Sports Q

Jonnu Smith had a terrible game for the Patriots, but there's plenty of blame to go around at Fenway as well.

Patriots tight end Jonnu Smith. AP

Welcome to Boston.com’s Sports Q, our daily conversation, initiated by you and moderated by Chad Finn, about a compelling topic in Boston sports. Here’s how it works: You submit questions to Chad through Twitter, Facebook, and email. He’ll pick one each weekday to answer, then we’ll take the discussion to the comments. Chad will stop by several times per day to navigate. But you drive the conversation. 

Which Boston sports figure had the worst weekend?

Well, there are plenty of candidates after the Red Sox got swept by the Yankees and the Patriots embarrassed by the Saints, but the choice for the dubious distinction is pretty easy, I think.

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Jonnu Smith had one reception for 4 yards on six targets, volleyed one Mac Jones pass into a pick-six interception for the Saints’ Malcolm Jenkins, dropped two passes on an early drive when there was still some suspense in the game, dropped another pass on fourth down, and probably had the worst game a Patriots pass catcher has ever had.

(Reader Michael S. nominated Reche Caldwell’s stone-handed stinker against the Colts in the 2006 AFC Championship Game, and that’s a good one – he dropped a couple of wide-open passes in a 38-34 loss. But he didn’t have the volume of drops and blunders Smith did on Sunday.)

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Josh McDaniels also deserves to be on the Podium of Shame after getting too cute with some play calls, including apparently mistaking Brandon Bolden for vintage Corey Dillon a couple of times in third-and-short situations.

And moving over to Fenway, we can’t overlook Alex Cora, who didn’t protest vehemently enough on Joe West’s terrible call when Christian Vazquez dropped the ball while transferring it to his throwing hand after catching a foul-tipped third strike. The Yankees took advantage of the second chance, won the game, and swept the series.

That’s on top of the perplexing decision Saturday to bring in lefthander Darwinzon Hernandez to face Anthony Rizzo (who is hitting lefties better than righties this season) knowing he had to leave him in against righty hitter Giancarlo Stanton. Stanton’s grand slam should be ricocheting off the moon at any moment.

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What does everyone else think? Which Boston sports figure had the worst weekend? I’ll hear you in the comments.