New England Patriots
The Bengals’ season has been derailed attributable to Joe Burrow’s damage and different causes, however the Patriots ought to know from final yr’s matchup that something can occur on any given Sunday.
The Patriots have one other golden alternative forward of them to increase their win streak in Week 12.
For the sixth time in seven weeks, the Patriots will tackle a crew with a shedding file once they face the 3-7 Bengals on Sunday. Cincinnati’s season was rapidly derailed by Joe Burrow’s turf toe damage in Week 2, however there have additionally been just a few different contributing elements for the Bengals’ poor file.
Nonetheless, something can occur on any given Sunday. Simply have a look at the final assembly between these two groups, when the Patriots defeated the Bengals within the first sport of the Jerod Mayo period in one of many NFL’s largest upsets final season.
So, because the Patriots look to turn into the NFL’s first 10-win crew this season, listed here are 5 issues to know concerning the crew that’ll attempt to stop that.
They could be with out their quarterback, however Joe Burrow’s newest substitute has been stable.
The information broke Saturday morning that Burrow gained’t play regardless of the trouble he made to return in apply this week, taking part in full at Wednesday and Thursday’s practices earlier than being dominated out.
Clearly, the Bengals would like having the quarterback who led the league in passing yards and passing touchdowns beneath heart on Sunday. However Joe Flacco has supplied some stability on the place for them because the Bengals traded for him from the Browns in October.
Flacco has thrown for 1,453 yards, 12 touchdowns, and three interceptions with a 96.2 passer ranking over 5 video games with the Bengals. Cincinnati is 1-4 with Flacco as its starter, however he had a passer ranking of over 100 in two of these losses. Within the Week 9 loss to the Bears, Flacco threw for 470 yards and 4 touchdowns.
So, the Bengals’ aerial assault can nonetheless be explosive due to Flacco’s potential to push the ball down the sphere. Flacco’s been one of many NFL’s greatest deep throwers since he joined the Bengals as nicely, finishing 10 of 21 passes on throws of no less than 20 yards for 309 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception.
However Flacco’s potential to push the ball down the sphere is perhaps hampered on Sunday …
Joe Flacco might be with out one of many sport’s prime large receivers. Who may step up?
Not solely will the Patriots keep away from going up in opposition to Burrow, however they’ll additionally miss out on going through Ja’Marr Chase. The Bengals’ star large receiver was suspended for one sport attributable to spitting at Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey in final week’s loss.
Chase has been one of many sport’s few greatest receivers since he was drafted in 2021. As Burrow led the league in passing final yr, Chase gained the receiving triple crown as he led the league in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708), and receiving touchdowns (17).
Even with Burrow sidelined for many of this season, Chase has been productive. He leads the league in receptions (79) and is third in receiving yards (861), including 5 receiving touchdowns.
Suffice it to say, the Patriots averted a possible drawback on Sunday. However the Bengals have one other proficient receiver in Tee Higgins. Higgins truly has extra receiving touchdowns (seven) this yr than Chase.
Higgins had a reasonably robust displaying the final time he went up in opposition to the Patriots. He had eight receptions for 128 yards and a landing in a Bengals win over the Patriots in December 2022. Granted, it was three years in the past, however that sport got here after a four-game stretch the place Higgins had 26 receptions for 371 yards and two touchdowns with Chase sidelined. So, Higgins can get it finished with out taking part in subsequent to Chase.
Past Higgins, tight finish Noah Fant has been a bit productive with Flacco, recording two touchdowns in 5 video games. Former Patriots tight finish Mike Gesicki can also be set to return from injured reserve for the Bengals this week. He had 665 receiving yards final season.
Their offensive line is among the many league’s worst.
Whereas the Bengals have the playmaking to be one of many league’s most explosive groups, they’re nowhere close to nearly as good within the trenches.
The Bengals’ offensive line ranks among the many worst within the league in a number of metrics. Although they’re tied for sixteenth in sacks allowed per sport (2.3), the Bengals are twenty ninth in pass-block win charge (55 %) and twenty first in run-block win charge (71 %). Professional Soccer Focus ranked Cincinnati’s offensive line 28th within the league after giving up 15 pressures on 41 dropbacks final week.
Ben Baldwin’s pass protection composite ranking, in the meantime, has the Bengals’ offensive line because the second-worst within the league, with the Browns being the one crew with lesser go safety.
The Patriots might definitely use the chance to go up in opposition to a lesser offensive line. Defensive deal with Milton Williams is ready to overlook no less than the following 4 video games, and the Patriots have been inconsistent in producing strain this yr. However New England was in a position to feast off Cleveland’s unhealthy offensive line in Week 8, producing 26 pressures on 39 dropbacks in that sport.
Their protection is traditionally unhealthy.
For as unhealthy because the Bengals’ offensive line is, their protection is even worse.
The Bengals are final in each yards and factors allowed per sport this season. In truth, they’re the one crew that’s giving up greater than 400 yards per sport (418.2), as additionally they permit 33.4 factors per sport.
However Cincinnati’s protection is even worse past these two stats. The Bengals’ protection is the worst ever tracked by DVOA, which works again to 1978, per FTN Fantasy’s Aaron Schatz. DVOA is a metric that measures performances by evaluating every play’s success in opposition to the league common.
In fact, you possibly can possible inform the Bengals’ protection is unhealthy simply from the truth that they’ve misplaced two video games lately through which they’ve scored no less than 38 factors. So, Drake Maye and the Patriots’ offense are in a great place coming into Sunday’s sport.
They’ll even be with out their prime defensive participant.
Making issues worse for the Bengals’ protection, edge rusher Trey Hendrickson will miss one other sport attributable to a hip damage. Hendrickson, who has 4 sacks this season, led the NFL in sacks final yr (17.5) and logged 57 sacks during the last 4 seasons.
Even with Hendrickson taking part in seven video games this season, the Bengals’ go rush has been unhealthy. They rank final in pass-rush win charge, failing to generate a lot strain on opposing quarterbacks.
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