BSJ Daily Briefing 12.24.17: Christmas breaks, the Ravens, Tuukka and big stretch for C's

Good morning!

Before we get started, just a note that sometimes the holiday season can be a tough time of year for some people for various reasons. Do me a favor and reach out to Miguel Benzan on Twitter and just say hi. He could probably use a pick-me-up right now.

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• Interesting that the NHL gives all teams a three-day break at Christmas. The NFL plays on every holiday. The NBA owns Christmas. College football owns New Year's Day. Hockey should really have a presence on Christmas with an outdoor game. I wonder how much this has to do with NBA already owning the 25th. If there was an opening, bet the NHL would try to get in on it. But it's way too late now and instead of competing, they just acquiesce. Probably best, but still...


• The Packers lost 16-0 to the Vikings at Lambeau last night. I know Aaron Rodgers has been hurt, but this has been a brutal season in Green Bay. This will be the first time the Packers have missed the playoffs since 2008, when I was on the beat and Rodgers was in his first year as a starter. Heads rolled on defense after that season. That should happen again. If Mike McCarthy was smart, he'd hire Rex Ryan to run his defense.


• I would be a little bit wary of facing the Ravens in the postseason if I were the Patriots. It's not all about the "they aren't afraid of the Patriots" blather you'll hear, although that's part of it. I just think they do enough different things on defense to give the Patriots some trouble. I still don't think the Ravens would have enough offense at the end of the day.


• See what happens when you give somebody a kick in the rear? After being coddled under Claude Julien, Tuukka Rask was challenged by Bruce Cassidy with the whole Anton Khudobin situation and has responded with his best hockey in years. A coincidence? I think not.


• Big stretch coming up for the Celtics: Wizards, Rockets, Cavs. All at home. Let's gooooo....

Too smooth by Tatum. pic.twitter.com/XnQZoAiais

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 24, 2017

• Every Friday, Dr. Jessica Flynn will answer your injury questions about all four teams, or any other injury questions you have. You can submit those questions at any time via email (docflynn@bostonsportsjournal.com), or you can Tweet them to her here.


• Mr. PatsCap himself, Miguel Benzan, does a weekly mailbag with all your funky cap-related inquiries. Hit him up via email or Twitter.


• We just added a ton of content to the Free Preview section, so if you have any friends that are holding out, send them here to take a look. Included are a couple of my Patriots’ breakdowns. Make sure you tell them we don’t talk about #BSJFightClub.


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