Bengals 22, Patriots 18: New England scored 18 unanswered points, but couldn’t finish out the rally. See the reaction.
Bengals #Bengals
A furious second half comeback by the Patriots fell just short Saturday, as the Bengals held on to beat New England, 22-18.
The Patriots spotted Cincinnati a 22-0 halftime lead, but scored 18 unanswered points to make it a ball game.
Rhamondre Stevenson fumbled deep in Cincinnati territory with less than a minute to go, which quelled the momentum from a Matt Judon forced fumble to give New England back possession.
The Patriots are 7-8, having lost four of their last five. The Bengals (11-4) won their seventh straight.
In the first half on Saturday, the only thing colder than the temperatures at Gillette Stadium was the Patriots’ offense. New England was scoreless over the first two quarters, had just three first downs, and punted four times.
Meanwhile, Joe Burrow and the Bengals engineered four first-half scoring drives (three touchdowns and a field goal) to take a 22-0 lead. The only good news for the Patriots was that two extra-point tries were off the mark.
New England was able to break through late in the third on a pick-six from Marcus Jones. It was the sixth defensive touchdown of the season for the Patriots, matching a franchise record for defensive touchdowns in a season.
The New England offense found its form early in the fourth when Mac Jones leaned on Kendrick Bourne to help move the sticks. Bourne hauled in a 32-yard catch for the Patriots into the Cincinnati red zone, and added a five-yard touchdown pass to make it 22-12.
New England cut it to 22-18 on a 48-yard touchdown pass from Mac Jones to Jakobi Meyers, a play where the ball was redirected into Meyers’s hands by Cincinnati defender Scotty Washington.
The momentum continued to swing in New England’s favor on Cincinnati’s next possession, as Judon forced a fumble that was scooped up by Marcus Jones. But that’s where it ended.
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Where has Kendrick Bourne been? — 6:10 p.m.
By Nicole Yang
Last week against Las Vegas, Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne was on the field for just 11 offensive snaps. He registered no receptions on one target.
On Saturday against Cincinnati? Bourne recorded the first 100-yard receiving game of his career, leading his team with six catches on nine targets. He also scored a touchdown, his first of the season.
For an offense desperate for any kind of spark, why did it take until Week 16 for the coaching staff to involve Bourne? His playing time has been sporadic since Week 1, when he logged just two offensive snaps from inside the doghouse.
Read the rest of the story here.
What Rhamondre Stevenson had to say about his late fumble — 6:00 p.m.
Rhamondre Stevenson lost a fumble with less than a minute to play that sealed the Patriots’ fate on Saturday. It was the second lost fumble of his career (his first was in his first career game, in Week 1 of 2021 against the Dolphins).
He said he was probably doing too much.
“I got the ball, was trying to make something happen — probably doing more than I was supposed to do,” he said. “Probably should have went down. Ultimately, he took the ball from me, I fumbled.”
But there were some questions after the Patriots’ 22-18 loss to the Bengals, namely: Did Stevenson make forward progress? Did the officials actually get that call wrong?
“It doesn’t really matter what I think,” Stevenson said. “They called a fumble, [the Bengals] recovered the ball … I didn’t know if they blew the whistle or not.”
There was no review of the play after it happened.
Read more here.
Who gets rave reviews after a game like that? Marcus Jones. — 5:35 p.m.
Marcus Jones provided his weekly highlight Saturday when he stepped in front of a Joe Burrow pass in the second half and returned it 69 yards for the score.
The touchdown, the first of the day for the Patriots, was the sixth defensive touchdown of the season for New England, tying a franchise record for most defensive touchdowns in a season.
“We were in a certain coverage and everything, and when I saw him throw the ball, I thought I have to get their first,” Jones said with a laugh when asked about his third touchdown of the season.
Quarterback Mac Jones called the rookie “ridiculous” for his ability to contribute in all three phases.
“Great player, great teammate. Explosive,” Mac Jones said of the rookie. “I love the guy.
“Great person. Great player,” he added. “We have a lot of good dudes like that on the team.”
Marcus Jones, who has now contributed on offense, defense, and special teams, acknowledged after the game he’s spread himself thin, saying that he splits his time between different meetings.
