Bengals

Gillette Stadium – the Patriots are heading into a must-win scenario against the defending AFC Champion Cincinnati Bengals on Christmas Eve at Gillette ...

The team lists Washington as a wide receiver, but if he plays on offense, it might be in a pseudo-tight end role similar to former Pats wideout Lil'Jordan Humphrey. One would expect the same formula this week, as the Pats starting corners will again be at a size disadvantage. The Patriots playoff hopes sit at 18% with their 7-7 record, according to Football Outsiders. Moving over to the offense, quarterback Mac Jones will have his full complement of healthy pass-catchers outside of Parker. However, the Pats will play another week without RB Damian Harris (thigh) and rookie cornerback Jack Jones (knee). Although second-year corner Shaun Wade is active, Mills (6-1) and Jack Jones (5-11) are New England's two biggest corners who are regular contributors on a weekly basis.

The Cincinnati Bengals take on the New England Patriots on Christmas Eve and already have a spot in the playoffs reserved for them.

Hurst returned to practice this week but didn't feel comfortable enough to give it a go. The Cincinnati Bengals take on the New England Patriots on Christmas Eve and already have a spot in the playoffs reserved for them. Hurst and Hubbard won't suit up this week due to injuries.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. _ The coldest game of the Joe Burrow Era was supposed to kickoff at about 18 degrees, but it was really going to feel like a Joe B-rrr ...

The Bengals eyed their first unbeaten November and December ever in their coldest game since the 19-degree start in Baltimore on the last day of 2017, when wide receiver Tyler Boyd knocked the Ravens out of the playoffs with his 49-yard fourth-and-12 touchdown catch in the last minute. The club's coldest game this century, according to Elias, was the nine-degree win over the Jags on Dec. On the 50th anniversary weekend of the Immaculate Reception, the Bengals are trying to channel the 1970 Bengals when they won their seventh straight in the season finale, 45-7, over the Joe Kapp-led Boston Patriots on Dec.

Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals have a chance to close in on their second straight AFC North title.

xid:fr1671741851132hhg) and [fuboTV (free trial)](https://www.fubo.tv/stream/nfl/?irad=356362&irmp=1810027&subId3=xid:fr1664564241157cbb The game will be live streamed on Rookie Cam Taylor-Britt, who started at cornerback against Tampa Bay, had to leave the game with a shoulder injury. The Patriots have won three straight meetings with the Bengals and eight of the last 10. [Paramount+](https://go.skimresources.com/?id=126006X1587343&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.paramountplus.com%2F&xcust=xid:fr1671326451919add Defensive end Trey Hendrickson (wrist) was unavailable against Tampa Bay and began this week limited. New England (7-7) has lost three of its last four games and entered the week one game outside the final AFC playoff spot. We’ve done it earlier this year for the Carolina game. xid:fr1671741851133gdc) The most basic of plans is the “fubo standard” package, which comprises 121-plus channels for $69.99 per month. [Paramount+ (free trial)](https://go.skimresources.com/?id=126006X1587343&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.paramountplus.com%2F&xcust=xid:fr1671326451919jag But coach Zac Taylor said his team is focused on winning the AFC North and letting everything else take care of itself. The Cincinnati Bengals and New England Patriots face off on Saturday, Dec.

At 7-7, New England has to third place in the AFC East, but is still in the playoff hunt. Meanwhile, Cincinnati remains in the top spot in the AFC North, riding ...

[Paramount+](https://go.skimresources.com?id=126006X1587340&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.paramountplus.com%2F) [NFL+](https://go.skimresources.com?id=126006X1587340&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nfl.com%2Fplus%2Flearn-more) [Sling](https://go.skimresources.com?id=126006X1587340&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sling.com%2F) Fans can also watch the [watch Patriots games for free](https://www.masslive.com/patriots/2021/08/how-to-watch-patriots-vs-giants-preseason-game-free-live-stream-tv-start-time.html) with the [official Patriots app](https://www.patriots.com/fans/mobile) or by signing up for a free trial of [fuboTV](https://www.fubo.tv/stream/nfl/?irad=356362&irmp=1810038&subId3=xid:fr1671650173419afi) or [Paramount+](https://go.skimresources.com?id=126006X1587340&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.paramountplus.com%2F). Cincinnati plays at New England (7-7) on Christmas Eve before finishing the regular season with a pair of tough home games that could determine playoff seeding, against Buffalo on Jan. Granted, Cincinnati was able to make adjustments and got a lot of help from Brady, who was uncharacteristically careless with the ball in the second half. His pick of Brady was the first of four straight takeaways by the defense in the second half. The fumble, recovered by DJ Reader, led to a Bengals touchdown. [Patriots.com](http://patriots.com/) [fuboTV](https://www.fubo.tv/lp/football/?bgvideo=nflnetwork.mp4&subinfo=Live%20and%20DVR%20Access&title=Watch%20NFL%20Network&priceline=Mobile%20and%20Regional%20Restrictions%20Apply&irad=579310&irmp=1810038&subId3=xid:fr1659920910616jef [New England Patriots](https://www.masslive.com/patriots/) vs. Will I get the Patriots game where I am?

