CINCINNATI — — Mike Vrabel’s New England Patriots became the first NFL team to reach 10 wins after they held on for a 26-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Patriots’ ninth straight victory was more of a battle of attrition, though, as they rallied from an early 10-point deficit Sunday and withstood key injuries.
New England (10-2) won despite the left side of its offensive line being carted off. Left guard Jared Wilson injured an ankle on the game’s first series and rookie left tackle Will Campbell had a knee injury in the third quarter.
Even with a makeshift offensive line, Drake Maye passed for 294 yards and a touchdown.
“That’s what happens in this league. You need everybody,” Vrabel said after the Patriots improved to 6-0 on the road. “You go through the season and you go on the road and it’s tough. Nobody wants to talk about numbers and records, that doesn’t mean (expletive).”
The Patriots also got contributions from their defense and special teams. Cornerback Marcus Jones returned an interception 33 yards in the second quarter and Andy Borregales kicked four field goals.
Maye completed only three of his first seven passes, including Geno Stone’s second career pick-6 that floated in the air before it was intercepted and run back 33 yards to give the Bengals a 10-0 lead 41 seconds into the second quarter. It was New England’s first double-digit deficit since the second half of its opener against Las Vegas.
The second-year QB got back on track on the ensuing drive, capped by a 28-yard touchdown to a wide-open Hunter Henry. The 10th-year tight end had a career-high 115 receiving yards on seven receptions.
“That’s what the league is about — battling adversity,” said Maye, who was 22 of 35. “I gave them one early in the game and just battled back on the next drive. We had a lot of guys come in, make plays and help us out.”
With Buffalo’s loss at Houston on Thursday night, the Patriots have a 2 1/2-game lead in the AFC East and are a half-game up on Denver atop the conference. New England will be the last AFC team to go on its bye week in two weeks.
The Bengals (3-8) have dropped eight of nine since quarterback Joe Burrow had a turf toe injury in a Week 2 win against Jacksonville. Burrow practiced this week and is expected to return for the Thanksgiving night game at Baltimore, even though coach Zac Taylor wasn’t ready to declare him the starter.
Joe Flacco completed 19 of 37 passes for 183 yards with a touchdown and interception.
Flacco was without his top two receivers on the last series. Ja’Marr Chase served a one-game suspension for spitting on Pittsburgh’s Jalen Ramsey last week, and Tee Higgins suffered a concussion with 4:50 remaining.
Mitchell Tinsley, who started in place of Chase, caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Flacco with 4:40 remaining to bring the Bengals within 23-20.
Higgins had a team-high five receptions for 31 yards and Andrei Iosivas had 61 yards on four catches. Chase Brown had a season-high 19 carries for 107 yards.
“I think any time you lose not one of the best players on your team, but one of the best players in football, guys have to step up,” Flacco said. “We still have a bunch of good players and it’s a shame we didn’t do what we wanted to today, but I think we’re capable of it.”
Borregales’ 52-yard field goal gave the Patriots a 26-20 lead with 1:51 remaining.
Flacco drove Cincinnati to the New England 26, but a fourth-down pass with 18 seconds remaining intended for Mike Gesicki was incomplete.
“Just been one of those years where we haven’t found a way at the end of the game, and that’s been frustrating,” Taylor said. “It’s important to everyone to keep at this thing and find a way to get some momentum.”
Numbers game
New England joins the 1961 Houston Oilers as the only teams to win nine straight games with at least 23 points scored and 23 or less points allowed in each game.
Go-ahead play
After Henry’s touchdown, New England took the lead on the Bengals’ ensuing series when Jones jumped Flacco’s pass attempt in the flat intended for Tajh Brooks and easily scored. It was the second pick-6 of Jones’ career, with both coming against the Bengals.
“I was just watching the quarterback’s eyes. I saw him flash toward the running back, so I didn’t want to go down there too soon. Just tried to time it up and I did just in time,” Jones said about his team-leading third interception this season.
Record boot
Evan McPherson became the first Bengals kicker to make a field goal from at least 60 yards when he was good from 63 on the final play of the opening half.
McPherson, who was kicking from the Bengals’ ‘B’ logo at midfield, was straight down the middle on his kick, which had plenty of distance. McPherson also had the previous team record with a 58-yarder in 2021.
The fifth-year kicker made what would have been an NFL-record 67 yarder at Green Bay on Oct. 12, but it was negated because Packers coach Matt LaFleur called time out just before the snap. His second attempt was short.
“I’ve always thought about how it would be cool to get one from the other side of the field one day,” McPherson said. “The coaches trust me to go out there and make it, and I’m just glad that they have trust in me.”
Injuries
Patriots: S Bradyn Schooler (ankle) and DL Khyiris Tonga (chest) didn’t return after being injured.
Bengals: Brooks (concussion) and CB Marco Wilson (right hamstring) also didn’t come back.
Up next
Patriots: Host the New York Giants on Dec. 1.
Bengals: At Baltimore on Thursday night.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
