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Florida St. Survives BC Upset Bid

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CHESTNUT HILL – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Florida State’s Jordan Travis threw for 212 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the No. 3 Seminoles held off a ferocious rally to edge Boston College 31-29 on Saturday in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both teams in Boston.

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The Seminoles (3-0, 1-0 ACC) seemed to put the game out of reach when Travis threw a 4-yard touchdown to Preston Daniel and DJ Lundy found the end zone from the 1 within the first four minutes of the third quarter to take a 31-10 lead.

But, on their annual celebration of life for Welles Crowther, The Man with the Red Bandana, the BC Eagles (1-2) stormed back.

Kye Robichaux rushed for a 1-yard TD with 1:02 left in the third and Khari Johnson recovered a fumble and returned it 8 yards for another score to make it 31-22 with 11:18 left in the game.

Quarterback Thomas Castellanos later capped a nine-play, 95-yard drive with a 7-yard scoring scramble to pull Boston College within two.

The Eagles ended up getting the ball back and made it to their own 40, but Kalen DeLoach’s 14-yard sack forced BC to punt.

Boston College’s defense forced a fourth down to provide a chance for the offense to go win the game, but a face mask penalty gave FSU an automatic first down, and the Seminoles ran out the clock to ward off the upset.

Travis completed 16 of 24 passes, while Trey Benson led the rushing attack with 68 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.

Castellanos had 305 yards with a touchdown and an interception on 20-for-33 passing for the Eagles, who committed a program-record 18 penalties that cost them 132 yards. He also ran for 95 yards and the score on 16 carries.

Benson plunged into the end zone from 2 yards out with 1:27 remaining in the first half to send Florida State into the break up 17-10.

Boston College opened the game with a seven-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Castellanos’ 32-yard touchdown pass to Lewis Bond.

Ryan Fitzgerald made good on a 30-yard field goal on the Seminoles’ ensuing possession to make it 7-3, but Liam Connor nailed a 21-yarder with 13:22 left in the second quarter to restore the Eagles’ seven-point advantage.

Just 2:59 later, Travis connected with Jaheim Bell for a 19-yard TD that drew Florida State even at 10.

–Field Level Media

Red Sox Drop Another to Blue Jays

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TORONTO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Toronto’s Whit Merrifield hit a walk-off infield single with two outs in the 13th inning to lift the host Blue Jays to a 4-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday. Merrifield’s chopper to third baseman Rafael Devers against Mauricio Llovera (1-3) scored the designated extra innings runner, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., from third base.

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Boston had taken the lead on an RBI single by Pablo Reyes in the top of the 12th, but Toronto’s Bo Bichette tied the game in the bottom half of the inning with a sacrifice fly.

Toronto’s Chad Green (3-0) earned the win, only issuing an intentional walk in the top half of the 13th.

The Blue Jays tied the game with two outs in the ninth thanks to Daulton Varsho’s two-out RBI triple. Red Sox center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela initially came in on the ball, and it ended up going over his head.

The Blue Jays (82-67) have won the first two games of the three-game series. Boston (74-75) has lost three straight games overall.

Devers hit a two-run home run for the Red Sox, while Guerrero hit a solo shot for the Blue Jays.

Toronto right-hander Chris Bassitt allowed two runs, four hits and three walks with five strikeouts in seven innings.

Boston left-hander Chris Sale allowed one run, two hits and two walks in six-plus innings. He struck out 10.

Wilyer Abreu led off the sixth with a walk and stole second. Devers then hit his 32nd homer of the season.

Guerrero led off the bottom of the seventh with his 24th homer of the season, recording his third consecutive game with a home run.

Josh Winckowski replaced Sale following Guerrero’s long ball and walked three batters to load the bases with two outs. Brennan Bernardino came on in relief to retire pinch hitter Ernie Clement.

Boston’s John Schreiber allowed a one-out single to pinch hitter Cavan Biggio in the ninth, and Biggio took second on a wild pitch. One out later, Varsho ripped his game-tying triple to center.

Plate umpire Jordan Baker left the game following the eighth inning after being hit by two foul balls in the contest.