The Bengals are already in the playoffs, but the AFC North title and top seed in the playoffs are within reach.

The Bengals marched down the field during their first possession of the game. Quarterback Joe Burrow opens the game a perfect 9-of-9 passing for 121 yards and two touchdowns. The Cincinnati Bengals' third offensive drive stalled in the red zone and kicker Evan McPherson made his first field goal of the day. The Bengals are still one game behind the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs. Quarterback Joe Burrow threw his third touchdown of the day and second to wide receiver Trenton Irwin. [secured a playoff spot](https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2022/12/23/afc-playoff-cincinnati-bengals-clinch-spot-jets-lose-to-jags/69752724007/) when the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the New York Jets on Thursday night, but the AFC North title and No.

As the New England Patriots prepare to take on the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16 of the 2022 season, Patriots Country highlights three players on whom Pats ...

Both rookie Jack Jones (knee) and veteran Jonathan Jones (chest) remain questionable. The ex-USC Trojan was on the field for 54 of a possible 65 snaps on offense, catching one of his six targets for three yards against the Raiders. Yet, this may not be the week for Jones to increase his output by testing the deep ball. With the Patriots playoff fate hanging in the balance, all eyes will be on Jones … The 24-year-old is undoubtedly looking to improve upon his 13 of 31, 112-yard performance in Sunday's 30-24 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. The Pats will host the Bengals for the first time since a 35-17 win in Oct.

The Patriots lost last Sunday's game to the Raiders with a massive mistake on the final play of the game, but they're on their way to losing in more ...

[Joe Mixon](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/football/nfl/player/1624/joe-mixon) run, so it remains 12-0 Bengals with just over five minutes to play in the first quarter. [Joe Burrow](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/football/nfl/player/57910/joe-burrow) threw a touchdown to wide receiver [Tee Higgins](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/football/nfl/player/60071/tee-higgins) to cap the first drive and hit [Trenton Irwin](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/football/nfl/player/52381/trenton-irwin) for 23 yards on the second one. [Evan McPherson](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/football/nfl/player/63886/evan-mcpherson) has missed both of his attempts, although a penalty on the Patriots on the second one gave the Bengals a chance to try for two points from the one-yard-line.

The Patriots play host to the Cincinnati Bengals for some Saturday and Christmas Eve football. Read more on Boston.com.

Matthew Judon committed a roughing the passer, moving the Bengals have the distance to the goal. Joe Mixon ran into the end zone for a touchdown, but that was wiped off the board due to a hold. On the next third down, he connected with Bourne again for a 32-yard gain over the middle to get the Patriots to the Bengals’ 9-yard line. Cincinnati’s drive briefly stalled at the 4-yard line, but on third down, Burrow completed a tight pass to Trenton Irwin for a touchdown. The Patriots will be without their starting tight end for the remainder of Saturday’s game due to a knee injury. After stopping Burrow and the Bengals, Mac Jones led the Patriots to a touchdown drive by connecting with Kendrick Bourne a few times. Tee Higgins hauled in a 31-yard grab to open the drive and the Bengals were in scoring territory a few plays later. However, a missed pass by Joe Burrow on third down led the Bengals to attempt a 43-yard field goal, which Chase McPherson missed. Mac Jones ran around in the pocket for a moment before launching a ball down the field to practice squad tight end Scotty Washinton. Rhamondre Stevenson picked up a key first down on third-and-short that got the Patriots to the Bengals’ 5-yard line. On third-and-short for the Bengals, Matthew Judon made a game-changing play in pass coverage. In the fourth, Mac Jones and Kendrick Bourne stepped up to make some plays to help the Patriots get back in it.

