Five Takeaways from the Patriots Loss to the Bengals on Christmas Eve

FOXBORO, Mass. – Well that was one way to spend Christmas Eve.

In what was the likeliest of outcomes all along, the Patriots lost to the Bengals 22-18 on Saturday, and are so very far away from being an actual competitor in the AFC. The team in white with orange tiger stripes is ready to win a Super Bowl. Bill Belichick’s team can hardly run an offensive play. They made it interesting at the end, but a Rhamondre Stevenson fumble at the goal line ruined the comeback for them. Here’s a look at the scoring drives from the afternoon:

Patriots 0 – Bengals 6 | 5 plays, 78 yards – Tee Higgins 9-yard TD

Patriots 0 – Bengals 12 | 9 plays, 59 yards – Trenton Irwin 23-yard TD

Patriots 0 – Bengals 15 | 10 plays, 41 yards – Evan McPherson 28-yard FG

Patriots 0 – Bengals 22 | 12 plays, 80 yards – Trenton Irwin 4-yard TD

Patriots 6 – Bengals 22 | Marcus Jones 69-yard interception return TD

Patriots 12 – Bengals 22 | 11 plays, 77 yards – Kendrick Bourne 5-yard TD

Patriots 18 – Bengals 22 | 7 plays, 67 yards – Jakobi Meyers 48-yard TD

Getting right to it so you all can enjoy your Christmas Eve dinners, here are my five takeaways from New England’s loss to the Bengals:

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5. Patriots continue their uncharacteristic undisciplined ways.

This team forever stood on the concept of “we may not be better than you, but we’re smarter and more well-coached than you.”

That has been completely thrown out the window in 2022. Building off of their disastrous loss filled with mental lapses a week ago, the Patriots continued playing undisciplined football on Saturday. Just three plays into this game, New England had to burn a timeout for having 12 men on the field.

Better yet, and this is just an example of how laughably strange the coaching decisions have been this season, New England called a pass play with eight seconds left in the half, converted a first down, called a timeout, and then took a knee. That should tell you everything you need to know about the 2022 Patriots.

4. Add special teams to the list of problems in New England.

The Patriots special teams unit was seemingly down to its wits end with Jake Bailey and Joe Cardona likely out for the season, but it got even worse today.

On New England’s third offensive drive, punter Michael Palardy dropped the ball before getting off just a 22-yard punt. Like, he just dropped it. Take a look:

Though today’s mishaps were more so due to injury and the freezing cold temperatures, Cam Achord’s days as New England’s special teams coordinator could be numbered. With Joe Judge back in the building and a likely shuffle on the offensive staff, Judge could be a candidate to take over that role in 2023.

3. The game day vibes in Foxboro, Massachusetts are not what they used to be.

I know it’s Christmas Eve, and I know it was less than 20 degrees at kickoff. But that never used to matter in New England.

No matter the time, the place, or the weather, fans from all over used to pack Gillette Stadium to the gills every weekend to cheer on this team. Not anymore.

Not only were the red seats with box access empty, but even the nose bleeds – formally home to Foxboro’s most faithful, were also scarcely crowded. The energy came and went with the flow of the game, but overall it felt like a preseason match today.

2. This team is pretty dang resilient.

Say what you want about this Patriots team, but they’ve got a lot of fight in them.

Down 22-0 at halftime, New England could have easily rolled over and let the Bengals win this one handily, but they didn’t. They kept their foot on the gas, used their top-tier NFL defense to their advantage, and made this one a game. They scored 18 second-half points, held Cincinnati to zero, and were (another) offensive gaffe away from a win.

They lost, I know. But the players didn’t quit. That’s something to hang your hat on.

1. Get Bill O’Brien here – now.

By far the biggest takeaway from this game, and every other game in 2022, is that this offense will never get any better under the current regime of Matt Patricia and Joe Judge.

It’s now been 16 weeks – and they haven’t fixed anything, changed anything, or built off of any of the concepts that have actually succeeded for them this season.

With rumblings of Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien looking for a job in the NFL and Ian Rapoport writing today that he is emerging as an option to be the Patriots offensive coordinator for 2023, this feels like the only realistic way to get this offense back to where it was a season ago. They have to make it happen, and they need to make it happen now.

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New England is now 7-8 and no longer controls their own destiny to the postseason. They’re back at it next Sunday, New Year’s Day, for a divisional matchup against the Miami Dolphins. Keep it here on CLNSMedia.com for all the latest Patriots coverage.

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