Boston, MA
Patriots defense makes statement after taking praise of Texans personally
FOXBORO — Mike Vrabel came straight off the practice field Friday to hold his final press conference of the week after four days of preparing for the Texans.
He’d been peppered with questions about the Texans’ vaunted defense all week, and for a moment, it looked like he was about to lose his cool when yet another reporter started with, “given the strength of the Texans’ defense…”
Vrabel closed his eyes, put his head down and rubbed his eyebrow with his thumb and pointer finger before keeping his calm and responding to the question about whether his team needed to be “perfect” this week.
Were they perfect in Sunday’s 28-16 win over the Texans? Absolutely not. But their own defense made a statement, forcing five turnovers and outshining the unit that some were comparing to the 1985 Bears and the “Legion of Boom” Seahawks.
So, was it fair to say that the Patriots’ defense took all that talk about the Texans’ defense personally this week?
“I’m sure they’re going to tell you in 30 seconds as soon as you guys go rushing out of here,” Vrabel said, smiling. “Again, they’re really good for a reason; they’ve shown it each and every week. But our guys are prideful men. And they want to compete and they want to win. And, again, they deserve the recognition that they’re going to get.
“They’re a top-five defense for a reason as well. Again, that’s how some of these things go. When it comes down to turnovers. And we’ve got to get back on track. We forced second-and-long, so we stopped the run. And I’m proud of each and every guy in there.”
For a team whose motto used to be “ignore the noise,” this new-age Patriots team heard everything, and they used it to deepen the chips on their collective shoulder.
And in the end, it didn’t matter that their own quarterback turned the ball over three times and fumbled twice more. It’s nearly impossible to lose when forcing five turnovers, and the Patriots defense — after having to hear all that talk, and seeing the graphic from ESPN’s “NFL LIVE” with all five pundits picking the Texans — was not going to accept defeat.
“It fueled the whole defense,” defensive tackle Milton Williams said after the game. “Ain’t nobody been talking about our defense all year. So, we’ll see what they gotta say today.”
Williams, who won Super Bowl LIX with the Eagles last season, was asked if he believes the Patriots have a championship-level defense. He answered immediately with, “Yes, definitely.”
The Patriots defense plays at a completely different level when they’re at full strength, like they were Sunday night with Williams, who had four pressures against the Texans, returning from injury in Week 18, linebackers Robert Spillane and Harold Landry coming back from their own ailments in the wild-card round of the playoffs, and defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga getting healthy for Sunday’s matchup.
Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud tossed four interceptions to three different players: cornerback Carlton Davis (twice), safety Craig Woodson and cornerback Marcus Jones, who returned his for a touchdown. Cornerback Christian Gonzalez forced a fumble, which Woodson recovered for his second turnover. The Patriots’ defense, which also caused havoc for Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert in the wild-card round of the playoffs, allowed just 241 net yards, sacked Stroud three times, hit him nine times, forced 27 incompletions, allowed 2.2 yards per carry and generated 27 pressures (per PFF) on 52 dropbacks.
“We got dogs on every level of our team,” Williams said. “Everybody’s doing their job at a high level. We all on the string and communication. Everything is just working together. Our coach is putting us in position to make plays, and we just execute at a high level. That’s all we need.”
While various defenders said all the praise the Texans defense received this week motivated the unit, both Williams and safety Jaylinn Hawkins said the players didn’t discuss it all week.
“We never talked about it,” Hawkins said. “We just seen it and kept it pushing.”
Outside linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson led the Patriots with seven pressures on Sunday and added a sack. He was in Stroud’s face on three of the QB’s four interceptions.
Vrabel credited the Patriots’ turnovers to complementary football, saying, “our turnovers are created by more than one guy.”
“Regardless of what the playcall was, see ball, get ball,” Chaisson said. “We had the opportunity to make those plays happen, and we did.”
It helped that the Patriots defense knew, coming into the game, that they couldn’t let Stroud operate out of clean pocket.
The Patriots praised Stroud all week, but he was coming off a wild-card round win over the Steelers when he was intercepted once and fumbled five times.
“If he’s kept clean, he can make any throw that any quarterback can make,” Williams said. “But under pressure, he puts the ball in harms away, and we tried to take advantage of it.”
The Patriots are going against another top defense next week when they face off against the Broncos. They will have more potential opportunities to generate turnovers, however, with Broncos backup Jarrett Stidham, a former Patriots draft pick, playing at quarterback in place of injured starter Bo Nix.
Boston, MA
What we know about wrong-way driver killed in head-on collision with state trooper in Lynnfield – The Boston Globe
Court records show that Marrero was the father of three children, the oldest of whom is 17. The youngest two children, twins, are 13 years old; Marrero’s death came days before their 14th birthday.
Records in Middlesex Probate and Family Court also suggest that Marrero faced financial difficulties and personal troubles, stemming in part from a work injury that family members said caused a bout of depression and deteriorating behavior in his personal life.
For nearly a decade, Marrero worked at Dewberry, a Boston engineering consulting firm, court records show, obtaining a job as an architectural design apprentice in 2005. He left the company in 2014, according to a company spokesperson.
