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Archives for September 7, 2025

Las Vegas Outrushes Patriots

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FOXBOROUGH – (Wire Service Report) – Newly acquired quarterback Geno Smith threw for 362 yards Sunday, rookie running back Ashton Jeanty scored the go-ahead touchdown, and visiting Las Vegas gave new coach Pete Carroll a win in his first game with the Raiders, stopping the New England Patriots 20-13.

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Smith completed 24 of 34 passes with a touchdown and an interception as Las Vegas outgained New England 389-336. Jeanty had just 38 yards on 19 carries but one of them was a 3-yard run with 9:39 left in the third quarter that put the Raiders ahead for good at 14-10.

Daniel Carlson added field goals of 51 and 40 yards later in the second half to give Las Vegas a two-score lead. Rookie Andy Borregales connected from 44 yards out with 19 seconds left to get the Patriots within seven points, but his onside kick bounced out of bounds to seal the outcome.

Drake Maye hit 30 of 46 attempts for 287 yards with a touchdown and an interception, but it wasn’t enough to give Mike Vrabel a win in his first game as New England’s coach. Wasted in the loss were 2 1/2 sacks from Harold Landry and 103 receiving yards from Kayshon Boutte.

Raiders tight end Brock Bowers matched Boutte’s 103 receiving yards on just five catches.

Las Vegas opened its season with a loud bang, driving 66 yards with the season’s first possession. Smith capped the drive just 2:43 into the game, finding Tre Turner on a post pattern for a 26-yard touchdown.

The Raiders were marching again when Smith extended New England a lifeline by tossing an interception to Jaylinn Hawkins at the Patriots’ 18. They cashed it in with an 82-yard march that Maye finished on a 2-yard strike to DeMario Douglas at the 1:02 mark.

Neither team scored again until New England lashed together a drive late in the first half. A 56-yard drive positioned Borregales for a 35-yard field goal with 1:57 remaining, enabling the Patriots to take a 10-7 edge to the locker room.

–Field Level Media

Sox Call on Bello

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PHOENIX – (Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox will call on right-hander Brayan Bello, one of their rotation’s big three, to stop a three-game skid in the series finale against Arizona this afternoon.

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Bello, Red Sox No. 1 starter Garrett Crochet and Saturday hard-luck loser Lucas Giolito are 26-8 with a 2.62 ERA in 45 games since June 10. The Red Sox are 33-12 in those 45.

Bello (11-6, 3.07 ERA) is set to oppose Arizona right-hander Ryne Nelson (7-3, 3.57) on Sunday.

Bello, a top prospect when he broke into the majors in 2022 and a double-digit winner in each of the last two years, is having a breakout season in terms of peripherals.

His ERA and WHIP (1.23) are at career-low levels. He has made 15 quality starts.

“Everybody goes through that, right?” Boston manager Alex Cora said of the maturation he has seen in Bello, 26. “It doesn’t matter if you are Cy Young or Brayan Bello, you know. You have to learn through the process.

Bello will try to keep the Sox from falling further behind in the playoff chase against a Diamondbacks team that is playing its best baseball of the season.

The D-backs have won four games in a row and eight of 10 after their 5-1 victory Saturday, and they are 21-13 since they dealt five free agents-to-be at the trade deadline.

Blaze Alexander has been among the catalysts. Alexander took a home run away from Alex Bregman with a leap at the left field fence in the eighth inning Saturday after throwing out a runner at the plate from center field in Friday’s 10-5 win.

“You can feel the energy that he creates,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said of Alexander. “It’s the athleticism that we are always impressed by. He’s one of the many guys who are giving us a lot of energy.

“It’s an exciting brand of baseball we are playing. We play athletically. We can move fast.”

Nelson has been consistent in his nine starts since the All-Star break, although it is not reflected in his victory total. He has made five quality starts in that run, going 2-1 with a 3.42 ERA.

“You get to this part of the year, and every game feels like the most important game,” Nelson said. “The momentum swings all year have kind of been (like) riding the highs, riding in the lows. If we just stay somewhere in the middle, that’s the best way to move forward.”

Nelson threw 63 fastballs, 21 curve balls and 10 sliders in his most recent outing, a no-decision against Texas in which he gave up three runs in six innings and was in line for the victory until the bullpen collapsed late in a 7-5, 10-inning loss on Monday.

