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The Patriots are banged up heading into their penultimate regular-season game, but their final two games remain must-wins.
To win the AFC East and remain in contention for the No. 1 seed in the AFC, the Patriots will likely need to win out against the Jets and Dolphins.
The Patriots can win the division by winning their final two games. If they were to lose to the Jets or Dolphins, then the Bills would also need to lose against the Eagles or Jets.
To achieve the No. 1 seed in the AFC, the Patriots would likely need to win out plus hope for a loss from the Broncos, who already beat the Chiefs in Week 17 and face the Chargers in Week 18.
The No. 1 seed, and the first-round bye that comes with it, would be valuable for the Patriots, who saw nine players suffer injuries in Week 16 on top of existing ailments to players like linebacker Robert Spillane, outside linebacker Harold Landry and defensive tackle Milton Williams, who’s eligible to return off injured reserve this week.
Here’s what we’re watching for in Week 17 when the Patriots travel to New York to take on the Jets:
• This game opened, back when the schedule came out, as the Patriots being favored by 1.5 points. Sixteen weeks into the season, the Patriots are now favored by 13.5 points. After close games against the Bills and Ravens, a blowout win over the Jets would be a confidence boost for the Patriots. We think they can do it. This feels like a 38-14 win.
• Quarterback Drake Maye can boost his MVP campaign with some impressive statlines against the Jets and Dolphins. Are they as impactful as impressive performances against the NFL’s best teams? No, but Maye is five away from 30 touchdown passes, and two 275-yard passing days can still get him to 4,500 passing yards.
• Patriots defenders stated last week that forcing turnovers was emphasized throughout the week. They proved they could do it with two fumble recoveries. They need to keep that energy going against the Jets and hope that rookie quarterback Brady Cook can loft some passes towards the Patriots’ defensive backs for more interceptions.
• The Patriots have faced some very bad Jets quarterbacks over the years, but Cook, a 2025 undrafted free agent, ranks up there with Bryce Petty, Luke Falk and Zach Wilson. Cook is 0-2 as a starter with a 59.2% completion percentage, 527 yards, one touchdown and six interceptions. There’s no excuse to struggle in pass defense.
• The defense has to get right against the run even though they’ll remain without Williams and Spillane. After ranking among the top run defenses in the league through 10 weeks, things went haywire from Week 11 and beyond after Williams suffered an ankle injury against this Jets team at home. The run defense won’t be at full strength again until Spillane, Williams and defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga return, but the current unit needs to prove they can load up the box and actually halt the opposing team.
• Is this the week that Patriots undrafted rookie Efton Chism finally makes his first NFL catch? It might be. Chism should be involved in the offense with Kayshon Boutte (concussion) and wide receiver Mack Hollins (abdomen) both out. We’ll see if Chism can steal some slot snaps from DeMario Douglas, who’s dealing with a hamstring injury.
• Fellow rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams started the season slow, but he now has five catches for 169 yards with three touchdowns in the Patriots’ last six games. No, those aren’t exactly otherworldly numbers, but he’s shown the ability to stretch the defense and make some highlight grabs deep down the field. Is this Williams’ true breakout week? The depth chart indicates it could be.
• Left guard Ben Brown has a chance to reward the Patriots immediately for giving him a two-year contract extension. Brown has provided valuable depth over the last two seasons, and now he’ll be back starting at left guard in place of Jared Wilson (concussion). Wilson provides more upside to the offense, but Brown has actually earned a higher PFF grade (68.5) than Wilson (49.9) this season.
• Let’s see if Vederian Lowe can continue to hold up at left tackle in place of Will Campbell, who’s eligible to return next week from a knee injury. In three starts this season, Lowe has a 66.4 PFF grade and has let up one sack, two QB hits and five hurries.
• Head coach Mike Vrabel praised the Jets’ offensive line this week. They have two young starting offensive tackles in Ola Fashanu and Armand Membou who could continue to halt the Patriots’ pass rush. It would be nice to see rookies Elijah Ponder and Bradyn Swinson get some opportunities against them, and they should get the chance with veteran Harold Landry out.
BOSTON, MA — An iconic Massachusetts bakery is opening inside Boston Logan Airport later this year.
Mike’s Pastry, the longtime North End bakery known for its cannoli, cookies and other Italian desserts, will open a new location in Terminal C at Boston Logan International Airport later this year, according to MarketPlace Development and Massport.
The new shop will offer signature Mike’s Pastry items along with travel-ready selections, including filled-to-order cannoli in multiple flavors, cheesecake slices, lobster tails and a full espresso bar.