Update: The Bengals quickly ruled Collins out for the game. Update 2: A stunning turn of events, per the Cincinnati Enquirer's Kelsey Conway:.

Collins did end up walking off the field with trainers, but used a cart to leave from the sideline. Significant injury news for the Bengals: La'el Collins' ACL is still intact. The initial injury looked very, very bad as a defender came off a block and rolled on Collins from behind, to the point Patriots defenders were the first players waving at the sidelines for help.

But with some help from the defense and some big plays by Kendrick Bourne, Marcus Jones and Matthew Judon the Patriots were able to climb back into the game to ...

Even with the late comeback surge it was arguably the worst loss of the Patriots 2022 season as New England is once again saddled with a losing record for 2022. Stevenson's late fumble was just the unfortunate cherry on top as self-inflicted mistakes continue to have a major impact on wins and losses this year. The Patriots offense had 70 total yards of offense in the first half, went 0-3 on third down and held the ball for just 8:20 in four total drives that all ended in punts. This time it was a 28-yard toe-tap catch along the sideline that was initially ruled incomplete but overturned to a catch upon review. The ball initially bounced right off of practice squad tight end Scotty Washington's hands, but deflected perfectly into Jakobi Meyers arms for a shocking 48-yard score that, with another missed extra point, made it 22-18 with just under six minutes to play in the game. With that, they continued to make plays on the Bengals next drive, first with sacks from Matthew Judon and Josh Uche and then getting a takeaway with Devin McCourty's red-zone interception that prevented Cinci from going up by three scores. But with the sputtering Patriots offense, they were unable to take advantage of the defense finally getting some stops until well into the second half. Following Jones' pick-six, the Patriots showed more signs of life, forcing an ensuing punt then putting together their best offensive drive of the game, an 11-play, 77-yard touchdown trot with Kendrick Bourne playing a key role. The Patriots defense had no answers against the first two Bengals drives of the game, as Joe Burrow picked them apart scoring two touchdowns to give Cincinnati an early lead. A later third-and-17 pass for 18 yards up the sideline to Jamarr Chase was another pinpoint throw by the quarterback as the Patriots battered cornerback group struggled to match up. New England looked like they were poised to take an upset win, knocking on the door of a go-ahead score, but a Rhamondre Stevenson fumble suddenly and unceremoniously ended the thrilling comeback attempt. The Pats were hurt by a slow start that enabled a three-score Bengals lead at halftime, as it appeared New England suffered an extended hangover after their last-second stunning loss to the Raiders.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The Bengals celebrated Christmas Eve Saturday by showing a glimpse of Christmas Future in the living room of the masters of Christmas ...

The Pats were forced to call a timeout when they had 12 men in the huddle and running back Joe Mixon picked up a first down when he was wide open for a flip in the flat after he carried out his play-action fake. He hit his first four passes for 73 yards in the game's opening drive the Bengals dissected Belichick's defense on just five plays and 2:36. Burrow finished the first half onslaught the way he started it, with a microwave touchdown drive he completed with his third touchdown pass of the day, tying his own Bengals record with his 34th of the season. That left Burrow with one of the great first half performances in Bengals history with a heated 284 yards on 77 percent passing (28-36) for a 115.7 passer rating. Two plays later, Jones was called for intentional grounding when he got rid of the ball as Bell was taking him down on a blitz, but Zac Taylor threw his own red flag on the play, arguing Jones had lost control before slipping it out of his left hand. The first snap after the Pats touchdown was Higgins' jump ball for 31 yards, putting him over 100 yards for the fourth time this season and 10th time in his career.

FOXBORO -- So much for a happy holiday season in New England. The Patriots made a furious second-half comeback against the Bengals on Christmas Eve, ...

He promptly picked up 15 yards on a short pass by Mac Jones on a second-and-3, bringing the game to the two-minute warning. The defense forced a Cincinnati punt with 48 seconds left, but the offense only managed to get to their own 39 before turning it over on downs. Cincinnati challenged that Jones did not make a forward pass and the play should have been a fumble, but the ruling on the field stood. Mac Jones and Kendrick Bourne led New England on a 72-yard scoring drive, culminating in a five-yard touchdown connection between the two. But the highlight goes to Belichick for throwing the challenge flag in disgust. Devin McCourty picked off Burrow on Cincy's next possession to give the ball back to the offense, but the Patriots punted again when Jones was sacked on a third-and-5 at midfield. But the Pats punted it away when Jones hit Jakobi Meyers short of the chains on a third-and-5. But after Belichick challenged, it was overturned to a 28-yard reception down to the Cincy 29. After the New England defense forced a three-and-out, the Patriots passed midfield for the first time of the afternoon. The Bengals then marched 59 yards down the field on nine plays, with Burrow hitting tight end Trenton Irwin for an easy touchdown to put Cincinnati on top 12-0. The pocket quickly collapsed on Jones and he had no one to throw to, so he took off and was eventually brought down before the line of scrimmage. Joe Burrow hit 6-foot-4 receiver Tee Higgins for a 39-yard connection over Marcus Jones (5-foot-8) on the second play of the game.

