CINCINNATI — Despite committing five turnovers, the Cincinnati Bengals still had multiple chances to win Sunday's season-opening game. The Steelers would eventually win the game 23-20, on a field goal in overtime.
In the final seconds of regulation, the Bengals scored a game-tying touchdown, which put them an extra point away from winning the game.
That's when ever-reliable kicker, Evan McPherson, got his kick blocked by the Steelers defense.
The blocked PAT forced overtime, where the Bengals would have another chance to win, on a 29-yard field goal attempt.
This time, McPherson hooked the kick wide-left.
"It's definitely frustrating," said McPherson. "I want to be there for my team and help us win, but I wasn't able to do it."
The Bengals' starting long snapper, Clark Harris was injured earlier in Sunday's game, so the snapper for both late field goal attempts was the Bengals' emergency snapper, Mitchell Wilcox.
Wilcox is primarily a tight end.
"In the NFL, your number can always be called at any position," said Wilcox after the game.
Wilcox had two significant snaps. One was on the late-in-regulation extra point. The other was on the Bengals' final punt of the game.
His other snap was on the 29-yard field goal attempt in overtime. Holder, Kevin Huber caught the snap above his head, and got it down in-time for McPherson's kick, but the timing was certainly thrown-off a bit.
"Unfortunately that wasn't my best snap," said Wilcox after the game.
Additionally, the "laces" on the football ended up being faced toward McPherson on the kick.
In the video on this page: WCPO Sports Anchor Caleb Noe (a former college kicker) explains how a high snap can slow-down and throw-off a kicking operation.