–Field Level Media

BC’s Tough Task | Red Bandana Game

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CHESTNUT HILL – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – After a pair of dominant performances to start the season, Florida State finds itself among the top three teams in the nation for the first time in six years.

But the third-ranked Seminoles believe they haven’t reached their ceiling just yet, and they will look to continue climbing the ranks on Saturday when they face Boston College in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener at BC.

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Florida State (2-0) rose to No. 3 in the AP poll thanks to a 66-13 shellacking of Southern Miss last Saturday. It marks the Seminoles’ highest ranking since 2017, when they started the season as the third-best team in the country.

Through two games, FSU has outscored opponents 111-37. The Seminoles kicked off the 2023 campaign with a 45-24 victory over LSU on Sept. 3.

Although he is pleased with the progress his team has made just two years removed a stretch of four straight losing seasons, Florida State coach Mike Norvell is focused on avoiding complacency.

“Somebody says that we’re highly rated or highly ranked, whatever you call it, or not. None of that matters,” Norvell said. “It’s about what we’re willing to do when we show up and when we go to work.”

Norvell is eager to begin ACC play with a victory, but he knows that it won’t be easy.

“We understand what we want to achieve and what we want to do. This is a first step when it comes to coming into conference play,” Norvell said. “This is a big game up at BC.”

The Eagles (1-1) will have plenty to play for against FSU.

Saturday marks Boston College’s annual Red Bandanna Game, which honors alumnus Welles Crowther.

Crowther died during the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. He was in the South Tower, where, with his red bandanna covering his nose and mouth amidst the smoke, he helped others evacuate the building before it collapsed.

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“We talk to our players about 9/11, about Welles, about the Red Bandanna Game,” BC coach Jeff Hafley said. “We teach them about … why we wear those jerseys. It’s not just to put on a new look. It’s way bigger than that.”

Boston College is bracing for its toughest opponent yet, as the Eagles opened their season with a 27-24 overtime loss to Northern Illinois before bouncing back to pull off a gritty 31-28 win over FCS Holy Cross last Saturday.

“They’re as deep as they’ve been,” Hafley said of the Seminoles. “They’re deep at wide receiver. … Every time you turn on the film, there’s a new guy who looks just as big and just as fast. They’ve got depth at running back.

“And then the quarterback. He’s just gotten better and better. If you turn on the tape from when we played him two years ago, he was young, then he got better and now he’s probably one of the best players in all of college football.”

That quarterback Hafley speaks so highly of is Jordan Travis, who has already thrown for 517 yards with six touchdowns against one interception.

Florida State has won 15 of its 20 all-time meetings with BC.

–Field Level Media

Toronto’s Vlad Hammers Red Sox

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TORONTO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Meet a new boss, same as the old boss?

That could be the Boston Red Sox mantra as they plod towards the end of the 2023 season.

Toronto slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a three-run home run, Jose Berrios pitched seven strong innings and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Boston Red Sox 3-0 Friday night in the opener of a three-game series.

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The Blue Jays (81-67) ended a four-game losing streak and are 4-4 on a 10-game homestand. They were coming off a four-game sweep by the Texas Rangers.

The Red Sox (74-74) were coming off a split of a doubleheader against the visiting New York Yankees on Thursday. Justin Turner hit two doubles to lead the Boston offense.

Berrios (11-10) allowed five hits and no walks while striking out eight.

Boston right-hander Brayan Bello (12-9) gave up the three-run homer to Guerrero, along with three other hits and one walk in six innings, He had a career-best 10 strikeouts.

Toronto took a 3-0 lead in the third. Alejandro Kirk led off the inning with a check-swing double down the right field line. Kirk was out at third on Daulton Varsho’s grounder to shortstop. Bo Bichette walked with two outs and Guerrero hit his 23rd home run of the season on a blast to left-center field.

Berrios retired 10 straight before Turner doubled for the second time with two outs in the sixth. Alex Verdugo struck out to end the inning.

Masataka Yoshida led off the top of the seventh with a single. He was out at second on Wilyer Abreu’s grounder to first. Berrios ended the inning with a strikeout and a flyout.

Jordan Hicks replaced Berrios and pitched a perfect eighth with one strikeout.

Jordan Romano pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning with two strikeouts to record his 35th save of the season.