The loss makes a postseason berth look out of reach for the Patriots.

Joe Burrow and the Bengals](https://theathletic.com/4029007/2022/12/23/bengals-patriots-pass-rush-joe-burrow/) [Raiders](https://theathletic.com/nfl/team/raiders/) to notch a walk-off win. [Bengals at Patriots spread, line, picks: Expert predictions for Week 16 NFL game](https://theathletic.com/4009939/2022/12/22/bengals-patriots-picks-bets-odds/) [Dehner Jr.: Is this the best Bengals run in 34 years? The rookie Jones, one of the bright spots on this team, recorded a pick six, and the Patriots defense didn’t allow a single point after surrendering 22 in the first half. [Vonn Bell](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/vonn-bell-dq0ujn7FX0l6pWKH/) making the game-saving play for a team that always seems to find one. And this week, they were five yards away from pulling off an incredible 22-point second-half comeback before [Rhamondre Stevenson](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/rhamondre-stevenson-JEtNWBI0qsAxAQQJ/) fumbled with 59 seconds remaining to give the Bengals the win. After it struggled in the first half to slow Burrow and the Bengals’ passing attack, the unit was incredible in the second half. These Patriots make too many crucial mistakes for sustained success and the plays in the final minute the last two weeks are emblematic of that. The inconsistency won’t be good enough going forward, specifically in the massive “Monday Night Football” game next week against [Buffalo](https://theathletic.com/nfl/team/bills/), but they are still as dangerous as anyone in football when they are rolling. The forced fumble by Bell in the final seconds will be extra-effort play the Bengals will look back on as one of the most underrated of the year if they end up landing the No. Burrow has seen the turnover bug show up the last two weeks — on an otherwise ideal day, the quarterback saw two miscommunications with his receivers result in critical turnovers that kept the Patriots alive. The Bengals need to figure out what’s going on with five turnovers the last two weeks that have changed the dynamic of the games, but they again found a way to withstand a team with all the momentum.

Joe Burrow threw three touchdown passes and the Cincinnati Bengals forced a late turnover in the red zone to preserve a 22-18 win over the New England ...

… TE Hunter Henry left in the first quarter with a knee injury and did not return. Patriots: ST Brendan Schooler left in the first quarter with a shoulder injury but was able to return. The Patriots had the ball on the Cincinnati 5 with just over a minute to play when Rhamondre Stevenson was hit by Vonn Bell and fumbled, leading to Josh Tupou’s recovery. New England’s offense managed just three first downs, 70 total yards and amassed 44 penalty yards in the opening 30 minutes. Cincinnati led 22-18 and was facing third down with less than four minutes to play when Ja’Marr Chase caught a short pass from Burrow and was stripped by Matt Judon. The Bengals (11-4) won their seventh straight game and remained in the driver’s seat for a second consecutive AFC North title despite nearly blowing a 22-0 halftime lead.

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, quarterback Joe Burrow and select players comment on their game against the New England Patriots on Saturday, ...

We get a little rest, get to enjoy Christmas and we got Monday night with the Bills." I couldn't tell what the heck was going on and I knew I had it and knew we were going to get it. With the PAT, I didn't really hit that well and with the field goal, I certainly didn't either." They are in the AFC, so we wanted to get the win and give us another chance to get that number one seed. Our backs against the wall, they had four plays to try and score to take the lead and we got a turnover. They made a couple of big plays and we have stuff that we have to fix on tape. It was real cold today, but we were still able to come out and get a win." We just had to lock in real quick and do our job and get off of the field and that is what we did." "Those are the plays we like to try and make. How important is that in the success you've had to not worry about the defense and find your guys? So we're going to find a way to correct the negatives and focus on the positives and get ready for Monday night against Buffalo. JB: Defense found a way to win, they forced a turnover to win us the game.

