Kyle Hightower | AP Sports Writer

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Bailey Zappe wasn’t the best player on the field for the Patriots during their matchup with the Lions. He didn’t need to be. A week after being called off the bench and thrust into his first NFL regular-season game, the rookie quarterback benefited from a full week of preparation and plenty […]

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The Detroit Lions haven’t had much trouble scoring points this season. Winning games hasn’t come as easily. The New England Patriots are reeling for a different reason and could use a victory just as bad as the teams prepare to match up on Sunday. Through four weeks, the Lions are averaging […]

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Four days after Bailey Zappe made his NFL debut, the rookie Patriots quarterback responded like a veteran when asked whether he expects to make his first start this week. “If that’s what happens, that happens,” Zappe said Wednesday. “That’s (for) coach (Bill) Belichick. That’s a question for him. I’m not going […]

BOSTON (AP) — Xander Bogaerts hit a grand slam and Nathan Eovaldi pitched five scoreless innings in what could be his final appearance in a Red Sox uniform to help Boston beat the playoff-bound Tampa Bay Rays 6-0 in a rain-shortened game on Tuesday night. Christian Arroyo added an RBI single for Boston (77-84), which won its […]

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The Patriots spent their offseason trying to improve the personnel around quarterback Mac Jones, and then used the preseason to tweak their offense to best utilize the players they added. After injuries in back-to-back weeks to Jones and backup Brian Hoyer, New England could head into this week’s matchup with Detroit […]

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Patriots quarterback Mac Jones was ruled out for Sunday’s game at Green Bay despite making a surprise return to the practice field. Jones was in uniform Friday with his injured left ankle wrapped tightly as he moved gingerly during the brief portion of the workout open to media. It was his […]

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — If Mac Jones can’t play Sunday for the Patriots visit to Green Bay, veteran backup quarterback Brian Hoyer will start in his place. But Bill Belichick is still leaving open the possibility that his second-year quarterback will be ready to go. That’s about as much as the Patriots coach was wiling […]

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Everything about the New England Patriots’ season was brought to a pause the moment Mac Jones had his left leg crushed under the weight of Baltimore’s Calais Campbell on Sunday. It caused the quarterback to hop off the field, grimacing in pain. For the second straight week, Jones spent Monday trying […]

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Lamar Jackson has spent his career doing things nobody in the NFL has ever done. The Ravens quarterback added another outstanding performance with his arm and his legs on Sunday. Jackson threw four touchdown passes and ran for another score to help Baltimore (2-1) hold off the New England Patriots 37-26. He became […]

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Oh, what could have been. It was April 2018 and the New England Patriots were fresh off a second straight trip to the Super Bowl. With Tom Brady on the roster, they didn’t enter that offseason explicitly looking for a quarterback. But they were mindful that a successor would need to […]

BOSTON (AP) — The player the NHL knew as “Big Zee” is calling it a career. Zdeno Chara signed a one-day contract with the Boston Bruins and announced his retirement Tuesday after 24 seasons in the NHL and captaining Boston to the Stanley Cup in 2011. The 6-foot-9 defenseman from Slovakia hangs up his skates at age […]

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Intrigue surrounded the Patriots throughout the preseason as they looked to remake their offense following the departure of coordinator Josh McDaniels. The initial reviews are in, and most of them aren’t good. It was bad enough New England turned the ball over three times and badly missed assignments in key situations […]

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The Patriots have been enduring growing pains on offense throughout the preseason as they adjust to a new simplified scheme. It finally showed some hints of progress. Mac Jones completed a 45-yard pass to set up a touchdown in his first game action of the preseason, Tristian Vizcaino hit a 51-yard […]

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The New York Giants hired Brian Daboll in the hopes he could get more production out of quarterback Daniel Jones and the offense. The first preseason game of Daboll’s tenure revealed signs they may be heading in the right direction. Graham Gano hit a 24-yard field goal as time expired, Daniel […]

AP Sports Writer (AP) — James White, who scored the game-winning touchdown in the New England Patriots’ historic comeback win over Atlanta in Super Bowl 51, announced his retirement on Thursday. White won three Super Bowls in eight seasons — all with the Patriots. “This chapter has been one that I will cherish. I look […]

BOSTON (AP) — The Atlanta Braves arrived at Fenway Park looking to put a disappointing series against the NL-East leading New York Mets as far in the rearview mirror as possible. Austin Riley did his part to start that process. Riley had a go-ahead, two-run single in the 11th inning and the Braves rallied for […]

BOSTON (AP) — Raimel Tapia put his head down and started a slow jog to first base, not sure he’d gotten the pop he wanted when he drove a bases-loaded fly ball to deep center field in the third inning. Then everything about the play — and the rest of the night — changed. Tapia […]