The Boston Celtics raised their 18th championship banner in October, celebrating the team’s victory over the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals. Charles Krupa / Associated Press
While we’re ringing in the new, it’s time to check out the state of Boston sports. It’s been a wild year, with highs (another duck boat), lows (a team eyeing a first-round pick), and plenty in between.
The year started with the Patriots going 4-13. It was a disaster on all fronts. The season ended with a 17-3 loss to the Jets at home, and the rebuild began immediately. Bill Belichick “both agreed” to part ways, and quarterback Drake Maye was labeled as the future of the franchise.
Maye is a real thing. And his team is very bad. The Patriots’ 40-7 loss at home to the Chargers on Saturday was one of the worst in the last 20 years. Maye left with a head injury and was allowed to return to action after being cleared, putting him (and the future of the franchise) in jeopardy.
Coach Jerod Mayo is on the hot seat in his first season as Patriots coach. New England fell to 3-13 with a 40-7 loss to the Chargers on Saturday. Michael Dwyer / Associated Press
In the third quarter, Gillette Stadium was empty, and the remaining fans were letting coach Jerod Mayo know they weren’t happy. Maybe it’s not his fault, but he’s not the answer. The franchise is currently one of the worst in the league. Even if you have an official QB1 it’s hard to see how they can change it quickly.
On the ice, the Bruins began the year celebrating their 100th season. It was a celebration worthy of an Original Six franchise that has high goals every season. The Bruins reached the playoffs for the eighth consecutive year, tied for the NHL’s longest streak.
In Boston, making the playoffs is not enough. A Game 7 victory over the Maple Leafs in the first round had the fans excited, but elimination by the Florida Panthers for the second year in a row ended the celebration early.
By November, Jim Montgomery was gone and Joe Sacco was the interim coach. His team responded with a 12-5-1 record under the new coach. The defense is assured, the goal of Jeremy Swayman looks like the real Number 1, and the sports games are back in the game.
The pressure will be on general manager Don Sweeney to add to this team at the trade deadline. That’s good news. In November you had to wonder if Boston would be selling its assets to reload for the future.
For the Celtics, the future is now. They are the defending champions, raising Banner 18 in June. Yet Joe Mazzella’s team is just one game over .500 in December. They are their worst enemies, who live and die by the 3-pointer. They managed to lift the trophy last year, however they have shown a frustrating ability to hold teams back in games that should be there when the shooting goes cold.
Jaylen Brown acknowledged that complacency can happen with defensive linemen. It’s hard to imagine they won’t flip the switch as the numbers keep getting higher. They are arguably the most talented team in the league. Let’s hope they live up to their talent this season.
The Red Sox traded Garrett Crochet to be the ace of their staff, but they still haven’t landed a big-name free agent. Duane Burleson/Associated Press
The Red Sox believe their rebuilding phase is over after three straight years without a playoff appearance. Their .500 record was an improvement over recent postseason results, but it wasn’t enough to qualify for the postseason.
The acquisition of Garrett Crochet this month gives the Red Sox a top arm they haven’t had in years. It is a step in the right direction.
However fans are still not convinced of their team’s intentions. Big names have signed up elsewhere. Pitcher Corbin Burnes and outfielder Teoscar Hernandez came off the board last week. The Sox have yet to sign anyone to a deal worth more than $100 million.
Two steps can change that. Alex Bregman would be a perfect fit. Tanner Scott or Jeff Hoffman would make the Red Sox bullpen one of the best in the league.
If Boston can’t acquire that kind of talent, fans will continue to think that the franchise is no longer investing in quality players. And the Sox need to decide to change that attitude.
Tom Caron is the studio host for Red Sox broadcasts on NESN.
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