Hunter Henry Shines Bright in Ugly Game, Lifts Patriots to Gritty 26–20 Win Over Bengals

In a matchup defined by penalties, stalled drives, and momentum swings, the New England Patriots still found one source of calm, steady dominance: veteran tight end Hunter Henry.

Entering Week 12 with only two career 100-yard performances, Henry delivered the best outing of his nine-year NFL career, erupting for 115 yards, seven catches, and a crucial touchdown in the Patriots’ 26–20 comeback victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

And on a night when New England’s offense sputtered early, Henry became the spark that flipped the game.

A Critical Touchdown When the Patriots Needed It Most

Down 14–0 and searching desperately for life, Drake Maye dropped back and found Henry completely uncovered deep in Cincinnati territory. The result: a 28-yard touchdown, Henry’s fifth score of the season and the moment the Patriots’ bench finally exhaled.

Henry’s route-running and awareness tore open the Bengals’ secondary, and from that point on, he became Maye’s most trusted weapon.

Postgame, Henry was quick to deflect credit.

“It was a pretty good scheme by Josh (McDaniels) and the whole staff,” Henry said.
“Guys protected, guys cleared space, and we executed. It takes all 11.”

The performance surpassed Henry’s previous personal best of 109 yards, set last season against the Seattle Seahawks. And he could have added a second touchdown had a Mack Hollins offensive pass interference penalty not wiped one off the board.

A Tight End Duo Taking Over the Offense

Henry and fellow veteran Austin Hooper combined for an impressive 154 of Maye’s 294 passing yards, underscoring New England’s evolving identity — a team powered by reliable tight end play and versatile passing concepts.

The Patriots have now recorded four consecutive games with a 100-yard pass catcher (DeMario Douglas, Mack Hollins, Stefon Diggs, and now Henry), a sign of a rising offense gaining rhythm at the perfect time.

Maye praised Henry’s steady excellence:

“The biggest thing is it’s a new guy every week,” Maye said.
“Hunter’s Mr. Consistent. Every week, he’s there. Him and Hooper give us a one-two punch that’s huge for our offense.”

Vrabel’s Approval — Short, Direct, and Powerful

Head coach Mike Vrabel wasn’t in the mood for long explanations, but even he couldn’t downplay Henry’s impact.

“Hunter was huge.”

That was all he needed to say.

The Veteran Tight End Who Keeps Delivering

For Henry, now in his fifth year with the Patriots and playing some of the best football of his career, the formula for success has never changed.

“I just take a lot of pride in what I do,” he said.
“I work extremely hard at my craft… a lot of hours with Drake too. It was cool to go out there and make plays with Hooper.”

With New England riding a league-best winning streak, Henry’s leadership and consistency have become essential pieces of the Patriots’ resurgence under Vrabel.

And if Week 12 proved anything, it’s that when the game gets messy, the Patriots can always count on Hunter Henry to bring clarity — and victory.