“Stranger Things” star Finn Wolfhard gave a nod to the cult Minneapolis band the Replacements during his hosting gig on “Saturday Night Live.”

While introducing musical guest A$AP Rocky on Saturday’s show, Wolfhard wore a vintage Replacements t-shirt from the group’s final tour in 1991.

Wolfhard is currently co-writing a film based on Bob Mehr’s best-selling biography “Trouble Boys: The True Story of the Replacements” with his father, Eric.

It may well also have been a reference to the Replacements’ infamous, profanity-laced debut as musical guests on “SNL” that took place 40 years ago Sunday. Producer Lorne Michaels subsequently banned them for life from the show, although he did welcome back band leader Paul Westerberg as a solo artist in 1993.

Wolfhard announced the film in an October Instagram post that read: “One of my parents’ first dates was to a Replacements concert. Then I was born!

“As Westerberg once said ‘Let’s let em down.’ ”

Mehr, who is the music critic for the Commercial Appeal newspaper in Memphis, Tenn., also wrote about the film on social media.

“In the nearly ten years since ‘Trouble Boys’ was published, I’ve been flattered and fortunate that so many accomplished, talented people have approached me about adapting the book for both the big and small screen,” Mehr wrote.

“Over the years, and through various iterations, I’ve continued to believe that the Replacements’ tale would eventually transcend the page and find life in another format. To that end, I’m grateful to my friend Finn, his father Eric, and producer Richard Peete for having a real vision for this book and this band.”

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A group of protesters interrupted Sunday morning services at a St. Paul church because one of the pastors works with a federal immigration agency, according to police.

At approximately 10:40 a.m., officers were called to the Cities Church in the 1500 block of Summit Avenue after receiving reports that some 30 to 40 protesters had interrupted services, according to police spokesperson Nikki Muehlhausen.

By the time officers arrived, the group had left and was walking down the alley, she said.

In a Facebook post, protesters said they went to the church to ask for justice for Renee Good because they had identified a church pastor as the acting director for the St. Paul field office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The church’s website lists David Easterwood as a pastor. Easterwood is listed as a defendant in a Jan. 12 lawsuit filed by the state of Minnesota to halt the federal immigration crackdown that led to the fatal Jan. 7 confrontation between Good and an ICE agent.

Later Sunday, Trump administration officials condemned the protest at the St. Paul church, which is is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, a conservative Protestant denomination headquartered in Nashville, Tenn.

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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Drake Maye threw three touchdown passes, Marcus Jones returned one of C.J. Stroud’s four interceptions for a score and the New England Patriots defeated the Houston Texans 28-16 on Sunday to advance to the AFC championship game for the first time in seven years.

New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (9) catches a touchdown pass against Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. during the second half of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

In Mike Vrabel’s first season as coach, the Patriots will take on the Broncos in Denver next Sunday, with the winner advancing to the Super Bowl.

The Patriots will make their 16th conference championship game appearance and first since their run to their sixth Super Bowl title under Bill Belichick in the 2018 season. New England has won its last nine divisional round games.

Maye finished 16 of 27 for 179 yards, but had an interception and fumbled four times, losing two in cold conditions in which snow and rain fell throughout the game. One of Maye’s fumbles set up Houston’s first touchdown.

Carlton Davis III had two interceptions for New England. Craig Woodson added an interception and fumble recovery.

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) passes against the Houston Texans during the second half of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

The eight combined turnovers — Woody Marks also lost a fumble for Houston — were the most in a playoff game since 2015 when the Cardinals and Panthers combined for eight in the NFC championship game.

The Texans have lost in the divisional round in three straight seasons under coach DeMeco Ryans. The franchise is now 0-7 all-time in this round.

Stroud finished 20 of 47 with a TD pass. All of his interceptions came in the first half as he became the first player with five or more INTs and five or more fumbles in a single postseason. Will Anderson forced two fumbles for the Texans.

C.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans reacts after a run against the New England Patriots during the second quarter in the AFC Divisional Playoff game at Gillette Stadium on January 18, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

Leading 21-16 in the fourth quarter, the Patriots stretched their lead to 27-16 when Kayshon Boutte got behind Derek Stingley Jr. and pulled in a diving, one-hand catch in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown.

The Texans had the ball with 5:48 to play, but punted on fourth-and-18 at their own 21 with 4:18 remaining.

