The Cincinnati Bengals continue their road trip this week and will face the 7-7 New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. The Patriots used to be a team that was terrifying to face but that hasn't been the case since Tom Brady left after the 2019 season. That's also the last time the Bengals faced New England.
During Brady's long tenure in New England, the Patriots were typically either the reigning Super Bowl champions or the reigning AFC champions. The Bengals can currently relate to the reigning AFC champions part and look to have the right outcome this time around but they need a win on Saturday (yes, Saturday) to help ensure they get the best possible seeding in the playoffs.
Even if the Patriots aren't the same terror they once were, that defense is no slouch, surrendering the sixth-fewest yards per game, according to Team Rankings.
Bengals vs Patriots Week 16 announcers
On the call for this feisty AFC matchup is Ian Eagle and Charles Davis. This is a crew that Bengals fans are pretty familiar with and it's a fitting crew for this game. This isn't a marquee matchup by any means but it's interesting enough to draw a decent crew.
I mentioned above how the Patriots defense was pretty good (which isn't shocking for a Bill Belichick-led defense) but their offense is another story and is why the stripes should win this game handily. The Pats offense is currently totaling the eighth-fewest yards per game while the Bengals' offense is in the top 10 when it comes to yards per game.
Will the Patriots defense be able to slow the Bengals high-scoring offense down? Will the Bengals defense continue to make the Pats offense look anemic? We'll find out on Saturday.