WHAT THE PATRIOTS NEED TO DO TO BEAT CINCINNATI

Although Cincinnati is coming into Gillette Stadium with a 2-3 record, the Patriots' defense better bring their A game.

Stop the Passing Game- That is the biggest key to today's game. Andy Dalton and his receivers are currently 3rd in the NFL with an average of just over 300 passing yards per game. The two main receivers we'll need to keep in check are AJ Green and former Patriot Brandon LaFell.

The fact that Green is dealing with a calf injury should benefit the Patriots corners. Averaging 104 receiving yards per game and having 9 plays for over 20 yards, stopping AJ is a must for the defense.

Former teammate LaFell is having a pretty good season so far for the Bengals. While he was typically used as a deep threat by Josh McDaniels, most of his catches this season have been for about 10 yards. Both Green and LaFell have been doing most of their work along the sideline.

​Running Back Giovani Bernard will also need to be held in check. Although he really hasn't done much running the ball, he is averaging over 8 yards per reception.

Avoid the Big Mistake- The Patriots do not need to play a perfect game to win today. Even with a few miscues they should be able to have the game in hand. What they do need to avoid are huge mistakes like turnovers inside their own 30 or getting called for a cheap pass interference call which gives the Bengals a huge chunk of yards.

My Prediction- Expect a big game from Blount.