Bills 24, Patriots 21 – Pats show up, but poor 2nd half leads to 12th loss

December 22, 2024

One step forward, two steps back has been the theme of the 2024 Patriots season and it was on full display Sunday against Buffalo in Orchard Park. New England jumped out to a 14-0 lead, but melted down in the second half with three turnovers, giving up 17 points en route to a 24-21 loss. Drake Maye had 281 yards passing on a 22-36 clip with two touchdowns and a…

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Patriots players set to embrace atmosphere ‘Bills Mafia’ creates

December 19, 2024

By Sophia Sargent NEFJ Staff FOXBOROUGH – Even though the holidays are right around the corner, the Patriots aren’t on vacation quite yet. With a 4:30PM game in Buffalo on Sunday, it’s a prime opportunity to show the world they haven’t quit on the 2024 season and most importantly, their head coach. While the Bills will be an extremely difficult challenge, there’s also the whole other element that road teams…

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Jonathan Jones wins 9th annual Ron Hobson Good Guy Award

December 18, 2024

In what’s become a yearly tradition right around the holidays, the latest Ron Hobson Good Guy Award was presented by the Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan on Wednesday morning following Jerod Mayo’s weekly press conference. Jonathan Jones received this year’s award after winning a vote amongst the Patriots beat reporters taken about a week ago. Jones becomes the ninth Patriot to win it since it was first presented in 2016, joining…

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BC staff making noise in the transfer portal

December 17, 2024

Bill O’Brien’s first dip in the transfer portal as head coach at BC is off to a pretty damn good start. After locking up speedy wide receiver VJ Wilkins from Campbell over the weekend, FAU tight end Zeke Moore and Ball State running back Vaughn Pemberton joined the program on Monday night. Then, on Tuesday, the staff made its biggest splash yet. Alabama quarterback Dylan Lonergan – who had 22……

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Former Holy Cross center Christo Kelly is Bill Belichick’s 1st portal signing

December 17, 2024

Image courtesy of UNC Athletics One day, you’re helping Holy Cross to a share of its sixth straight Patriot League title, the next, you’re being recruited by the greatest coach in NFL history. It’s been a whirlwind month or two for former fifth-year senior Christo Kelly. As a team captain and veteran leader of the Crusaders, Kelly had all the answers whenever his teammates needed them and even some for…

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Dartmouth’s Ejike Adele named Ivy League’s Asa Bushnell Cup Defensive POTY

December 16, 2024

Image courtesy of Dartmouth Football The prestigious Asa S. Bushnell Cup for the Ivy League’s Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year was announced and presented in New York on Monday and Dartmouth brought home some more hardware. Ejike Adele earned Defensive Player of the Year honors, beating out Columbia’s Hayden McDonald (DB) and Harvard’s Ty Bartrum (DB). Adele is now the Big Green’s first Bushnell Cup winner since the…

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Cardinals 30, Patriots 17 – Putrid effort coming off the bye leads to another loss

December 15, 2024

Image courtesy of the Arizona Cardinals  Rock bottom appears to be wherever the Patriots decide it is at this point. New England hit a new low again on Sunday, getting manhandled by the Cardinals despite the somewhat respectable 30-17 final score. The Patriots were never really in the game and even started pointing the finger postgame when it comes to continued offensive struggles, particularly in the red zone. Drake Maye…

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CIAC Class M State Championship: (4) St. Joseph 21, (2) Brookfield 20 – Cadets hold on with late two-point stop for thrilling title win

December 14, 2024

By Craig Boland NEFJ Staff EAST HARTFORD, CT – With 3:00 remaining in the fourth quarter of the CIAC Class M state title game on Saturday and second-seeded Brookfield down by seven to fourth-seeded St. Joseph, wide receiver Daniel Ciriello  tossed a first down to tight end John Lopes to keep Brookfield alive on a crucial fourth down conversion. Ciriello snagged another sideline fourth-down conversion on the same drive and…

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CIAC Class S State Championship: (2) Ansonia 58, (5) Bloomfield 12 – Chargers roll to program’s 22nd title

December 14, 2024

By Craig Boland NEFJ Staff EAST HARTFORD, CT – The CIAC Class S state championship game on Saturday was clearly going to Ansonia before many fans even had a chance to sit down. Jazhari Lawson of Ansonia intercepted a Cameron White pass early in the first quarter and fumbled on the return, but the ball bounced into star lineman Jacob Romanowski’s hands. He took it the rest of the way…

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CIAC Class Class SS State Championship: (1) Killingly 48, (3) Sheehan 33 – Killingly finishes perfect with program’s fifth state title

December 14, 2024

By Matt Spalding NEFJ Correspondent EAST HARTFORD, CT – The opening game at Rentschler Field in the 2024 CIAC State Championships was one that will not soon be forgotten. Undefeated Killingly entered Friday looking to defeat Sheehan and win yet another state championship. Sheehan was prepared, and what ensued was a classic, topsy turvy Class SS state championship game that ultimately ended with the top seed taking home a 48-33…

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