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Cincinnati Bengals vs. New England Patriots: 5 Bold Predictions For Sunday Night Football

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By @Tidow1212

5 Bold Predictions For Bengals vs. Patriots Sunday Night Football Matchup

AJ Green
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The New England Patriots host the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday Night Football in an AFC showdown with undeniable future playoff implications. Tom Brady has struggled of late, but is the future Hall-Of-Famer set to reverse course against the Bengals' stingy defense? Here's a look at five bold predictions for this matchup.

5. Tom Brady Continues To Be Unable To Carry New England On His Shoulders

Tom Brady sad
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5. Tom Brady Continues To Be Unable To Carry New England On His Shoulders

Tom Brady Sad
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Tom Brady's an all-time great player -- we all know this to be true. However, Brady and the Patriots have not looked good this season and it appears that Brady is no longer capable of carrying this organization on his shoulders. For years, his outstanding play masked deficiencies up and down New England's roster, but he and Bill Belichick can no longer pull those Houdini acts. Brady will put up a fight against Cincinnati, but it won't be enough.

4. WR Julian Edelman Accumulates 10 Catches, 100 Yards and One TD

Julian Edelman
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4. WR Julian Edelman Accumulates 10 Catches, 100 Yards and One TD

Julian Edelman
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Edelman's been one of the most reliable players on the Patriots this year and despite his sub-par showing in Week 4 against the Kansas City Chiefs ( four catches, 23 yards), he will bounce back on Sunday Night. The Bengals' linebackers can cover and have the physicality to disrupt TE Rob Gronkowski, rendering him ineffective; so it will be up to Edelman to make it happen over the middle of the field from the slot.

3. RB Gio Bernard Runs Circles Around Patriots' Front-Seven

Gio Bernard
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3. RB Gio Bernard Runs Circles Around Patriots' Front-Seven

Gio Bernard
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New England's run defense was putrid on Monday night against the Chiefs and allowed Knile Davis and Jamaal Charles to run roughshod over them, despite Kansas City not being a huge down-field threat in the passing game. It could be worse against Cincinnati, as the Bengals have a deep-threat in WR A.J. Green the Patriots have no answer for. Bernard will benefit and easily accumulate 140 all-purpose yards with one TD.

2. Andy Dalton Proves His Doubters Wrong On National Television

Andy Dalton
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2. Andy Dalton Proves His Doubters Wrong On National Television

Andy Dalton
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The Bengals are not the most popular NFL franchise nationally and oftentimes their players get far less credit than they deserve. Despite the team's struggles in the postseason under his watch, Dalton puts up far above adequate statistics and is a top-10 NFL QB. On Sunday night, he has the opportunity to prove his naysayers -- including fans and media alike -- how impressive he can be as he will throw for 300 yards and three TDs.

1. WR A.J. Green Makes Patriots CB Darrelle Revis Look Silly

AJ Green
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1. WR A.J. Green Makes Patriots CB Darrelle Revis Look Silly

AJ Green
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Let's keep it real here -- Darrelle Revis is no longer playing with the ability that Darrelle Revis of the New York Jets played with. WR A.J. Green is incredibly difficult to stop when RB Gio Bernard is on a roll; which he will be against the Patriots' mediocre front-seven. New England's secondary will bite on play-action fakes and give Green an incontrovertible edge. And when Green has an edge over opponents, he delivers.

Timothy Downs is a New York Giants writer for www.RantSports.com. You can add him on Google or follow on Twitter @Tidow1212.

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