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A year ago, the Washington Commanders were loosely the 2024 version of the 2025 New England Patriots. After going 4-13 in 2023, first-year coach Dan Quinn was finally the coach whose ideas, demeanor and system were changing the culture and the direction of the Commanders. Jayden Daniels was the hot, new, young it quarterback, who the team could build around that would be a sports icon in the District for a decade or more to come. Washington was one of the feel-good stories in the NFL, seemingly at the start of a significant run of playoff seasons. The lack of Daniel Snyder at the helm made them that much easier to appreciate. On Halloween, they were 6-2 and closed the regular season with five straight wins to go 12-5. They advanced all the way to the NFC Championship game. Happy days were there again ... or so it seemed. A year later, the Commanders are 3-5. Daniels has missed time with knee and hamstring injuries and been hampered by it even when he’s been on the field. ESPN’s Simulator gives Washington a 14% chance of making the playoffs this season. The Athletic is less optimistic. It has them at 8%. The Patriots are where Washington was a year ago. They’re a surprising success, seemingly ready to blast ahead for years to come. Drake Maye is now the young quarterback everyone wishes they had and Mike Vrabel is the model coach for a franchise trying to get back on its feet. For now. The Patriots and Commanders aren’t an apples-to-apples comparison. But New England is making good use of an easy schedule that came from finishing last a year ago, just like Washington did. Leading into next week’s trade deadline, the Patriots have to be tempted to tread carefully. Treat this year like found money and not get aggressive at the trade deadline. That would be a mistake. The lesson New England should take from Washington is that a successful season, even with a new coach and new QB doesn’t guarantee anything in the future. The schedule will be tougher. Drake Maye ins’t as injury-prone as Daniels is, but he could get injured. Plus, next year Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow could be healthy and some other team with a new coach and young quarterback could be taking advantage of a weak schedule and good fortune. This Patriots team is good enough to invest in now, in an AFC where the path to a conference title game could be easier than in other years. And nothing is guaranteed in the future. Just ask Washington. Outtakes from a busy week... Gambling fallout I’m curious whether the NBA’s gambling scandal will impact Pete Rose’s Hall of Fame chances when he’s put before a committee. It’s not apples to apples, but it’s a pretty clear reminder how much gambling can mess with the integrity of sports. Thankfully, there were no prop bets in Rose’s day. Oddly, the Baseball Hall of Fame is wrestling with whether to let Rose in, while the Basketball Hall of Fame might need to consider whether to kick Chauncey Billups out. Real Jeopardy! Clue Sports clues from actual editions of America’s favorite quiz show. As always, mind the date CATEGORY: Home Run $1000: Date: March 20, 2018 A 1988 World Series homer by this Oakland A’s muscleman left a dent in a center field TV camera — Answer below The Top 5 The Top 5 Halloween Adjacent Sports Nicknames 5 — It can’t be a coincidence that Cheyney University of Pennsylvania’s nickname is the Wolves, right? That has to be a Lon Chaney reference, right? 4 — Belfry (Montana) Bats 3 — Abington (Penn.) Galloping Ghosts 2 — Salem Witches 1 — Sleepy Hollow Horesemen Today in Boston Sports History Oct. 31 2004 — The New England Patriots lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 34-20 ending their streak of 21 straight victories, including the playoffs and 18 regular season victories. Lightning round Friday marks the 75th anniversary of Earl Lloyd becoming the first Black player to play in an NBA game. Seems surprising how little attention that’s getting. NASA responded to Kim Kardashian calling the moon landing fake, which makes me curious. Who is the least famous celebrity that NASA could feel the need to respond to? Who is most famous celebrity that they would ignore? Would Josh Minot have started sooner for the Celtics if he hadn’t called Joe Mazzulla a weirdo? Lookalikes: Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gaussman and Bruins grinder Mark Kastelic. Real Jeopardy! Question: Who is Jose Canseco? Finally...
