‘We want Zappe’ chants return to Foxborough, and other takeaways from Patriots-Bengals
The Patriots' offense struggled in the first half, and couldn't overcome a 22-0 deficit.
For the second week in a row, the Patriots lost on a Rhamondre Stevenson play that put the game out of reach.
Last week, Stevenson pitched the ball back to Jakobi Meyers, setting up one of the most disastrous finishes in Patriots history.
This week, Stevenson fumbled inside of the Cincinnati 10-yard-line while the Patriots had the ball with less than a minute to go trailing by four.
On Christmas Eve, the Patriots gifted the Bengals a 22-18 win at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.
Joe Burrow threw for three passing touchdowns against a pair of interceptions, including, a 69-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Mac Jones threw for his first touchdown passes since December 1. The Patriots pulled within four points on a tipped pass that fell into Jakobi Meyers’s hands for a touchdown.
Kendrick Bourne and Marcus Jones turned in encouraging performances, but it wasn’t enough for the win.
Here are five takeaways from the action.
The Patriots did not show much faith in Mac Jones until late.
The Bengals had two scores by the time Jones made his third passing attempt.
By halftime, Cincinnati opened up a 22-0 lead and the Patriots still didn’t let the second-year quarterback throw much until the second half.
Jones took advantage of the opportunities he did have, completing 21 of 33 passes for 240 yards, a pair of touchdowns, and no interceptions.
By the end of the third quarter, Jones only had one passing first down compared to 16 for Joe Burrow.
Jones protected the ball, made some good throws in the second half, and nearly overcame a sluggish start that proved to be too much in the end.
The “we want Zappe” chants are back.
After back-to-back three-and-outs to start the game, some Patriots fans became restless watching New England’s listless offense.
A few began to chant “we want Zappe,” and the chants grew progressively louder with each unsuccessful drive.
Jones has thrown two touchdowns during the month of December.
Meanwhile, Bailey Zappe went 2-0 filling in for Jones while he was injured earlier this season. Zappe has completed more than 70 percent of his passes and thrown for 5 touchdowns against 3 interceptions.
Joe Burrow lived up to the hype.
The Bengals let Joe Burrow loose, and the third-year quarterback from LSU completed 40 of his 52 passing attempts for 375 yards, three touchdowns, and a pair of interceptions.
The interceptions came late after Cincinnati had built up a three-score lead and helped the Patriots stay in the game. Jones’s touchdown provided a spark when New England was looking lifeless. Devin McCourty’s interception in the first half was big as well.
But, in the end, the good plays outnumbered the bad for Burrow, and the Bengals gave him enough help. Tee Higgins caught eight out of his nine targets for 128 yards and a touchdown. Trenton Irwin hauled in a pair of touchdown passes from short distances.
Marcus Jones remains a bright spot.
Marcus Jones pounced on an underthrown pass from Burrow, raced in a straight line down the sideline, and sidestepped a lunging Bengals defender for a 69-yard touchdown.
The rookie speedster just keeps making plays.
The Patriots now have six defensive touchdowns, which ties the franchise record set in 2003 and matched in 2007.
The score marks Jones’s first career defensive touchdown. He has now scored touchdowns on offense, defense, and special teams this season.
He also caught a 15-yard screen pass from Mac Jones.
A breakout game for Kendrick Bourne
Kendrick Bourne was impactful from his first snap, when he carried the ball for a 29-yard gain.
He posted his first 100-yard game of the season. He had a spectacular catch down the sideline where he kept both feet in-bounds and hung on for a 32-yard gain.
Bourne had nine targets, more than any other Patriots receiver. Bourne’s previous season-high for receiving yards was 58 against Baltimore.
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