New England Patriots

Morning sports update: Devin McCourty’s thoughtful assessment of the Patriots-Ravens rivalry

"But for this week, you’re going to have two teams that I would probably go out there to say probably don’t like each other very much."

Devin McCourty playing for the Patriots earlier in 2019. Nick Wass/AP

By Hayden Bird

4 minutes to read

The Nationals defeated the Astros 6-2 in Game 7 to win the first World Series in the team’s history. Washington trailed 2-0 until the top of the seventh inning, when Anthony Rendon and Howie Kendrick hit home runs to put the away team in the lead.

In the end, Daniel Hudson struck out Michael Brantley to complete a wild World Series in which the away team won every game.

The Celtics rallied from 19 points down to eventually beat the Bucks, 116-105. Kemba Walker led the way for Boston with 32 points. The Celtics welcome the Knicks on Friday night (7:30 p.m.) at TD Garden.

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In international news, Liverpool defeated Arsenal in the Carabao Cup on penalty kicks after one of the best games of the season ended in a 5-5 tie thanks to a last-second goal from Divock Origi.

If you like seeing soccer on Boston.com, help us do more by taking this quick survey of local fans.

Devin McCourty had a measured response to the “bulletin board material” from the Ravens: The Patriots’ Sunday night clash with the Ravens in Baltimore will likely be the team’s toughest challenge so far in the 2019 season. New England’s league-leading defense in particular will be tested.

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The 8-0 Patriots face a 5-2 Ravens team that’s led by quarterback Lamar Jackson. Now in his first full season as the team’s starter, Jackson has shown himself to be one of the NFL’s most dynamic players.

Heading into the game, Ravens tight end Nick Boyle appeared to give the Patriots some “bulletin board material” by saying, “I don’t think they’ve seen anyone like our offense or like Lamar.”

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Patriots safety Devin McCourty referenced the remark, noting how it’s expected that Boyle has confidence in his quarterback.

“I think every time we play somebody now – I saw a bunch of people tweeted the quote at me, and it’s like, ‘Oh man, he’s talking trash’. I mean, what is he supposed to say?” McCourty asked. “Like, ‘We’re not going to run or throw, we’re just going to come and take 50 knees and concede victory?.’ Like, I saw what he said.”

McCourty admitted that Boyle was correct in his observation.

“He was right, though,” McCourty explained. “We haven’t seen an offense like this; we haven’t seen a quarterback like this. So, to me, any time you take two good teams and you play them on a Sunday night game, you’re going to get their best shot. We’re going to get their best shot, they’re going to get our best shot, and it’s going to be a battle. Whoever comes out on top is going to be ecstatic, and for them to have to gear up and go right again next week, we’ll have to then focus on the bye week and how to get better.”

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Given the history between the two teams — the Patriots have played the Ravens several times in the playoffs over the last decade — McCourty admitted that there’s more to New England’s current opponent than other adversaries.

“But for this week, you’re going to have two teams that I would probably go out there to say probably don’t like each other very much, and go out there and try to beat each other,” said McCourty. “It’s going to be as competitive as a game we’ve had this year.”

Trivia: When the Patriots lost to the Ravens 28-13 in 2012 AFC Championship game (played in January of 2013), a Baltimore receiver caught two 4th-quarter touchdowns put the game away. Name that receiver.

(Answer at the bottom).

Hint: He famously ran a 4.71 second 40-yard dash at the rookie combine, causing his draft stock to fall. Eventually, the Cardinals selected him in the second round.

More from Boston.com:

World Series odds for 2020

: Having crowned a champion in 2019, baseball prognosticators are already getting a head start on next season. The early odds on the 2020 World Series champion, according to Sports Betting Dime:

  • Houston Astros: 13/2
  • Los Angeles Dodgers: 7/1
  • New York Yankees: 8/1
  • Washington Nationals: 10/1
  • Atlanta Braves: 12/1
  • Boston Red Sox: 12/1
  • St. Louis Cardinals: 21/1
  • Chicago Cubs: 24/1
  • Cleveland Indians: 27/1
  • Philadelphia Phillies: 29/1

The Red Sox, listed at 12/1, have some serious questions to answer in the offseason before serious predictions can take shape. Mookie Betts’s future, for example, is up in the air. Nonetheless, Betts is listed as having 10/1 odds to win the 2020 American League MVP.

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And among the many prop bets already available, the over/under on the number of Jacoby Ellsbury at bats in 2020 is set at 0.5 given his ongoing injury rehab.

Marcus Smart joked about Red Panda’s level of difficulty:

Harry Potter, a Lamar Jackson fan?

On this day: In 1950, NBA rookie Earl Lloyd made his debut for the Washington Capitols. This was historic because Lloyd was the first African American player in NBA history, beating Celtics rookie Chuck Cooper by a day (due to the timing of the teams’ schedules).

Lloyd later described the landmark moment as a non-event. The game was played in Rochester against the Royals (now the Sacramento Kings). Lloyd finished with six points as the Royals won, 78-70.

“In the winter time in Rochester, man, it’s too damn cold to hate anybody,” Lloyd joked.

Daily highlight: From a day with so many highlight moments in sports, let’s go with Jayson Tatum nailing a three to complete the Celtics’ 19-point comeback against the Bucks.

And one more: This Marcus Rashford free kick for Manchester United against Chelsea.

Trivia answer: Anquan Boldin

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