The Patriots (10-2) came into Week 12 after enjoying a “mini bye” - an extra three days of rest after beating the Jets on Thursday Night Football.
And New England needed it, as multiple key pieces on their offense continued rehabbing from various injuries.
Those few days helped receiver Kayshon Boutte, running back Rhamondre Stevenson and tight end Austin Hooper all return to the lineup.
But in the wake of those three key contributors coming back, Sunday saw some of New England’s most important pieces in all three phases of the game go down with injuries.
They may have come away with a 26-20 victory over the Bengals (3-8), but the big storyline coming out of Sunday will be what the injury report looks like for the Patriots in the coming days.
Make no mistake about it - it wasn’t pretty by any means. We’ll discuss it more in the “Downs” section, but this was one of quarterback Drake Maye’s worst games of the season.
But a win is a win, and New England has been doing a whole lot of that in 2025.
This nine game winning streak is their longest single-season streak since the 2016 season, where New England won seven-straight regular season games leading into the postseason. From there, they won three more games en route to a victory in Super Bowl LI.
It’s their longest single-season regular season win streak since 2015, where the Patriots started 10-0 before losing in overtime to the Broncos in Denver in Week 12.
With the Giants (2-10) on tap for Week 13, New England will have a great chance to tie their streaks from both 2015 and 2016.
For now, here are your Ups & Downs for Week 12:
Ups:
- Marcus Jones: He’s been a mainstay in the “Ups” column all season long, and he made his mark on Sunday’s win early in a much needed spot for the defense.
With his team down 10-7 in the second quarter, Jones read Joe Flacco’s eyes perfectly, picking off the 40-year-old QB’s pass to the flats and going untouched on his way to the end zone for a 33-yard score. After a sleepy start for both sides of the football, New England was on top 14-7.
With Maye having thrown a touchdown pass to tight end Hunter Henry four plays prior, this was a prime example of the complimentary football head coach Mike Vrabel has talked about all season long. Offense makes a play, defense makes a play, rinse and repeat.
Jones’ leap into stardom in 2025 has been a true joy to watch. A dominant punt returner, an impact player in the nickel corner spot, and someone who has the ability to play some offense if the team decides to do so.
And yes, I know he was just a little too short to make the interception at the sideline on Cincy’s final possession of the ballgame. But I’m not going to give him a demerit for not coming down with what would have been a miraculous pick. Instead, I’m going to give more credit for making the game-sealing PBU only a few plays later.
- Tight Ends: With Maye playing one of his worst games of the season, he leaned on his sure-handed tight ends to get him back into a rhythm.
After a shaky start that included his first pick-six of the season (more on that coming up), Maye made a point to find tight ends Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper on multiple plays downfield on Cincy’s porous secondary, including a 28-yard touchdown pass to Henry up the left sideline to give New England its first points of the day.
Henry and Hooper combined for 10 catches on 14 targets, good for 154 receiving yards and that aforementioned touchdown.
These guys have to be mentioned among the best tight end duos in the entire NFL. It doesn’t hurt that they have a guy like Maye throwing them the ball, either.
- Harold Landry: The veteran pass rusher got his first sack since Week 7 on Sunday, helping to end a drive where the Bengals were yet again moving down the field after scoring on their opening possession of the game.
If not for Landry taking advantage of the opportunity for a coverage sack, who knows what the rest of this game looks like.
- Andy Borregales: 4 for 4 on the day on field goals, including a 52-yard field goal with under two minutes to play to give the Patriots a 26-20 lead.
You know it’s an ugly day when your kicker is among the only players landing in the “Ups” column. But that’s the type of game it was on Sunday in Cincinnati.
Some Ups, Some Downs:
- Christian Gonzalez: Just because Ja’Marr Chase was suspended for spitting on Jalen Ramsey one week prior doesn’t mean Gonzalez was going to have a walk in the park on Sunday.
Tee Higgins was still in uniform for the Bengals, which means the Patriots’ All-Pro corner still had a full plate to deal with at Paycor Stadium.
And as he’s done week after week throughout his young career, the 23-year-old delivered.
Here was Higgins’ stat line on Sunday before suffering a concussion in the fourth quarter:
5 catches for 31 yards on 6 targets.
Let’s also give “Gonzo” a hockey assist for Landry’s drive-ending sack in the first quarter. It was a coverage sack by the whole secondary, but Gonzalez’s coverage in particular on that play was the highlight.
Fast forward to the fourth, and Gonzalez was beat on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Flacco to Bengals No. 4 receiver Mitchell Tinsley. It was a perfect ball from Flacco, but Gonzalez needs to find a way to make a play in that situation. With how banged up his team was on Sunday, a big play there would have helped put the nail in the coffin on Cincy. Instead, it was a three-point game with under five minutes to play.
That late-game gaffe landed the defensive back in his own special section.
Downs:
- Drake Maye: I know he settled down after the pick-six. But when you’re an MVP candidate, you’re held to a completely different standard than the rest of your team.