The Patriots offense showed signs of life with a valiant comeback effort, but another late-game gaffe ruined any chance of a Christmas miracle at Gillette.

Belichick stuck with his second-year QB, and the "We Want Zappe" chants weren't heard for the rest of the day. Jones gave the Patriots much-needed momentum by putting them on the board with a pick-six late in the third quarter. Patriots fans lost patience with Mac Jones during the dismal first half of Saturday's loss, and it was warranted. Jones made several impressive throws down the stretch to bring his team within striking distance of a Christmas Eve miracle. The Patriots quarterback showed poise and when push came to shove, he gave his team a chance to win. They notched only 10 yards in the first quarter and were unable to get a first down. Regardless of what the gripe this Patriots coaching staff might have with Bourne, he needs to be involved more in these final two games. Burrow ended the half with 284 yards and three TDs while Jones had just 34 yards and no TDs. Burrow set the tone for the day with 11 consecutive completions to start the game. Jones outplayed Burrow in the second half and although his comeback fell short, he finished with a respectable stat line: 21-of-32 for 240 yards and two late TDs. They cut the 22-point deficit to four with a valiant comeback effort, but a late-game gaffe proved costly as the Bengals escaped Foxboro with the 22-18 win. Especially in the first half.

The little lights are not twinkling in Foxboro, as the Patriots host the Cincinnati Bengals at Gillette Stadium on Christmas Eve.

For the Patriots fans braving the frigid temperatures, it is a safe bet that they will be channeling their own inner “Griswold” by exclaiming “Hallelujah … New England once again failed to convert a meaningful play on their second offensive drive. The Bengals attempt at a successful two-point conversion was thwarted, keeping the Bengals lead at 12. Wide receiver Trenton Irwin gave Cincinnati its second touchdown in as many drives, by hauling in a 23-yard reception from Burrow, putting his team on top 12-0. Burrow and Higgins would cap the drive with a nine-yard connection for the touchdown, giving the Bengals a 6-0 lead. In addition to a 17-yard gain on the ground by running back Joe Mixon, wide receiver Tee Higgins caught two passes for 48 yards, including a 39-yard grab on 2nd and 2 from their own 30-yard line.

Cincinnati remains the hottest team in the NFL with seven wins in a row, and . it makes Cincinnati's next game – hosting Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills on ...

(The Bengals will close with the Baltimore Ravens.) “We’re going to be happy with the win because they’re so hard to come by. Burrow was also unable to recreate his first-half magic – he was 28 of 36 for 284 yards and three touchdowns before halftime. it makes Cincinnati’s next game – hosting Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football on Jan. “We’ve won a lot of different ways at this point. “The first half was about as good as it gets.

Some unusual turnovers, Evan McPherson struggling and La'el Collins' injury aren't enough to stop Cincinnati from a seventh straight win.

[Denver](https://theathletic.com/nfl/team/broncos/), at Vegas). [Kansas City](https://theathletic.com/nfl/team/chiefs/) and Buffalo won. [Jonah Williams](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/jonah-williams-VPdKxaiKsb92EJD0/) endured earlier in the year and returned to play the next week. All eyes are on Monday Night Football against Buffalo and let’s just say it’s hard to see [Josh Allen](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/josh-allen-u9Ir75uJrUbmuoqn/) and [Stefon Diggs](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/stefon-diggs-lPTtUiEJUgmoQukD/) not connecting for six on that throw if it happens again. [Cam Taylor-Britt](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/cam-taylor-britt-DeRJ5Y02DFYjjbKn/) continues to get attention in the red zone and teams are going to start noticing his failure to get his head back at times. [Tyquan Thornton](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/tyquan-thornton-1EtoVjae5J7NlEFl/) on a deep ball in the third quarter that was dropped. Tom Brady took advantage of it for a score in Tampa and [Mac Jones](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/mac-jones-18zaLFAmDNfVSyfc/) did the same with a score to [Kendrick Bourne](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/kendrick-bourne-yJbkcr3ybAEd4jxN/) on Saturday. [Hakeem Adeniji](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/hakeem-adeniji-qu5l2nM4g8lqhGEl/) will take over at right tackle. The switch appeared to fit him well as he won the swing job by enjoying strong performances in preseason games against the [Giants](https://theathletic.com/nfl/team/giants/) and [Rams](https://theathletic.com/nfl/team/rams/). [La’el Collins](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/lael-collins-hiUgi14UTqnk51PC/) will break another one of the remarkable streaks for the Bengals this season. This was his first red zone interception since Week 13 of last season against the [Chargers](https://theathletic.com/nfl/team/chargers/), a span of 22 games. That streak looks to be in jeopardy a week from Monday against the [Bills](https://theathletic.com/nfl/team/bills/) with Collins going down with a knee injury in the first half.

