The Patriots pulled out a narrow 26-20 victory in Cincinnati, securing their ninth-straight win and becoming the NFL’s only 10-win team while remaining undefeated on the road. Unfortunately, the victory came at the cost of multiple key players.

Days after placing defensive tackle Milton Williams (hamstring) on injured reserve, New England lost left tackle Will Campbell (knee), left guard Jared Wilson (ankle), special teams ace Brenden Schooler (ankle), and nose tackle Khyiris Tonga (chest) to injury. Campbell and Wilson had to be carted off the field, and right tackle Morgan Moses (illness) also missed a stretch in the second quarter. Head coach Mike Vrabel had no updates on today’s injuries when asked postgame.

These could’ve been devastating blows for most teams, and each loss was felt at certain points. But New England showed their trademark resilience by overcoming both an onslaught of injuries and a slow start.

Josh McDaniels‘ offense looked uncharacteristically out of sync throughout the game. Bad accuracy and decisions sandwiched Drake Maye’s up-and-down performance, and the Patriots finished 5-13 on third downs. They did follow early punts and a pick-six with a 70-yard touchdown drive, but poor execution in scoring territory helped keep Cincinnati in the game.

Zak Kuhr’s ailing ground defense took another step back without Milton Williams and, for most of the game, Tonga, but the pass defense largely kept a lid on things. Joe Flacco finished with a 63.2 passer rating and an interception, and top receiver Tee Higgins finished with just 31 yards and five catches on six targets before leaving with a head injury.

New England’s depth will be tested in the coming weeks, and there will be plenty of lessons to learn from what was at times a sloppy performance. Fortunately, Vrabel’s squad will have an extra day of rest with Monday Night Football on the horizon, and as the head coach often says, it’s better to learn from a win than a loss.

Stock Report

Stock Up: Tight Ends

Hunter Henry had a career day in Cincinnati, setting personal records with 115 receiving yards on seven catches.

Henry scored the offense’s only touchdown, moved the chains on an early third down, and turned a short catch into an explosive gain on 1st & 20. Henry also set up a goal-line possession on a shovel pass after having a touchdown called back.

Austin Hooper also got in on the fun in his return from a concussion, gaining a chunk of yards off play action and adjusting to a back-shoulder throw during two-minute.

In a game where execution was inconsistent and wide receivers were quiet, the two veterans stepped up big and directly contributed to New England’s win.

Stock Down: Drake Maye’s Ball Security

Maye found a groove in the middle of the game and came through with some clutch plays.

The quarterback’s eye discipline and pocket presence got Henry wide open on his score, and his deep completion to DeMario Douglas was practically a handoff. Maye also dropped a fade to Mack Hollins in the bucket before taking a hit.

While Maye’s usual flashes of greatness were present, they were nearly overshadowed by how he performed to begin and end this game. After some ugly misses and a failed third-down that felt dead on arrival, he overthrew a wide-open Henry over the intermediate middle for a pick-six. He missed high again on his next attempt before scrambling for a third-down conversion and leading a touchdown drive.

Later, during New England’s final drive, Maye missed behind an open Hollins, then nearly threw another pick-six on a 3rd & 7 prayer to Stefon Diggs against an all-out blitz. He also recovered his own fumble on one of his scrambles.

Second-year quarterbacks are bound to make bone-headed mistakes, but slow starts have been a trend, and Maye has yet to show he can protect the ball consistently. As games become more meaningful, injuries pile up, and the playoffs approach, Maye can’t continue to show up in the “Sh*t That Gets You Beat” column.

Stock Up: Pass Defense

Marcus Jones gave the Patriots a much-needed spark by matching Geno Stone’s pick-six, and though he may have arrived a bit early, the corner’s pass breakup against former teammate Mike Gesicki secured the win.

Carlton Davis‘ three pass breakups on the final drive were one of the stories of the game, and they made up for a rough pass interference call on Higgins’ final play.

Gonzalez’s touchdown allowed was an unfamiliar lapse from the All-Pro, but he was quiet the rest of the afternoon while shadowing Higgins.

Christian Barmore and Chaisson seemed to bring the heat when given opportunities, with the latter getting the initial pressure on Harold Landry’s sack. Gregory also had two straight pressures on a late drive.

Stock Down: Red Zone Execution

The Patriots’ offense went 0-2 in the red zone and felt disjointed on both trips.

While it’s notable that Dax Hill’s penalties prevented two Kayshon Boutte scores, the Patriots failed to convert on seven plays from Cincinnati’s one-yard line. The run game was non-existent, Hollins nullified a touchdown by setting an obvious pick, and Maye appeared to make the wrong choice on an RPO where two unblocked defenders stuffed Rhamondre Stevenson. Communication also appeared to be an issue, even forcing the team to burn time-outs.

New England’s defense held Cincinnati to just one red zone trip, but Christian Gonzalez gave up six points on a rare deep loss to Mitch Tinsley.

Red-zone execution has been inconsistent on both sides of the ball for multiple weeks, and it must be a significant focus moving forward.

Stock Up: Andy Borregales

Andy Borregales has been one of the best players on the Patriots’ roster this season.

The rookie built on his excellent season by making all four of his field goal attempts, including makes of 41, 45, and a clutch 52-yarder to help seal the win. Borregales also forced Charlie Jones to return a kick from just shy of his own end zone, and none of the Bengals’ kickoffs went for more than 26 yards.

Stock Down: Run Defense

The Patriots’ defensive front has been pushed around a bit in recent weeks, and injuries only exacerbated issues against the Bengals.

Christian Barmore and Cory Durden should be expected to hold their ground, but that didn’t appear to be the case on most plays. Chase Brown gained 107 yards on 19 carries, including three explosive runs, and most of that success came between the tackles. Edge discipline also seemed suspect at times.

Durden and K’Lavon Chaisson ended the game with the defensive line’s only run stuffs, and Robert Spillane ended the day with one on four total tackles.

Eric Gregory did flash at times, and he’ll need to grow up quickly if injuries continue to chip away at the interior. Fellow rookie Joshua Farmer was also inactive despite being a full participant this week, and he could help reinforce the interior when he returns to the lineup.

The tape will ultimately tell the tale of the ground game’s struggles this week, but coaches and players must do everything within their power to clog what has become a gaping hole in a once-top-tier unit.

Stock Up: TreVeyon Henderson

TreVeyon Henderson averaged just 3.7 yards on 18 carries, but there was more to his performance than the stats suggest.

The rookie continued stacking positive performances, turning over half of his carries into successful gains. He also got one or two plays that should’ve gone for negative or no yardage past the line of scrimmage, and he was reliable (if potentially under-utilized) underneath.

Henderson was crucial to keeping multiple scoring drives alive, including killing the clock late during the offense’s final drive. While Stevenson’s improved health could affect their splits down the road, it was also notable that Henderson was the clear lead back and made the most of his opportunities, while Stevenson managed just five yards on six carries.