Bengals at Patriots: New Travel Plans to Beat New England Weather

The Cincinnati Bengals are apparently planning for both the New England Patriots and the water on Sunday afternoon.

Like the Griswolds before them, the New England Patriots will have to welcome their holiday guests early.

The Cincinnati Bengals, who come into Foxboro for an anticipated Christmas Eve showdown on Saturday (1 p.m. ET, CBS), are making their way east on Thursday rather than Friday. Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic hints that they're trying to avoid freezing holiday temperatures expected throughout the country by getting out a day early.

Kickoff temperature for Saturday is expected to hover in the mid-20s with a low of 14 but Foxboro is apparently facing some dire weather before the Patriots (7-7) take the field to face the defending AFC champions: there's a 40 percent chance of rain on Thursday while thunderstorms and winds reaching 21 miles and hour are expected the day after. 

Cincinnati (10-4) is thus taking no chances when it comes to Sunday's game, where a win would clinch a playoff berth (which can also be secured if the New York Jets fall to Jacksonville in Thursday night action). 

The Patriots, of course, are no stranger to cold games: research indicates that they've played 24 home games (both regular season and playoffs) in kickoff temperatures up to 25 degrees Fahrenheit , the sixth-best total in the NFL and third-best in the AFC (behind Denver and Kansas City). Their dynasty, of course, is well-known for unofficially commencing in the famous "Tuck Rule" game, where they topped the Oakland Raiders in the snowy AFC Divisional playoffs. 

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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