The Cincinnati Bengals nearly suffered a disaster at the hands of the New England Patriots on Christmas Eve, just barely escaping with a 22-18 win.
Cincinnati had a 22-0 lead at one point before chaos swept the contest in a nearly hilarious fashion.
While the Bengals will be happy to get out of it with a win that keeps them in the driver’s seat of the AFC North and in the AFC No. 1 seed conversation, there are plenty of takeaways to know about the encounter.
Here’s a look at some of the notable talking points and things to consider coming out of the win — Cincinnati’s seventh straight.
The RT issue
The injury to La’el Collins didn’t look good and he’s lost for the year. That means Hakeem Adeniji time at right tackle, where he started last year and during the playoffs. He’s a reliable swing tackle and can be solid in pass protection, though he’s not as good as Collins in run blocking. It’s a net loss, if not for the simple fact Cincinnati’s starting five had played more snaps together than any offensive line in the league — that’s out the window now.
The McPherson issue?
McPherson missed two extra points in the opening quarter, raising eyebrows. Then he missed a fiel goal. Word was it looked like he was struggling in warmups before the game. There’s a chance we can chalk this up to the freezing temperatures impacting things — and Patriots’ special teams struggled too — but even that’s not what anyone should want to hear. It’ll need addressed given how close playoff games can be.
Burrow MVP
He’s still in the conversation. That’s just how it goes for quarterbacks and outsiders aren’t able to tell with 100 percent certainty if the two interceptions were his fault anyway. He still threw for 375 yards and a trio of scores otherwise while helping his team win a seventh straight. Win out and it might just be his.
Fighting through injuries
Both Trey Hendrickson and Tyler Boyd fought through injuries to play on Christmas Eve. They were the most notable, at least. Hendrickson, through a broken wrist, Boyd the dislocated finger that had bone popping through the skin.
Impressive performances from both, as Boyd left at least once with the injury before going back in the game. The team will need that from both guys and others moving forward, with depth pieces like right tackle Hakeem Adeniji also needing to step up big.
Not done yet
The Bengals have won 11 games and still aren’t even guaranteed the AFC North. Games against the Bills and Ravens to close the year still loom large. Maybe the close call in Foxboro is exactly what a team that seemed unstoppable needed as a wake-up call to finish strong. Injuries or not, they still look like one of the best teams in the league and one that can adapt to any opponent. The next two weeks are effectively playoff games, so expect them to approach the contests as such.
