The one piece of evidence the skeptics miss about the Patriots? They are unbeaten on the road.

"It's a cliché and an adage, but it's true: You can only play who is lined up in front of you every week. Since Week 4, the Patriots have not only stood up to every opponent, but beaten them, often handily, while quarterback Drake Maye (the league leader in completion percentage and passing yards) has emerged, much to the chagrin of the rest of the league, as a franchise quarterback."

"Even if some are hesitant to change their perceptions, the Patriots are for real, and one piece of evidence - one the skeptics somehow miss - is that they are yet to lose on the road this season. That's a tell-tale sign of a mentally and physically tough team, and they'll aim to make it six wins in a row away from Gillette Stadium this season when they take on the Cincinnati Bengals at, uh, Paycor Stadium (it's still Paul Brown Stadium to me)."

New England sits at 9-2 with an eight-game winning streak and travels to Cincinnati seeking to extend its road unbeaten run. Critics point to a soft schedule, but the Patriots have consistently beaten opponents since Week 4, often handily. Quarterback Drake Maye leads the league in completion percentage and passing yards and has emerged as a franchise quarterback. The Bengals' pass rush will be missing Trey Hendrickson, while Cincinnati's quarterback situation could feature either veteran Joe Flacco or Joe Burrow, who returned to full practice after a toe injury. Christian Barmore's return to health marks an important defensive development.

Read at Boston.com