📉 Time for Patriots to tank?

Good Morning, Boston.

On this day in 1920 … “The Curse of the Bambino” is born, as Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sells Babe Ruth’s contract to the New York Yankees for $125,000. Boston finally put that scourge to bed in 2004, but 86 years without a title still stings. Here’s hoping we don’t end up talking about the Mookie Betts trade that way in a few decades.

WHAT’S ON TAP TODAY:

A Pro Bowl star … and snub

C’s almost smash a record

Bill Belichick’s beef with Bob Kraft

LET’S GET INTO IT…

LEADING OFF

Do your worst!

It’s (unofficially) tank time for the Patriots. At 3-13, the Pats no longer have anything to play for but pride … and a chance to hold onto the No. 1 overall pick, which a Week 17 Giants win kindly bestowed on them. This begs us to ponder an almost sacrilegious question: Should the Patriots do everything reasonably possible to lose Sunday’s season finale against Buffalo?

Fans should want the Patriots to lose. Not everyone wants to hear that, and no one should feel bad for hoping the Pats shock the Bills on Sunday. It’s just unquestionably better for their rebuild if they take the L. Gaining the top pick in the draft either nets the team a blue-chip talent (like Colorado’s Travis Hunter) or a chance to trade down with a QB-needy team and select several top prospects at positions of need, of which the Patriots have many.

But the team can’t “tank” themselves. No, New England can’t go full 1919 “Black Sox” and throw a game just for a draft pick. Some of these guys are playing for their futures, be it with the Pats or elsewhere. As Bill Belichick explained this week, openly telling players that some of their teammates matter more than them is a good way to lose a locker room. Plus, they’re all competitors. So you’d best believe they’re serious about wanting to beat Buffalo, even if it’s not “best” for the organization.

The Pats will likely walk a fine line on Sunday. While everyone on the field will be giving it their all as they should be, New England will be (willingly) without a full deck all game. For example: Christian Gonzalez (concussion) is already ruled out for the finale. Drake Maye (hand) is on track to start the game, but OC Alex Van Pelt said Thursday that third-string QB Joe Milton III has been preparing as if he’ll play. If the Pats are wise, they’ll mix in several backups as the game goes on.

It’s a fitting end to the 2024-25 season. This scenario is the most extreme end of the Patriots’ offseason plan “working.”They didn’t want the No. 1 pick coming into the season, but we all knew they weren’t going to be good. Yet, they have their franchise QB in Maye and a monstrous amount of free-agent money — all while securing a top-five pick at worst to accelerate the rebuilding process. Now, it’s time for the Pats to fulfill their destiny as the NFL’s worst team: get that No. 1 pick and get the worst-to-first timeline started.

POLL

🤔 Do you want the Patriots to win or tank on Sunday?

BOSTON SPORTS

Quick hits & headlines

🏫 Brenden Schooler makes the Pro Bowl …. The special teams menace is the only Patriot to make the team, and it was well-deserved. Schooler is the team’s new Matthew Slater, dominating as a gunner on punts and kicks and even registering two sacks this season on defense. We’d say that contract extension he just got is money well spent.

😡 … But Christian Gonzalez gets snubbed. Gonzo’s superstar season wasn’t enough to make him popular with NFL fans, thanks to the Patriots’ listless campaign. No matter, though — he’ll probably make one of the All-Pro teams, which are not chosen by fans. Hopefully, this is the last time people sleep on the lockdown corner. 

🍀 Celtics almost make history in blowout of Raptors. Their 54-point trouncing of Toronto was the franchise’s second-largest margin of victory ever, only behind a 56-point beatdown of the Chicago Bulls in 2018. If they could just make some free throws, they’d have beaten the record. Maybe they need to attend Arnold’s free-throw shooting clinic.

📺 Bill Belichick does not like “The Dynasty.” The Patriots’ ex-coach jabbed once again at the Apple TV production on “The Pat McAfee Show,” calling the show a “roast” rather than a Pats documentary. Many fans in New England seemed to agree. As rough as Belichick’s final years were in New England, he’s looking a lot better right now than Robert Kraft.

⚽ “BOS Nation FC” heading for a rebrand? More than 1,000 fans implored the franchise to reconsider its name before they open their first NWSL season in 2026, and the team seems willing to make a change. You have until Jan. 5 to send in your suggestions to this survey!

LAST CALL

To Hunt[er] or not to Hunt[er] …

“Can [the Patriots] trade back and still get [Travis] Hunter? I'm not convinced that this staff can find real talent with picks in the later rounds or even the back side of the 1st. Too many misses the last few years.” – @VincentTed12 (X)

I’ll dive deep into the Patriots’ draft possibilities soon, but here’s a quick take.

The lowest they could reasonably trade back and still get the Heisman Trophy winner is probably pick No. 4, which the Giants (who tried to trade for Drake Maye in last year’s draft) currently hold. Fortunately, even if you miss out on Hunter, Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter and LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell are also likely top-five picks. As long as the Patriots don’t stay at No. 1, it’ll be hard for them to mess up their first pick. The rest of the draft? We’ll see.

Keeping it old-school

GAME … SET … MEME

Joe Mazzulla on the hot seat??

PLEASE get Mazzulla on “Hot Ones.” He probably wouldn’t even want to do it, but he’s the only person who might be as awkwardly hilarious as Aubrey Plaza. Him coating every wing in the hottest sauce because pain is an illusion would be absolute cinema.

🗞 That’s a wrap. I’ll be teaming up with Dom to draft up questions for Sean Evans to ask Mazzulla — just in case. We need more insight on the Joker and killer whales.

📲 Keep up with us @BSideSports on IG, TikTok, and X. Send comments and suggestions to kharid.thompson@globe.com.