New England’s next drive took the clock under two minutes. But the Texans turned it over on downs when Stroud’s fourth-down pass to Xavier Hutchinson was batted down by Robert Spillane.

Early action

With the Patriots leading 7-3 early, a series of miscues produced the next two scores.

Maye was strip-sacked by Danielle Hunter deep in Patriots territory, but left tackle Will Campbell fell on the ball and the Patriots punted.

The Texans gave it right back when Stroud’s deep pass along the sideline was intercepted by Davis III.

Maye fumbled again when he attempted to run on a busted play and had the ball stripped by Tommy Togiai and recovered by Azeez Al-Shaair. Six plays later, Stroud linked up with Christian Kirk on a 10-yard touchdown pass.

But on Houston’s next drive, Stroud was rushed up the middle by K’Lavon Chaisson and he lofted a pass that was intercepted by Jones and returned for the score to put New England back in front.

Later in the quarter, the Patriots’ lead increased to 21-10 when they capped a five-play, 56-yard drive with a 7-yard TD pass from Maye to Stefon Diggs.

Mr. Pick-6

Jones scored on an interception return for the second time this season. It was the first of his career in the playoffs and first for New England in the postseason since Asante Samuel had one vs. Indianapolis on Jan. 21, 2007, in the AFC championship game.

Injuries

Texans: TE Dalton Schultz (calf) left in the first quarter and didn’t return. … LG Tytus Howard limped off and RB Woody Marks exited with a shoulder injury in the second quarter. … TE Cade Stover left in the fourth with a knee injury and didn’t return.

Patriots: LB Robert Spillane left in the first quarter with a thumb injury, but returned. … RB TreVeyon Henderson was shaken up after a second quarter run before jogging off. … S Craig Woodson exited after his INT with a head injury, but returned. … RB Rhamondre Stevenson left in the second quarter with an eye issue. … Davis left in the fourth quarter with a head injury.

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During a surprise performance at a New Jersey benefit concert Saturday night, Bruce Springsteen dedicated a song to the late Renee Good and said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents should “get the f— out of Minneapolis.”

In his lengthy introduction to “The Promised Land” — which he called “probably one of my greatest songs” and “an ode to American possibility” — Springsteen said we are living through incredibly critical times and that the country’s ideals and values of the past 250 years are being tested like never before.

He asked the crowd if they believe democracy, liberty and truth are worth speaking out and fighting for and that “if you believe you don’t deserve to be murdered for exercising your American right to protest, then send a message to this president. And as the mayor of that city has said, ICE should get the f— out of Minneapolis. So this one is for you, and the memory of the mother of three and American citizen Renee Good.”

The 37-year-old Good was fatally shot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis on Jan. 7. Later that day, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called out Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s description of the incident as an “act of domestic terrorism,” saying it was “garbage” and “bull—-” before telling ICE to “get the f— out of Minneapolis.”

As was first reported by NJArts.net, a nonprofit media outlet in the Garden State, Springsteen performed an unannounced but not entirely unexpected 75-minute set at the Light of Day festival, which benefits research for Parkinson’s disease. He was backed by his friend Joe Grushecky’s Houserockers during an evening that also included guest turns from Gary U.S. Bonds, Willie Nile, Goo Goo Dolls’ Johnny Rzeznik and Low Cut Connie’s Adam Weiner.

Springsteen had previously appeared at 13 Light of Day festivals in the organization’s 26-year history.

While his lyrics have often touched on political themes, Springsteen took a more public stance when he performed during the Vote for Change tour in 2004. Presented by moveon.org, the tour was held in swing states and was designed to encourage people to register and vote. Springsteen performed at the former Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul as well as at tour stops in Philadelphia, Cleveland, Detroit, Orlando, Fla., East Rutherford, N.J., and Washington, D.C.

In 2008, Springsteen endorsed Barack Obama’s presidential campaign and appeared at several rallies. He’s also been a vocal critic of Donald Trump. In 2016, he told Rolling Stone that “the republic is under siege by a moron, basically. The whole thing is tragic. Without overstating it, it’s a tragedy for our democracy. … The ideas he’s moving to the mainstream are all very dangerous ideas — white nationalism and the alt-right movement.”

During a May 2025 concert in England, Springsteen called Trump’s administration “corrupt, incompetent and treasonous.” That prompted the president to respond, via social media, that “this dried out prune of a rocker (his skin is all atrophied) ought to KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT until he gets back in the Country.”

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