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The New England Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals are squaring off at Paycor Stadium on Sunday afternoon. These two teams are headed in different directions in the AFC playoff race. Cincinnati is 1-7 without Joe Burrow and will start Joe Flacco again. Meanwhile, New England is riding an eight-game winning streak. How does recent form impact the Patriots’ and Bengals’ bold predictions? Let’s find out!
The most significant absence from this game is Ja’Marr Chase, who is suspended for the game. He spat on Jalen Ramsey amid some trash talk, earning him a one-game suspension. That should put Christian Gonzalez on Tee Higgins, making the offense even harder for the Bengals. And Cincinnati’s defense has not been strong in any game this season.
Before the Patriots and Bengals square off, let’s look at the bold predictions for the matchup.
The Patriots have another franchise quarterback, as Drake Maye has entered the MVP conversation in just his second season. Despite his phenomenal season, Maye has not reached 300 passing yards in any game this season. With a favorable matchup against the Bengals’ defense and a winning streak to uphold, Maye will get to 300 yards on Sunday.
The Patriots will likely not have Kayshon Boutte, Maye’s top deep threat, once again for this game. That will make it a little bit harder, but Hunter Henry should go wild against Cincinnati’s beat-up linebacker core. The Patriots have a solid group of weapons around Maye that should help him get to 300 yards on Sunday.
Maye has done a great job using his legs to create opportunities and pick up yards this season. His running ability should also be on display, even with his 300 passing yards.
The Bengals opened Burrow’s practice window to start Week 11, with his eyes set on a Thanksgiving night return. That would make this game the last one Joe Flacco starts, at least for now. With Christian Gonzalez looming and no Chase, this will be a tough matchup for Flacco. He will throw two interceptions on his way to the bench before the big Baltimore Ravens game.
If the Bengals lose, they could be putting Burrow on the shelf for the rest of the season and go back to Flacco. But the AFC North won’t be put away, even if Cincinnati loses. The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Ravens are barely hanging onto .500 records, and a hot stretch with Burrow could sneak Cincy into the postseason.
Flacco had three fantastic games as the Bengals quarterback, but the defense lost two of those games. If Cincy beat the Jets and Bears in consecutive weeks, they would be 5-6 with a real chance at the crown. But now, the season is slipping away. Flacco struggled against the Steelers and will struggle again on Sunday.
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