Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 120 yards and a first-quarter touchdown, Joey Slye kicked three field goals and the New England Patriots won Jerod Mayo’s debut as coach, beating the mistake-prone Cincinnati Bengals 16-10 on Sunday.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who got the starting nod for the Patriots over first-round draft pick Drake Maye, was not exceptional, but he held onto the ball and kept the Patriots moving well enough against slow-starting Cincinnati.
The nine-year veteran directed a methodical 80-yard drive in the first quarter that included six first downs was capped by a 3-yard TD run by Stevenson.