“That (goal-line) stand was impressive. That was a testament to the boys just striving. nobody gives up. That’s what sucks about games like this,” said Ossai in the middle of two second-half-heart-on-the-sleeve goal-line stands. “You get guys who play their hearts out and ball out and offensive guys who go down, and the next guy steps up and makes plays, and you don’t come out with a win. The only reward is a win and it sucks.”
Ossai was talking about guys like Tinsley, the wide receiver who came in with three catches. A touchdown from Jake Browning in the second week of the season and a 27-yard catch from Flacco three weeks ago.
On Sunday, he didn’t get his two catches until 4:40 left and Tee Higgins concussed in the locker room. One was a 17-yard touchdown that cut the lead to 23-20. The other was a how-the-hell-did-he-throw-it-how-the-hell-did-he-catch-it-12-yarder on a fourth-and-eight with 47 seconds left, shoving the Bengals into New England territory.
As Flacco was about to get blown up on a zero blitz, he somehow jacked it up and over cornerback Marcus Jones on the sideline, and somehow Tinsley kept his focus in the air as he tumbled out of bounds with it.
“Luck was on our side,” Tinsley said. “The ball was a little high. l thought the nickel might get his hands on it, but it kind of went through his hands. So I kind of had to adjust.”
It happened right in front of Taylor.
“(Flacco) layered it right over the top,” Taylor said. “Mitch did a great job securing it out of bounds. They didn’t touch him, so they ended up putting time back on the clock. It’s a big moment for us.”
Maybe not as big as Tinsley’s touchdown catch, two plays after Flacco had his finger snapped into place. Higgins had just been driven off, and the Bengals’ next receiver, Andrei Iosivas, was in the medical tent getting a stinger checked. On first-and-10 from the Pats 17, Flacco looked to his left and saw the Pats’ very good first-round cornerback, Christian Gonzalez, pressing the undrafted Tinsley.
“Mitch always seems to win those situations,” said Flacco, shaking his head later in the locker room. “You take that.”
Flacco changed the route. He had all the faith in the world that his No. 4 receiver could beat their No. 1 cornerback on a go route. Tinsley jack-hammered his feet into reality and sailed down the left sideline.
“It was a conversion. He’s a great player,” Tinsley said. “I put a lot of work in. I believe in my ability. To me, it was about getting a good release, stacking him, and then catching the ball.”