The New England Patriots travel to Cincinnati on Sunday to face the Bengals. New England enters at 9–2 with an eight-game winning streak, fueled by the rapid rise of quarterback Drake Maye. Cincinnati is 3–7 and continues to fight through injuries, suspensions, and inconsistent play. Here, I break down this matchup between AFC opponents and bring you my Patriots vs Bengals prediction.
Our Patriots vs Bengals Pick
Pick: Patriots -7
Confidence: ★★★★☆
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: New England Patriots at Cincinnati Bengals
- Date & Time: Sunday, November 23, 2025, 1:00 PM ET
- Venue: Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Broadcast: CBS
Key Storylines
- Patriots’ surge: New England has won eight straight games and holds the league’s best record at 9–2. They will try to get a ninth straight win here and move closer to locking up a playoff spot in the AFC.
- Bengals struggling: Cincinnati continues to work through injuries, defensive issues, and now the absence of Ja’Marr Chase. Cincinnati has lost three games in a row and they could be out of playoff contention before Joe Burrow is able to return from injury.
- New England defensive loss: Defensive tackle Milton Williams is sidelined with a high-ankle sprain and multiple linebackers are questionable. The Bengals will need all the help they can get if they want to pull off an upset here and this could help open the door for them.
- Cincinnati without Chase: Ja’Marr Chase is suspended for this game for spitting at an opponent in the loss to the Steelers. That leaves a major void in the passing attack for the Bengals.
Quarterback Play
Drake Maye has become the center of New England’s success. The second-year quarterback has thrown for 2,836 yards, 20 touchdowns, and just five interceptions. He has broken a franchise single-game completion mark previously held by Tom Brady, and his performance has fueled growing MVP discussion.
Cincinnati continues to operate without Joe Burrow, who remains out following toe surgery. Joe Flacco has stepped in but has struggled to produce at a level that keeps the Bengals competitive. With Ja’Marr Chase unavailable, the passing offense becomes even more limited.
Betting Trends
- New England is 7-3-1 against the spread this season.
- Cincinnati is 3-7 against the spread this season.
- The total has gone over in six of New England’s first 11 games.
- The over has hit in seven of Cincinnati’s first 10 games.
Patriots vs Bengals Model Projection
Score Projection: Patriots 27 – Bengals 17
Win Probability: Patriots 75%, Bengals 25%
Final Thoughts
I am going to lay the points with the New England Patriots on the road in this contest. These teams are going in two different directions from an execution standpoint and from a discipline standpoint. New England should be able to get some stops without Chase on the field, while the Bengals’ defense will continue to struggle. The Pats should win and cover the number for their 10th win of the season.

