Bengals rookie K Evan McPherson had a great, confident prediction before winning kick
Whatever has gotten into the Cincinnati Bengals, their confidence has trickled down to the kicker too.
The Bengals, who before this postseason hadn't won a playoff game in three decades, beat the Tennessee Titans on a field goal as time expired in a 19-16 AFC divisional-round win. The man who booted the game-winning kick was a rookie, Evan McPherson.
And before the biggest kick of the rookie's life, he was making guarantees.
As told by Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow to the media after the game, McPherson took a couple of practice swings before Cincinnati lined up for the game-winning attempt. According to Burrow, McPherson looked at backup quarterback and holder Brandon Allen and said, "Ahh, looks like we're going to the AFC championship."
Joe Burrow with an EPIC answer on Evan McPherson “looks like we’re going to AFC Championship.” #RuleTheJungle pic.twitter.com/FsB5JRtLRw
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) January 23, 2022
That's calling your shot.
The @Bengals are going to the AFC Championship game!
The rookie kicker Evan McPherson, with ice in his veins, WINS IT! #RuleTheJungle
(Via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/1awYaT0ok9— Super Bowl LVI on NBC (@SNFonNBC) January 23, 2022
The 52-yarder was no gimme. But McPherson had a great night, hitting all four of his field-goal attempts. He's a huge reason the Bengals are moving on after beating the AFC's No. 1 seed.
McPherson was a fifth-round draft pick out of Florida, and he missed just five of 33 field-goal attempts in the regular season. He was a great pickup for the Bengals.
If McPherson has to kick one to win the AFC championship game next week (it'll be against the winner of Sunday's Chiefs-Bills divisional round game), it doesn't seem he'll be too nervous about it.
