Cubs 6, Red Sox 2

 

Season's over, folks, at least the regular season. 162 games in the books, and the Boston Red Sox won 87 of them (.540).  Third place finish in the AL East, clinched the second Wild Card seed. Oorah.

What a long, strange trip it's been! The season started out with a spectacularly, even historically, bad start. By June 24, they were dead last in the AL East, 14 games under .500 (.410), and 15½ back from then first place New York. And then the Yankees came to Fenway for a four-game series and everything turned around. 

The Red Sox swept the Yankees in that series - four straight wins for the first time all season. They even won their next game against the Nationals - five straight wins. They lost the next two games but then won 15 straight and completed a 27-3 run for a spectacular July before falling back to earth and playing .500-baseball the rest of the way - respectable, but not nearly as thrilling as that 27-3 run. 

And now here we are, one day off between the regular season and a three-game Wild Card series played entirely in the Bronx. Lose more than one game and the season's over; win two and face Tampa Bay in the ALDS.

The Yankees will start their pitching ace, Adolf Shitler, because of course they will. The motherfucker's got a 14-6 record and a 1.95 ERA, and in his last start against the Sox, struck out eight enroute to a 1-0 Yankees victory. He's 2-0 against Boston this season in three starts, but notably did not pitch during the Sox' four-game sweep of New York in June. Pro tip: do not listen to the announcers of the televised coverage of tomorrow's game - their already-scripted narrative of the Yankee's supposed superiority and Shitler's dominance will be almost as nauseating as their gooning over Aaron Judge. The Yankees suck, so listen to the local coverage on WEEI radio (via SiriusFM or any other means accessible to you) instead during the broadcast.  

The Sox have not yet announced their pitching for the series, but it will most likely be either Sonny Gray (18-5, 2.72) or Payton Tolle (9-6, 3.03), with either a healthy and rejuvenated Garrett Crochet or Tanner Houck in Game 3. Expect long relief by Brayan Bello, and Whitlock and Chapman as the closers.

The pitching is looking fairly solid for the Wild Card, but the Boston batting has been pretty anemic the entire month of September. The Red Sox scored only 11 runs in the last week of the season (six games, 1.8 runs per game). The batters better wake the fuck up by tomorrow for there to be even a chance of anything beyond the Wild Card series in the post-season. 

Red Sox Nation once again finds itself standing on a precipice, not quite sure what to make of the season. Were they a good team that just got off to a bad start? Were they a bad team that just got a lucky, mid-season break? Both? Neither? No one knows. Do they have a chance to win two out of three in New York? Sure, statistically, anything's possible. Ignore those Calvinistic cloud of self-doubt - we're 6-7 vs. the Yankees this season and are certainly capable of taking two more. Maybe. 

Oh, yesterday afternoon. Almost forgot. In the first inning, catcher Adley Rutschman homered, his 13th of the season and fifth for the Red Sox, and Andruw Monasterio brought Nick Sogard home from third with an infield hit in the second. The score was 3-2, Cubbies, going into the ninth, but then reliever Patrick Sandoval, after 4⅓ innings of three-hit, shut-out relief, gave up three runs and put the game out of reach. The 2026 Red Sox ended the regular season with a loss.

Jaguars 35, Patriots 6

 

Today's game was an absolute mess. QB Drake Maye turned the ball over three times - a dropped ball, a second-quarter interception in the Jag's end zone, and another INT in the third quarter. Trevor Lawrence and the Jags got TDs off of two of those turnovers, and missed a FG on the other. 14-3 on turnover points alone (Trevor got intercepted once, resulting in a New England FG).   

Don't despair (yet). Remember last season when the Patriots started 1-2 and then won their next ten straight games?

With today's loss, the Pats fall to 1-2 (just like last year). Last year, the season seemed to turn around during Week 5 in Buffalo. This year, the Pats visit Buffalo in Week 4. I'm not writing the Patriots or Drake Maye off this season until I see how they fare next week against the Bills.

The Pats fall to 1-2 and third place in the AFC East, while the 3-0 Bills lead the division. The Bills are 7-point early favorites, but Buffalo has had it easy so far this season, with wins over the 0-3 Texans and 0-3 Chargers. At 48.6 and 54.8, Maye and Josh Allen, respectively, are the two lowest-rated QBs in the NFL. Allen has only five more yards (204) than Maye's 199, yet the Bills still lead the NFL in points per game (50.5). I chalk that up to the powder-puff defenses Allen's been facing so far and James Cook III"s 192 yards rushing (fifth highest in the NFL). 

Football - it ain't always pretty but you can't look away.