Notes: Berrios wore No. 21 in honor of Roberto Clemente, who was celebrated across baseball Friday.

Boston first baseman Triston Casas (sore shoulder) was a late scratch but could play Saturday.

Red Sox reliever Chris Murphy, recalled from Triple-A Worcester, struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh and added a perfect eighth.

–Field Level Media

Red Sox Stagger Into SkyDome

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TORONTO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – A day after their chief baseball officer was fired, the Boston Red Sox will pay a visit to the Toronto Blue Jays tonight, who are reeling after being swept in a four-game series.

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The Red Sox (74-73) enter the three-game series against the Blue Jays (80-67) with a 7-3 advantage in the season series.

Before splitting a doubleheader with the visiting New York Yankees on Thursday, the Red Sox let Chaim Bloom go after he spent nearly four years as the head of their front office.

The Red Sox won the opener 5-0 and lost the second game 8-5.

“Obviously it’s a decision that ownership made,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “They decided to go this route. We worked together all these years and it’s never easy to hear that. It’s never easy.”

The Red Sox went 267-262 during Bloom’s tenure, finishing last in the American League East in 2020 and 2022 and sitting tied for last this year.

The Blue Jays, meanwhile, lost 9-2 to the visiting Texas Rangers on Thursday to drop all four games of a crucial series.

The Toronto fans were booing for the second game in a row as the Blue Jays were held to four hits. A two-run home run by struggling Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the first inning was all the offense they could muster.

In the race for the final two American League wild-card spots, the Blue Jays fell to 2 1/2 games behind the Rangers (82-64) and 1 1/2 games behind the Seattle Mariners (81-65).

Toronto is 3-4 on a 10-game homestand that ends with the series against Boston.

The Blue Jays are scheduled to start right-hander Jose Berrios (10-10, 3.63 ERA) on Friday. He is 2-6 with a 4.34 ERA in 13 career starts against the Red Sox, including a 1-1 mark with a 6.35 ERA in three starts this year.

Boston is scheduled to start right-hander Brayan Bello (12-8, 3.68) in the opener. He is 1-2 with a 6.50 ERA in four career starts against the Blue Jays. In his lone start against Toronto this year, he allowed four runs (two earned) in five innings during a home win on May 4.

The Blue Jays will hope to bounce back after getting outscored 35-9 by the Rangers in the four-game set.

“This series we played terrible, really, in all facets,” Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman said. “Our pitching staff gave up a lot of runs, and we didn’t score many runs.”

Gausman allowed four runs on six hits and matched his career high by issuing six walks in 4 2/3 innings on Thursday.

“We’re as pissed as anybody. We’re mad,” Gausman said. “We’re all competitors, we don’t like what happened in this series. We’ve got a bad taste in our mouth. But we can’t do anything right now but keep going.”

Blue Jays manager John Schneider added, “We need to hit, we need to pitch better, limit walks. You take the lead in the first inning and you’ve got to continue to find a way to score runs.

“Not a great series, that’s not our best game by any stretch of the imagination.”

The Blue Jays reinstated third baseman Matt Chapman from the injured list on Thursday and optioned outfielder Nathan Lukes to Triple-A Buffalo. Chapman, who had been out since Aug. 28 due to a sprained right middle finger, went 0-for-3 with a walk.

–Field Level Media

Sox Shutout Yankees in Game 1

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BOSTON – (Staff Report) –  In the first game of their doubleheader against the New York Yankees, the Sox snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 9-3 against New York this season. The 5-0 win marked Boston’s fourth shutout this season and was their first shutout over the Yankees since August 14, 2022, a win which also came at Fenway Park (3-0).

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Boston starting pitcher Tanner Houck (5-9) recorded the win, his first scoreless start since April 16, 2022. Houck went 6.0 innings, allowing only four hits and three walks while striking out seven.

The Red Sox have held the Yankees to three or fewer earned runs in 11 of their 12 games and have outscored the Yankees 62-31 over their 12 meetings this year.

Boston centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela went 2-for-4 with a double and solo home run. He became the first Red Sox batter in club history to record a 2B and HR in back-to-back games within their first 14 career MLB games.