It was a tale of two halves, but the Bengals held on for the win and social media loved it.

Other sportsbooks entering the state include [Barstool Sportsbook](https://www.cleveland.com/betting/ohio/barstool/), [Caesars](https://www.cleveland.com/betting/ohio/caesars/) and [DraftKings](https://www.cleveland.com/betting/ohio/draftkings/). They overcame a lot and it’s tough in NE.” [@wrightreportt tweeted.](https://twitter.com/Wrightreportt/status/1606139327465066496) [The Athletic’s Paul Denher Jr. [FanDuel in Ohio](https://www.cleveland.com/betting/ohio/fanduel/), Ohio bettors can start betting on Jan. [comedian Bill Burr tweeted.](https://twitter.com/billburr/status/1606762675765399552) The Patriots reclaimed possession after forcing Ja’Marr Chase to fumble on a receiver screen. [@NFL_scorigami tweeted.](https://twitter.com/NFL_Scorigami/status/1606762887296475142) Burrow threw two interceptions, one of which was returned 69 yards for the Patriots’ first TD. [Jungle Roar Podcast host Mike Petraglia tweeted.](https://twitter.com/Trags/status/1606778017870536704) [Bengals YouTuber Joe Goodberry tweeted.](https://twitter.com/JoeGoodberry/status/1606762289897553920) Burrow and the offense didn’t find the end zone in the second half, though.

The Patriots defense stepped up to give the team a chance at a Christmas miracle, but Rhamondre Stevenson and the offense didn't hold up their end of the ...

Marcus Jones muffed a punt at the end of the game when they desperately needed a big return. They were stout — as was the rest of the defense — in the second half, holding Joe Burrow and Co. Carl Davis was flagged for a hold, and there was a 19-yard gain given up on an outside zone play. Scotty Washington had a tremendous tip on Mac Jones’ long-bomb touchdown, and he was credited with an assist from Meyers after the fact. Not much happening from this unit, in part because Hunter Henry was knocked from the game after the first Patriots third down of the game. Rhamondre Stevenson averaged just 2.3 yards per carry, he had a drop late in the game, and his fumble in the fourth quarter sealed his team's fate. Jonnu Smith had three grabs for 21 yards before leaving with a head injury when he and Kendrick Bourne occupied the same space at the same time on a fourth-quarter completion. Why did it look like his first snap of the game was a 29-yard end-around run where he broke a tackle during the second quarter? Forty-eight of those yards came on a Meyers touchdown that was tipped by Scotty Washington, but credit to Jones for getting it down the field that way in freezing temperatures one week after his arm strength seemed to be questioned by [Bill Belichick](https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/patriots/bill-belichick?b). While his touchdown was an impressive contested grab on a scramble drill, his best play was a toe-tapping 28-yarder that was overturned upon review. Jones threw behind Meyers on a crossing route and later launched a fade too deep in the first half. A seam for 32 yards was threaded between defenders and a scramble-drill touchdown to Bourne a few plays later cut the Bengals lead to 22-12.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. _ “A little stab.” That's what strong safety Vonn Bell called his forced fumble for the ages from his own five-yard line Saturday, ...

He's a guy I feel like should have made the Pro Bowl with all the plays that he's made this year." I think I was a little slow in the operation." Obviously I feel like we shouldn't have been in that situation if we took care of business, but we made the play when it counts. SLANTS AND SCREENS: Right tackle La'el Collins went out with a knee injury, and the Bengals are going to know more Sunday about what it means. "The wind and the cold definitely factored into it," McPherson said. "I've been in the league only three years, but I've been playing long enough to know how hard it is to win. MONEY MAC: It was a stunning day all the way around. "I'm happy the way we threw the ball. "I always attack the ball. But he admitted he wishes he and the offense could have put it away so they wouldn't have needed Bell's heroics. All the Pats had to do was pound it in from the 5 with a first down to complete a mind-numbing 0-22 comeback a week after the worst ending in franchise history. "Scary," Karras said.