Another Week at No. 2

 

The Texas Longhorns (4-0), who had to struggle to beat No. 14 Tennessee, 17-14, yesterday, are still good enough in the eyes of 62 of the AP Poll voters to stay at No. 1. However, six sagacious voters chose the University of Georgia Bulldogs (4-0) to be No. 1 after the Dawgs 41-13 win over the unranked Oklahoma Sooners. The six first-place votes are twice as many voters as last week, so at least there's some progress.

AP Polls are meaningless. The only poll that matters is the final Selection Committee rankings and everything else is just a beauty pageant. Still, it's nice to be recognized. 

Notre Dame (4-0) is still No. 3 and didn't get any first-place votes - no one thinks they're anything more than third best. No. 4 Miami (4-0) got three first-place votes and No. 6 Indiana (5-0) got one. No. 5 Ohio State (3-1) didn't get any first-place votes because you're not No. 1 with a loss hanging around your neck.

Half of the Top 10 teams are in the SEC (Texas, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and Old Miss). Alabama (4-0) is ranked No. 7 and Florida (4-0) moved up 13 places to No. 8 after beating then-No 4 (now No. 9) Ole Miss, 52-28. 

I don't know if the Gators are finally back or just got lucky yesterday, but the Bulldog's schedule just got a whole lot tougher. With a Week Nine game against No. 8 Florida and road games at No. 7 Alabama and No. 9 Ole Miss this season, any whiners about Georgia playing an easy schedule had better shut up after the Dawgs run that gauntlet.

In all, ten SEC teams are in the Top 25. In addition to the five teams in the Top 10, LSU (3-1) is No. 11, Mississippi State (4-0) is No. 16, Tennessee (3-1) is No. 17, Kentucky (3-1) is No. 24, and Missouri (3-1) is No. 25.  Polls are meaningless beauty contests, etc., but the Big 10 has only six teams in the Top 25, and only two in the Top 10.

Next weekend, No. 8 Florida plays No. 25 Missouri, so at least one SEC team will probably drop out of the Top 25. Also, No. 7 Alabama plays at No. 16 Mississippi State, and depending on the final score, two teams might drop out. 

Despite an interception and 11 incompletions, Georgia's Gunner Stockton still has a QB rating of 209.1 after last weekend, second only to No. 4 Miami's Darian Mensah (228.2). Overall, the Bulldogs lead the FBS in points per game (54.8), but Florida is right behind them at No. 2 with 53.5 points. making that Week Nine matchup all the more ominous. Georgia is tied with four other teams for third in total touchdowns (12). 

Defensively, Georgia is fourth in fewest yards given up per game (232.5), but 18th in points per game (13.3, tied with Texas, incidentally). Next week's opponent, Vanderbilt, has given up 21.8 points per game, 60th in the FBS, but still better than Florida's 22.8 (69th). The Dawgs will romp over the unranked Commodores, but then after that things will get real interesting, with games at No. 7 Alabama (4-0), home against unranked Auburn (3-1),  No. 8 Florida (4-0) here in Atlanta, at No. 9 Ole Miss (3-1), and then No. 25 Missouri (3-1) in Athens. 

In other words, whoever wins the SEC this season will have EARNED it.

Georgia 41, Oklahoma 13

 

In his post-game interview, Coach Kirby Smart expressed his dissatisfaction with Georgia's performance. It wasn't humility or false modesty on Smart's part - the Dawgs offense really was hot garbage in this game. Fortunately, Oklahoma played even worse, turning the ball over four times on interceptions and fumbles and once on downs. Georgia scored 20 of its 41 points on those turnovers, including the play of the game - an 85-yard return by linebacker Chris Cole of an Oklahoma fumble for a TD. 

After falling behind, 28-0 at the half, Oklahoma scored a third-quarter TD following an interception of Georgia QB Gunner Stockton but missed the PAT. Later, following a recovered Georgia fumble, they managed to miss a 54-yard field goal. It was that kind of day for the Sooners.

Both sides played ugly, but Oklahoma was at least twice as ugly as the Bulldogs. Stockton finished the day with 171 yards on 14 of 25 attempts, including one touchdown and one interception. Running back Nate Frazier was out with an injury, but  Dwight Phillips Jr. led the Dawgs with 84 yards and one rushing TD an one reception for a TD. The day's breakout performer was probably wide receiver Talyn Taylor who had one touchdown and four receptions for 110 yards, including one beautiful one-handed catch with a defender draped all over his body (the penalty was declined).

The No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs are now 4-0. No. 1 Texas struggled this afternoon at No. 14 Tennessee, eventually winning by a field goal, 20-17. If the AP Poll voters only look at the scores tomorrow, there's a chance Georgia moves ahead of Texas in the rankings. But the Bulldogs weren't playing like a No. 1 team today if you watch the tape and the AP voters love Texas and their Arch Manning, so they're likely to decide that a 3-point road win over a No. 14 team is better than a 28-point home win over an unranked team and keep at least the top two rankings as they are. No. 3 Notre Dame beat unranked Purdue on the road, 49-10, but I don't think they'd dare move the Irish up over Georgia on a day when both teams won.

