New England Patriots vs Bengals player stats tell the story of a team that fell behind early and still found a way to win. On November 23, 2025, the Patriots beat the Bengals 26-20 at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. Quarterback Drake Maye threw for 294 yards, tight end Hunter Henry caught seven passes for a career-high 115 yards, and cornerback Marcus Jones scored on an interception. The Bengals fought hard too. Running back Chase Brown ran for 107 yards, and kicker Evan McPherson made a 63-yard field goal. This guide goes through the key numbers in plain words, so you can see who played well, who struggled, and why the Patriots won. The numbers come from the CBS Sports box score and the Associated Press game report.
What was the final score of Patriots vs Bengals?
The Patriots won 26-20 on Sunday, November 23, 2025. The win made New England 10-2 for the season, and they became the first team in the NFL that year to reach ten wins. It was their ninth win in a row, and they stayed perfect on the road at 6-0.
The Bengals dropped to 3-8. They had lost eight of their last nine games, mostly because star quarterback Joe Burrow was out with a toe injury. Veteran Joe Flacco started in his place.
The AP report shared one fun fact about the Patriots. They joined the 1961 Houston Oilers as the only teams to win nine straight games while scoring at least 23 points and allowing 23 or fewer in every game. That shows how steady the Patriots had been, even on a day when the Bengals pushed them hard.
How did the game go quarter by quarter?
The Bengals led early, but the Patriots took control in the second quarter. Here is the score by quarter:
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patriots | 0 | 17 | 3 | 6 | 26 |
| Bengals | 3 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 20 |
Cincinnati scored first with a 54-yard field goal from McPherson. Then came a bad moment for New England. Early in the second quarter, Maye threw a deep pass toward Henry, and safety Geno Stone caught it and ran it back for a touchdown. That put the Bengals up 10-0. It was the first interception Maye ever threw that was returned for a touchdown.
Maye answered right away. He led a nine-play, 70-yard drive and finished it with a 28-yard touchdown pass to Henry. On the next Bengals drive, Jones jumped in front of a Flacco pass and ran 33 yards for a touchdown. The Patriots now led 14-10.
Andy Borregales kicked a 41-yard field goal to make it 17-10. Just before halftime, McPherson hit his 63-yarder, and the score at the break was 17-13.
In the second half, Borregales added field goals of 45 and 19 yards, which made it 23-13. Backup receiver Mitchell Tinsley then caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Flacco with 4:40 left, and the score was 23-20. Borregales answered with a 52-yard kick with 1:51 left. The Bengals drove to the Patriots’ 26-yard line, but a fourth-down pass with 18 seconds left fell incomplete, and the game was over.
How did Drake Maye play?
Drake Maye completed 22 of 35 passes for 294 yards, one touchdown and one interception, with a passer rating of 87.1. He had a slow start. He hit only three of his first seven passes, and one of the misses was the pick-six. After that, he settled down and played well.
He also helped with his legs. Maye ran five times for 22 yards, and his longest run was 12 yards. The Bengals sacked him once, for a loss of nine yards.
One of his best throws came in the third quarter. The Patriots faced third-and-11 from their own 9-yard line, and Maye threw deep over the middle to DeMario Douglas for 37 yards. That play gave the offense a big push after a quiet start to the half.
Here is how the quarterbacks compare:
| Player | Team | Completions / Attempts | Yards | TD | INT | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drake Maye | Patriots | 22 / 35 | 294 | 1 | 1 | 87.1 |
| Joe Flacco | Bengals | 19 / 37 | 183 | 1 | 1 | 63.2 |
| Jake Browning | Bengals | 1 / 1 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 118.8 |
Who ran the ball best for each team?
Chase Brown ran best for the Bengals, and TreVeyon Henderson led the Patriots. Brown carried the ball 19 times for 107 yards. That was a season high for carries, and his longest run was 21 yards. He averaged 5.6 yards each time he touched the ball.
Henderson ran 18 times for 66 yards, an average of 3.7 yards per carry. His longest run was only 9 yards. He also caught three passes for 15 yards, so he stayed busy in both parts of the offense.
