Kicks in the NFL can sometimes come down to a matter of inches. A few inches one way and the kick goes through. A few inches in the other direction and it’s a miss. However, a key extra-point attempt from Cincinnati Bengals kicker Evan McPherson in Sunday night’s game against the Baltimore Ravens, the kick attempt did not clearly go through or miss the upright.
The extra-point attempt occurred late in the contest.
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow scored on a one-yard touchdown run with just 1:58 remaining in the fourth quarter to tie the game. The ensuing PAT from McPherson, which surprisingly went directly over the right goalpost.
And the kick is good! The @Bengals take a one-point lead 😱 #WHODEY
📺: #CINvsBAL on NBC
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/Izvnl1kmB4 pic.twitter.com/n3mHC3cawK— NFL (@NFL) October 10, 2022
For those who don’t know the exact rule in this scenario, “the entire ball must pass through the vertical plane of the goal” for a kick to be successful.
The referees deemed that this kick did exactly that, giving the Bengals a one-point lead over the Ravens.
This is certainly rare when it comes to kicks in the NFL, leaving many in the NFL community confused about the ruling.
This is just stupid.
Extra point went over the top of the post.
2 minutes remain. pic.twitter.com/JunVknQIXF— Brad Slager – Scrubbing Down In a Bloodbath (@MartiniShark) October 10, 2022
That extra point was Oh So close- to not being good. Now #Ravens will need game winning drive, in this entertaining prime time affair.
— Jerry Coleman (@sportswcoleman) October 10, 2022
After that extra point was called good. pic.twitter.com/AI86HX8YCX
— Ryan Mink (@ryanmink) October 10, 2022
Omg that extra point 😬
— Daniel Gotera (@DTGotera) October 10, 2022
Holy moly. That extra point was directly over the upright and they called it good.
— Ryan Mink (@ryanmink) October 10, 2022
Ultimately this kick ended up being insignificant in the result of the game, as the Ravens went on to quickly drive down the field to set up a game-winning kick by Justin Tucker to win the game. There was no doubt about Tucker’s kick.
RIGHT. DOWN. THE. MIDDLE. @jtuck9#CINvsBAL pic.twitter.com/fF5k53FI6P
— NFL (@NFL) October 10, 2022
That said, if Baltimore had been stopped by the Cincinnati defense, it certainly would have been a controversial finish to some based on this strange extra-point made by McPherson.
Cincinnati will look to rebound next week in a matchup against the New Orleans Saints, while the Ravens will look to keep their winning ways going against the New York Giants.
[NFL on Twitter, Photo Credit: NBC]