But it’s hard to argue with the results. In addition to his defensive snaps Saturday — which have increased in the wake of the Jack Jones injury — he caught a 15-yard pass from Mac Jones in the fourth quarter against the Bengals.
“It’s definitely grown over time, getting more plays and more snaps,” Marcus Jones said of his role. “Just making sure to keep my head down and keep grinding. You can’t be complacent when it comes to playing in the National Football League.”
Meyers shouts out Washington for wild TD play — 5:15 p.m.
Jakobi Meyers knew that his fourth-quarter touchdown catch wouldn’t have happened without tight end Scotty Washington.
On a deep ball from Mac Jones for the end zone, Washington ended up tipping it to Meyers, who gathered it in for a key score.
“Shout-out to Scotty for the assist,” Meyers said after the game. “I was just here — right time, right place.”
Meyers, who was at the center of last week’s play that ended up deciding the game against the Raiders, finished with six catches on seven targets for 83 yards and a touchdown.
Meyers supported quarterback Mac Jones, who heard plenty of boos in the first half as the Bengals built a 22-0 lead.
“That [isn’t] the first time that’s happened this year. He’s kind of dealt with it all year,” Meyers said of Jones, alluding to the chants for backup Bailey Zappe. “He just goes out there and keeps battling.”
“Shout out to Mac. He’s a tough guy, mentally and physically.”
Instant analysis: No moral victories for these Patriots. They squandered plenty of opportunities. — 5:05 p.m.
By Ben Volin
It was a nice comeback in the second half. The Patriots showed good fight. The offense finally clicked. The defense made big plays after halftime.
But there are no moral victories in Week 16. You don’t get credit for playing hard in the second half when you play like rubbish in the first half. You don’t get credit for a “good” loss when you miss two extra points, and have a chance to win at the end, but choke.
Read the rest here.
Where the Patriots’ playoff chances stand — 4:50 p.m.
The Patriots are still at No. 8 — on the outside looking in, but not by much (and with two division games left to play).
But their hopes are certainly fading fast.
Here’s a look:
‘You can’t win until you keep from losing’ — 4:40 p.m.
To quote Bill Belichick: “You can’t win until you keep from losing.”
For the third time this season, the Patriots lost a game late.
New England came up short in overtime against the Packers, and lost games against the Raiders and Bengals, contests that were ultimately decided with less than a minute to go in the fourth quarter.
David Andrews acknowledged New England’s inability to close teams out after Sunday’s 22-18 loss to the Bengals.
“I’m proud of the way everyone competed. The defense played their tails off,” Andrews said. “We just have to do a better job closing out the game.
“We’re going to take a few days here, go home and see our family, and then come back to work on Monday.”
New England spotted Cincinnati a 22-0 halftime lead, but a furious second-half comeback saw the Patriots close to within four. But a late fumble from Rhamondre Stevenson ended matters.
“We fought hard to the end,” Andrews said. “(We) just couldn’t come up good enough (in) the end.
“We just couldn’t finish it today.”
One cool thing? It’s scorigami! — 4:30 p.m.
The 22-18 result was the first time an NFL game ended in that score.
According to the Twitter account that tracks those types of things, it was the 1,075th unique final score in league history.
Mac Jones can’t bring it home — 4:20 p.m.
The Patriots got one more shot. Jones found Bourne for 15 yards and another first down.
But the Patriots wasted their next set of downs (while Jones got called for a delay of game).
On 4th and 15, Jones tried for a Hail Mary to Tyquan Thornton that was no good.
Game over.
Oof. Stevenson loses the ball. — 4:12 p.m.
Oh man. A Rhamondre Stevenson fumble with 55 seconds left gives the ball back to the Bengals. This might do it.
Mac Jones was called for unnecessary roughness on the play.
Watch the play here:
Patriots on 1st-and-goal — 4:10 p.m.
There’s 1:45 to play. Can the Patriots complete the rally?
Judon strips ball from Ja’Marr Chase — 4:00 p.m.
What a huge momentum swing.
Matthew Judon stripped the ball, forcing the fumble (Marcus Jones had the recovery) and giving the ball back to the Patriots with 3:12 to go in regulation. They have the ball on the Bengals’ 43-yard line.
