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Archives for August 16, 2024

Jacoby and Drake: Going At It

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FOXBOROUGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye isn’t out of the QB competition in New England, said head coach Jerod Mayo.

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“We have three more days of training camp practices and it’s our job as coaches to evaluate. The competition isn’t over,” Mayo said on a video conference call. “It’s definitely still a competition.”

Veteran Jacoby Brissett was declared the leader at the position by Mayo when training camp began. The journeyman in his second stint with the Patriots has started 48 career games bouncing from New England to the Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns and Washington Commanders.

“They have to show not only themselves and their coaches, but also their teammates. So, it’s definitely still a competition,” Mayo said.

Brissett’s end-zone interception against the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night was described by Mayo as a “poor play,” and he pointed to earlier comments he made about Maye, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 draft, having an opportunity to win the job.

“If Drake beats out Jacoby, he earned that role … if he’s better than Jacoby, then he’ll play, he’ll start,” Mayo said.

Brissett, 31, is 18-30 as a starter in his NFL career. He started 11 games for the Browns in 2022 while Deshaun Watson served his NFL-levied suspension.

Maye, 21, would need to show more consistency before the Week 1 opener at Cincinnati to overtake Brissett for the No. 1 spot.

–Field Level Media

Orioles Bats Heating Up

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BALTIMORE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Baltimore Orioles have been looking like significant offensive threats again and that should bode well for the American League East contenders. They meet the visiting Boston Red Sox again Friday night at Camden Yards.

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The Orioles won their second in a row by beating the Red Sox 5-1 in the series opener Thursday.

“They hit the ball hard,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “They grind at-bats.”

The Orioles have won six of seven meetings against Boston this year.

Baltimore’s big bats are cranking up again. Gunnar Henderson, who has 31 home runs, has homered in back-to-back games for the first time since June 25-26.

“I feel like we’ve been making strides in the right direction,” Henderson said.

Cedric Mullins, who also homered in the series opener, is finding the groove as well.

“It has been awesome to make those adjustments and see them incorporate themselves out on the field, staying on that path, staying to the grind, so I can be productive for the team,” Mullins said.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said Mullins looks ready to be a difference maker.

“He’s always a power threat,” Hyde said. “He just changes the game for us ’cause it’s premier, premier defense in center field to go with it. He’s playing with some confidence right now, and it’s fun to watch.”

The Red Sox have lost two games in a row and six of their past eight.

The one run scored for Boston matched its lowest output since the All-Star break. The Red Sox also scored one run in the first game after the layoff against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Orioles are scheduled to start ace Corbin Burnes (12-4, 2.71 ERA) for the second game of the series. He’s 3-0 in his past five starts, though he had a no-decision Saturday at Tampa Bay after giving up three runs in six innings.

Burnes didn’t allow an earned run across seven innings in a home victory against Boston on May 29. He held the Red Sox to one run in seven innings on the road in April. He is 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA in three career starts against Boston.

Right-hander Cooper Criswell (4-4, 4.02) is expected to return from the COVID-19 injured list and start Friday. He was roughed up in his only career start against Baltimore for seven runs on seven hits in four innings during Boston’s 11-3 loss on May 27.

Cora said there’s a huge emphasis on keeping the Orioles off the bases with free passes to try to limit big innings.

“They have to earn it, and they do that,” Cora said. “They’re very good at what they do.”

On Thursday night, the Red Sox got two strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings of relief from Chase Shugart in his big-league debut. He allowed one run.

“He found the strike zone with good stuff,” Cora said. “He wasn’t afraid.”

Meanwhile, the Orioles sent infielder Coby Mayo back to Triple-A Norfolk a day after he picked up his first major league hit.

–Field Level Media

Late TD Sends Eagles Soaring

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FOXBOROUGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) –  Kendall Milton ran for a 1-yard touchdown with 4:23 to play and the Philadelphia Eagles added a go-ahead two-point conversion to edge the New England Patriots 14-13 on Thursday in the suburbs of Boston.

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Ainias Smith caught the decisive two-point pass from Tanner McKee.

The Patriots (1-1) had two more possessions with a chance to retake the lead, but the first ended in a punt and the second was thwarted by a lost fumble near midfield.

McKee completed 15 of 19 passes for 140 yards, the most effective of three Eagles quarterbacks who played while regular starter Jalen Hurts sat out.

Wide receiver Joseph Ngata caught five passes for 88 yards for Philadelphia (2-0), both game-high totals.

Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett played three series and connected on 3 of 7 passes for 17 yards with an interception. Three other QBs followed him into action, but New England wound up completing just 14 of 29 passes for 113 yards.

Rookie first-round pick Drake Maye ran for the Patriots’ lone touchdown, a 4-yard score late in the first half. Maye threw for 47 yards on 6-of-11 passing.

–Field Level Media