came out there and right from the get-go we attacked," Wenger said. "It was a very open game and we showed some quality, unfortunately we werent as decisive in five more moments and that would have -- obviously wed be celebrating, everything would be perfect now, but we put in a good showing." Paponi was shown a yellow card 78 minutes in by Jamaican referee Courtney Campbell, who judged that the Montreal forward dove when he was met with a challenge from behind as he approached the 18-yard box. "I was sure it was a foul and when the referee came to me I thought it was a joke," Paponi said in Italian through an interpreter. "When I got the card I was in disbelief. The referee didnt say anything but even the defender on the other team admitted to me that it was a foul." The crowds enthusiasm had long soured by that point after starting off the game with a bang. A small fireworks rocket came shooting out of the Ultras section behind CD Heredias goal and exploded over the field less than two minutes in. Smoke from the stands was swirling around the goalmouth when Paponi scored four minutes in, putting away a rebound of Felipes shot. CD Heredia came close to evening the score in the 26th minute but Charles Cordobas shot while prone in a goalmouth scramble went off Impact defender Karl Ouimettes face and stayed out. Paponi had an opportunity in stoppage time at the end of the first half but Calderon came out to challenge and clear the ball from harm. Wenger added Montreals second goal when he was sent in alone on a through ball from Tissot. ' ' '