Patriots squander chances, hopes in ugly loss to Bengals · Despite a furious comeback rally, New England couldn't outrun its own mistakes · Recommended Stories.

BENGALS QUARTERBACK JOE BURROW. POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE. December 24, 2022. JB: It was up and down to say the least. I'm never going to apologize for ...

JB: I'm trying to get the guy down unfortunately. JB: Yeah, you always have that balance because when you play defenses and defensive coaches with really good schemes, you want to get a feel for what they're doing early, but you also don't want to come out and not be aggressive and play slowly and try to take what the defense gives you. How important is that in the success you've had to not worry about the defense and find your guys? He's a guy I feel like should have made the Pro Bowl with all the plays that he's made this year. So we went ahead and snapped it, and Trenton made a great read and a great play down the field. Obviously I feel like we shouldn't have been in that situation if we took care of business, but we made the play when it counts. Just how important is Vonn Bell to this team and the plays he makes? JB: Defense found a way to win, they forced a turnover to win us the game. If they're down the field in one-on-one situations, I'm going to give them a shot. JB: Whenever you get a win in December coming down the stretch, it means something. JB: They've been unreal all year and one of the best defenses in the league and make it hard on opposing offenses. Q: There's been like decades of precedent that New England would find a way to win games like this.

Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Eli Apple took issue with what he considered a "dirty play" by New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones in the Week 16 ...

[per NESN.com](https://nesn.com/2022/12/bengals-defender-calls-out-mac-jones-for-another-dirty-play/). He’s done that before, I’ve seen it.” [You can watch the play here.](https://twitter.com/michaelFhurley/status/1606754556209238018) Apple called out Jones for what he considered a "dirty play" during Saturday's game at Gillette Stadium.

Here are three big takeaways from the New England Patriots' close Christmas Eve loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

The endless number of mistakes and blunders is far below what people expect from New England. Kicking was an issue for both teams all game long, though it mattered far more to the Patriots. Special teams has been a facet of the game that New England has struggled in recently. He usually has a final attempt from 58. The play was initially ruled incomplete, but New England challenged the call and it ended up being overturned. After taking the ball for 29 yards on an end around earlier in the game, Bourne had a 19-yard catch down the sideline and then had a great snag for 32 yards in triple coverage. After halftime, the Cincinnati offense that had toyed with the defense all game long began to stall. However, a 69-yard pick-six by Marcus Jones put the Patriots back into the game. On the flip side, the Patriots’ offense began to pick up. [December 24, 2022] The Patriots’ offense was absolutely dead to rights in the first half. They could not get any sort of offense going, either through the air or the ground.

Patriots quarterback Mac Jones, left, holds the ball as he hits the ground after. FOXBORO — Joe Burrow wanted to be happier after the Cincinnati Bengals walked ...

Patriots: ST Brendan Schooler left in the first quarter with a shoulder injury but was able to return. ... TE Hunter Henry left in the first quarter with a knee injury and did not return. It was also the Patriots’ third straight game with a defensive score, which they haven’t done since 2004. The Patriots had the ball on the Cincinnati 5 with just over a minute to play when Rhamondre Stevenson was hit by Vonn Bell and fumbled, leading to Josh Tupou's recovery. Cincinnati led, 22-18, and was facing third down with less than four minutes to play when Ja’Marr Chase caught a short pass from Burrow and was stripped by Matt Judon. Folk’s extra point was no good, leaving the score 22-18. Stevenson was stopped at the line of scrimmage and pushed backward before fumbling. It was moved back another 5 yards following a false start. The Bengals (11-4) won their seventh straight and remained in the driver's seat for a second consecutive AFC North title. He was still free to gain yardage and then also, obviously, there was still a chance that he could fumble.” “I was trying to make something happen," Stevenson said. Burrow threw three touchdown passes and the Bengals offense totaled nearly 500 yards.

Following their win over the New England Patriots on Saturday, the Bengals' team plane had to make an emergency landing at JFK International Airport after ...

ET and landed at JFK 71 minutes later. Green International Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island at 7:35 p.m. The team was switching planes at around 9 p.m.

FOXBOROUGH — The New England Patriots offense looks terrible. But the pass rush? There's something special going on there. Yes, the Patriots generally ...