Rookie outfielder Wilyer Abreau went 3-for-4 with a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base. He is batting .362 in 16 games (10 starts) sincfe making his debut in the Majors on August 22.

The Yankees have lost eight of their last 13 games at Fenway and are 3-9 vs Boston this season. The game marked New York being the victim of nine shut-outs this season. Michael King took the loss (4-6).

Red Sox Fire Bloom

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BOSTON – (Staff Report with Official Club News Release) – The Boston Red Sox fired the club’s Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom. The move was made abruptly, and announced to the public about one hour before the Red Sox were to take the field against the New York Yankees in a day/night doubleheader.

Bloom was notified of the club’s decision by Red Sox Principal Owner John Henry, Chairman Tom Werner, and President & CEO Sam Kennedy, according to the club statement.

“While parting ways is not taken lightly, today signals a new direction for our club,” said the club’s principal owner John Henry. “Our organization has significant expectations on the field and while Chaim’s efforts in revitalizing our baseball infrastructure have helped set the stage for the future, we will today begin a search for new leadership. Everyone who knows Chaim has a deep appreciation and respect for the kind of person he is. His time with us will always be marked by his professionalism, integrity, and an unwavering respect for our club and its legacy.”

Bloom was named Chief Baseball Officer on October 28, 2019. He has worked in baseball for 19 years, starting as an intern for the Tampa Bay Rays, where he spent 15 years of his career preceding his time with the Red Sox.

Boston went 92-70 and advanced to the American League Championship Series in 2021 but finished last in the division in 2020 and 2022. The Red Sox went 267-262 during Bloom’s tenure.

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In addition to this change, General Manager Brian O’Halloran has been offered a new senior leadership position within the baseball operations department, seemingly on an interim basis once again. O’Halloran was placed in a similar position when the Red Sox abruptly fired their previous head of baseball operations, Dave Dombrowski, on September 8, 2019.

The search for new baseball operations leadership will begin immediately, said the Red Sox in their statement.

In the interim, the day-to-day operations will continue under the direction of O’Halloran, and Assistant General Managers Eddie Romero, Raquel Ferreira, and Michael Groopman.

Red Sox, Yankees: Tied for the Cellar

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Unmasked: NY Yankees Take Two in Day/Night Twin Bill

BOSTON: (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The four-game series between the Boston Red Sox and the visiting New York Yankees this week is a battle between the bottom two teams in the American League East — not the normal spot for two perennial contenders.

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After being swept in a day-night doubleheader on Tuesday to begin the set, Boston will look to grab a win Wednesday to avoid falling into last place in the division. Both teams are currently 73-72.

“Tough season for both of us, let’s be honest,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “They’ve had their things, and with us, I know before the season not too many people thought we were going to be in the playoff hunt, but we believed. Things haven’t gone our way.”

Things sure didn’t go Boston’s way on Tuesday, as the Red Sox went 0-for-19 with runners in scoring position and were held to three runs on 13 hits over the two games.

The Yankees won the first game 3-2 and the nightcap 4-1.

Among the few highlights of the twin bill for Boston was the continued emergence of rookie Ceddanne Rafaela, who hit his first career homer in the second game.

Rafaela, 22, started at shortstop in Game 1 and in center field in Game 2. According to Elias Sports Bureau, only one player in Red Sox history (Felix Mantilla in 1964) did that previously in a doubleheader.

In addition to improved plate discipline, “the fact that he can be versatile (opens up multiple possibilities),” Cora said of Rafaela. “Versatility is a big part of this game. It helps your roster. He’s a good defender at short, at center field and other positions.”

Boston right-hander Tanner Houck (4-9, 5.28 ERA) is scheduled to start on Wednesday. He allowed five runs in 5 1/3 innings on Friday against the Baltimore Orioles while marking his fourth appearance since returning from a facial fracture that kept him off the field for more than two months.

Houck has enjoyed success against the Yankees in his career, going 2-2 with a 2.39 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 37 2/3 innings over 11 games (six starts). This year, he has no decisions and a 2.70 ERA two starts vs. New York.

After its first doubleheader sweep at Fenway Park in 17 years, New York is 11-4 over its past 15 games. The Yankees broke a seven-game head-to-head skid against Boston.

