The Patriots are in Cincinnati this week as the team puts its eight-game winning streak on the line against a team whose offense has been decidedly potent but whose defense has been the hands-down worst in the NFL. The Patriots are well favored in the game, as what started as a 4.5-point betting line has bloomed to 7.5 points as the week went on.
Still, the Bengals can score. While the team flirted with bringing back star quarterback Joe Burrow (he had toe surgery) for this matchup, backup Joe Flacco will again get the call. That does not make this an easy task for New England. Flacco has thrown for 1,453 yards on 135-for-213 passing, with 12 touchdowns and three interceptions.
The Bengals are 1-4 in those games, but they’ve averaged 28.6 points. So, though the Patriots offense might have an easy task ahead, the defense will be challenged. Playing their first game without top defensive lineman Milton Williams, who is on IR with an ankle injury he suffered in Week 11, the Patriots have concerns.
Patriots Adding Jeremiah Pharms to Roster
As part of the rotation the team hopes will fill in for Williams during his absence, the Patriots made a practice-squad move on Saturday evening before the Week 12 game, elevating veteran Jeremiah Pharms to the roster.
From the Patriots’ release on the transaction: “Pharms, 29, originally joined New England on July 19, 2022, after playing for the Pittsburgh Maulers of the USFL. The 6-foot-2, 300-pounder, spent the entire 2022 season on the practice squad and then after starting the 2023 season on the practice squad was signed to the 53-man roster. …
“He has played in 28 games with five starts over the last two seasons and has 42 total tackles and 2 sacks.”
Injuries Have Not Been Prevalent for Patriots
The Patriots have had one major injury–backup running back Antonio Gibson tore his ACL in Week 4–but other than that, only minor injuries throughout the season. Star corner Christian Gonzalez dealt with a hamstring injury early in the year, running back Rhamondre Stevenson missed three games with a toe injury and receiver Kayshon Boutte was out two weeks because of a hamstring.
But the Williams injury is the first major health setback this team has had. It probably won’t be the last, coach Mike Vrabel said.
“There are gonna be some injuries we are just not going to be able to avoid. I tell everybody, the injury rate in the NFL is 100%. Play long enough, you are guaranteed to get hurt,” he said this week.
“I think the biggest thing is, when injuries happen, that players do everything they can to get back and it’s a testament to them, it’s a testament to the training staff and the strength and conditioning staff, that they can get them back in a short amount of time. I am not going to sit here and say there is a magical formula. There just is not.”
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