Next up for the Dawgs are the unranked Vanderbilt Commodores (3-1) in Athens. Vandy lost at Auburn today, 21-15. Fortunately for Georgia, the Commodores' Heisman runner-up QB Diego Pavia has graduated and is gone, and new quarterback Jared Curtis got sacked four times today and threw an INT. The early line favors Georgia by 23½ points.

Four games down, eight to go - at least until the playoffs. 

Red Sox 2, Cubs 0

 

The Red Sox sweep Friday's doubleheader in Fenway, beating the Chicago Cubs, 2-0. All of the scoring in the entire game (both teams) came on Wilyer Abreu's double in the eighth inning, bringing home Jones and Kiner-Falefa. 

The Sox are 87-74 with one game left to this season. They'll play that last game in Tampa tomorrow to avoid the massive nor'easter barreling down on New England. Some unexpected logistical drama to end the season. Also, one less day to rest up and prepare before the Wild Card games in New York.

Red Sox 4, Cubs 3

 

My message is apparently finally starting to get through. The Red Sox scored more than one run, and won the game, 4-3, in the first of a double header. Plus they scored runs in three separate innings, too, rather than settle for a few runs in one advantageous pitching matchup.

Meaningless game since they've already clinched and the playoff matchups are set. But it is good to see the offense finally wake up as we head for the post-season. 

Guardians 1, Red Sox 0

 

Or as Cleveland puts it, you can also lose a 1-0 game.

Need I point out that, poor as they may be, your chances of winning a game are better if you score at least one run than if you don't score at all? 

Red Sox 1, Guardians 0

 

So, I guess I stand corrected. You CAN win a baseball game with only one run after all!

Guardians 3, Red Sox 2

 

"It takes more than one run to win  baseball game." The Red Sox apparently heard me and scored not one, but two, runs yesterday but still found a way to lose the game. 

Top of the ninth, scored tied 2-2, Erik Miller takes the mound and hits the first batter with a pitch, putting him on base. A single advances him to third, and a sac fly brings him home to give the Guardians a 3-2 lead. The Sox go scoreless in the bottom of the inning, of course they do, and lose the game. 

Third straight loss. Fifth loss in the last seven games. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you your September swoon. 

Cleveland hasn't yet clinched and is highly motivated as they're clinging to a one-game lead ahead of the White Sox in the AL Central. They're going to play their hearts out this series. The Sox have clinched a playoff spot, but it's more important in these final games of the season to stay healthy and to get the team fine-tuned for the playoffs, but the lack of offense is alarming. Plus a "losing mentality" can be hard to shake after a multi-game skid. 

The Rays clinched the AL East and the top seed in the league last night if anyone cares. I don't. These Red Sox won't be seeing the Rays again until 2027. 

Sonny Gray (17-5, 2.82) pitches tonight. To keep him well rested, they'll probably pull him early, especially if Boston gets ahead of Cleveland's Foster Griffin (15-5, 3.67) early in the game.

Rays 5, Red Sox 1

 

Okay, Red Sox, big fan here. This post's for y'all, so I'm going to take you by the hand, look directly into your eyes, and say this slowly so that I'm sure you'll understand - it takes more than one run to win a baseball game. 

Yeah, sure, sometimes (rarely) there are 1-0 wins. It happens. But you can't count on it. A team that expects to consistently win with 1-0 scores is going to finish a 162-game season with a record of, like, 2-160. 

It was great that yesterday Trevor Story hit a 9th inning solo home run. I cheered. But you were already down, 5-0, at that point. I also loved Roman Anthony's RBI double the day before that, but that was another one-run game. Single runs don't win games. 

Tampa Bay's a good team, sure, but it's not like you're playing against the 1995 Atlanta Braves here. You can score more than one run. It's allowed. It's okay.

Look Red Sox, you had me there for a minute. You won the first game of this series on Friday, and I thought that the old 27-3 Sox of mid-summer might have returned. But then the bats went quiet again, and two one-run games later, I see that you're 4-6 in the last ten games, 5-7 since you swept the Orioles in Baltimore.

How does it feel that you finally clinched a playoff appearance not with a win but because the Braves beat the Astros? That Mike Yastrzemski, of all people, clinched the post-season for you?

You're off today. Terrific. Head back to Fenway for the final half dozen of the season. Cleveland (81-75) and then the Cubs (87-69). 

Both teams will probably kick your ass. And after that, two more losses in the Bronx and then this will all be over. It won't hurt. You won't feel a thing. After that, nothing. No more pain, no more men left in scoring position, no more watching opposing batters knock it out of the park. Sweet, empty nothingness, and it will last until next April, when we can do this all again. 

