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Patriots just got the worst news possible ahead of Week 1 vs. the Bengals

By Sara Marshall

Aug 25, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo during the second half against the Washington Commanders at Commanders Field. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
Aug 25, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo during the second half against the Washington Commanders at Commanders Field. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
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Maybe it was just a pipedream to believe the Patriots would be fortunate enough to face the Bengals without their star wide receiver, but it was the sliver of hope that connected New England fans ahead of their regular season opener. It was a small chance that united the fanbase amid a drawn-out rebuild, providing a little bit of faith that the Patriots could walk out with a win on Sunday afternoon.

It has dominated headlines over the past few weeks, as Ja'Marr Chase began a holdout over contract negotiations regarding an extension, leading many to believe he might not be active for the Bengals' Week 1 game.

That doesn't appear to be the case anymore, however. The receiver was present for Wednesday's practice and even caught passes from Joe Burrow, a surefire sign that he will be on the field for Sunday's game.

If there is a silver lining to this development, the Patriots' defense now definitively knows what they'll be going up against this weekend. Although Jerod Mayo stated they were preparing as if Chase would be on the field, there was still a chance that might not become a reality, so at least now they know his status for the game despite it not being made official just yet.

It's going to be a tough first opponent for the Patriots, in general. They have a high-powered offense led by Burrow, Chase, and Tee Higgins and a vastly improved offensive line that added former Patriot Trent Brown to the left side this offseason.

Their defense is no joke, either, and with the struggles the Patriots' offensive line has dealt with all preseason, it could be an utter disaster that no fan is entirely prepared to see. Let's hope that's not the case.

A great way to start the Jerod Mayo era would be to sneak out a win against the perennial Super Bowl contender, which almost happened the last time these teams met on Christmas Eve last year. The Bengals left Gillette Stadium with a narrow victory, 22-18, in a near comeback bid from the Patriots, which would have been one of the season's biggest upsets.

We'll see if the improved Patriots offense can pull that off this year, even if it doesn't seem likely ahead of time.

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