But Marcus Jones is hurt.
Watch the Washington-Meyers TD here — 3:58 p.m.
Holy cow! — 3:52 p.m.
Bengals 22, Patriots 18 | 6:02, fourth quarter
The drive: 7 plays, 67 yards, 3:04
What a wild turn of events.
Jakobi Meyers just caught a 48-yard touchdown pass from Mac Jones on a tipped ball that was, essentially, redirected to his hands by Scotty Washington. The extra point is no good. The Patriots have scored 18 straight points. There’s 6:02 left. Remarkably enough, even with the missed extra point, this feels like momentum is starting to turn in New England’s favor.
Are we still sure Mac Jones couldn’t have delivered a Hail Mary last week against the Raiders?
One side note: When the story of the 2022 Patriots is written, a stubborn refusal to play Kendrick Bourne on a regular basis has to be explained. The receiver, who had multiple receptions for the Patriots on that last drive — including an excellent tip-toe job along the sideline that went for 28 yards — has provided an offensive spark for New England.
Review says Bourne’s catch is good — 3:46 p.m.
The 28-yard pass from Jones to Bourne was initially ruled incomplete, as it appeared Bourne did not get both feet down. The play was reversed after a challenge, and the Patriots have the ball at the Cincinnati 29.
Bengals miss a field goal 👀 — 3:40 p.m.
The 43-yard field goal try from the Bengals was no good, and the Patriots will take over at their own 25-yard line with 9:06 to go. It’s still 22-12, Cincinnati.
It’s worth mentioning that as one-sided this game appeared to be in the first half, the Patriots’ defense has held the Bengals out of the end zone in the second half.
Judon banged up — 3:37 p.m.
Matt Judon had to be attended to by trainers on the field. He walked off on his own volition.
It’s 22-12, Bengals, with 9 minutes to play.
Kendrick Bourne scores — 3:30 p.m.
Bengals 22, Patriots 12 | 12:58, fourth quarter
The drive: 11 plays, 77 yards, 4:53
So that’s what you get when you lean on Kendrick Bourne.
Mac Jones delivered a 32-yard strike to Bourne to get the Patriots into the Cincinnati red zone, and followed that up a few plays later with a touchdown pass — his first of the day — to Bourne. It’s 22-12 (the two-point try was off the mark) with 12:58 to go in regulation.
Bourne has a team-leading 29 yards rushing (granted, on one carry) and three catches on six targets for 56 yards and a touchdown.
It is also Bourne’s first TD of the season.
Watch the play here:
Jonnu Smith getting evaluated — 3:28 p.m.
End of third quarter: Bengals 22, Patriots 6 — 3:22 p.m.
Stat check:
Mac Jones: 12-17, 89 yards
Kendrick Bourne: 1 carry, 29 yards
Jakobi Meyers: 5 catches, 6 targets, 35 yards
Right at the end of the quarter, the Patriots finally converted on third down (they’re now 1 for 7).
First three-and-out for the Bengals — 3:17 p.m.
The first three-and-out of the day for the Bengals leads to their second punt of the afternoon.
The Patriots take possession at the Cincinnati 23-yard line with 2:51 left in the third quarter. It’s 22-6, Bengals.
Marcus Jones to the rescue once again — 3:09 p.m.
Bengals 22, Patriots 6 | 3:51, third quarter
You’re looking for a bright spot this season? Marcus Jones is here for you.
The rookie out of Houston just delivered a 69-yard pick-six for the Patriots, making it 22-6 with 3:51 to go in the third quarter.
It’s the sixth defensive touchdown of the year for New England, tying a franchise record. (The 2003 and 2007 teams had six defensive touchdowns.)
Watch here:
The Patriots rarely get shut out — 3:07 p.m.
Via Ben Volin: The Patriots are trailing 22-0, have been shut out just three times in the Belichick era:
2016: 16-0 to Bills
2006: 21-0 to Dolphins
2003: 31-0 to Bills
New England finally forces Bengals to punt — 2:57 p.m.
First punt of the day for the Bengals leaves the Patriots at their own 12-yard line with 9:06 to go in the third.
