New England
Patriots
11-7
17
FINAL
41
Cincinnati
Bengals
8-10
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a decisive victory, the Cincinnati Bengals toppled the New England Patriots 41-17 in the Divisional Round of the 2028 season, securing their place in the next stage of the playoffs. With both teams fighting for a shot at the championship, the Bengals demonstrated their dominance throughout the contest, leaving little doubt about their superiority.
Quarterback Joe Burrow led the charge for Cincinnati, throwing for 273 yards and two touchdowns, delivering key throws that kept the Patriots' defense on their heels. Ja'Marr Chase emerged as his favorite target, racking up 103 receiving yards, while Dylan Sampson contributed a solid ground game with 71 rushing yards. The Bengals' offense was firing on all cylinders, effectively capitalizing on their opportunities.
Defensively, the Bengals showcased their prowess, with Jordan Battle leading the team with seven total tackles, ensuring the Patriots struggled to find rhythm. The game's turning point came when Jonas Sanker intercepted a pass, shifting momentum firmly in favor of Cincinnati and demoralizing New England's offense. Tavius Robinson's two sacks for the Patriots provided some resistance, but it was clear that the Bengals' defense was equally instrumental in sealing their victory.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Burrow | QB | 29 | 21 | 72% | 273 | 2 | 0 | 124.6 |
| Drake Maye | QB | 34 | 22 | 65% | 211 | 1 | 2 | 67.1 |
| Jake Ferguson | TE | 1 | 1 | 100% | 3 | 0 | 0 | 79.1 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dylan Sampson | HB | 14 | 71 | 5.1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 0 |
| TreVeyon Henderson | HB | 14 | 56 | 4.0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Joe Burrow | QB | 6 | 31 | 5.2 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 0 |
| Drake Maye | QB | 5 | 23 | 4.6 | — | 1 | 9 | 0 |
| Caleb Hawkins | HB | 2 | 14 | 7.0 | — | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| DeMario Douglas | WR | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | — | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Kayshon Boutte | WR | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | — | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Hunter Henry | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ja'Marr Chase | WR | 7 | 103 | 14.7 | 20 | 1 | 27 | 0 |
| Hunter Henry | TE | 6 | 79 | 13.2 | 23 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
| Tee Higgins | WR | 6 | 65 | 10.8 | 19 | 1 | 31 | 0 |
| Jordyn Tyson | WR | 4 | 64 | 16.0 | 14 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| Kyle Williams | WR | 6 | 59 | 9.8 | 14 | 1 | 15 | 0 |
| Kayshon Boutte | WR | 5 | 29 | 5.8 | 14 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Jake Ferguson | TE | 2 | 27 | 13.5 | 11 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Jojo Meekins | HB | 1 | 14 | 14.0 | 6 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| DeMario Douglas | WR | 1 | 13 | 13.0 | 4 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Dylan Sampson | HB | 2 | 13 | 6.5 | 12 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Reggie Wheeler | TE | 2 | 11 | 5.5 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| TreVeyon Henderson | HB | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Josh Alvarez | FB | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camryn Bynum | SS | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Shemar Stewart | LEDGE | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jonas Sanker | SS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Dax Hill | CB | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordan Battle | SS | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Tavius Robinson | LEDGE | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Julian Love | FS | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Gonzalez | CB | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Scott Grayson | FS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cam Taylor-Britt | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aiden Fisher | WILL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kris Jenkins Jr | DT | 3 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Demetres Samuel Jr. | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jake Golday | MIKE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harold Landry III | REDGE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaylen Watson | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Demetrius Knight Jr | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Easton Mascarenas-Arnold | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Geno Stone | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chaz Chambliss | REDGE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordan Mann | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaylan Ford | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Mat Greene | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Junior Colson | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Trey Hendrickson | REDGE | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Quinnen Williams | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon Jefferson | SAM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jamonta Waller | SAM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon Smith | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Fitzgerald | K | 2 | 2 | 5 | 45 |
| Andres Borregales | K | 1 | 1 | 2 | 41 |