The off-speed pitches are a focus to get hitters off his fastball.

“I think some sort of game plan involving that (off-speed) is a way to protect the fastball,” Nelson said. “It’s always been something we’ve wanted to work in. Keep them a little bit more off-balance.”

Nelson beat the Red Sox in his only career appearance against them, a 12-2 victory last year in Fenway Park in which he gave up two runs in six innings with seven strikeouts. Rob Refsnyder homered against him in that August 2024 game.

Bello faced the Diamondbacks in that contest for the only time in his career, giving up five runs and seven hits over 5 1/3 innings in the loss.

-Field Level Media

NFL: Opening Day Preview

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New England Patriots vs. Las Vegas Raiders: Week 1 | Game Preview

The New England Patriots kick off their 2025 NFL season against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, September 7, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA. This Week 1 clash, airing at 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS, promises an intriguing matchup as both teams look to set the tone for the season. With the Patriots favored by 2.5 points and an over/under set at 42.5 points, here’s a breakdown of what to expect.

Team Overviews

New England Patriots (0-0)

The Patriots enter 2025 under the leadership of new head coach Mike Vrabel, who replaced Jerod Mayo after a turbulent offseason. Vrabel, a former Patriots player with three Super Bowl rings, brings a hard-nosed approach to a team looking to rebound from a lackluster 2024 campaign. Quarterback Drake Maye, now in his second year, showed promise last season with 2,276 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while completing 66.6% of his passes. The Patriots’ offense, coordinated by former Raiders coach Josh McDaniels, aims to capitalize on Maye’s development and a revamped receiving corps. However, their 2024 receiving yards total of 3,343 was the lowest in the NFL, indicating a need for improvement in the passing game.

Defensively, the Patriots return key players like Christian Gonzalez and Jabrill Peppers, who anchor a unit that allowed 211.5 passing yards and 131.4 rushing yards per game last season. With no active injuries reported, New England is poised to lean on its defense to keep games close while the offense finds its rhythm.

Las Vegas Raiders (0-0)

The Raiders, led by head coach Pete Carroll, the NFL’s oldest active coach, are looking to make a statement on the road. Their 2024 season was marred by inefficiencies, particularly in goal-to-go situations, where they amassed just 49 yards, the fewest in the NFL. Quarterback Geno Smith, who threw for 4,320 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2024, remains a dual-threat with 272 rushing yards and two scores. Tight end Brock Bowers, coming off a stellar rookie season with 112 receptions for 1,194 yards, and wideout Jakobi Meyers (1,027 yards) give the Raiders a potent passing attack.

On defense, the Raiders feature playmakers like Divine Deablo (1.0 sack, 3.0 TFL) and Trevon Moehrig (26 tackles, one interception in 2024). With no active injuries, Las Vegas is healthy but faces challenges against a Patriots defense that could exploit their 2024 offensive struggles, including a -7.4 point differential and 216.2 passing yards allowed per game.

Key Matchups

  1. Drake Maye vs. Raiders Secondary: Maye’s ability to exploit the Raiders’ pass defense, which allowed 216.2 yards per game in 2024, will be critical. If he can connect with his receivers early, the Patriots could control the game’s tempo. However, Las Vegas’s secondary, led by Moehrig, will look to force turnovers.

  2. Raiders’ Passing Attack vs. Patriots’ Secondary: Geno Smith, Bowers, and Meyers form a dangerous trio, but they’ll face a Patriots defense bolstered by Gonzalez and Peppers. New England’s ability to contain Bowers, who was a top-10 receiver in 2024, could limit the Raiders’ offensive output.

  3. Coaching Chess Match: Vrabel and Carroll, both seasoned coaches, bring contrasting styles. Vrabel’s defensive-minded approach will test Carroll’s offensive creativity, while McDaniels’ familiarity with the Raiders could give the Patriots an edge in play-calling.

Stats to Watch

  • Patriots’ Passing Game: New England’s 176.2 passing yards per game in 2024 ranked among the league’s worst. Improvement from Maye and the departure of Kendrick Bourne signal a shift toward younger playmakers like rookie Will Campbell.

