I remember a time, not that long ago in fact, when games against the Boston Red Sox felt essentially do-or-die. The Soc were leading the divison and the Rays were clawing to get their way into first. If you were to ask any non-Rays writers at that point they probably would have indicated it was the Red Sox season to lose.
Now, on the cusp of September, the Red Sox are 8 games out of first place, third in the AL East, and as it turned out it was indeed theirs to lose, and lose it they did.