Analysis: The Bengals benefit from Zac Taylor’s bold gamble.

It wasn’t until four years after Molly Hatchet’s 1979 release of “Flirtin’ With Disaster” that Zac Taylor was born.

In the closing seconds of the Cincinnati Bengals’ historic 34-31 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, the song by the southern rock group came to mind.

With less than a minute remaining, Taylor, the Bengals’ coach since 2019, made the decision to go for a touchdown on a fourth-and-inches from inside the 1 rather than asking rookie Evan McPherson to attempt a chip shot field goal, which would have given the Chiefs the ball back and a chance to win.

Joe Burrow, quarterback for the Bengals, said, “I knew we’d go for it.” Patrick Mahomes is the player on the opposing team. He could win the game by going down.

The next play, Burrow was the one who was eliminated.

Burrow was knocked to the ground by blitzing safety Tyrann Mathieu, and after throwing for almost 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns in the previous two weeks, he completed an incomplete pass.

While most eyes were focused on the end zone yellow that would have given the Bengals a first down and an opportunity to keep Mahomes on the sidelines until the postgame handshakes, cornerback L’Jarius Sneed was whistled for hands to the face of receiver Tyler Boyd. Meanwhile, Burrow was grabbing his right knee and hopping off the field.

Burrow may have suffered harm. Jim Nantz said to viewers and his broadcasting partner Tony Romo, “He hobbled to the sideline.”