The prospect of the Cincinnati Bengals taking down the New England Patriots has to be one of the most ridiculous predictions that can be made for the season. After all, nobody thinks that a Super Bowl-winning team would fall flat to a team that has struggled to get out of the opening round of the playoffs over the past decade.
However, there is an actual chance that Cincinnati can pull off an upset against these Patriots. The situation between the two teams has gotten to such a state that it's going to be quite a puzzle to figure out which side will reign supreme at the end of the day.
Yes, the Bengals have a shot at winning against the Patriots. While they do have players capable of making it happen, the central talking point ahead of this game more lies on the shoulders of the Super Bowl LIII champions. They will be the ones to blame if the Patriots lose this Week 14 contest.
This season has been particularly rough for the Patriots. They don't look like the indomitable, world-conquering giants that have always played against teams over the past couple of years. If these inconsistent Patriots show up as a terrible team once again, the Bengals might run away with the victory and put the Patriots in a tough spot.
One of the main proponents of the Patriots' struggles is Tom Brady. He hasn't been the outstanding quarterback many have come to know and love over the years. He's struggled to be consistently good ever since Week 3, and his QB rating began plateauing at below the 100-point mark. Given his completion rate since Week 11 has also plummeted to below 60%.
The offense has plummeted as a result, making this a huge concern for the Patriots coaching staff. The receivers and the running backs are not producing as good as they could have been. Sony Michel and Julian Edelman are playing well for the Patriots, but the rest of the Pats offense is falling behind. The defense is never a concern with a Belichick coached team, but the offense is dragging them down.
Of course, the game wouldn't be won if the Bengals don't actually play good football. While they fell short to the Cleveland Browns last week, they played well enough to make the Browns sweat for it. Moreover, their rare triumph over the New York Jets was sweet justice for the players and the fans. They will want to experience that again, and a weakened Patriots team presents that chance.
Of course, the odds are still stacked against the Bengals. The Patriots are still the Patriots even if they're in such a disorganized state. However, they have a better shot at winning this match given the circumstances surrounding this game.
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