The Cincinnati Bengals host the New England Patriots for the season opener and home game. It is definitely a favorable duel, but the Bengals are somewhat weakened by injuries.

We used the knowledge of Taylor Kyles of Pats Pulpits to get inside information.

1.) AC: Somewhat surprisingly, New England chose Jacoby Brissett instead of Drake Maye as the starter. Why and what is the upper limit for this path?

TK: Jerod Mayo and the coaching staff have stressed the importance of Drake Maye having answers to the problems the defense presents. Although he clearly outperformed Jacoby Brissett toward the end of training camp, the veteran’s experience and knowledge of Alex Van Pelt’s system are crucial.

Maye is still a project, but he has shown everything Patriots fans hoped he would be this summer. New England is taking it easy with his deployment, especially behind a ragtag offensive line.

2.) AC: What have you seen/heard from Jerod Mayo that makes you believe he will turn things around sooner rather than later?

TK: Mayo is known among his fans as a player-manager, but he pushes back against that notion. The main reason is that he doesn’t want people to think he’s too soft on his players, and his actions have backed that up.

The team had its most physical training camp in years, and like Bill Belichick, he put a lot of emphasis on conditioning and mental toughness. That may not sound like much, but without game results to go by, it’s clear that Mayo is trying hard to build a disciplined, tough football team.

3.) AC: How have Ja’Lynn Polk and Antonio Gibson fitted into the offense? I was a big fan of both of them when they came into their respective draft classes.

TK: Ja’Lynn Polk is a potential starting candidate for New England after a summer of consistent, solid play. His downfield skills haven’t been as pronounced as hoped, but that’s more due to his quarterbacks than his own performance. The rookie looks to be a frequent target in this offense.

Antonio Gibson fills the receiving back role that the Patriots offense has sorely lacked since James White’s last season. Van Pelt has also shown his versatility by moving the back around the formation and using him as a true dual threat. He will be a key piece on Sunday if he is healthy enough to play.

4.) AC: Can you give us any more personal information about Trent Brown?

TK: Trent Brown is very independent and you have to respect him for that. He didn’t leave New England on good terms and was accused of leaving the team when things got tough late last season. But he also voiced his displeasure with how the team was run and how he was treated. When he’s focused and healthy, Brown is one of the best tackles in the game, but Cincy will have to deal with some quirks along the way.

5.) AC: Is this matchup simply a game of “hold out” and “run out the clock” for the Pats, or is there more to it than meets the eye?

TK: A game where time is running out. The Patriots offense lacks the firepower for a shootout, but their running game is a secret strength. I would imagine their priorities will be benching Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, minimizing Trey Hendrickson’s opportunities to impact the game and making the game a tough contest.

Their defense is strong enough to keep things close, but the offense must take advantage of the opportunities that arise.

We would like to thank Taylor Kyles and Pats Pulpit for the interview. You can read the other side of our chat here.