The New England Patriots will need to adopt an us against the world mentality when heading into Paycor Stadium to face the Cincinnati Bengals.
There’s a general consensus that Sunday’s game will be a train wreck with the defense falling flat and the offense remaining an NFL punchline. The Bengals are at home with a returning Joe Burrow. They’re a likely playoff-contending team that should finish with one of the best records in the AFC.
Meanwhile, the Patriots are a rebuilding team with a first-year head coach and a bridge veteran quarterback leading the offense. They only won four games last season under former coach Bill Belichick, How can they be expected to even compete against a team as talented as the Bengals.
Here are three reasons for optimism for Sunday’s matchup:
Bengals could be severely short-handed on offense
Ja’Marr Chase was listed as questionable, and Tee Higgins is doubtful to play against the Patriots. That means there’s a chance that Burrow has to face New England’s defense without his top-two receiving weapons on the field.
That’s a daunting task even for one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
The Patriots have both of their young cornerbacks, Christian Gonzalez and Marcus Jones, back on the field, along with veteran Jonathan Jones.
They also have one of the best safety tandems in the league with Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers. Burrow might have to test himself against that group while throwing to backup receivers.
Chase has already stated that if he does play he would likely be limited. He’s currently doing a partial holdout for a better contract with the team. That drama combined with Higgins’ recent injury could create an opportunity for an upset.
Week 1 jitters could be a problem
If there was ever a time for an upset, it would be in the first week of the season. Burrow missed a significant chunk of the 2023 season due to his wrist injury.
This will be his first game back on the field with different faces than he’s used to seeing on offense, especially if Chase and Higgins are out.
It’s easy to forget that the Patriots played the Philadelphia Eagles tough in the opener last year, and they could potentially do the same against the Bengals on Sunday.
Their defense should be able to keep the game interesting, and while they don’t have a standout explosive talent at wide receiver, they have upgraded with the additions of Ja’Lynn Polk and K.J. Osborn to go along with DeMario Douglas.
That trio could be more effective than people think.
The Patriots will be boring (in a good way)
Jacoby Brissett isn’t as flashy as rookie Drake Maye under center, and that might end up paying off for the Patriots against the Bengals.
The veteran quarterback isn’t the kind of player to take risks. He’s going to play within the confines of the offense and take whatever the defense gives him. His best superpower is managing games and limiting turnovers.
It might sound boring on paper, but it currently gives the Patriots their best chance to win. They should lean on their defense and running game, while also avoiding the sort of boneheaded penalties and turnovers that cost them games last season.
The biggest key to victory is making this game as ugly as possible and playing keep-away from Burrow and the Bengals offense. If the Patriots can do that effectively, they have a legitimate shot at winning this game.
