CINCINNATI — The Bengals lost to the Patriots 26-20 on Sunday at Paycor Stadium, falling to 3-8 on the season. They’ve lost four-straight games.
Here are our winners and losers from the loss:
Winners
Evan McPherson
McPherson had a perfect day at the office, kicking a 54-yard field goal and a team record 63-yard field goal. He also made both of his extra point attempts.
“He’s in a great rhythm, has a lot of confidence and I think the operation has been really good,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said. “We have a lot of confidence in him, so it’s not surprising for him to take that opportunity. What was it, 63 yards? I really didn’t bat an eye at it. I double-checked with Darrin (Simmons) just to make sure we were in good shape there. He didn’t hesitate, and then once we lined up for the kick, you just assume it’s going in. That’s the point you’re at with Evan right now.”
Give longsnapper William Wagner and holder Ryan Rehkow credit for their role in McPherson’s bounce back season.
Geno Stone
Speaking of bounce backs, Stone was great on Sunday against the Patriots. He finished with 13 tackles, one pass defensed and one interception that he returned for a 32-yard touchdown.
Stone had his best game as a Bengal. He had a tackle for loss on 4th-and-goal from the one-yard line with Rhamondre Stevenson hoping to punch it into the end zone.
The Bengals’ defense has been awful for most of the season, but they scored one touchdown and only gave up one touchdown. You take that all day long.
Red Zone Defense
The Bengals’ defense stepped up in a big way in the red zone. They forced a turnover on downs when Stone tackle Stevenson after the Patriots ran six plays inside the 5-yard line.
They also held New England to a field goal after Drake Maye’s quarterback sneak was denied at the one-yard line midway through the fourth quarter. The Patriots had to settle for a 23-13 advantage, which left the door open for a late rally by the Bengals.
Crowd is ALIVE at Paycor #bengals pic.twitter.com/61GWP2XCbt
— Andrew Fo 𝕏 Miller (@AndrewFoxMiller) November 23, 2025
DJ Turner II
Turner and the Bengals’ cornerbacks shut out the Patriots receivers. Stefon Diggs had two catches for 20 yards. DeMario Douglas had one catch for 37 yards. Mack Hollins had two catches for 30 yards.
Turner led the way, but Jalen Davis also made an impact after being elevated from the practice squad. The Bengals’ cornerback room has been a bright spot on a defense that has struggled for most of the season.
Losers
Joe Flacco
Nov 23, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (16) is sacked on third down in the first quarter against the New England Patriots at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Greene-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images / Sam Greene-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
Flacco has been good for the Bengals, but struggled for most of the game on Sunday. He cost the Bengals at least 10 points with self-inflicted miscues.
Flacco completed 19-of-37 passes for 183 yards, one interception and one touchdown. He was 3-of-11 on third down.
His interception was costly, as he threw a pick-six to Marcus Jones. Jones cut in-front of Tahj Brooks in the flat and returned it for an easy 33-yard score. That gave the Patriots a 14-10 lead—their first of the game.
That wasn’t the only miscue. He also took a costly sack on the Bengals’ second possession of the game. Flacco held the ball too long on a 3rd-and-5 from the Patriots’ 35-yard line. He was sacked for a 10-yard loss and the Bengals were forced to punt. He could’ve thrown it away, but held the ball too long and took the sack. McPherson didn’t get to attempt a 52-yard field goal after making a 54-yarder on the previous possession.
Zac Taylor
Taylor wasn’t aggressive on Sunday. He opted to kick in some obvious go-for-it situations. It started on the Bengals’ first possession of the game. The Bengals could’ve went for it on 4th-and-3, but they kicked a 54-yard field goal instead.
Then, in the second half Taylor opted to punt on three separate occasions where he could’ve gone for it. The first one was a 4th-and-4 from the Bengals’ 37-yard line. The second one was also a 4th-and-4 at the 37-yard line.
The final one was a 4th-and-1 from the Bengals’ 45-yard line. Ryan Rehkow punted it into the end zone for a touchback after they took a delay of game.
It’s surprising to see him not go for it in any of those situations, but the final one really hurts. They were shorthanded, had a chance to really threaten the Patriots and grab some momentum, but they didn’t.
He should’ve went for it in that situation.
What was Taylor’s message to the team?
“These guys, they’re working and it’s important to them. They’re not giving up on each other. They keep trying to find a way to win. It’s just been one of those years where we haven’t found a way, and that’s been frustrating,” Taylor said. “That’s disappointing, it’s frustrating, it’s heartbreaking for these guys because they’ve given us everything that we ask them to give us during the course of the week and out there on Sunday. We’ve just got to find a way to get a win so we can remember what that feels like.”
Bengals Linebackers
The Bengals’ linebackers have been awful. The Patriots picked on them on Sunday. Tight end Hunter Henry had seven catches for 115 yards and one touchdown. Austin Hooper had another three catches for 39 yards.
Douglas’ 37-yard catch was against rookie linebacker Barrett Carter.
Both Carter and Knight are working hard, but they’ve struggled this season and Sunday wasn’t any different.
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