The New England Patriots fans were not expecting their squad to be trailing by multiple possessions early. The Cincinnati Bengals came out swinging, picking off Drake Maye for a touchdown, but the Patriots fought back and have a four-point lead of their own in the third quarter. Despite the Patriots fighting back, their top receiver, Stefon Diggs, has done almost nothing in the passing game.
Stefon Diggs’ Quiet Afternoon
Diggs has been held to limited contributions by the Bengals’ defense. Cincinnati’s defense is not very good, but their one bright spot is DJ Turner II at cornerback. The third-best in the NFL with a grade of 92.7 in PFSN’s CB Impact score. Diggs and Turner have faced each other on multiple occasions, and Diggs only has one catch for six yards on the day.
The Patriots have figured it out, thanks to the help of their defense. They picked up Joe Flacco with a pick-six of their own by Marcus Jones to swing the momentum completely in their favor. The Patriots had the chance to start to separate themselves from Cincinnati, but the Bengals stood tall on the 1-yard line, forcing a turnover on downs.
The Patriots have gone to other receivers today to carry the load on offense. Hunter Henry has been the main target, but the highlight play of the day came on a throw up the seam by Maye to Demario Douglas for a big gain.
.@DrakeMaye2 connects with @popshotta3 on the long pass!
📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/Z38YH96j6D
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 23, 2025
Diggs is the 5th-ranked receiver in PFSN’s WR Impact score. His impact score sits at 86.4, which sits between Ja’Marr Chase and Amon-Ra St. Brown. Diggs has been a massive addition to the New England offense, helping Maye make a huge jump from a rookie who only showed flashes with a poor receiver room in 2024 to an MVP candidate.
Diggs was a question mark heading into this season. Coming off a season-ending injury with the Texans, it was uncertain how Diggs would respond to the injury at 31 years old. He has more than responded and will likely find himself with another 1,000+ receiving yard season.
The Patriots should look to get Diggs more involved as they look to put away the shorthanded Bengals. The Bengals are without Chase and Joe Burrow, their two most dangerous offensive weapons, and their season is essentially over. The Patriots have everything to play for, including home-field advantage in the playoffs.
With the Bills losing on Thursday night, the Patriots will be one step closer to the AFC East title. If they hold on against Cincinnati, they will be the first team in the NFL to get to 10 wins. Very few people, even Patriots fans, would have expected this start to the season. Now, Patriots fans are looking at a potential Super Bowl run.
Editor’s Note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.Â