And when you start a game out the way Maye did on Sunday leading into that pick-six, you’re going to land yourself in “Downs” for only the second time this season.
Let’s take a look at that pick-six, for a second:
Maye just airmailed Henry over the middle, giving safety Geno Stone an easy path to a 32-yard interception return to give the Bengals a 10-0 lead in the second quarter.
That pick was the last of a stretch of throws from Maye that just didn’t look right coming out of his hand.
Maybe it was the extra time off that led to some rust to get the day started? Maybe his eye wasn’t on the fastball after being a part of one of the more ridiculous one-sided media feuds in recent memory (see video from pregame below)? Maybe it was just a bad day at the office?
Whatever it was, it goes without saying that this is the type of start that can’t happen against good teams in the postseason. Against a good defense, that type of rut is much more difficult to work your way out of.
Did he do enough to join Gonzalez in the “Some Ups, Some Downs” section this week? Probably.
That 37-yard pass to DeMario Douglas on a 3rd and 11 from their own 9 yard line in the third quarter was gorgeous. That’s the type of play that has kept him a part of the MVP discussion for the last month-plus. And he did set a new career-high for passing yards with 294 on the day.
But as I said - Maye is being graded on a different scale than the rest of his peers.
- Another Week, Another Slow-Starting Defense: It’s almost become a running joke for the media to continually ask Vrabel and his defensive players about this problem after every game. But as long as it’s a problem, it’s going to be an item on the agenda that needs to be addressed.
Opening drive for the Bengals:
11 plays, 46 yards, and a 54-yard field goal was good for Evan McPherson to give the Bengals a 3-0 lead. They possessed the football for 5:15 on the drive.
The Patriots may be playing one of the weakest schedules in the modern history of the league, but you’ve got to give these opposing offensive coordinators credit - those opening game scripts have been money.
This problem has to be resolved before the postseason arrives.
- Bad From the 1: After a 35-yard pass interference penalty gave the Patriots a 1st and goal from the Bengals 5 yard line, it felt like a forgone conclusion that New England would be extending their lead to 24-13 - worst case scenario 20-13.
9 plays later (!), the Pats were turning it over on downs to the Bengals on their own 1 yard line.
It was, quite honestly, gross, infuriating football to watch.
Against the worst rushing defense in the NFL, they were unable to move the line. Five plays from the 1, and no points to show for it.
I’ll put this one on both Vrabel and Josh McDaniels. I think McDaniels got too cute on 4th and 1 with a draw play, and I think Vrabel should have had the wherewithal to see that his team needed to just go up 7 in that situation, because the offense clearly just didn’t have it there.
The Bengals punted the ball back five plays later, but this was an obvious missed opportunity for New England. Safe to say they’ll be looking long and hard at that tape over the next few days.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Maye was stuffed on a 3rd and goal from the 1. It led to Andy Borregales coming in for a 19-yard field goal attempt, which he nailed to put the Patriots up 23-13. But it was yet another example of this team having a hard time punching the ball into the end zone from inches out.
- Walking Wounded: For the most part, the Patriots have been incredibly healthy this season.
But on Sunday, three key losses on the offensive line occurred that could change the complexion of what this offense is able to do over the next few weeks.
On the third play of the game, rookie left guard Jared Wilson went down after a 2-yard run by TreVeyon Henderson. After heading to the blue medical tent, he did not return to the ballgame with guard Ben Brown coming in to replace him.
Two plays into their fourth possession, veteran right tackle Morgan Moses went down with what looked like an injury. After walking slowly to the sideline, he went back to the locker room. Rookie tackle Marcus Bryant came in to replace him, and the team announced Moses was questionable to return with an illness. He returned with 4:18 remaining in the second quarter.
On their second possession of the second half, rookie left tackle Will Campbell went down on the first play of the drive with an apparent lower body injury. He needed assistance on his way to the blue medical tent, and last season’s disaster at left tackle Vederian Lowe came in to replace the No. 4 overall pick. A few moments later, Campbell was being carted back to the locker room with a towel over his head. Brutal, brutal stuff.
After continuity along the offensive line was one of New England’s biggest issues in 2024, it’s been a massive strength in 2025. Moses, Campbell and Wilson’s availability moving forward will be key to this team reaching its full potential this season.
It also should be noted that special teams ace Brenden Schooler exited the game with an ankle injury, and was eventually ruled out. Defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga was also in and out of the game, eventually being listed as questionable to return with a chest injury. He did not return.
As of publishing, the Patriots are 7.5-point favorites for their Week 13 Monday Night Football matchup with New York. You can get them at -380 on the moneyline, and the total sits at 46.5.
Tune in each and every Monday throughout the football season to Patriots Monday on WEEI. Head coach Mike Vrabel joins The Greg Hill Show at 6:30 a.m. ET, and quarterback Drake Maye joins WEEI Afternoons.