While the two teams have combined for 10 championships in the 21st Century, the NFL’s New England Patriots and MLB’s Boston Red Sox have fallen on tougher times in recent seasons. On Thursday, Sean Grande, the radio voice of the Boston Celtics, detailed how bad the team’s most recent struggles have been
The Red Sox have been in playoff contention for much of the 2024 season. But a loss on Thursday moved them to below .500. At 76-77, Boston is now four games out in the race for the American League’s final Wild Card spot. Thursday’s loss was particularly bad on the offense, which scored no runs and managed only one hit.
Things were not much better for the Patriots, who got a taste of their medicine on Thursday Night Football against the New York Jets. After spending much of the last 20 years beating up the Jets, New England was on the wrong end of a 24-3 final at MetLife Stadium on Thursday. As the score suggests, the Patriots struggled to do anything of note offensively. New England didn’t even exceed 100 yards from scrimmage until the final possession of the game.
Late in the third quarter of Thursday’s football game, Grande noted the futility of the Red Sox and Patriots.
“The Red Sox and Patriots tonight have combined for 81 yards and one hit,” Grande posted on X, formerly Twitter. “2018 feels like a long time ago.”
The Red Sox and Patriots tonight have combined for 81 yards and one hit.
2018 feels like a long time ago.
— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) September 20, 2024
Indeed, New England’s MLB and NFL teams both enjoyed 2018. The Red Sox posted one of the greatest seasons in MLB history, winning 108 games en route to a World Series championship — their fourth since 2004. The Patriots, meanwhile, went 11-5 and won their sixth Super Bowl since 2001 and their second in three years. It marked the second time (2004 being the other) that the two teams won titles in the same year.
The Celtics, of course, won the NBA Championship in 2024. It must be noted, of course, that the Red Sox are not eliminated yet and the Patriots have played only three games Still, it doesn’t feel too likely that we’re going to see either of them match the Celtics’ NBA title this year — certainly not if Thursday’s results become a trend.
[Sean Grande on X]