  • Raiders’ Red Zone Struggles: Las Vegas’s 49 yards in goal-to-go situations last season highlight a critical weakness. If the Patriots’ defense holds firm inside the 20, they could force field goals and keep the game within reach.

  • Turnover Battle: Both teams had modest turnover differentials in 2024 (Raiders: +1, Patriots: +0.6). The team that wins the turnover battle could dictate the outcome in a game projected to be close.

Predictions

Analysts give the Patriots a slight edge, with a 60% win probability compared to the Raiders’ 40%, per simulations. The Patriots’ home-field advantage at Gillette Stadium, where they’ll celebrate the induction of Julian Edelman and Bill Parcells into the Patriots Hall of Fame, could provide an emotional boost. Expect Vrabel’s defense to pressure Smith, while Maye makes enough plays to secure a narrow victory.

Score Prediction: Patriots 24, Raiders 20

How to Watch

  • Time: 1:00 p.m. ET, Sunday, September 7, 2025

  • Location: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA

  • TV: CBS

  • Streaming: FUBO

  • Tickets: Available on StubHub, starting at $233

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes – 9/7/25

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Celtics PR Man Jeff Twiss (left) with the NBA’s Brian McIntyre – the only two living Bunn Award winners from the Communications, Public Relations and Media Services industry (Photo by Tom Carelli).

By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

UNCASVILLE (Connecticut) – The old Boston Garden was an interesting and historic place. Not only did it house the legendary NBA champion Boston Celtics but it also was the home of Bobby Orr and the great Boston Bruins. The building was old, the parquet beat up, the ice surface too small, the locker rooms cramped. In every corner of the arena, there were crazy characters to be uncovered and covered, tradition to be respected and there was always a surprise awaiting.

Sometimes, the surprise was a 98-degree, hazy, hot and humid summer night to play an NBA Finals game where 14,890 ticket holds and another thousand or more guests and mysterious navigators of hidden access to standing room situated throughout the building. Other nights, the Garden would fall down to a power failure during a Stanley Cup Final game.

During the change-overs from ice hockey to basketball or vice versa, innocent public relations staffers or media types risked being run down by the evil Boston Garden Bull Gang who took pride in inflicting pain, especially to the ankles or other parts of the lower body, as they rolled racks of chairs or sections of parquet floor. Every corner, every level, and pretty much every section, aisle or seat had historical significance.

Then, there were the people. From legendary coach, team general manager and Celtics patriarch – the late Red Auerbach – to the ushers and security guards to the tickets takers and the front office workers. One of those Celtics front office executives was in the building every single night. In fact, Celtics Media/PR Services guru Jeff Twiss missed only 11 games in 45 years of service to his organization.

This weekend, Twiss was honored by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame with the most prestigious honor outside of Enshrinement as a player, coach, ref or contributor. Twiss accepted the John Bunn Award on Friday night and gave a perfect and inspiring speech to the basketball community and Celtics family.

“To my Celtics family for the last 44 years, what an amazing ride,” said Twiss. “As a 25-year-old intern in May of 1981, I watched the Celtics arrive in Boston after beating the Houston Rockets for the championship, they gingerly got off the plane after celebrating their victory. I assumed this is what the NBA is all about. Part of it is celebrations but I learned the meaning of teamwork on and off the court and as Red Auerbach said and we continue to believe today, the Celtics are not just a team, we are a family.

“I’m a kid from Vermont who grew up fascinated with how the Boston Celtics played, how they were coached and how they were so successful every year,” he said. “I’m living my dream working for this great organization. I’m so very fortunate to go to work every day and enjoy what I do.

“To those who found something in me and worthy of this distinguished award, thank you,” he said. “I will continue to do my very best to continue to fulfill what this award stands for. Mystique, pride, and tradition are words that are associated with the Boston Celtics. Red Auerbach, the person who hired me, said I wanted a certain type of player and worker for the Celtics, this is a true winner.”

The Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award, named after the Hall’s first executive director, it recognizes those whose behind-the-scenes contributions had shaped basketball’s legacy.

In Twiss, the Bunn Award is perfectly illustrated. Honesty, integrity, reliability and dedication are the tent polls of every Hall of Famer. Of course, his longevity in doing an impossible job for what might be an impossible amount of time served, nights worked, road trips travelled and personnel trained and mentored.

