The New England Patriots fell to 7-8 on the season in Saturday’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, and their playoff hopes were crushed in the process.
The first half of the game was the Joe Burrow Show, but the Patriots defense managed to shut out the Bengals offense in the second half, providing opportunities for the Patriots to sneak back in.
However, the team ultimately fell 22-18 to an 11-4 Bengals team that looks poised to make a deep playoff run. With two games left, the Patriots could play spoiler for the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills, or they could simply use those games as a chance to develop some of the younger players on the roster.
Here are the three stars that stood out on Christmas Eve.