Thursday 19 January 2017 14:19, UK
Matt Bryant hopes he can prove "King of the Kickers" when the Atlanta Falcons make their bid for a Super Bowl LI berth on Sunday.
The Falcons face the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game in what will be the final game played at the Georgia Dome, a week on from a set of thrilling divisional games when special teams proved vital.
Bryant, a 15-year veteran and one of the NFL's most experienced players, contributed 10 points in the Falcons' 36-20 win over the Seattle Seahawks while the Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers both relied on their kickers to send them through.
Mason Crosby kicked a last-gasp field goal to give Green Bay a 34-31 win over the Dallas Cowboys while Chris Boswell was responsible for all 18 points as Pittsburgh edged past the Kansas City Chiefs 18-16.
The Steelers face the New England Patriots, also on Sunday, in the AFC Championship Game.
"It's a big part of the game and the teams that get here, usually their guys have had a great year," Bryant told Sky Sports.
"Last week Mason had a great game, Dan Bailey had a good kick to get the Cowboys tied up and Chris Boswell had six field goals.
"Crosby had to kick it twice as they called a timeout on him. And he made it twice as well. I was happy for him and he's a good guy but hopefully our defence can keep him on the bench and the only person doing any kicking is me.
"Whenever they call my name I have to go and do the job to the best of my abilities, and that's my focus. That's where my mind will stay.
"I've always tried to approach it that every kick is the same. Even now, extra points are 33-yard field goals, not 20-yarders. Going into a kick there are things I try to remind myself to take myself out of the moment. I try to tell myself a 45-yard field goal in the NFC Championship game is the same as one I kicked when I was 12 years old."
Bryant has been with the Falcons since 2009 and hopes to improve on a record of being on the winning side in the play-offs on only two occasions.
The Falcons lost their last NFC Championship Game back in 2012-13 when edged out by the San Francisco 49ers, but this will be head coach Dan Quinn's first chance at making the Super Bowl.
And Bryant added: "This is a fun team and there are a lot of good guys on this team. We're just excited to get the chance to play one more game and we'll try to take care of it.
"From the 2012 season there might only be five of us here anymore so you are talking about 48 different guys. I think the best thing coach Quinn has got across to those guys is to live in the moment right now and don't worry about anything else.
"I've had 15 years in the league and I think this is the fifth time I have been to the playoffs. I've only been part of a team that has won two games. But this is the 2016 team, the brotherhood team, and it's special. Our goal is to play two more games."