On a personal level, your columnist started at the NBA in 1981, the same year Jeff Twiss was hired full-time at the Celtics. Our friendship began on the parquet but blossomed over the many years to the point where he and a handful of colleagues, like Celtics’ former CFO Joe Dilorenzo, marketing maven Tod Rosensweig, ticket directors extraordinaire x 2 in Stephen Riley and Duane “DJ” Johnson, and former GM Jan Volk welcomed a young league office guy into the family and adopted him when he moved to Massachusetts. I am forever grateful for the honor to simply stand next to them all, never mind call them all dear friends. In fact, it ws quite an honor to stand on the parquet, next to Jeff, when the Celtics were raising yet another banner.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Last week, you were promised a deeper dive into the NFL season. As this Sunday begins, there are two games in the books (Philly over Dallas, 24-20) and the (LA Chargers over KC Chiefs, 27-21). There’s a lot of football to be played until NBC Sports broadcasts the Super Bowl on February 8, 2026.

Here’s one look at how the upcoming season might go:

AFC East – Buffalo Bills

NFC East – Philadelphia Eagles

(Those are the easy picks)

AFC North – Baltimore Ravens

NFC North – Detroit Lions

AFC South – Houston Texans

NFL South – Tough to predict in September, but look for the Tampa Bay Bucs to rise

AFC West – KC Chiefs will battle the Denver Broncos and LA Chargers.

NFC West – San Francisco 49ers

AFC Champion: Buffalo Bills

NFC Champion: Philadelphia Eagles

Super Bowl Champion: Buffalo Bills

IT’s JUST A FANTASY: Once every football season, readers are bored to tears reading about my fantasy football squad. The SWFL is a difficult league to compete. It’s only eight teams, so everyone is stacked. The rules include the requirement to play two quarterbacks but roster only three. Receivers are rewarded with a 1/2 point for every reception. And, a great rule is to allow the teams to simply park their Team Defense/Special Team unit and Place Kicker on bye weeks, instead of needing to make a cut to make room for another Defense or Kicker for one week.

So, Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, for 2025 – here’s TL’s Lovetrons who owned the second pick in the draft:

Overall Pick, Player:

2. Josh Allen (QB Buffalo)

15. De’von Achane (RB Miami)

18. Kyren Williams (RB/LAR) – Strategy was to go 2 RBs, since WR position is deeper

31. AJ Brown (WR/Philly)

34. Jackson Smith-Njigba WR/Seattle) – a No. 1 level wide-out

47. Brock Purdy (QB/SF) – Nix was taken one pick ahead… bummer

50. James Conner (RB/AZ) – best avail RB

63. Xavier Worthy WR/KC – was shocked he was still there

66. Caleb Williams (QB/Chi) – best avail… Other top QBs were off board

79. Devonte Smith (WR/Philly) – backed up AJ in case

82. Kaleb Johnson – (RB/Pitt) – RB position was thin, a nice gamble

95. Khalil Shakir – (WR/Buff) – surprised he was available

98. Jacobi Meyers – (WR/LV) – will probably sit on bench except for a bye week

111. Can Skattebo – (RB/NYG) – total wild card pick

114. Broncos D – (Was best scoring D last season) – Balt went down pick before

127. Jake Bates – (K/Det) – top rated on many draft boards; Indoor FG not terrible

130. Trey Benson – (RB/AZ- the hand-cuff to Conner, in case of injury

Earlier this week, AJ Brown (WR) of Philadelphia was limited to one catch and a 0.5 output. The next night, KC’s Xavier Worthy (WR) went down to a shoulder injury early in the game. The Lovetrons are already struggling.

The team nickname, Lovetrons, is in honor of the late Darryl Dawkins of the Sixers, one of the all-time great players and characters of the game of basketball – not American Football.

DRYDEN: Some bad news came across the sports wires over the weekend. Former NHL and Montreal Canadiens goalkeeper Ken Dryden passed away after battling cancer for quite a while. He was 78.

His NHL career was nicely honored by league Commissioner Gary B. Bettman:

From the moment Ken Dryden joined the Montreal Canadiens as a 23-year-old rookie in 1971, he made an immediate and lasting impact on the NHL, the Canadiens franchise and the goaltending position. After playing in only six regular season games during that first year, Ken proceeded to lead his team to a Stanley Cup while winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs’ most valuable player. It is almost incomprehensible to believe that he accomplished all of that the year prior to winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league’s best rookie in 1971-72.

