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Joe Buck Assures 'MNF' Audience He Did Not Jinx Bengals Kicker Evan McPherson

Usually reliable Bengals kicker missed wide left.

Kyle Koster

McPherson was on a hot streak, but Joe Buck did not mention that.
McPherson was on a hot streak, but Joe Buck did not mention that. / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Jayden Daniels stole the show in the Monday Night Football nightcap, announcing his arrival with precision and poise in a 38-33 Washington Commanders' victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. The same rookie quarterback that could not find the end zone in seven red-zone trips last week threw for two scores and ran another in against a Bengals side that is now 0-3 and in serious jeopardy of missing the playoffs.

Everything from Joe Burrow to the defense to the usually reliable Evan McPherson felt a bit off. But none of it was Joe Buck's fault. He made it quite clear that he did not conjure up a jinx on the Bengals kicker before McPherson hooked a 48-yard attempt wide left on the second quarter's first play.

“[McPherson] had made the last 29 attempts from less than 50 yards, including the playoffs,” Buck said after the errant attempt. “I didn’t say that before the kick, so no one can blame me.”

Smart move by a true pro getting ahead of the social media blame game. There may not actually be such a thing as an announcer jinx because, come on, we're all adults here but people do love to find a convenient scapegoat when their team is underperforming.

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Kyle Koster
KYLE KOSTER

Kyle Koster is an assistant managing editor at Sports Illustrated covering the intersection of sports and media. He was formerly the editor in chief of The Big Lead, where he worked from 2011 to '24. Koster also did turns at the Chicago Sun-Times, where he created the Sports Pros(e) blog, and at Woven Digital.

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