Proof long snappers are the coolest dudes in the locker room

Evan McPherson could have won the game twice for Cincinnati against their divisional rivals. But they were missing a key man

DUDES: Place kicker Evan McPherson #2 of the Cincinnati Bengals reacts after missing a field goal in overtime against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Paul Brown Stadium on September 11, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

The latest instalment of the Steelers-Bengals rivalry was an anxiety-ridden thriller, even for those with no rooting interest in either team. A display of football mastery for the ages, it was not. But the 23-20 overtime win by Pittsburgh had more twists and turns than an entire season of Stranger Things.

As such there were several key takeaways, starting with TJ Watt and a ferocious defence bullying a supposedly improved Bengals offensive line. Joe Burrow was sacked a whopping seven times: Watt alone collected a sack, interception and three tackles for a loss (the reigning defensive player of the year would later leave the field with a feared torn pectoral).