The Bengals boasted about taking the only kicker in the draft after he sent to them to the AFC Championship

• The Bengals hit a game-winning field goal to go to the AFC Championship.
• Afterward, the Bengals boasted about drafting Evan McPherson, the only kicker taken in the 2021 draft.

The Cincinnati Bengals showed the value of a good kicker on Saturday.

The Bengals beat the Tennessee Titans, 19-16, to advance to the AFC Championship on the back of kicker Evan McPherson.

McPherson hit the game-winning, 52-yard field goal as time expired, nailing the kick after the Bengals came up with an interception with 20 seconds to play.

—Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) January 23, 2022

An angle from the stands showed just how impressive a 52-yard field goal is:

—John Breech (@johnbreech) January 23, 2022

McPherson scored 13 of the Bengals' 19 points, going a perfect 4-of-4 on field goals and hitting an extra point after a touchdown from Joe Mixon in the third quarter.

According to ESPN's Ben Baby, McPherson felt good as he prepared for the last kick.

—Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) January 23, 2022

After the game, the Bengals took to Twitter to boast about McPherson, who was drafted in the fifth round and was the only kicker taken in the 2021 draft.

—Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) January 23, 2022

It was also a call-back to Week 1 when McPherson kicked a game-winning overtime field goal.

—Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) September 12, 2021

The Bengals weren't mocked by most experts for taking McPherson, though it also wasn't the sexiest pick — neither ESPN nor The Athletic's draft experts had McPherson in their top 300 prospects.

The pick paid off for the Bengals anyway.