New England has forced a punt … but it feels like we’ve hit a tipping point with the Patriots’ defense. Time and again, they’ve held up their end when trying to play complementary football. But the defense has been on the field too much this afternoon against an elite level offense, and it’s really starting to show.
Patriots punt it away … again — 2:50 p.m.
The Patriots have to punt it away — the Bengals will take possession at the Cincinnati 19-yard line with 13:10 left in the third quarter.
Like seeing New England take some deep shots on that last drive. While this isn’t going to be the only reason why the Patriots lose today, but Tyquan Thornton has to catch that deep shot on third down. (Are we sure Mac wouldn’t be capable of tossing a Hail Mary?)
Hunter Henry ruled out — 2:48 p.m.
The tight end has been ruled out with a knee injury.
Mac Jones starting in second half — 2:47 p.m.
This is the Patriots’ largest halftime deficit under Bill Belichick since 2013, when they were down 24 to the Broncos.
Six thoughts on a rough first half — 2:40 p.m.
Not sure what to say here that might be considered encouraging, you guys. The Bruins and Celtics are ending the year on strong notes, maybe? Other than that, not sure what else to tell you.
New England team needed to win today to keep its playoff hopes alive. Instead, the Patriots are getting blown out by the Bengals in all three phases.
Burrow hit on 13 of his first 15 throws, throwing touchdowns to Higgins and Irwin. Cincinnati has 22 first downs. The Patriots have 3. The Cincinnati offense had a 21:26-8:34 edge when it comes to time of possession. Also, the Bengals didn’t punt. (New England punted four times.)
It’s going to be interesting to see if Bill Belichick pulls Mac Jones in favor of Bailey Zappe to start the second half. That might be the only card he can play in hopes of providing some sort of offensive spark.
At points, the New England defense was overwhelmed. The Bengals did a good job exploiting the size mismatches they had against the New England secondary. Cincinnati caught a number of 50-50 balls over the undersized Patriots’ defensive backs.
The Bengals put up a touchdown with less than a minute to go in the first half. The Patriots have allowed points in the last two minutes of the first half in six games this year. They’ve lost five of those games. (It’s not the only reason for each defeat, but it’s not coincidental.) It won’t today a role in today’s (eventual) loss, but speaks to New England’s inability to close out the half.
Devin McCourty picked off Burrow late in the second quarter, but the Patriots couldn’t do anything with it. Matthew Judon got a sack — he now has 15.5 sacks on the season. Josh Uche got one as well. One positive thing that’s come out of this season? The emergence of Uche as a legit pass-rush presence. Uche now has 11.5 in his last eight games.
Of course, the way this day is going, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Uche was flagged for hands to the face one play later. “You can’t win until you keep from losing,” is a common Belichick refrain, and that keeps coming up time and again with this year’s team.
Stevenson was the best thing about the New England offense, with four carries for 10 yards. The 29-yard end run by Kendrick Bourne later in the second quarter was the biggest gain of the half for the Patriots. Other than that, nothing has worked for the Patriots. (I did like seeing Jonnu Smith fight for extra yards to get near a first down.)
Special teams wasn’t better. Jahlani Tavai picked up a penalty on a punt, and Michael Palardy mishandled an opportunity that led to a woeful looking 22-yarder. Nick Folk didn’t get an opportunity on extra points or field goals.
Not sure it will matter, but the Patriots will get the ball to start the second half.
Halftime stat check: Bengals 22, Patriots 0 — 2:32 p.m.
Mac Jones: 5-8, 34 yards
Jakobi Meyers: 2 catches, 3 targets, 15 yards
Rhamondre Stevenson: 4 carries, 10 yards
Joe Burrow: 28-36, 284 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
Joe Mixon: 5 carries, 18 yards
Tee Higgins: 6 catches, 7 targets, 90 yards, 1 TD
Trent Irwin: 2 TDs
Three numbers that might drive Pats fans crazy — 2:30 p.m.
Joe Burrow has the most completions in a half by a QB this season with 28.
The Bengals have 22 first downs in the first half.
The Bengals have run 48 plays in the first half.
Bengals score again right before the half — 2:27 p.m.
Bengals 22, Patriots 0 | :14, second quarter
The drive: 12 plays, 80 yards, 2:02
The second touchdown connection of the game from Burrow to Irwin makes it 22-0 with 14 seconds left in the first half.