Mike’s Pastry was founded in Boston’s North End in 1946 and has grown into one of the city’s best-known bakeries, with several locations across Greater Boston. The new location is expected to be open daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
“We’re thrilled to bring iconic North End favorite Mike’s Pastry to Boston Logan, giving visitors even more variety of Boston flavors,” Massport CEO Rich Davey said in the announcement. “This addition reflects our continued commitment to elevating the passenger experience by bringing local culture to the terminals through live entertainment, classic culinary favorites and more.”
Mike’s Pastry owner Angelo Papa said the airport opening will give travelers a chance to pick up a familiar Boston staple before departure or after landing.
“Mike’s Pastry has always been about sharing a piece of Boston with everyone who walks through our doors,” Papa said. “Bringing that experience to Boston Logan is special for us.”
The Terminal C shop will pair Mike’s Pastry’s North End identity with a more modern airport design, featuring the bakery’s gold tones along with blue and white accents, solid-surface countertops and illuminated pastry display cases.
This is just one of several new food and beverage outlets expected to open at Boston Logan Airport this year.
Earlier this year, a modern-day fish shack with counter service and seating, Roger’s Fish Co. , officially opened in Terminal A at the airport.
Meanwhile, CAVA and Berkshire Farm to Flight were some othere new arrivals in the airport’s Terminal B.
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Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics was asked a couple months ago about the possibility of winning the Coach of the Year award this season, and his answer was succinct.
“I don’t need it,” he said back in March. “I think it’s a stupid award.”
On Tuesday, Mazzulla won a stupid award.
Mazzulla was announced as the NBA’s top coach for 2025-26, after the Celtics earned the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference — despite playing most of the year without Jayson Tatum while he recovered from Achilles surgery and amid rebuilding expectations from many following the departures of players like Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday.
To be very clear, Mazzulla’s dismissal of the award in March was for one reason — he thinks it should be more of a “coaching staff of the year” than a “coach of the year” award, and that is a noble approach. He repeated that during Tuesday night’s announcement of his win, beginning his remarks on NBC by thanking those who made it possible.
“The long nights, the trips, game plans, the video guys that are clipping up the film and coding it, the assistants who are putting in the game plan, I think there’s so much that goes into winning one game,” Mazzulla said. “It starts with the players, but it goes to our staff. I feel bad that they’re not here — but forever indebted to the guys that we have that give up time with their families and their time to give us a chance to win every day.”
The 37-year-old Mazzulla is the youngest winner of the award since Phil Johnson in 1975, the NBA said.
Fittingly, the Celtics coach will get the Red Auerbach Trophy — which is named for the legendary Celtics coach. Mazzulla becomes the fourth Boston coach to win the award, following Auerbach in 1965, Tom Heisohn in 1973 and Bill Fitch in 1980. Auerbach, a Hall of Famer, guided the Celtics to nine NBA championships, including eight in a row from 1959 through 1966.
“This is well deserved recognition and a testament to both Joe and his staff,” Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens said. “With all of our unknowns entering the season, Joe did a fantastic job building and growing a team. He pours everything he has into competing at a high level, while helping players find the best versions of themselves within the framework of a team.”
Detroit’s J.B. Bickerstaff — for the second consecutive year — finished second, and San Antonio’s Mitch Johnson placed third.
The award is based on regular-season results only. Votes from the panel of 100 reporters and broadcasters who cover the NBA were turned in during the play-in tournament, which was more than a month ago.
The Coach of the Year award — the one handed out Tuesday is separate from the one presented earlier this spring by the National Basketball Coaches Association, which Bickerstaff won — is the last of the major awards given out by the NBA to commemorate the best of the 2025-26 season.
The rundown of awards:
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Crime
A Boston man was arrested in relation to a Dorchester shooting that left one injured earlier this month, police announced Friday.
Chivaugn Nettles, 21, faces multiple felony charges, including assault and battery by discharge of a firearm, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm, and carrying a loaded firearm without a license, according to a statement from the Boston Police Department.
Nettles was taken into custody at his home “without incident” following an investigation that involved the review of surveillance footage and the execution of search warrants on both a Huntington Avenue home and a suspect vehicle, police said.
The shooting occurred around 1:20 a.m. on May 13 near 25 Dacia St. During an investigation, officers located shell casings, projectile fragments, and “two small blood trails” along a building, according to a police report.
Residents at both 25 and 33 Dacia St. were found to be not hurt, though one person sustained “nonlife-threatening injuries,” police said.
During his arraignment Friday in the Roxbury Division of the Boston Municipal Court, Nettles entered a plea of not guilty to all charges, according to court records. He is being held without bail until a dangerousness hearing set for Wednesday morning.
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