The Game 2 win was Aaron Boone’s 500th as Yankees manager.

New York was successful in key situations on Tuesday. Gleyber Torres’ go-ahead, two-run single in the sixth inning was one of only five Yankees hits in the opener.

In the nightcap, the Yankees scored two runs in the ninth to clinch the win.

“The end of the season is about having the discipline to go out there and still be at your sharpest and put your best foot forward,” said catcher Kyle Higashioka, who went 3-for-4 in Game 1. “At this point, we’ve got to show some character and finish strong, no matter what the circumstances are.”

Clarke Schmidt (9-8, 4.54 ERA) will start for the Yankees on Wednesday. He was originally set to pitch Monday before the start of the series was delayed due to rain.

Schmidt earned a victory on Sept. 6 against the Detroit Tigers, striking out six over 6 1/3 innings of three-run ball. The 27-year-old right-hander has allowed three or fewer runs in all but one of his past 19 starts while working at least five innings 16 times during that span.

“On the whole, he’s just gotten to be a much better pitcher, more polished pitcher,” Boone said last week. “I think he’s proven that he can be a starter in this league. I think he’s really got a grasp of his arsenal and how to use it and where to use it.”

Schmidt is 0-1 with a 4.03 ERA in seven appearances (three starts) against the Red Sox in his career. In three starts vs. Boston this year, he has no decisions and a 2.87 ERA.

–Field Level Media

First Game Story:

BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – A three-run sixth inning lifted the visiting New York Yankees to a 3-2 win over the Boston Red Sox in Tuesday afternoon’s opener of a day-night doubleheader.

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Kyle Higashioka had three hits and Gleyber Torres hit a two-run single to lead the Yankees (72-72), who won their second straight following a three-game skid. DJ LeMahieu doubled and scored a run for New York.

Right-hander Jhony Brito (7-7) earned the win after working around three hits in 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief as the last-place Yankees moved within a game of the fourth-place Red Sox.

Rafael Devers hit his 30th home run of the season for the Red Sox (73-71), while Triston Casas had three hits with a double and a run.

New York closer Clay Holmes walked three straight Boston batters with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but Alex Verdugo grounded into a game-ending double play for Holmes’ 19th save.

Right-hander Nick Pivetta (9-9) took the loss despite striking out seven of the first 10 batters he faced and finishing with 10 strikeouts across 5 1/3 innings. Higashioka’s two-out single in the third was the first Yankees hit.

New York starter Randy Vasquez allowed only one hit — a Casas leadoff single in the second — before Devers began the fourth with a first-pitch solo homer to right-center.

Casas wound up scoring the second Boston run after his one-out double in the fourth, moving to third on a ground ball and crossing the plate after a wild pitch.

The Yankees batted around and forced Pivetta out of the game in the midst of a three-run sixth that began when Everson Pereira was hit by a pitch.

Higashioka followed with his second hit before LeMahieu lined an RBI double to left, making it a 2-1 game. Two batters later, New York took a 3-2 lead as Torres shot a two-run single inside the first base bag.

A walk ended Pivetta’s day and reliever Mauricio Llovera stranded the bases loaded to keep the hosts within a run.

The Boston bullpen held the game there, including John Schreiber striking out the side in the ninth to cap two scoreless innings.

Three New York relievers allowed just one combined hit after Vasquez and Brito worked the first six frames.

Vasquez allowed two runs on three hits and struck out three over 3 2/3 innings.

–Field Level Media

Sox, Yankees: Try to Avoid the “Cell-ah”

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BOSTON – The visiting New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox, teams battling to avoid the cellar in the American League East, will meet tonight in the first game of a four-game series, weather permitting.

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The Yankees (71-72) are at the bottom of the division, two games behind the fourth-place Red Sox (73-70). Odds available HERE.

New York had lost three in a row until defeating the visiting Milwaukee 4-3 on Sunday. The Yankees prevailed when catcher Kyle Higashioka drove in Everson Pereira with a double in the 13th inning. New York had been no-hit through regulation.

“Really good at-bat,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Obviously (Higashioka has) lost some playing time here of late, but, you know, another guy who’s just a pro. Ready to go. … Excited for him and happy we could pull one out on our way to Boston.”