Joe Burrow has the most completions in a half by a QB this season with 28.
Devin McCourty picks off Burrow — 2:07 p.m.
Devin McCourty helped provide a defensive highlight with the first pick of the game, coming away with an interception of Burrow. The Patriots will get the ball with 4:19 left in the half.
The veteran McCourty now has 3 INTs on the season, and 34 in his career — tying him for the most among active players with Harrison Smith of the Vikings and putting him third in franchise history behind Ty Law and Ray Clayborn.
La’el Collins ruled out — 1:57 p.m.
Bengals OT La’el Collins has been ruled out after being carted off with a left knee injury.
Hunter Henry, meanwhile, still hasn’t returned to the sideline
‘We want Zap-pe!’ chants ring out at Gillette — 1:55 p.m.
The Patriots came up short on that last drive, and after another punt from Palardy, the Bengals will start at their own 24-yard line with a 15-0 lead and 11:50 remaining in the first half.
McPherson finally makes one — 1:48 p.m.
Bengals 15, Patriots 0 | 14:51, second quarter
The drive: 10 plays, 41 yards, 3:58
Holding the Bengals to a field goal feels like a win, doesn’t it? Cincinnati takes a 15-0 lead with 14:51 left in the first half on a 28-yard field goal, a score that wraps up a 10-play, 41-yard drive.
Ragged, undisciplined football continues to plague the Patriots. Meanwhile, the Bengals continue to take advantage. Example: on that last series, the Patriots gave up a 17-yard catch to Trenton Irwin … and Matthew Judon was flagged for a roughing call. That added another 14 yards.
Of course, Cincinnati didn’t necessarily need New England gifts to put another score on the board. Late in that drive, the Patriots had the Bengals in a third-and-17 at the New England 20 … but Burrow found Chase for an 18-yard strike. A few plays later — after a nice goal-line stop by the Patriots pass defense — Cincinnati ended up settling for three.
McPherson had missed his two extra-point attempts, but made this one.
End of first quarter: Bengals 12, Patriots 0 — 1:45 p.m.
First quarter is done. Patriots trail, 12-0.
Mac Jones: 0-1, 0 yards
Rhamondre Stevenson: 4 carries, 10 yards
Bengals: 189 yards total offense
Mixon TD nullified for holding by Devin Asiasi — 1:43 p.m.
Mixon found the end zone with :30 left in the first quarter, but it was called back and the Bengals were handed a 10-yard penalty because former Patriot Devin Asiasi was called for holding.
Sheesh. — 1:30 p.m.
Wonder if Bill Belichick could call Nick Saban and get Bill O’Brien released from his Alabama contract this week?
Another three-and-out for the Patriots, who had to punt it away again. Palardy mishandled a clean snap, which led to a miserable 22-yard punt. The Bengals will take over at their own 49 … after a special teams penalty on Jahlani Tavai. Cincinnati has a 12-0 lead with 3:49 to go in the first quarter.
Everything that could go wrong has gone wrong for the Patriots so far this afternoon.
Hunter Henry questionable to return — 1:30 p.m.
Tight end Hunter Henry is questionable to return with a knee injury, per our reporters at Foxborough.
The broadcast team said Henry ran into Jonnu Smith and headed to the locker room.
It’s getting ugly: Bengals score again — 1:23 p.m.
Bengals 12, Patriots 0 | 5:16, first quarter
The drive: 9 plays, 59 yards, 5:19
The Bengals are just doing whatever they want right now.
On that last drive, Cincinnati just broke off chunk yardage on play after play, eventually setting the stage for a 23-yard touchdown pass to Irwin that made it 12-0 with 5:16 to go in the first quarter.
New England’s Daniel Ekuale was flagged for unnecessary roughness on the missed extra point, and the Bengals were unsuccessful going for two when they got another try.
Burrow has connected on his first nine throws, Mixon is averaging almost five yards per carry, and Cincinnati already has seven first downs. This could be a very long afternoon for the Patriots.
Schooler questionable to return (shoulder) — 1:15 p.m.
Patriots finish first series with a punt — 1:13 p.m.
