Bengals clock management, explained: How quick TD almost sank Cincinnati’s playoff chances in win vs. Denver

The Bengals and Broncos put together one of the most entertaining contests of the NFL’s Week 17 slate Saturday, going back and forth underneath the brisk Cincinnati sky.

The match was filled with thrills, spills and plenty of touchdowns. In the end, the Bengals emerged as victors, vanquishing Denver, 30-24, courtesy of an overtime Tee Higgins score.

At 8-8 after the victory, Cincinnati is still clinging to hopes of a postseason. Things looked a bit hairy for Zac Taylor’s squad, though, particularly after Denver found the end zone in the regulation’s final moments.

Here’s what you need to know about the Bengals’ final touchdown in regulation — and how their clock mismanagement nearly cost them the game and a shot at the postseason.

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Bengals clock management, explained

The Bengals nearly surrendered their chance at punching a ticket to the postseason late in Saturday night’s game.

With the game knotted at 17-17 and the clock dwindling down, Cincinnati got the ball back courtesy of a Bo Nix interception.

Chase Brown rumbled towards the goal line, understandably sliding at the cusp of the end zone to milk the clock and ostensibly set up a game-winning Bengals field goal attempt.

However, Brown got injured on the play. The clock was halted. And on the ensuing play, Cincinnati opted to go for broke — and the touchdown — rather than keep with its time-sapping strategy.

The Bengals found pay dirt. But they also left ample time on the clock for Bo Nix & Co. to drive down the field. Seven plays and 81 seconds later, it was the Broncos who were frolicking in the end zone, Nix having found Marvin Mims for a 25-yard backbreaker at the end of regulation.

Cincinnati emerged through the mire in the end, overcoming a Cade York miss in overtime to down Denver. Still, Taylor’s gaffe took the football world by storm — for all the wrong reasons.

Taylor defended his move when speaking with reporters postgame, arguing that his mindset changed following Brown’s injury.

“The injury changed everything,” Taylor said. “We were going to be able to kick the walk-off field goal with about 10 seconds … we were telling Chase to slide at the one because we figured they were going to let us score there, which he did. Unfortunately, got his ankle so they charged us with the timeout, so then that changes everything.

“Now you’re in a second and goal at the one. You can down it and make sure they use their timeout and then try to score a touchdown from there on third down and maybe kick it on fourth, but you saw our red zone against them.”

In the end, Higgins’ overtime touchdown saved the day — bailing out Taylor for his questionable time management as well as kicker Cade York, who missed a would-be game-winning 33-yard field goal in overtime.

Cincinnati can count itself lucky that it limped to a win Saturday night. But Taylor’s indecisiveness certainly won’t inspire confidence among the legions of Bengals fans as the team prepares for a crucial Week 18 matchup with the Steelers.