When the Cincinnati Bengals got the football for their final offensive series against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, they were 90 yards from a touchdown and 2:43 seconds from going home for the offseason regardless of the possession's result. With a 27-24 lead, the Ravens needed one more defensive stop against nine-loss Cincinnati to go to the playoffs.
Baltimore was headed to the postseason after Sunday's regular-season finale if the Buffalo Bills lost to the Miami Dolphins or the Tennessee Titans lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars or the Ravens beat the Bengals. Even a tie would have gotten Baltimore into the playoffs.