The Patriots went no huddle for the first series — an attempt to try and jump start things — but New England was unable to pick up the first down. I can acknowledge Matt Patricia trying to do something to try and spark the offense, but that ended with a three-and-out. After the punt, the Bengals will take over at their own 41-yard line with a 6-0 lead and 10:35 left in the first quarter.
That was quick: Bengals score — 1:07 p.m.
Bengals 6, Patriots 0 | 12:24, first quarter
The drive: 5 plays, 78 yards, 2:36
So it looks like the Bengals’ offense came to play this afternoon.
Cincinnati just put together a five-play. 78-yard drive that took just 2:36 and was capped by a nine-yard touchdown pass from Burrow to Tee Higgins.
A 39-yard pass play from Burrow to Higgins got the Bengals into New England territory. A few plays later, Burrow found Mixon for 17 yards that got Cincinnati into the New England red zone. The Bengals finished off the drive a few plays later with the pass to Higgins.
The only good news for the Patriots? Cincinnati missed the extra point. It’s 6-0 with 12:24 to go in the first quarter.
Here we go — 1:00 p.m.
And we’re off.
Official Price prediction — 12:55 p.m.
This one will be a fun one — for about two-plus quarters. New England will hang around into the third, and might even grab a lead because of its defense and special teams.
But in the end, the Bengals’ talent — particularly on offense — will just be too much for the Patriots to overcome. Joe Burrow wins his 10th straight December/January game, and fundamentally serves as the Grinch for New England’s playoff chances. Final score: Bengals 28, Patriots 20.
What Bill Belichick said before the game — 12:45 p.m.
A few takeaways from Bill Belichick’s pregame chat with Scott Zolak on 98.5 The Sports Hub.
On the cold weather: “We practice in pretty much everything all year,” he said. “A good, brisk December day here.”
Joe Burrow, who “can make all the throws,” reminds Belichick of another quarterback. “Burrow is a tough kid. He stands in there. A big, strong kid who runs well in the Josh Allen mold.”
On the offense, Belichick noted how the receivers “each get a lot of back-shoulder throws” but are capable of turning them into big gains. “It’s tough for the corners.”
On the Bengals’ running backs: “They both run really hard. They’re vertical runners. They’re tough. They don’t run out of bounds,” he said. “We’re going to have to get a lot of guys to the ball.”
On the Cincinnati defense: “They have a good front and they mix in some zone pressure, and play man-to-man on third down,” he said. “They’re a very experienced group. They’ve played together for a while.”
Without Joe Cardona, Belichick said he expects the Bengals to test New England’s protection on field goals and punts.
Pats fan Jerry Edmond spotted on the sidelines — 12:40 p.m.
Jerry Edmond was at Sunday’s Patriots-Raiders game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas when a Raiders fan began berating him in the final seconds of the fourth quarter.
A viral video showed the woman getting in Edmond’s face, even as another fan attempts to hold her back, as fans celebrate the last-second win.
Robert Kraft saw the video, and invited Edmond to today’s game — complete with some VIP access.
Edmond was spotted hanging on the field with Kraft before the game. Take a look:
Around the NFL: Texans-Titans pushed back because of cold, outages — 12:30 p.m.
From the Associated Press: The kickoff of the game between the Houston Texans at the Tennessee Titans has been delayed by an hour because of extreme cold and power outages in the region.
The Titans issued a statement saying the decision was made with the NFL, the local Office of Emergency Management, the Nashville Electric Service and the Mayor’s Office out of “an abundance of caution to ensure that the game would not negatively impact our community in any way.”
The team also said they are working to cut all non-essential power around Nissan Stadium even with gates open for fans.
The temperature was 17 degrees and felt like 4 degrees about 75 minutes before the scheduled kickoff, and Nashville Mayor John Cooper wrote on social media asking everyone, especially all-nonessential businesses to cut back their power usage with the Tennessee Valley Authority using rolling blackouts to protect the power grid.
Delaying kickoff by an hour puts the game at risk of ending around sunset, which will be 5:38 p.m. EST.
With extreme cold hitting much of the country, this game is poised to be the coldest in franchise history for the Titans. The previous coldest temperature at kickoff was Dec. 31, 2017, when it was 23. The coldest with the wind chill was 14 on Dec. 25, 2000, against the Dallas Cowboys.
