Malcolm Butler Has A Lot Riding On Playoff Matchup With Antonio Brown

Share this: FOXBORO, Mass. — New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler has already proven he won’t be another Larry Brown, Timmy Smith or David Tyree. Now it’s time to show he’s an elite cornerback. Butler successfully transitioned from unlikely Super Bowl hero to one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2015 and earned a second-team All-Pro nod in 2016 thanks to some dominant stretches with four interceptions this summer. Still, Butler had issues at times in 2016, like when he allowed over 130 yards to the Dolphins in Week 2 and over 100 yards and two touchdowns to the New York Jets in Week 12. Butler locked down the majority of his opponents this season,

Kate Bock, Kevin Love’s Girlfriend, Heats Up SI Swimsuit Video Shoot

Kate Bock, Kevin Love’s Girlfriend, Heats Up SI Swimsuit Video Shoot

It’s good to be Kevin Love these days, aside from his recent bout with food poisoning. Not only are the Cleveland Cavaliers sitting atop the Eastern Conference standings one season after defeating the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. But the Cavs big man also is the envy of guys everywhere thanks to his smoking hot girlfriend, Kate Bock. Bock has been a staple in Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue in recent years, and it appears she’ll be gracing the 2017 edition. As Busted Coverage points out, the SI Swimsuit YouTube account published a behind-the-scenes video Thursday showcasing Bock’s shoot, which took place on Lake Geneva in Swit... NESN.com

Bill Belichick Loves Malcolm Butler’s Competitiveness In Patriots’ Defense

Share this: FOXBORO, Mass. — New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler had one of his weakest games of the season last month against the New York Jets, when he allowed six catches on six targets for 106 yards and two touchdowns. So, it would be shocking if Butler wasn’t a little extra motivated to shut down Brandon Marshall, Quincy Enunwa and Robby Anderson in this week’s rematch against the Jets. “Very competitive; Malcolm’s really competitive. It really bothers him when a guy catches a ball on him, and that’s the kind of attitude you want to have from a defensive back,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said Thursday. “When they do catch it they want to make a real hard tackle and

Bill Belichick Distinguishes Between Dion Lewis, James White’s Patriots Roles

Share this: FOXBORO, Mass. — Though it’s easy to stereotype James White and Dion Lewis as similar players, because they’re both undersized running backs, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick sees them differently. That’s why Lewis didn’t overtake all of White’s snaps when the running back returned from multiple offseason knee surgeries. White is the next in line after Kevin Faulk and Shane Vereen as the Patriots’ sub-back, while Belichick compared Lewis to Danny Woodhead because of their ability to run the ball. Both roles are important in the Patriots’ offense. White is asked to pass block and run routes as a receiver more frequently, while Lewis brings more unpredictability to the offense because of his versatility as a runner and pass-catcher. White, who Belichick

Chris Sale, Who Got David Price’s Blessing, Doesn’t Care About ‘Ace’ Label

Share this: Just two seasons ago, the Boston Red Sox’s lack of an ace was such a hot topic that Clay Buchholz made T-shirts about it. Now, the Red Sox have three of them. Dave Dombrowski and Co. landed the prize of the offseason Tuesday in Chris Sale, adding one of the best pitchers in baseball to a rotation that includes five-time All-Star David Price and reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello. In a conference call with the Red Sox on Wednesday morning, Sale gushed about pitching among such talent. It appears the feeling is mutual, too: Sale says Price was the first person to contact him after Tuesday’s blockbuster. “Yes, more so with Price, just seeing each other during the summer,” Sale

David Ortiz Is Retiring At The Top Of His Game, And He’s Fine With That

Share this: BOSTON — First things first: David Ortiz’s career ended too soon. After producing one of the greatest regular seasons by a player his age in baseball history, the Boston Red Sox slugger played in just three more postseason games, the last of which was a 4-3 loss to the Cleveland Indians in Game 3 of the American League Division Series. It was a disappointing final chapter in an otherwise fairytale career for the 40-year-old Dominican Republic native. So, as one might expect, it was only a matter of minutes before the second-guessing began. Frank Thomas isn’t the only one to question Ortiz’s retirement decision. How could you not after watching the guy hit .315 with 38 home runs and 127 RBIs, numbers he hasn’t

Red Sox Notes: Craig Kimbrel’s Mechanical Issues Not A Concern, Coaches Say

Share this: BOSTON — Craig Kimbrel’s last four outings have been shaky, but the Red Sox aren’t worried about their hard-throwing closer going into the postseason. Kimbrel earned the 4-3 loss Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays after a leadoff walk to left fielder Michael Saunders ended with pinch-runner Dalton Pompey scoring the game-winning run in the ninth inning. Walks have been an issue for the 28-year-old reliever of late because of some mechanical issues, but his coaches are confident he can fix them. “I think really the last three outings now, just getting a little out of posture with his upper body causing him to get rotational,” pitching coach Carl Willis said of Kimbrel. “The stuff’s still there, and like I said