What is the story about?
TEAM
TALK
- Patriots-Bengals updated Injury Report.
- Evan Lazar‘s Patriots Gameplan: 3 keys to victory vs. the Bengals. Defense Key: Do the Patriots still use the two-high safety blueprint without Chase in the lineup?
- Mike Dussault‘s Three to Watch: Key matchups vs. Bengals. 1. Pressure Flacco (or Burrow)
- Transcript: Mike Vrabel (plus min. 11 video)
- Press Conferences: Josh McDaniels – Zak Kuhr – Todd Downing, Thomas Brown, Doug Marrone, and Ashton Grant – Jaylinn Hawkins.
- All Access 1-on-1: Mack Hollins. (3 min. video)
- Game Preview: Scouting the matchups between the Patriots and Bengals. (8 min. video)
- Gronk on Gronk: Looking back at the greatest plays of his career. (4 min. video)
LOCAL LINKS
- Thomas Murphy gives us his Monster Keys to victory over the Bungles: It’s not the size of the boat, it’s the motion of the ocean; More!
- Steve Balestrieri‘s Patriots-Bengals Week 12, Keys to the game, Key matchups. Patriots RBs vs. Bengals front seven — Edge New England.
- Phil Perry’s Patriots-Bengals Preview: Drake Maye a bigger factor than Joe Burrow.
- Chad Finn‘s Unconventional Preview: The one piece of evidence the skeptics miss about the Patriots? They are unbeaten on the road.
- Andrew Callahan‘s Friday Five: 1. 4th-down dominance. The Patriots are the best team in the NFL at one small, critical part of the game; More.
- Alex Barth’s 5 Things Friday: Who steps up in Milton Williams’ place?
- Andrew Callahan points out some good news at Thursday’s practice: The Pats appear to be in good health ahead of Sunday.
- Doug Kyed highlights Josh McDaniels gushing about Stefon Diggs’ influence on the Patriots.
- Matt Vautour reports the Patriots’ AFC East title path became easier after the Bills’ loss to the Texans.
- Mike D’Abate finds that Drake Maye stays humble, determined to remain focused, despite MVP-level success.
- Mark Daniels helps us get to know 29-year-old Patriots QB coach Ashton Grant, who is on a remarkable rise in the NFL.
- Nick O’Malley mentions the NFL endorsed a ‘Chowdamosa’ for Patriots fans, and he drank it so we don’t have to. “It was an opaque, milky nightmare of lemon, clam juice and tart sparkling wine. It was a Lovecraftian show of brut force that takes you on a grimy roller coaster ride of salty, abrasive flavors all kept in check by a riptide of heavy cream.” /Thanks for nothing, NFL.
- A Clare Perspective podcast: Clare welcomes Matt Smith, Executive Producer at Kraft Sports Productions, to talk Patriots-Bengals and more. (35 min.)
NATIONAL NEWS
- Multiple Contributors (ESPN) NFL Week 12 picks, bold predictions, schedule, odds; More. NE-CIN: The Patriots pride themselves on an identity that begins with “effort and finish” and that sometimes requires an extra edge on the road. All three pick Pats to win.
- Russell S. Baxter (NFL Spin Zone) Football food for thought in Week 12. “Drake Maye and company take aim at a Bengals’ team that has allowed 31-plus points in four straight games.” More.
- Nick Shook (NFL.com) QB rankings, Week 12: Drake Maye (2nd) vaults Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen.
- Courtney Cronin (ESPN) Top QBs in 2-minute drill. Drake Maye 3rd.
- Cameron Filipe (Football Zebras) Week 12 referee assignments. Patriots at Bengals: Land Clark. /Clark and his crew are known for fewer penalties called overall, but flag roughing the passer and unnecessary roughness more often than average.
- Ali Bhanpuri, et al (NFL.com) NFL Week 12 picks: Upset and score predictions, matchup breakdowns for every game. Five of five pick Pats to win. /Click for commentary.
- MMQB Staff (SI) NFL Week 12 picks. Six of six pick Pats to win.
- Anthony Dabbundo (The Ringer) The best NFL bets of Week 12. Patriots-Bengals included.
- Bryan DeArdo (CBS Sports) NFL makes flex changes to Week 14 schedule: Bills vs. Bengals demoted to 1:00pm; Bears vs. Packers elevated to 4:25.
- Jonathan Jones (CBS Sports) Rival coaches and execs see the same Chiefs — just an older, slower, thinner version of a former giant.
- Jared Dubin (CBS Sports) Who has the most at stake in 2025 stretch run? Coaches, QBs and rising stars under pressure to deliver
- Multiple Contributors (ESPN) 2026 NFL offseason: Early team needs for free agency, draft. Patriots biggest positional needs: Edge and Safety. Pending free agent to watch: K’Lavon Chaisson; More.
- Greg Bishop (SI) How Turf Toe became the most misunderstood injury in sports.
VIEW FROM CINCINNATI
- Dale Altman (Cincy Jungle) 3 key players to watch for Bengals vs. Patriots.
- Mike Petraglia (CinsCincy) Bengals Beat: Are Bengals readying Joe Burrow for a return Sunday? Mitch Tinsley ‘true testament’ to hard work.
- Russ Heitman (SI-Bengals) Former pro football team doctor David Chao already declared Joe Burrow will be on the field for Cincinnati this Sunday against the Patriots.
- Geoff Hobson (Bengals) Quick Hits: Committee to replace Ja’Marr convenes for Bengals.
- Chris Roling (Bengals Wire) Bengals trending toward all-time worst defense with no help in sight.
- John Acree (Cincy Jungle) It’s time for Bengals to make mass changes on defense
- Jason Garrison (Cincy Jungle) Shemar Stewart grades as worst 2025 NFL first-round pick. /Cincy drafted like the girl who thinks she can turn a troubled man around. “Sure he’s always late, mean to his mom and doesn’t respect me —but he’s so handsome (athletic freak) I can fix him.”
- Geoff Hobson (Bengals) Quick Hits: Mike Gesicki returns to field, Joe Flacco bonds with mates, Myles Murphy keeps it fast and simple.
- Chris Roling (Bengals Wire) Bengals make roster moves, get healthier before Week 12 vs. Patriots
- Matthew Minich (Cincy Jungle) 5 general manager options for the Bengals: What if the Bengals decided to hire an actual GM?
