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DAN SHAUGHNESSY

A triumphant Sunday bodes well for Red Sox and Patriots

David Ortiz’s appearance in Foxborough Sunday brought back memories of a Sunday in 2013 when the Patriots and Red Sox posted dramatic wins.jim davis/globe staff

Here we go. Red Sox and Patriots. Hand-in-hand into history. Again.

Sunday in Greater Boston was one of those days that make all the hard living worthwhile. It was a day to put traffic, weather, taxes, the cost of groceries, and nonstop road and bridge repair (did I mention traffic?) on the shelf. It was a day to soak in the warm waters of first place and speculate on great sports moments in store in the upcoming weeks.

Playing without Tom Brady, without Gronk, without Rob Ninkovich, and finally, without Brady’s backup, the Patriots beat the Dolphins in their home opener. It was more Next Man Up and Let The Fools On The Other Side Beat Themselves again. More than ever, Super Bowl LI in Houston — a showdown with Roger Goodell, who would deliver the trophy — appears to be the Patriots’ manifest destiny.

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Hours after the Foxborough fight was won, the Red Sox went on ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball,” submitted another thrilling come-from-behind Fenway win to sweep the Yankees, and formally announced their candidacy for the 2016 World Series. Red Sox-Cubs. At last.

Red Sox-Patriots. Boston’s feel-good sports September of 2016.

David Ortiz made the trip down Route 1 early Sunday and participated in the coin toss before the Patriots-Dolphins game. Seeing Papi on the Gillette lawn kindled memories of that stellar Sunday night in October of 2013 when Fenway fans — prepping for Red Sox-Tigers in ALCS Game 2 — went wild as Brady led a dramatic game-winning drive against the Saints. A few hours after Brady’s heroics, Ortiz launched his Torii Hunter-flipping/Steve Horgan-signaling, game-tying, series-changing grand slam into the bullpen.

Hours after a Patriots win on Oct. 13, 2013, David Ortiz hit a series-changing grand slam that sent Detroit’s Torii Hunter into the bullpen and a police officer into rapture.Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff/File/Boston Globe

That was the year the Red Sox went from worst to first and won the World Series. The 2016 Boston baseball season is starting to take on the same look. If the Sox return to the Fall Classic, their four-game toppling of the Baby Bronx Bombers will go down as the turning point.

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We can still quarrel about the back end of the rotation (who starts Game 3 of the ALDS?), and it’s always fun to challenge the moves of the oft-maligned manager, but the Red Sox are peaking at the moment when it matters most. They have the most talented roster of any team in the American League, and they’ve solved the bullpen woes that plagued them for much of the summer.

Fighting back from deficits and winning close games was the last hurdle, and in the Yankee series, the Red Sox did both. Repeatedly. The Rangers and Indians (barely) still have better records than Boston, and the Orioles can make up some ground this week, but it would take a fairly significant collapse to keep the Sox out of the first round now.

Things are falling in place for the Sox. American League rivals are dissolving in front of them (nice job by the Blue Jays). It’s almost Patriot-like. Take a look at what happened to the Indians over the last 10 days. They lost two starting pitchers (Danny Salazar and Carlos Carrasco) and catcher Yan Gomes. Two broken bones and a strained forearm.

The Sox trail the Tribe by only half a game. If the Sox can catch Cleveland (and both finish behind Texas), the Sox would start their best-of-five series at Fenway on Thursday, Oct. 6. They would play Game 2 on Friday, then fly to Cleveland . . . where they will say hello to Tom Brady and the Patriots.

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That’s right, folks. If the planets align, the Red Sox and Patriots will both be in Cleveland on the weekend of Oct. 7-9. How’s this for a Sunday doubleheader: Patriots vs. Browns at 1 p.m. with Brady returning from Football Alcatraz, followed by Sox vs. Tribe in ALDS Game 3 — John Farrell vs. Terry Francona — at night at the Jake.

In line with all of this optimism, I fully expect the Patriots to be undefeated when they get to Cleveland. Cynics can question the defense in the second half against Miami, and the whole world knows that three days is not enough time to prepare a rookie quarterback for his first start . . . but these are the Patriots.

This is Bill Belichick and he loves this challenge. Games like the upset opener in Arizona certify his greatness. This will be one of those games. Belichick and Josh McDaniels will put kid Jacoby Brissett in position to succeed.

Let’s not forget that the Patriots are playing the Houston Texans, a franchise incapable of winning a game in New England. The Patriots are 6-1 lifetime vs. the Texans, perfect at home. Houston came here four years ago with an 11-1 record, wearing letterman jackets, and Andre Johnson said it was the biggest game in team history. New England led, 28-0, early in the third and won, 42-14. Those Texans were led by Gary Kubiak and Matt Schaub. This week it’ll be Bill O’Brien and Brock Osweiler.

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When Belichick says, “We’re on to Houston,’’ he’s talking about the urgency of a Thursday night game against an undefeated opponent.

Swell. But when I hear, “We’re on to Houston,” I’m jumping ahead to Super Bowl LI at NRG Stadium on Feb. 5, 2017.

By then we should all be recovered from the Cubs-Red Sox World Series.


Dan Shaughnessy is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at dshaughnessy@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @Dan_Shaughnessy.