NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Titans coach Mike Mularkey knocked on the wooden podium three times during his press conference on Monday.
His playful response came following a question about kicker Ryan Succop, and his hot streak kicking field goals.
Brett Kern, the team's punter, has been on quite a roll himself.
"They're playing really well," Mularkey said. "Really well."
It's true.
Succop, the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month in September, enters Monday night's game against the Colts with a franchise-best streak of 46 successful field goals from inside 50 yards, dating back to 2014. He is tied for the NFL record, set by Atlanta Falcons kicker Matt Bryant from 2013–2015.
Succop began the streak on Dec. 14, 2014. The previous franchise record was 24 consecutive field goals under 50 yards, set by Al Del Greco from 1995-1996.
Kern, meanwhile, unleashed punts of 71, 64, 63, 60, 58 yards against the Dolphins on Sunday, a day when he averageda whopping 54.9 yards and a 50.2-yard net on 10 punts. Kern's net punting average set a career high and set the franchise's single-game record. In a three-week span, Kern has recorded the highest single-game net average in team history, the 10th-highest single-game net average (48.2 against Seattle on Sept. 24) and the ninth-highest single-game net average (48.4 at Houston on Oct. 1).
Kern's 47.0-yard net punting average is currently the best in the NFL in 2017.
"Brett has been awesome," Succop said. "I mean he has been unbelievable. And it has been really cool to see him do so well. Obviously Beau (Brinkley), Brett and I are pretty close, so it is fun to be able to encourage each other and push each other. I am so proud of Brett because he has been absolutely incredible so far. I think he is going to keep it going."
Succop, Kern and Brinkley have been working together since 2014, when Succop joined the Titans after playing previously with the Chiefs. Kern joined the Titans in 2009, while Brinkley, the team's snapper on punts and field goals, has been with the team since 2012.
Together, they've been a solid threesome.
Succop, who needs three points to pass Charlie Hennigan (306) for 10th place on the franchise's all-time scoring list, said it's been a team effort. Succop, who is 11-of-12 on the season, turned in a 91.7 percent field goal rate (22 of 24) in 2016, the best single-season performance of his career and the third-best in franchise history.
"I've been very fortunate and very blessed to work with a lot of great guys, and those guys deserve all the credit," Succop said. "Beau and Brett do such a great job an obviously the guys up front protecting for me, those guys deserve all the credit."
Like Mularkey, Succop doesn't like discussing the streak much either, although he couldn't keep from being faced with questions on the subject while surrounded by reporters on Monday.
Succop said he doesn't count 'em. He just kicks 'em.
"To be honest with you I try not to think about it or talk about it too much," Succop said. "It's is one of those things where you try and get the next one, and when it is all said and done we'll add them up and look at them. Really, I'm just trying to help our team win games and make every kick that I can."