Throughout that time, he doubled as a bartender on the side, working at Mexican restaurants in Boston and Waltham, court records show.
A knee injury ended Marrero’s career at Dewberry, court records show, and he left the company shortly thereafter.
That injury, according to court documents, was the catalyst for what his wife described as a “major depressive episode,” which she said contributed to the strain in their marriage. The couple, who had been married for more than 20 years, separated in 2022.
Records also show that Marrero struggled with debts to family members and credit card companies. During his divorce proceedings, it was unclear how much money he was taking home in income.
Marrero briefly owned and operated a contracting business, 109 Construction, but the corporation was administratively dissolved in 2024, according to state filings.
Marrero had lived in US since at least 2001, holding legal status. He became a naturalized citizen in March 2021, court records show.
Social media posts suggest he was active in the tight-knit Venezuelan community in Massachusetts. Photos show him cheering on Venezuela at a World Baseball Classic watch party in Brighton earlier this year.
Court records appear to show Marrero’s interest in art and music, owning a Venezuelan guitar, conga drums, and several Venezuelan paintings, as well as homemade winemaking setup.
Marrero’s family could not be reached for comment. A close friend reached by the Globe declined to comment.
Trainor had just completed his shift at about 2 a.m. on Wednesday and was driving home when he responded to a report for a Jeep traveling south in the northbound lanes of Route 1, near the Lynnfield overpass.
Raised in Salem, Trainor began his public safety career as an Essex County correction officer before graduating from the State Police academy in 2023, State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble said.
Trainor’s fiancée, Jessica D. Ostrowski, of Georgetown, posted an emotional message to social media Thursday, describing the late trooper as “my absolute best friend.”
“I am beyond proud for the amount of love you have been given by those who loved and cared about you,” she wrote.
Travis Andersen and Jeremiah Manion of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Material from previous Globe coverage was used.
Camilo Fonseca can be reached at camilo.fonseca@globe.com. Follow him on X @fonseca_esq and on Instagram @camilo_fonseca.reports.
Boston, MA
Funding scandal-hit Croft schools in Boston to close this summer after all
Administrators at the Croft School, struggling after allegations of financial fraud, haven’t been able to find a buyer for its Boston locations, which will now close at the end of the school year, parents were told Friday.
Millions of dollars were raised by families and community members to keep the private school open for a few more months while Croft School administrators scrambled to find a buyer. But in Friday’s email, the chief restructuring officer and independent sale advisor said that two parties expressed interest but they ultimately had to pivot toward winding operations down.
“To be clear, the 2025-2026 school year will be completed based on the availability of parent funding. However, without a viable timetable for a transaction, we are faced with this difficult decision,” the email said.
About 350 students had attended the Croft School’s three campuses, two in Boston and one in Providence. Regular tuition starts at $31,000, according to the website.
Millions were raised to keep the private school open for a few more months but the Croft School is looking for a buyer as a long-term fix to its financial problems.
More than 60 families unenrolled from the South End campus over the weekend, the email said.
News of the debt crisis surprised parents in March, when the school’s board revealed in a letter that founding Executive Director Scott Given admitted to fabricating a letter of credit regarding a possible expansion and keeping two sets of books, overstating the school’s revenue while understating its expenses.
The discovery that the school was more than $13 million in debt came after police were alerted to possible fraud. The school has said it’s cooperating with multiple investigations involving Given, who has been suspended.
The private school, with two locations in Boston and one in Providence, requires $5 million to stay open for the rest of the schoolyear.
Given has been sued by at least one Boston parent, accusing him of running a Ponzi scheme. His legal team has said he has no comment.
Parents rallied to save the school, raising enough funds to keep classes going.
The officials in charge of the sale noted “how hard many of you worked to maintain The Croft School as you know it,” but added that the “difficult circumstances, uncertain financials and condensed timeframe made this a trying environment for purchasers to timely make a binding offer for the schools.”
Boston, MA
Where to watch Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox: TV channel, start time, streaming for May 8
What to know about MLB’s ABS robot umpire strike zone system
MLB launches ABS challenge system as players test robot umpire calls in a groundbreaking season.
Baseball is back and finding what channel your favorite team is playing on has become a little bit more confusing since MLB announced plans to produce and distribute broadcasts for nearly a third of the league.
We’re here to help. Here’s everything you need to know Friday as the Tampa Bay Rays visit the Boston Red Sox.
See USA TODAY’s sortable MLB schedule to filter by team or division.
What time is Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox?
First pitch between the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. (ET) on Friday, May 8.
How to watch Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox on Friday
All times Eastern and accurate as of Friday, May 8, 2026, at 6:33 a.m.
- Matchup: TB at BOS
- Date: Friday, May 8
- Time: 7:10 p.m. (ET)
- Venue: Fenway Park
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts
- TV: NESN, Rays.TV and WMOR
- Streaming: MLB.TV on Fubo
Watch MLB all season long with Fubo
MLB regional blackout restrictions apply
MLB scores, results
MLB scores for May 8 games are available on usatoday.com . Here’s how to access today’s results:
See scores, results for all of today’s games.
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