The New England Patriots
New England Patriots Head Coach Mike Vrabel returned to his old stomping grounds where he defeated the Tennessee Titans 31-13 on Sunday. It was the Patriots’ fourth consecutive victory and fifth overall on the season, surpassing their number of wins from each of the last two seasons.
Tennessee’s ownership must be kicking themselves for letting Vrabel go, especially after firing his successor, Brian Callahan, last week. Vrabel has already won more games this season than the Titans have won since they fired him in January 2024.
Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels called a balanced game and established a strong run game while Rhamondre Stevenson led the team with 88 rushing yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.
The Patriots’ receiver room has been regarded as one of the league’s weakest in recent years.
But this narrative needs to stop. Their product on the field has proved there is real talent in this room.
Stefon Diggs continues to be a team leader, and his football expertise is evident. The veteran pass-catcher led the team in both receptions and receiving yards on Sunday.
Some respect also needs to be put on Kayshon Boutte’s name. This season, he has showcased his strong hands and feel for route running. He is a true deep threat for Drake Maye and demands the attention of opposing defenses.
Although his snap count has been limited, DeMario Douglas has made the most of the opportunities he’s been given, especially the past two weeks. On Maye’s only true errant throw of the game, Douglas made an incredible catch on fourth down that set up Stevenson’s score.
After a slow start to the game, the Patriots’ defense rallied and put together an impressive performance. It kept Tennessee scoreless in the second half and even scored a touchdown of its own thanks to a Cam Ward mishap.
K’Lavon Chaisson played a breakout game, recording two sacks and a scoop-and-score. The 2020 first-round pick’s performance earned him the AFC Defensive Player of the Week.
The Patriots sit at 5-2 on the season and currently hold the No. 2 seed in the AFC. They look to continue their success on Sunday, where they will face the 2-5 Cleveland Browns.
The Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are back for the 2025-26 season but started the season 0-1 after dropping their season-opener against the Philadelphia 76ers, 117-116, on Wednesday.
The Celtics led by as many as 13 points in the beginning of the fourth quarter, but the performances of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe put the 76ers over the top. Edgecombe’s 34 points were the most in an NBA debut since Wilt Chamberlain in 1959.
Boston is still going to be reliant on hitting three-pointers to find success.
When teams live or die by the three, they can get burned — and that’s what happened to the Celtics. They shot an inadequate 25.6% to Philadelphia’s 40% from behind the arc.
With under 10 seconds remaining, Boston had two opportunities to reclaim the lead but wasn’t able to capitalize. When time is a factor, you don’t always get the looks you want, but the team needed to find a way to get the ball to Jaylen Brown, especially with two different chances.
The Celtics will be forced to find a new identity with Jayson Tatum out for the foreseeable future due to an achilles tear. Brown — whose 25 points tied the team-high — steps in as the face of the team, and he needs to be given the opportunities that come with that.
With offseason departures raising questions about the Celtics’ frontcourt, Neemias Queta got the start and stepped up. In 25 minutes, Queta put up 17 points and a team-high eight rebounds. If he can correct his fouling issues, he will serve as a solid starting center for this Celtics team.
The Celtics enter Madison Square Garden on Friday to face the Knicks for the first time since New York eliminated Boston in the Conference Semifinals last year.
The Boston Bruins
Brad Marchand made his emotional return to play on Tuesday in Boston for the first time since the Bruins traded him to the Florida Panthers in March. Boston honored him with a tribute video, and he received a standing ovation from Bruins fans.
Marchand’s two assists helped the Panthers take down the Bruins 4-3. Boston is now 3-5-0 and sits at No. 6 in the Atlantic Division.