New England Patriots Vs. Cincinnati Bengals: 10 Things for Pats Fans To Watch
These are not your father's Patriots. Forget everything you learned about them in the past decade.
What was once a grind-it-out defensive team that ran the ball and quarterbacked effectively has turned into a shoot-out style team, which closely resembles the Colts of the past decade than any team New England has fielded in that span.
We will see the beginnings of the new-look Patriots that are trying to build their own legacy by leaving the past in the past.
The journey to that new legacy—and to their fourth Super Bowl title—begins this Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. Here's what Pats fans should be watching for.
How Do the Young Cornerbacks Hold Up?
1 of 10
Talk about holding the feet to the fire. Devin McCourty and Darius Butler are faced with the tall order of covering Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco, aka "Batman and Robin" in Week 1.
Their unpolished rookie talents will be tested by two of the more physical and talented veterans in the league. The two receivers have 23 combined years of experience between them; the cornerbacks have one.
The two cornerbacks do have one thing going for them—they both have short-term memory, and can quickly put it behind them if and when they get beat.
Welcome to the NFL, guys. Good luck.
Can the Pass Rush Help?
2 of 10
A woman would have had enough time to wonder if she was pregnant and have her questions answered by a ballooning stomach quicker than the Patriots answered the question of their inept, nay, nonexistent pass rush.
One veteran after another has left the fold, and the Patriots are no longer getting after the quarterback like they used to. Bill Belichick has probably had nightmares scarier than anything Freddie Krueger could ever dream of.
Quarterbacks can be even more statuesque than Brady has ever been against the Patriots. If Carson Palmer has that kind of time to find Batman and Robin open downfield, it could be a very long day for the Patriots defense. Tully Banta-Cain tallied 10 sacks last year, but even if he can replicate his break-out season, I'm not so sure he can do it alone.
Where's Randy Moss' Head at?
3 of 10
Contract years for Randy Moss are like meteor showers. They come around once in awhile, but when they do, you can't help but watch the star fly in amazement.
Recently, Moss aired out his frustrations to CBSsports.com regarding his contract extension, or lack thereof. He feels disrespected by the organization for having not signed him yet, because he feels he's been a good soldier—erm, minuteman?—and he's played up to his contract.
I personally don't think it will become a distraction in the game. I wouldn't expect him to "dog" it, as Chris Gamble called him out for last season. This is definitely a situation to keep an eye on, though, as it could worsen over time if it's not worked out.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Can the Defensive Line Stop Cedric Benson?
4 of 10
The Patriots have made a history of shutting down an opponent's biggest offensive threat.
Who would that be on the Bengals' stacked offense?
Stopping Batman and Robin may or may not be first on the agenda. Cedric Benson's criminal record more closely resembles one of their enemies, but he'll be joining forces with them on Sunday.
The Patriots were burned by featured backs last year, and one has to wonder how they'll do with a paper-thin defensive line. Cedric Benson had a break-out year, rushing for 1,251 yards and six touchdowns in 13 games.
Can Tom Brady Expose an Inept Pass Rush?
5 of 10
It's almost not even fair, that is, unless you're a Patriots fan.
Tom Brady squares off against what was a top-10 pass defense last year. They didn't do it by rushing the passer, though, as they only generated 34 sacks on the quarterback. That's merely two better than the Patriots and their beleaguered pass rush of yesteryear.
We all know how dangerous Brady can be even when the defense is getting pressure on him, but when he has all day to throw, "Tom Terrific" can be just that and more. In fact, he can be downright cerebral. The Bengals added Carlos Dunlap in the second round of April's draft, and he figures to contribute in some way to that ineptitude.
Patchwork Offensive Line
6 of 10
Of course, the last slide means nothing if the Patriots' offensive line isn't working as a cohesive unit to keep defenders from breathing down Brady's neck all day.
With former starters Logan Mankins and Nick Kaczur out, the Patriots will be doing it with a couple of different guys than in the past. I actually like Sebastian Vollmer more than Kaczur, he seemed to really have his feet under him last year in spot duty as he filled in at several different positions, and he could really mold into one of the better offensive linemen the Patriots have seen in a long time. Yes, that includes Mankins.
It's Mankins' replacement I'm partially concerned with. Dan Connolly looked good in practice and in preseason, but those are a totally different beast than the regular season, where teams are scratching, clawing, biting, and doing anything they need to as long as they come out with a win. The Bengals defensive tackles aren't exactly All-Pros, but they're not slouches and are quite a step up from third-string talent, which is what Connolly has been for the past few years.
Holding It Down on Third Down?
7 of 10
Bend-don't-break sounds like a cheap warranty policy on a piece of plastic. That's not exactly the analogy you'd like to hear from a Pats writer about their own team, but the Patriots need to shore up their third-down defense if they're going to live up to that warranty.
The team erred on both sides of bending and breaking in the preseason, holding it down against the Saints and Falcons but being exposed against the Rams and Giants. This is a young defense that sorely needs its confidence to be soaring high. The young cornerbacks seem to both have the requisite short-term memory for their position, but a few bad breaks on third down could mean a long day for the Patriots defense.
Running Game Needs To Open Up Play Action
8 of 10
One of the more memorable plays of the preseason came against the St. Louis Rams, when a beautifully-executed play action pass went to Randy Moss deep for 65 yards and a touchdown. With two safeties in Roy Williams and Chris Crocker, whom are sometimes considered a liability in coverage, chances are they'll be easily exposed by the play action pass.
That is, if New England can get it going.
To execute play action, the Patriots need to run the ball effectively. That may be easier said than done against last year's seventh-ranked rush defense, but the Patriots certainly have the tools to do it. With five competent running backs in the backfield, the safeties will need to respect them if they prove to be too much for the front seven to handle alone.
How Will the Patriots Utilize Wes Welker?
9 of 10
The miracle of Wes Welker's quick return to the field has been the storyline of the off-season for the New England Patriots. He has progressed at a ridiculous rate, having just torn knee ligaments eight months ago.
His pair of receptions all but dispelled any notion that there are lingering side effects from his knee injury in terms of impaired quickness, but keep in mind that was just a pair of receptions in what was a very short outing for the Slot Machine.
In the past, Welker could pretty much roll out of bed and reel in six to eight catches, half of which for first down. Will we see that kind of production out of him against the Bengals?
High-Scoring Affair?
10 of 10
This game could be a preview for the rest of the season.
The Patriots' depleted and young defense faces a lot of top-talent quarterbacks and wide receivers. This is the first such group.
Can the defense step up in the face of adversity? Can the offense step up in their support?
These are both questions that won't be answered just in the first game of the season, but through all 16.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=600 "Post-June 1 Trade Candidates ☎️")
.JPG?w=600 "TO Talks Cowboys Relationship")
.jpg?w=600 "Taylor Heinicke Retiring")
.jpg?w=600 "49ers OC Hypes Mike Evans 🤩")