“Ken’s early success was only a harbinger of what was to come. In eight years with the Canadiens, Ken would lead a team filled with future Hall of Famers to six Stanley Cup championships, quickly becoming a beloved figure in his adopted hometown of Montreal. He won five Vezina Trophies as the league’s top goaltender, including four consecutive awards from 1975-76 to 1978-79. Named as a member of the League’s Greatest 100, he was the NHL’s dominant goaltender during the 1970’s.

“His work in hockey extended to the Front Office of the Toronto Maple Leafs where he served as President of the organization. Ken was also a prolific author whose works chronicled the sport including the critically-acclaimed “The Game” and “Home Game: Hockey and Life in Canada.”

“Ken’s love for his country was evident both on and off the ice. He was a key member of the 1972 Canadian Summit Series team that thrilled the entire nation with an historic win over the Soviet Union. As a member of Parliament, Ken continued to serve Canada. He was named an Officer of the Order of Canada.

“On a personal note, Ken was a fellow Cornellian (Cornell University alum) whose career ranks among the greatest runs in collegiate hockey. Ken compiled a 76-4-1 record over three years and famously led the Big Red to the 1967 NCAA Championship.

“On behalf of the National Hockey League, we mourn the passing of a legendary Canadian and extend our sincere condolences to his wife Lynda, family and many friends and fans all over the hockey world.”

TIDBITS AND NUGGETS: Since Halloween candy is already avAilable in the grocery stores, it’s not too early to pass along Blue Ribbon College Basketball bible’s Top 25 for the 2025-26 collegiate basketball season. Yes, I must point out, St. John’s is ranked a rather high No. 6.

1. Florida

2. Purdue

3. Houston

4. Duke

5. Connecticut

6. St. John’s

7. Tennessee

8. Kentucky

9. Michigan

10. Louisville

11. Alabama

12. UCLA

13. Auburn

14. Texas Tech

15. Arkansas

16. BYU

17. Iowa State

18. Kansas

19. Creighton

20. Illinois

21. Wisconsin

22. Arizona

23. Gonzaga

24. Texas

25. North Carolina

SOX UPDATE: The Red Sox have 21 games and 7 series remaining in the 2025 regular season. They’ll play 12 road games (six games, 9/5-10 and six games, 9/19-25) and nine home games (six games, 9/12-18 and three games, 9/26-28). Boston will play nine very important games against AL East clubs (three vs. NY Yankees, three at TB Rays, three at Toronto), six against the Athletics (3 home, 3 away), along with the current series at Arizona. The regular season will conclude with a three game finale vs. Detroit. Boston has nine games remaining against sub-.500 clubs (ARI-3, ATH-6) and 12 against teams with a record of .500 or better (DET-3, NYY-3, TB-3, TOR-3).

THIS JEST IN: According to courtside reports from the 2025 FIBA Euro Cup by the Associated Press, Finland’s Elias Valtonen scored eight points in the final two minutes to help his Finland national team stun Serbia and (All NBA center) Nikola Jokic, 92-86, Saturday in the round of 16 at the World Championship qualifier EuroBasket tournament. Jokic finished with a game-high 33 points, but it was Finland that came up with the big shots late to spring the biggest upset of the tournament so far. Serbia scored six unanswered points to take a 77-75 lead in the fourth quarter, but Valtonen’s 3-pointer with two minutes left put the Finns up 82-78. He then added a tip-in and another trey to help Finland pull away.

By the way, the United States held on to take the Bronze (90-85 over Canada) last week at the AmericaCup tournament. Brazil defeated Argentina in the Gold Medal game.

YOU CAN’T MAKE IT UP: Go figure? USA President Donald Trump will watch the United States Open men’s tennis final from Rolex’s suite in Arthur Ashe Stadium, a person with knowledge of the details said but could not be identified as they were not authorized to divulge the President’s schedule and plans. It will mark Trump’s first appearance at the Grand Slam tournament in Flushing Meadows, Queens, NY since 2015 — before his first run for the White House. The irony will be the fact Trump will be a guest of the Swiss watchmaker just weeks after his administration imposed a 39% tariff on Swiss products.