Bullock Plays Through Pregame Injury

The Tennessee Titans altered their kicking plans slightly against the Denver Broncos but did not have to scramble for a major adjustment due to an unexpected issue.

NASHVILLE – It turned out that things were not as bad as Mike Vrabel initially feared.

“How much of a concern [is it] when you don’t have your kicker 10 minutes before the game?” the Tennessee Titans coach said. “A s***-ton.”

The Titans ultimately did have kicker Randy Bullock for their matchup with the Denver Broncos. He was just limited.

After being injured in pregame warmups, Bullock ceded most of the kickoff duties to punter Ryan Stonehouse but handled all of the placekicks as normal. He made both PATs he attempted and then capped his afternoon with a 35-yard field goal with 2:59 to play that provided the final points in Tennessee’s 17-10 victory.

Had Bullock not answered the bell, Stonehouse would have taken on the role of placekicker as well, and quarterback Ryan Tannehill would have subbed for Stonehouse as holder. In other words, two-thirds of the snap-hold-kick sequence would have involved backups.

“Yeah, I got that little birdie in my ear pregame, like, ‘Hey, you might be holding,’” Tannehill said. “Not the information you want to get in pregame, but Randy was able to stick it out and make some kicks for us there – extra points and then that crucial field goal there at the end.

“Definitely, he showed some toughness for us. He battled it out and came up big.”

Coaches and players ultimately had plenty of time to deal with the issue. Denver kicked off to start the contest, and the Titans did not need anyone to kick until Nick Westbrook-Ikhine scored on a 9-yard touchdown reception with 12 seconds to play in the first half. Bullock made the PAT and handled the subsequent kickoff, which went just 47 yards to the Broncos’ 18.

Stonehouse then kicked off to start the second half and after each of the Titans’ final two scores. The first two resulted in touchbacks.

“It’s part of my job to just do what I can to help the team,” Stonehouse said. “Obviously, with what happened, it’s just part of the job.

“I trained for (kickoffs) in high school, so you never really kind of lose that technique. It’s just a different style of kicking. I was happy I was able to put two for touchobacks.”

Bullock has been the Titans’ placekicker since Week 2 of 2021. In nine games this season, he has made 11 of 13 field goal attempts and all 19 PATs he has tried. With 52 points, he is second on the team in scoring to running back Derrick Henry (54 points).

His health will be a significant storyline over the next couple days. The Titans’ next contest is Thursday at Green Bay which means there is less time than normal for rest and recovery.

Unlike recent seasons, the Titans have not carried a kicker on their practice squad in this one. If they must seek an alternative, therefore, they will have to look outside the building.