Rhamondre Stevenson had a tough day, with six carries for five yards. The Patriots as a team ran 31 times for 107 yards. The Bengals ran 23 times for 120 yards. So the Bengals had the better ground game, even though they lost.
| Player | Team | Carries | Yards | Longest run |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Brown | Bengals | 19 | 107 | 21 |
| TreVeyon Henderson | Patriots | 18 | 66 | 9 |
| Drake Maye | Patriots | 5 | 22 | 12 |
| DeMario Douglas | Patriots | 1 | 14 | 14 |
| Rhamondre Stevenson | Patriots | 6 | 5 | 3 |
| Tahj Brooks | Bengals | 2 | 5 | 3 |
The Patriots also had trouble near the goal line. In the third quarter, they drove all the way to the Bengals’ 1-yard line. They could not score in four tries, and Stevenson was stopped twice on the last two. In the fourth quarter, they reached the 1-yard line again and settled for a 19-yard field goal. That is why the Patriots were 0 for 2 on touchdowns in the red zone.
Who caught the most passes?
Hunter Henry caught the most yards in the game. He had seven catches for 115 yards and one touchdown, from ten targets. It was a career high for him, and the AP said it was only the third 100-yard game of his career. His longest catch was the 28-yard touchdown. Henry also made several key catches on drives that ended in points.
Other Patriots receivers had smaller roles. Tight end Austin Hooper caught three passes for 39 yards. Douglas had just one catch, but it went for 37 yards. Mack Hollins caught two for 30, and Stefon Diggs caught two for 20.
For the Bengals, Andrei Iosivas led the way with four catches for 61 yards. Mike Gesicki caught four for 35, and Tee Higgins caught five for 31. Tinsley had two catches for 29 yards, including the touchdown. Star receiver Ja’Marr Chase did not play because he was serving a one-game suspension.
| Player | Team | Targets | Catches | Yards | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunter Henry | Patriots | 10 | 7 | 115 | 1 |
| Andrei Iosivas | Bengals | 7 | 4 | 61 | 0 |
| Austin Hooper | Patriots | 4 | 3 | 39 | 0 |
| DeMario Douglas | Patriots | 1 | 1 | 37 | 0 |
| Mike Gesicki | Bengals | 6 | 4 | 35 | 0 |
| Tee Higgins | Bengals | 6 | 5 | 31 | 0 |
| Mack Hollins | Patriots | 6 | 2 | 30 | 0 |
| Mitchell Tinsley | Bengals | 6 | 2 | 29 | 1 |
How did Joe Flacco and the Bengals passing game do?
Joe Flacco had a hard day, even though he threw a touchdown. He completed 19 of 37 passes for 183 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. His passer rating was 63.2, and he averaged only about five yards per throw. Harold Landry sacked him once for a loss of ten yards.
His interception was costly. He tried a short pass toward running back Tahj Brooks, and Marcus Jones read it perfectly and scored.
Flacco also lost help during the game. He briefly left one play with an injury, and backup Jake Browning came in and completed a 14-yard pass to Iosivas. Flacco then returned. Late in the fourth quarter, Higgins left the game with a concussion, so Flacco had even fewer weapons on the final drive.
Still, Flacco gave his team a real chance. He led a quick four-play, 71-yard drive for the touchdown to Tinsley, and he moved the Bengals into Patriots territory in the closing minute.
Which defensive players made the big plays?
Marcus Jones made the biggest defensive play of the game. His 33-yard interception return for a touchdown gave the Patriots the lead for good. It was his third interception of the season, and the AP said it was the second pick-six of his career. Both of them came against the Bengals.
Harold Landry added a sack, and cornerback Carlton Davis led the Patriots in tackles. The defense held Cincinnati to 307 total yards and just 4.8 yards per pass. The Bengals also converted only 3 of 13 third downs. The Patriots stopped the Bengals on their first three drives of the second half, which helped the offense catch its breath.
For the Bengals, Geno Stone made the first big play with his pick-six. Linebacker Barrett Carter led his team in tackles. Cornerback Jalen Davis sacked Maye once. Cornerback Daxton Hill had a rough afternoon, though. He was called for pass interference twice on the Patriots’ long third-quarter drive, including a 35-yard penalty that moved the ball deep into Bengals territory.
