Boston Red Sox: Have the Patriots Put Much More Pressure on Their Season?

Tom Brady and the New England Patriots lost yet again to the New York Giants and Boston fans are starting to get restless for a championship.

But are the Boston Red Sox the team that will give one to this city. In short: I sure hope so.

The pressure is on for the Red Sox to first make the playoffs, but who knows maybe they can win their first World Series this decade with the added pressure from the other sports teams in the area.

Yankees and Rays Showing Them Up in Recent Years

The New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays have been the best two teams in the AL East over the past two seasons and the Boston Red Sox should realize that enough is enough and that their $190 million payroll is too high for nothing less than a shot at winning the World Series.

In 2010, the Boston Red Sox were trying to fight back into the playoff race, but could not catch up to the Yankees or Tampa in the end. Both teams lost in the playoffs.

In 2011, the historic collapse kept Boston from reaching the postseason again and the Rays were able to make it thanks to late inning heroics in the final game of the season. Once again, both teams lost before the World Series.

It is time for a real contender from the AL East to get back into the World Series and the Red Sox are my top choice to make this happen.

Fans Are Angry and Craving a Winner

The Boston Bruins won their first Stanley Cup since the 1970s, but is that enough for Boston fans. NO!

Boston fans want at least one championship ring each season, and the Red Sox will most likely have to be that team since Tom Brady could not get the job done in Super Bowl XLVI.

The Red Sox may need to up the ante in 2012 and try their hardest to make it into the postseason and then go from there to hopefully bring a title to Boston.

Higher Expectations

All Boston Red Sox fans know how hard it was to see them lose that final game, but what was worse was having the most historic collapse in September of any team in MLB history.

Each game was brutal to watch because their offense started to slow down a little, and the pitching was just plain horrible.

The 2012 Red Sox need to have a plan for the lack of pitching with John Lackey and Daisuke Matsuzaka out for some time.

They need to prove that they want to win just as bad as any other team, especially with the second-highest payroll for the 2012 season.

Revenge on New York for Giants' Win

Two heartbreaking losses to a New York team in a five-year span is too many for Boston to handle, and the Boston Red Sox need to help the fans in the Boston area get over it by winning the AL East in 2012.

This will be a daunting task in 2012 with their lack of pitching depth, but the New York Yankees don't have too much depth either, especially if they trade A.J. Burnett to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

This could be the year for the Red Sox to get back into the playoffs and bring back glory to the Boston area.

Celtics Are Having a Mediocre Season

The Boston Celtics may not even make the playoffs in 2012 if they keep struggling due to the tough schedule in the lockout-shortened season.

If the Celtics can make it into the playoffs, then they just have to get through the Miami Heat or Chicago Bulls, and that's not happening unless they clamp down on defense, and their offense is running on all cylinders in the seven-game series.

Boston Bruins Are Likely Not Repeating

Tim Thomas was the savior for the Boston Bruins in 2011 to win the Stanley Cup, but will he be able to be that excellent in the 2012 playoffs. My guess is: probably not.

It will be split time in net for Tuukka Rask as well as Thomas, and it will be hard for either goalie to find a groove, and they will ultimately fall short of another Stanley Cup.

Sure, they will go far, but in the end, they cannot win it all.