Bengals drop fourth straight game, fall to New England 26-20

Cincinnati limited the Patriots to field goals on four of five scoring drives, added a pick-six and forced a turnover on downs at the 1-yard line, but the Bengals fell 26-20 on Sunday at Paycor Stadium. New England won its ninth straight game to improve to 10-2.

The Bengals (3-8) lost Tee Higgins to a concussion midway through the fourth quarter and already were missing top receiver Ja’Marr Chase due to a one-game suspension for unsportsmanlike conduct when he spit at Jalen Ramsey during an altercation in last week’s loss at Pittsburgh.

New England made field goals on its last three drives, including a 52-yarder by Andy Borregales with just under two minutes left after Cincinnati had cut a 23-13 deficit down on Joe Flacco’s 17-yard touchdown pass to Mitch Tinsley with 4:40 remaining.

Credit: JEREMY MILLER

Credit: JEREMY MILLER

Cincinnati crossed midfield with 32 seconds left and got as far as New England’s 26-yard line when Joe Flacco’s fourth-down pass to Mike Gesicki fell incomplete.

The Bengals had a chance to take a lead much earlier in the game after Evan McPherson hit a 63-yard field goal to end the first half and they received the ball first to open the second half. However, Cincinnati went three-and-out and didn’t score until that Tinsley touchdown late, right after Higgins had exited.

Higgins slammed to the ground trying to catch a deep ball -- with a defensive pass interference penalty on the coverage -- and hit the back of his head on the turf. He lay on the ground for an extended period of time as trainers tended to him, but he eventually was helped up and carted back to the locker room. Higgins was quickly ruled out with a concussion.

The Bengals went into halftime trailing just 17-13, thanks to McPherson’s record-breaking field goal as time expired, four yards longer than his previous record of 59. McPherson had opened the scoring with a 54-yard field goal on Cincinnati’s first drive of the game.

Cincinnati’s defense came up with stops on New England’s first three drives, including Geno Stone’s pick-six when he intercepted Maye at the 32-yard line and returned it to extend the lead to 10-0 with 14:19 left in the second quarter. That was Stone’s second interception of the season and the team’s first takeaway since the second quarter of a Week 7 win over Pittsburgh.

Maye shook off a sloppy start and got the Patriots on the board the next drive when the Bengals left tight end Hunter Henry wide open. Maye connected with him for a 28-yard touchdown to make it a three-point game, and New England took the lead when Marcus Jones cut in front of Flacco’s pass intended for Tahj Brooks and returned the interception 33 yards for a touchdown.

The Bengals offense had no immediate answer, and Borregales’ 41-yard field goal extended the Patriots’ lead to 17-10 with 28 seconds left in the second quarter. However, the Bengals managed a long run by Chase Brown and big catch for Higgins to set up McPherson’s record field goal.

Maye threw for 294 yards and one touchdown, with Henry accounting for 115 yards receiving, but Flacco finished with just 183 yards passing and one touchdown, while Brown added 107 yards on the ground.