New England Patriots: Stephon Gilmore sparks dominant win vs. Bengals

The New England Patriots beat the Cincinnati Bengals by a score of 34-13 on Sunday. As usual, Stephon Gilmore was the biggest factor in the win.

At one point, the New England Patriots were just plodding along in their Week 15 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. They were up 13-10 at halftime and looked a bit uninspired. That all changed in the second half thanks to cornerback Stephon Gilmore.

Gilmore picked off Andy Dalton on the Bengals’ opening drive in the third quarter. That interception lead to a Tom Brady touchdown pass to N’Keal Harry.

On the Bengals ensuing possession, Gilmore snagged another errant throw by Dalton, and had the space to run it back himself for a pick-six.

The game was as good as over by that point, as Dalton and the Bengals were completely shook after the 14-point swing that Stephon Gilmore sparked. Dalton threw two more interceptions in the second half and the Bengals turned the ball over five times overall.

Gilmore once again reminded everyone that he is not only the best player on the Patriots, but one of the best players in the entire NFL. He now has picked off six passes on the year, including two pick-sixes.

Stephon Gilmore’s performance today certainly affected the outcome of the game. As previously mentioned, the Patriots didn’t look so great prior to the plays he made in the third quarter. The team played much better after he stepped up, which is no accident.

The All-Pro corner’s candidacy for the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award grows larger and larger by the week. There isn’t anyone else playing the position better than he is right now and his play seems to be elevating those around him, such as J.C. Jackson who also had two picks on the day.

If the New England Patriots want to hold on to the second seed in the AFC, they will need to rely on Stephon Gilmore to make things happen like he did against the Cincinnati Bengals. Luckily, that is routine for him at this point.