It was supposed to be a standard out route, a play with an expected result of about 1 yard after the catch.

Ravens wide receiver Tylan Wallace, who is better known for his special teams contributions, was focused on catching the ball. He typically plays less than 20 percent of the team’s offensive snaps as a player lower on the receiving depth chart. At best, he won 35 percent of the offensive snaps. So when he got his chance Thursday night against the Bengals, he had to take it.

And he turned it into the game-clinching play in the Ravens’ 35-34 victory.

Wallace caught the ball successfully, but his chances of doing much more with the play beyond the 6-yard reception were slim. Two Cincinnati Bengals were in position to stop him.

First, cornerback DJ Turner II came flying at him — and missed the tackle. As he spun, Wallace didn’t mind that linebacker Logan Wilson was also approaching from the right. Instead, he looked ahead.

“I said, ‘OK, I’ve got some space here,'” Wallace said. “So keep running – I’m running as fast as I can.”

And he did, taking the left edge, barely keeping his balance to stay in bounds. Wilson caught up, but Wallace pushed him away with a stiff arm. Then former teammate Geno Stone flew in. Wallace stiffened him as well, once again barely staying in bounds.

From there, the last 30 meters were free.

Wallace had been here before, in this exact spot. Last season, he was ready to kick a field goal after the Ravens took the Los Angeles Rams to overtime and pulled off a shutout. After catching the ball, he returned it 76 yards for a game-winning touchdown. The sprint took place in the same place: along the left sideline from the “Ravens” end zone on the port side to the “Baltimore” end zone.

“It was crazy,” Wallace said. “It was like a pretty similar moment, actually, breaking a tackle, then going down and staying up, staying balanced, keeping my balance. … Once I had the free space, I thought, “Oh, wow, this is crazy.”

Quarterback Lamar Jackson added that both games occurred while the Ravens were wearing purple.

“It’s his little magic uniform,” Jackson said. “He comes when the lights are on (in) prime time. Thanks to Tylan for being awesome.”

That punt return against the Rams earned Wallace a starting spot on special teams last season. And the Ravens rewarded him for his efforts again after the 84-yard touchdown against the Bengals.

Before the touchdown, Wallace threw just a few punts and made an 11-yard catch on a third-and-19 play on which the Ravens were flagged. He had just two targets all season for a total of 31 yards.

But on the first play after the touchdown, Jackson hit Wallace for a 20-yard completion to bring his total to three catches for 115 yards. Wallace set career highs in catches and yards in a single game.

Left tackle Ronnie Stanley and tight end Mark Andrews blocked as Wallace made the improbable play.

Stanley didn’t see most of it because he went to the ground after what he felt was a very good block. But he looked up in time to admire how Wallace stayed in bounds.

Andrews was one of the closest offensive players to Wallace on the field and was impressed but not surprised.

“Just a dog, man, being a dog and making plays at sea,” Andrews said. “And Tylan doesn’t get a lot of love, but he should. It makes big plays and comes in the clutch. And that was just an amazing play.”

Running back Derrick Henry praised Wallace for his ability to keep his balance and stay in bounds. Wallace joked that he learned the stiff arm from Henry’s study.

He is a perfect example of what the Ravens offense can be at its best. Coach John Harbaugh, offensive coordinator Todd Monken and various offensive players have said all season that their identity is their versatility and multitude of weapons. Harbaugh pointed out that different games will have different players — Rashod Bateman might look like a wide receiver one game, and Zay Flowers might look like this the next.

“This offense, I think, is the most complete offense I’ve been in in my time in the league, being able to attack people from all different angles and also compete at a high level at every position,” Stanley said.

Thursday night, it was Wallace’s turn. And his teammates were more than happy to concede his targets.

“I felt good,” Bateman said. “Not even myself — a lot of these guys put in countless hours just to feel it, and you never know when you’re going to feel it again. To see Tylan go out there and have a career game – I love that kind of thing. He kicks his ass – he really does, so it feels good to see.”