The Red Sox ended a four-game losing streak by beating Baltimore 7-3 Sunday. Rookie Triston Casas hit a three-run home run — his 24th homer of the season — in the victory.

“Just happy to get a pitch over the middle of the plate to hit,” Casas said. “There were a lot of positives to take out of (Sunday’s win) — and this whole series. It’s really satisfying to at least salvage (one victory in) the series. We know that they didn’t play their best game. They made a couple key errors in some big situations that really could have put the game away, but that’s baseball. We were able to capitalize on those mistakes and come out with a win.”

The Yankees will send right-hander Clarke Schmidt (9-8, 4.54 ERA) to the mound for Monday’s game. Righty Kutter Crawford (6-7, 4.36) is Boston’s probable starter.

Schmidt had gone four appearances without a victory until he earned the win for throwing 6 1/3 innings during Wednesday’s 4-3 victory over Detroit. Schmidt allowed three runs on five hits, struck out six and had no walks. He retired 16 consecutive batters at one point.

Schmidt’s season got off to a rough beginning, as he had a 6.30 ERA though his first nine starts.

“On the whole, he’s just gotten to be a much better pitcher, more polished pitcher,” Boone said. “I think he’s proven that he can be a starter in this league. I think he’s really got a grasp of his arsenal and how to use it and when to use it.

“I think he’s really learned a lot from his experiences from start to start. … Certainly took his lumps the first month or so of the season, but learned a lot from that.”

Schmidt is 0-1 with a 4.03 ERA in seven career appearances (three starts) against the Red Sox. He’s surrendered five home runs in 22 1/3 innings against them.

Crawford is 2-1 with a 1.89 ERA in his career against the Yankees. He’s made five appearances against the Yankees (three starts) and has 19 strikeouts in 19 innings.

Crawford struggled with his command in Tuesday’s 8-6 loss to Tampa Bay. He gave up five runs on three hits, walked four and struck out five in 3 2/3 innings. Crawford has allowed 11 runs in his last two outings (6 1/3 innings).

The Red Sox are 2-7 in their last nine home games.

–Field Level Media

Patriots Rally Falls Short vs Philly

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FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Philadelphia kicker Jake Elliott made good on three second-half field goals to help the Eagles ward off a comeback en route to a 25-20 victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday.

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Elliott’s final kick came from 51 yards out with 5:33 left in the game. It proved to be critical when Mac Jones found Kendrick Bourne for an 11-yard touchdown just under two minutes later to pull New England within five.

The Patriots (0-1) couldn’t convert the two-point conversion, but they ended up getting the ball back twice. On the second possession, New England drove to the Eagles 20, and Jones seemingly threw a first-down completion to Kayshon Boutte on fourth-and-11 with 25 seconds remaining.

But replay ruled Boutte didn’t get both feet in bounds, allowing Philadelphia (1-0) to hang on for the win.

Elliott also converted field-goal attempts from 56 and 48 yards following halftime to keep the Eagles in front.

Jalen Hurts completed 22 of 33 passes for 170 yards and a touchdown for Philadelphia. Kenneth Gainwell had 54 yards on 14 carries.

Jones threw for 316 yards, three touchdowns and one interception on 35-for-54 passing. Bourne had six catches for 64 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

After Elliott capped Philadelphia’s opening drive with a 32-yard field goal, Darius Slay came down with an interception on the Patriots’ seventh offensive play of the game. Jones threw wide of Bourne, who got a hand on the ball and deflected it up in the air. It fell right to Slay, who then took it 70 yards to the end zone for a 10-0 lead.

Ezekiel Elliott fumbled on New England’s ensuing possession, setting the Eagles up at the Patriots’ 26-yard line. Five plays later, Hurts found DeVonta Smith for a 5-yard touchdown, but Jake Elliott couldn’t convert the extra point.

New England flipped a switch in the second quarter, though.

Jones completed 14 of 17 passes for 128 yards in the period, connecting with Hunter Henry for a 9-yard touchdown with 4:34 left before finding Bourne for a 19-yard score just over four minutes later.

That surge allowed the Patriots to pull within 16-14 by the break.

–Field Level Media