New England Patriots: Studs and duds vs. Bengals in Week 15

Stud: James White

James White didn’t necessarily shine in the running game, but he did a nice job once again of stepping up in the passing attack and leading the receiving corps through the air in the contest.

On the ground, White managed to finish with just 13 yards rushing on a total of three rushing attempts, being held out of the end zone on the ground. But through the air in the passing attack, White finished with a team-best 49 yards receiving on three catches and four overall targets, hauling in one receiving touchdown to pace the receiving group.

Often times this season, White has stepped up in the passing game when the Patriots need him to most. On Sunday, he once again did that while helping New England snap its losing streak.

Dud: Getting off to a slow start

In the opening quarter, the Patriots managed to trail the Bengals 10-7 going into the second quarter while allowing Cincinnati to jump out to an early lead on its home field. New England was ultimately able to settle down and bounce back defensively for a remainder of the game, holding Cincinnati to just three points for a remainder of the game while scoring 27 points on the other end of the field to put the game out of reach.

Especially on the road and in games away from Gillette Stadium, the Patriots will need to work on not allowing opposing teams to get momentum rolling early on in games in the last few contests of the regular season and in the playoffs which begin in just a few weeks.