The New England Patriots were on the road for their Week 1 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday at Paycor Stadium, and Jerod Mayo's team earned a 16-10 win in his first game.
New England's defense was incredible in this one, forcing Cincinnati to punt five times, and they also forced a turnover-on-downs and a fumble on a play that was nearly a touchdown. Patriots long snapper Joe Cardona forced another fumble on special teams that was recovered by his team.
DeMarcus Covington's defense held Joe Burrow to just 164 passing yards and no touchdowns, partially due to their three total sacks. They also held Cincinnati's rushing attack to just 70 yards on 4.4 yards per attempt.
Alex Van Pelt's offense wasn't overly impressive. They committed to running the ball, and they did it well, totaling 138 yards and a touchdown on 4.3 yards per attempt.
Jacoby Brissett completed 62.5% of his passes for 121 yards. He did a solid job avoiding pressure that was frequently let up by New England's offensive line. The veteran quarterback was often able to escape and gain yards on the ground. His biggest mistake was a lofted pass to the end zone, which tight end Hunter Henry had to break up to prevent an interception.
Brissett spread the ball to seven different receivers. Wide receiver K.J. Osborn was his favorite target, as the quarterback tossed to him six times, and he caught three for 21 yards.
This was a huge win for New England, as they showed they can consistently move the ball on the ground, and the defense can hold their own.
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