How did the kickers and punters do?
Both kickers were excellent, and the Bengals made some history. Andy Borregales made all four of his field goals for the Patriots, from 41, 45, 19 and 52 yards. He also made both extra points, so he scored 14 of New England’s 26 points.
Evan McPherson made both of his field goals for the Bengals, from 54 and 63 yards. The 63-yarder was the longest field goal in Bengals history. He was the first Bengals kicker to make a kick of 60 yards or more. The old team record was his own 58-yarder in 2021.
The punters had steady games. Bryce Baringer punted twice for the Patriots and averaged 49.0 yards. Ryan Rehkow punted five times for the Bengals and averaged 45.4 yards, with three punts landing inside the 20-yard line.
What do the team stats show?
The Patriots had more yards, more time with the ball and a better third-down record. The Bengals ran better and had a perfect red zone day, but they did not have enough offense to catch up.
| Stat | Patriots | Bengals |
|---|---|---|
| Total yards | 392 | 307 |
| Passing yards (net) | 285 | 187 |
| Rushing yards | 107 | 120 |
| First downs | 21 | 20 |
| Third-down conversions | 5 of 13 | 3 of 13 |
| Time of possession | 33:14 | 26:46 |
| Penalties | 4 for 52 yards | 6 for 65 yards |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Red zone trips | 2 (0 touchdowns) | 1 (1 touchdown) |
Both teams gave the ball away one time, and both turnovers became touchdowns. That makes the final result close to a coin flip on the scoreboard. The difference was New England’s passing game, which gained almost 100 more net yards.
Which players were hurt or missing?
Injuries hurt both teams, and the Patriots handled theirs better. New England lost left guard Jared Wilson to an ankle injury on the first series. Rookie left tackle Will Campbell hurt his knee in the third quarter. Even with a patched offensive line, Maye still threw for almost 300 yards.
The Bengals missed Burrow, who had been out since Week 2. He practiced that week and was expected to return for the next game, a Thursday night game at Baltimore. They also played without Chase because of his suspension. Higgins left with a concussion late in the game, and Brooks also left with a concussion. Cornerback Marco Wilson did not return after a hamstring injury.
Who was the best player in the game?
Hunter Henry was the best player in this game, in my view, based on the numbers. He caught the only Patriots touchdown pass, led all players with 115 receiving yards, and made key catches when the offense needed them. Marcus Jones was a close second because his pick-six changed the score and the mood.
For the Bengals, Chase Brown played the best. He ran hard all day and led all rushers. McPherson’s record kick also deserves credit. Remember that stats do not show everything. A strong block, a good read or a smart play call can help a team win without showing up in the box score.
What happened after the game?
After the win, the Patriots were 10-2 and led the AFC by half a game over Denver. They also had a 2.5-game lead in the AFC East. Their next game was at home against the New York Giants on December 1. The Bengals fell to 3-8 and had a quick turnaround, with a Thursday night game at Baltimore.
Final Thoughts
The New England Patriots vs Bengals player stats show a close game that the Patriots won with a strong second quarter, steady kicking and one big defensive play. Maye, Henry and Jones led the way, while Brown, Flacco and McPherson kept the Bengals in it until the last drive. Bookmark this page if you want a simple guide to the numbers from this game.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Patriots vs Bengals game?
The New England Patriots won 26-20 on November 23, 2025, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. The Bengals led 10-0 early in the second quarter, but the Patriots scored 17 points in that quarter and never gave up the lead. The win was their ninth in a row and put them at 10-2.
Which player had the most receiving yards in the Patriots vs Bengals game?
Patriots tight end Hunter Henry had the most receiving yards with 115. He caught seven passes from ten targets and scored a 28-yard touchdown. It was a career high for him. The top Bengals receiver was Andrei Iosivas, who caught four passes for 61 yards.
Who scored the touchdowns in the Patriots vs Bengals game?
Four players scored touchdowns. Hunter Henry caught a 28-yard pass from Drake Maye, and Marcus Jones returned an interception 33 yards for the Patriots. For the Bengals, Geno Stone returned an interception for a touchdown, and Mitchell Tinsley caught a 17-yard pass from Joe Flacco.1 earlier step