Sleep well, gentlemen.

Patriots 20, Steelers 3

 

There are two kinds of people: those who dislike Aaron Rodgers and those who hate Aaron Rodgers. Today's 20-3 win by the New England Patriots over Rodgers' Pittsburgh Steelers satisfied both groups.

Two plays stand out in particular. Third and 7 on the New England 22. The Patriots' Christian Ellis sacks Rodgers and he fumbles the ball. Player after player, Patriot and Steeler alike, tries to grab the loose ball, but it just keeps on bounding back further and further from the goal line (cue the Benny Hill music) until Pittsburgh finally recovers it all the way back on their own 42, forcing a fourth and 47. Good times. 

But wait, there's more! Rodgers fumbled again in the fourth quarter on his own 30, and the ball was recovered by New England's Elijah Ponder for a scoop 'n' score. 

TreVeyon Henderson made his season debut in the game after a Week 1 ankle injury and immediately made his presence felt with a  39-yard TD run in the first quarter. He finished the day with 76 yards on 16 carries. Injured receiver AJ Brown is still out and will miss next week as well.  

Drake Maye finished the game with 208 passing yards and 17 rushing yards. He threw another INT after last week's three and was sacked three times, all things the Pats need to work on. Also of concern is that the team scored only one offensive TD all game, all the other points coming on field goals and Aaron's fumble.

The Pats are now 1-1, so let's not look at the half-empty part of the beer bottle. Buffalo beat Detroit on Thursday night and are 2-0, leading the division, and the Jets lost to the Packers and are 1-1, tied with New England.  The Dolphins are 0-1 and are playing the Niners in San Francisco. 

Next up for New England are Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars (1-0) in Jacksonville. The Jags are playing the Broncos (0-1) in Denver this afternoon. This could be a tough test for New England, as Jacksonville is tied with three other teams (Kansas City, Seattle and the Jets) for the second-lowest points given up per game (10). The Niners lead the league with seven. Meanwhile, Lawrence leads the NFL in QB rating at 150.6, is second in yards per attempt (9.7), and third in total TDs (four). The only stat that Drake leads the league in is interceptions (four). 

The early line favors the Jags by 2½. Kickoff is at 1:00 pm.

We're (Still) No. 2

 

Another meaningless, early season AP Poll came out today and the Georgia Bulldogs are still No. 2, while Texas remains at No. 1. Three AP voters picked the Dawgs as No. 1, probably the same three voters who picked Georgia as the top team last week. No. 3 Notre Dame didn't get any No. 1 votes (lol), and No. 4 Ole Miss got three, No. 5 Indiana got four, and No. 6 Miami got one. 

Ole Miss was the big story of the week, moving up from No. 8 to fourth place after beating No. 7 LSU, 32-24, in the Lane Kiffin Bowl. Kiffin's LSU fell down to No. 10 with the loss. The other big news was Texas A&M falling from No. 9 all the way down to No. 23 after losing to unranked Kentucky, 31-21. With those moves, Indiana, Miami, and Ohio State all moved down one spot to five, six, and seven to make room for new No. 4 Ole Miss, and Alabama and BYU moved up two places to Numbers 8 and 9 with LSU and A&M out of the way.

Five SEC teams are in the Top 10. and ten are in the Top 25. SEC - it just means more.

The Aggies losing to the Kentucky Wildcats isn't surprising as Texas football fundamentally sucks. They just play an inferior, low-athleticism form of the game. Texas teams spend the first weeks of the football season beating other half-assed Texas teams and think they're kings of the hill, strutting around like cocks of the walk, but eventually they have to cross the Red River and play out-of-state teams and lose. The only reason Oklahoma even exists is to put Texas teams back in their place.

As evidence, I offer No. 1 Texas going all Matthew McConaughey because they beat unranked UTSA, 30-6, yesterday, and No. 13 Texas Tech and No. 22 Houston going at it in a meaningless game with Tech winning, 28-26. But then, in interstate play, No. 9 Texas ATM lost to unranked Kentucky, 31-21, No. 16 SMU was upset by No. 23 Louisville, 41-31, and unranked UTEP lost to No. 19 Michigan, 52-17. Spoiler alert: the Longhorns aren't finishing the season at No. 1.

Georgia's opponent next week, Oklahoma, beat unranked New Mexico, 14-6, yesterday, but nonetheless fell from No. 24 out of the Top 25. No. 10 Alabama, our Week 6 opponent,  beat unranked Florida State, 50-36. As previously mentioned, No. 4 Ole Miss (Week 10) beat No. 10 LSU, 32-24, and No. 19 Missouri (Week 11) beat unranked Troy, 27-17.

Go, Dawgs!