BSJ Game Report: Patriots 26, Bengals 20 - Overcoming injuries, self-inflicted wounds, NE survives late scare

Everything you need to know from the Patriots’ win over the Bengals in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis:

HEADLINES

Maye puts team in hole, bounces back: One of the minor questions I had going into this one was whether the Patriots, after getting in a rhythm with mostly normal work weeks for the first 11 games, would be thrown off their rhythm a little bit with extra time off. Sure seemed like that in the early going, especially Drake Maye. He completed just 2 of 5 passes for 10 yards as his accuracy was all over the place. He seemed a little too easy-going to start this one, including an apparent no-look pass that wasn't even close to TreVeyon Henderson. Then he skied a ball to a wide-open Hunter Henry that wasn't close, and it was returned for a touchdown by the Bengals to put the Patriots in an early 10-0 hole.

Maye settled down after that and played some good ball, with a touchdown pass to Henry after eluding a sack, and a dynamite 3rd and 11 completion to Demario Douglas. Maye finished 22 of 35 for 294 yards, a touchdown, interception and a passer rating of 87.1.

Patriots were very sloppy: This wouldn't have been much of a game had the Patriots been able to get more than three points after running 12 plays from inside the Bengals' 6-yard line on two different occasions. But they just couldn't get any movement with the run blocking. Also, the defense right before halftime was very sloppy.

All that added up to the Bengals and Joe Flacco having a chance to win the game at the end. But Carlton Davis knocked away passes on second and third down at the NE 26, and Marcus Jones knocked down the fourth-down attempt as K'Lavon Chaisson hit Flacco.

Injuries hit hard: One of the stories of the first 10ish games of the season was the Patriots' injury luck, which allowed their thin depth chart not to be tested. Well, that's over. Big time.

After putting Milton Williams on injured reserve previously, the Patriots saw their two rookie offensive linemen, Jared Wilson (ankle) and Will Campbell (knee), both were carted off the field with what looked like serious injuries. RT Morgan Moses went to the locker room at one point with an illness, but did return to the game. Also, special teams standout Brenden Schooler was hurt and did not return to the game. 

Ben Brown replaced Wilson, and Vederian Lowe replaced Campbell. 

Mike Vrabel didn't have any updates after the game.

Marcus Jones gets a pick-6: The Patriots' defense only allowed two field goals for much of the game, and one happened right before halftime after two spotty plays. The defense was a little leaky against the run, but they did their job — Christian Gonzalez was good on Tee Higgins — and even contributed points with Marcus Jones' touchdown on a gift from Joe Flacco.

TURNING POINT

I wanted to say the 37-yard pass to Douglas, but the Patriots ended up getting no points as they were stuffed in a goal to go situation and got no points (they would only get a field goal in a similar situation in the fourth quarter), so it's going to have to be Jones' INT return for a touchdown. It gave the Patriots a lead they would not relinquish.

SECOND GUESS

Everything right before halftime, and the two goal-to-go situations. Hated the Patriots taking their first timeout after trying to draw the Bengals offsides before a field goal. If the Patriots had all three timeouts, maybe they press the issue and try to forced a turnover before halftime.

Also, the defense on the two plays — 21-yard run by Chase Brown and 16-yard pass to Tee Higgins (Jaylinn Hawkins screwed up the coverage) — was awful to allow the Bengals to kick a 63-yard field goal.

And the Patriots ran 12 plays inside the Bengals' 5-yard line, and had just three points (and two burned timeouts) to show for it. 

FIVE UP

CB Marcus Jones: Don't know how this game would have gone if he didn't read Flacco like a book and go to the house. Also knocked away the final pass as K'Lavon Chaisson hit Flacco.

TE Hunter Henry: Was a much-needed security blanket for Maye with 7 catches for 115 yards and a touchdown.

LG Mike Onwenu: Didn't appear to give up any pressure and was solid in the run game.

K Andre Borregales: Made all four of his field goals from 41, 45, 19 and 52, and they needed all of them.

CB Carlton Davis: Had three pass breakups in the game.

THREE DOWN

Goal-to-go offense: Nearly cost this team the game.

RB Rhamondre Stevenson: Did not look good in his return with 5 yards on six carries.

QB Drake Maye (first quarter): Didn't look like he was ready to go and was a little too easy-going early.

INJURIES

LG Jared Wilson (ankle): Did not return. Carted off.

LT Will Campbell (knee): Did not return. Carted off.

RT Morgan Moses (illness): Returned to the game.

ST Brenden Schooler (ankle): Did not return to the game.

DT Khyiris Tonga (chest): Returned to the game.

TOP PLAYS

TWO TAKES BEDARD WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

Patriots now have some adversity to overcome: A lot of things have gone the Patriots' way — as they normally do — in their 9-2 start to the season with consistent lineups and consistent level of play, especially from Drake Maye. The Patriots took some body blows today and kept at it, got the result at the end of the day. Tougher days will be ahead, but this was a good sign for the Patriots.

Patriots have only themselves to blame for this being a game: The Patriots basically gave the Bengals 10 points with the pick-six and the porous defense before the end of the first half. Bengals didn't get real points from the end of the first drive, until the touchdown drive with 5:55 left. There's no way the Bengals should have been in this game with that kind of stretch of game. But the Patriots have a lot of youth, I think some of that showed in this game, and hopefully they'll learn lessons from it to apply later. Always good to learn lessons in wins.