Who would you take in this prop bet: Jaylen Brown or Mac Jones? — 12:25 p.m.
Bet Online has an intriguing prop bet: the number of Mac Jones completions this afternoon vs. Jaylen Brown’s total points tomorrow against the Bucks.
Who would you take?
Not a lot of faith in Jones in this poll …
Six numbers to watch today — 12:15 p.m.
A few numbers to look for this afternoon:
· If the Patriots score a defensive touchdown this afternoon, they’ll tie the franchise record for most defensive touchdowns in a season. New England has five coming into this weekend. The 2003 and 2007 teams had six defensive touchdowns during the regular season.
· If Kyle Dugger scores a defensive touchdown this afternoon, he’d become the first Patriots player to record three defensive touchdowns in one season since 1970.
· If Ja’Whaun Bentley has 10 or more tackles today against the Bengals, the linebacker would become the first Patriots player to finish with 10-plus sacks in three straight games since Jamie Collins did it in 2014. If Bentley finishes today with 14 tackles, he’d not only reach that mark, he’d also set a single-season career-high, and break his old mark of 108 tackles he had in 2021.
· Nick Folk needs 13 points to surpass Tony Franklin (442 career points in New England) and take over the sixth spot on the franchise all-time scoring list. If Folk kicks a 50-plus yarder today, he’d tie the franchise record for most 50-plus yard field goals in a season, set by Stephen Gostkowski in 2013.
· Rhamondre Stevenson needs 86 yards to hit the 1,000-yard mark for the first time. (For the record, during his time in Cleveland and New England, Bill Belichick has never had a back rush for 1,000-plus yards in back-to-back seasons.)
· If Marcus Jones scores an offensive touchdown this afternoon, he would become the first New England defensive player to score more than one offensive touchdown in a season since Mike Vrabel in 2007. (Vrabel had two touchdown receptions in 2004, three in 2005 and two in 2007.) If Jones returns a punt for a touchdown once more this season, he’d join Troy Brown (2001), Irving Fryar (1985) and Mike Haynes (1976) as the only Patriots players with two punt returns for a touchdown in a single season.
Predictions? — 12:05 p.m.
Vote here:
Or tell us in the comments.
Betting notes: Pats are a 3-point underdog — 12:00 p.m.
The line for this week’s game started with the Patriots as a four-point underdog, but has shrunk to three as of this morning. Meanwhile, the over/under is at 39.5.
A few stats, via Odds Shark:
One more note worth passing along. Bet Online has an intriguing prop bet: the number of Mac Jones completions this afternoon vs. Jaylen Brown’s total points tomorrow against the Bucks.
Breaking down the Patriots’ inactives — 11:55 a.m.
Joe Cardona (ankle), Jalen Mills (groin), and DeVante Parker (concussion) were all ruled out earlier in the week. Tucker Addington will replace Cardona as the long snapper — I wouldn’t be surprised if he got extra reps this week with the rest of the special teamers.
Mills and Parker have been out for an extended stretch: Mills hasn’t played since Thanksgiving night against the Vikings, while Parker sustained a concussion earlier this month against the Cardinals. Without Mills (and Jack Jones, who is out with a knee issue) I’d look for a variety of options at corner, including Marcus Jones, who saw an extended run last week against the Raiders.
Meanwhile, the back end of the Patriots’ depth chart at receiver — Tyquan Thornton, Kendrick Bourne, etc. — should get some extra opportunities for game action without Parker.
Damien Harris (thigh) will miss his fourth consecutive game, which will mean more work for youngsters Kevin Harris and Pierre Strong as backups for Rhamondre Stevenson.
Healthy scratches this week are wide receiver Raleigh Webb, defensive tackle Sam Roberts and safety Joshuah Bledsoe.
Among the notable actives this week include Stevenson (ankle), Jakobi Meyers (shoulder), and Jonathan Jones (chest), all of whom were listed as questionable coming into the weekend.
Ted Karras is now with the Bengals. Here’s what the Pats are missing. — 11:50 a.m.
