Evan McPherson has shown that he is unaffected by pressure. The Cincinnati Bengals rookie kicker has three game-winning kicks on Saturday's divisional round playoff game against the Tennessee Titans.
After defeating the Tennessee Titans 19-16 on Saturday, the Cincinnati Bengals have qualified to their first AFC championship game since 1988. After kicking a 52-yard field goal as time expired, Bengals rookie kicker Evan McPherson sealed the victory for his side. It's also the Bengals' first ever postseason triumph on the road.
During his post-game press conference, McPherson, an ardent Christian, wore a black shirt with the statement "God is good" printed across the top. He told Sports Spectrum that being able to provide a game-winning field goal was a "kicker's dream."
While the Bengals' defense was outstanding, the offensive was headed by McPherson, who scored 13 of the team's 19 points. McPherson kicked field goals of 38, 45, and 54 yards in addition to the game-winning field goal.
The Christian Headlines reports that the Bengals got into field goal range near the end of the fourth quarter after linebacker Logan Wilson intercepted a ball from Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill, setting up a long pass play from Joe Burrow to Ja'Marr Chase and setting up McPherson for the kick goal.
For his efforts, he was awarded the game-winning ball. McPherson already had three game-winning kicks from games against the Minnesota Vikings in the season opener and the Jacksonville Jaguars on a Thursday night game before Saturday's divisional-round playoff game against the Titans.
In Week 17, he also kicked one to beat the Kansas City Chiefs and help the Bengals win the AFC North division title, which was regarded as the biggest kick in his career thus far.
McPherson, who was raised in a Christian home in Fort Payne, Alabama, has frequently expressed his beliefs on social media. He regularly uses Scripture in the captions of his Instagram photos. He posted, "God is good" with Psalm 34:8 in the caption after Saturday's triumph. "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him," says Psalm 34:8.
After being named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for December, McPherson wrote, "Glory to God." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 was the Scripture he used to caption his post. In weeks 1 and 11, he was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
After getting picked in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL draft by the Bengals, McPherson thanked God in January. The Cincinnati Bengals are slated to play the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday to determine which club will go to the Super Bowl against either the Los Angeles Rams or the San Francisco 49ers, according to CBS Sports.
The Bengals' defense will have its toughest test on Sunday against a Chiefs attack that includes Mahomes, Kelce, Tyreek Hill, Mecole Hardman, Byron Pringle, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire at running back. During the regular season, both teams were at the bottom of the NFL in passing yards allowed, so a shootout is a definite possibility.