Marcus Jones had a chance to set up the Patriots in good position on the final drive, but muffed the punt. However, one of the Bengals missed extra points on the day was negated by Daniel Ekuale committing a personal foul. The Patriots secondary went through a roller-coaster ride on Saturday. The group had a rough day against the Bengals front. The Patriots also got dinged for an ineligible man down field on the play. Judon was hit with a roughing the passer penalty early. He walked the tightrope at the back of the endzone on his touchdown. He caught three passes for 21 yards before being examined for a head injury in the fourth quarter. But in the spirit of the holidays, it’s worth looking through the game to see what did work. Jones was also off-target with some throws in the game. Jones really threaded the needle well on some of those throws, especially the touchdown at the back of the end zone. He nearly led the team in rushing with his lone 29-yard carry (Stevenson just beat him with 30 yards on 13 carries).

If the Patriots had scored on their final drive, the game likely would have ended with a final score of 25-22, which would not have been a scorigami, but that ...

[Chiefs](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/KC/kansas-city-chiefs/) back in Week 6 of the 2018 season. The second came in Week 13 when the [Cowboys](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/DAL/dallas-cowboys/) thrashed the [Colts](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/IND/indianapolis-colts/) 54-19. Cincinnati's last scorigami came during a 37-37 tie with the [Panthers](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/CAR/carolina-panthers/) back in 2014. [Nick Folk](/nfl/players/410721/nick-folk/) missed two extra points and if he hits either one of those -- or both -- we likely don't get a scorigami. The first one of the year came back in Week 4 when the Not only did it provide us with a lot of drama, but it also gave us a scorigami, which is when a game ends with a final score that's never happened before in [NFL](/nfl/) history.

The Cincinnati Bengals learned a lesson about flying on Xmas eve ... it's all about the landing.

given the weather on the east coast and the emergency, it had to be super scary, At some point during the flight, an engine on the Delta jet conked out and 71 minutes after taking off ... After beating the New England Patriots Saturday, the players jumped on the team plane in Rhode Island for a flight back home.

The Bengals got a serious scare on their flight back from New England.

The Bengals close the season with two straight home games and if they can win the AFC North, they'll also get a home game in the wild-card round, and if that happens, they won't have to fly again until Jan. Although the Bengals got a scare on the flight, the good news for them is that they won't have to get on a plane anytime soon. According [to WLWT in Cincinnati](https://www.wlwt.com/article/bengals-plane-diverted/42334209), an issue with the engine forced the plane to make an emergency landing at JFK airport in New York City. The team's original flight was supposed to land in Cincinnati around 9:30 p.m. After a wild 22-18 victory, the Bengals had to deal with even more drama when their flight home was forced to make an emergency landing after the plane they were in experienced some engine trouble. Here's what things looked like at the JFK gate as the Bengals waited for their new plane.

Bengals cornerback Eli Apple was none too pleased with Patriots quarterback Mac Jones after the Bengals' Week 16 win over the Patriots.

He was a Pro Bowler as a rookie last season after throwing for 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Rhamondre Stevenson later lost a crucial fumble on first-and-goal at the Cincinnati 5-yard line with less than a minute left, and Jones was flagged for unnecessary roughness after the turnover. 7, 2021, when Jones, while on the ground after losing a fumble, grabbed at Brian Burns’ ankle.

The first was Marcus Jones' 69-yard interception return when Joe Burrow threw it directly to him. The other was the ricochet 48-yard touchdown on a third-and-29 ...

The Patriots weren’t ready at the beginning. The Patriots had six. The Patriots are now 1-4 since Thanksgiving and the lone win came at Arizona when Kyler Murray tore his ACL on the Cardinals' first drive. Two plays later, Cincinnati was in the end zone. The Bengals had 142 yards of offense. After the circus you saw last week when the Patriots had first-and-goal at the Raiders 2? I don’t know the exact moment when the Patriots became a "they’ll probably f--- this up at the end" kinda team. Think the Patriots were going to score a touchdown if Stevenson hadn’t fumbled? [after their 22-18 Christmas Eve loss to the Bengals](https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/patriots/patriots-vs-bengals-takeaways-pats-cant-complete-comeback-fall-22-18). [Matthew Judon’s](https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/patriots/matt-judon) forced fumble on Ja’Marr Chase was a huge play at a critical moment. The issue was ball security. A "we should have won by 30 and not have been sweating out the end against a team like that" kinda vibe.

Curran: It's official; the Patriots resemble what Bengals used to look like originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston. Lotta talk Sunday night about fighting ...