Got a few questions this week about Ted Karras, and why his loss created a void in the New England locker room. I’ll give you two reasons, in addition to his skill set and positional versatility:
· A few years ago, I did a survey in the Patriots’ locker room and asked who would make the best coach after they decided to call it a career as a player. The two names I got — I was amazed as to how overwhelming it was — were Brian Hoyer and Ted Karras. Karras is a smart guy who not only knows how to play the game, but can break it down for teammates and explain to them what they need to do. An absolutely vital skill set for anyone who might contemplate going into coaching.
· He’s a great locker room presence. Karras is maybe the world’s foremost authority on “The Office” (So much so that he knows Michael and Jan’s “safe” word). He can keep things light, an important asset when things get a little dicey.
Ultimately, he’s a smart, versatile guy up front who is cost-effective and known across the league as a great teammate. He’s not a Pro Bowler, but the bottom line is that you need multiple guys like Karras if you are going to be in the championship conversation.
Inactives are out — 11:44 a.m.
Patriots:
Bengals:
❄️ Think it’s cold at Gillette? Take a look at these temps. — 11:40 a.m.
On today’s referee — 11:35 a.m.
Craig Wrolstad will serve as the referee for today’s game. The 57-year-old Wrolstad has been an NFL official since 2003, moving from field judge to referee in 2014. This will mark his second New England game of the season; he was the lead official for the Oct. 9 contest between the Patriots and Lions at Gillette Stadium.
According to NFLpenalties.com, Wrolstad’s crew is one of the least flag-happy in the league; their average of 9.15 penalties per game is third-lowest in the NFL. He’s also known as someone who calls things down the middle, averaging 4.31 penalties per game on the home team and 4.85 per game on the visitors.
Offensive linemen need to be very careful today, as Wrolstad’s officiating team pays particularly close attention to the action up front. His most frequent calls are offensive holding (31 flags this season) and false starts (24 this season).
What the weather report says — 11:25 a.m.
According to our pals at weather.com, the forecast for today’s game is clear and sunny with temps starting in the teens and possibly reaching the low 20s. The good news? No chance of precipitation, but there will be double-digit wind gusts out of the west, which could play havoc with the kicking game.
If the conditions hold, it’ll be the first New England game of the year in which it’s been in the teens at kickoff, and the coldest since last year’s playoff game in Buffalo.
Through 14 games, the Patriots are 1-1 when the temps are 80 or above at kickoff, 1-0 when it’s between 70 and 79, 1-2 when it’s been in the 60s, 2-1 when it’s been in the 50s, and 1-1 when it’s been in the 30s. (Three games — in Minnesota, Arizona, and Las Vegas — have been indoors.)
In your stocking: a pregame reading list — 11:15 a.m.
Best way to prepare for today’s contest? Your carefully curated pregame reading list.
Chad Finn: Barring extraordinary improvement, the Patriots won’t be able to keep up with the Bengals
Jim McBride: Just because Bailey Zappe has returned to his backup role with the Patriots doesn’t mean his focus has changed
Ben Volin: Some Patriots players have been showing a surprising lack of respect for their coaches
Jim McBride: Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon looks forward to the Bengals after not getting to the quarterback ‘like I wanted to’ against the Raiders
Jim McBride: Patriots long snapper Joe Cardona (ankle) ruled out of Saturday’s game against the Bengals
Jim McBride: Where do the Patriots and Mac Jones go following one of the worst games of the second-year QB’s career?
Nicole Yang: How should the Patriots approach their final three games of the regular season?
Nicole Yang: The Patriots’ offense is a mess, and it’s not getting better
Merry Christmas eve! — 11:05 a.m.
Welcome back to football, and Happy Christmas Eve, everyone! This afternoon, it’ll be the Patriots (7-7) hosting the Bengals (10-4) at Gillette Stadium.
New England is holding onto the last few threads of playoff hope, while Cincinnati is jockeying for postseason positioning with the rest of the AFC. Can the Patriots bounce back from last week’s shocking loss to the Raiders? Can Mac Jones finish the year strong? And can Cincinnati continue to keep the heat on the Bills and Chiefs in the push for home-field advantage? We’ll find out in the next few hours. Keep it locked in here for all the pregame news and analysis, in-game updates, and postgame press conference quotes.