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Patriots’ Defense Dominates Chargers in Playoff Throwback, Advance to AFC Divisional Round
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots channeled their inner 2001 Super Bowl champions, delivering a staunch defensive performance to secure a 16-3 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers in Sunday’s AFC Wild Card playoff game. Current head coach Mike Vrabel, a key linebacker on that legendary 2001 squad, undoubtedly approved of the vintage defensive effort.
The second-seeded Patriots are now set to face the winner of Monday’s showdown between the No. 4 Pittsburgh Steelers and No. 5 Houston Texans, with their next game scheduled for Sunday at a time yet to be determined.
New England capitalized on a vulnerable Chargers offensive line, sacking quarterback Justin Herbert six times and holding Los Angeles to a mere 207 total yards, with only 120 coming through the air. A significant factor in the defensive resurgence was the return to health of key players: defensive tackle Milton Williams, linebacker Robert Spillane, and outside linebacker/defensive end Harold Landry III, all of whom played together for the first time since November 13th.
New England Patriots Breakdown
Most Surprising Performance: The Patriots’ red zone defense, which previously ranked 30th in the NFL in touchdown percentage allowed during the regular season, showed a stunning turnaround in the first half. They heroically stopped the Chargers on four consecutive plays from the 10-yard line, preventing a score, and later forced a field goal attempt after another critical stop.
Quarterback Performance: Rookie Drake Maye had a mixed bag. While he proved effective as a runner, his passing game struggled significantly, especially in the first half where he completed a season-low 40% of his passes (6-of-15), including a tipped interception.
He was also sacked five times. However, Maye delivered when it mattered most, throwing a beautiful 28-yard touchdown pass to tight end Hunter Henry.
His ball security was shaky at times, with a strip-sack in the third quarter, but his mobility was a constant threat, highlighted by a career-second-longest 37-yard run in the second quarter.
Trend to Watch: Injuries to starting cornerbacks Christian Gonzalez (head) and Carlton Davis III (toe) are a concern. Gonzalez left the game in the second half after a helmet-to-helmet hit and did not return.
Davis also exited for a period in the first half before returning, only to incur a defensive pass interference penalty. Second-year player Charles Woods is the primary backup, with rookie Kobee Minor (seventh round, Memphis) providing additional depth.
Slot corner Marcus Jones could also shift outside if needed.
Stat to Know: The Patriots have now committed multiple turnovers in two of their last four games, a slight uptick from earlier in the season when they had multiple turnovers in only three of their first 14 contests.
Best Locker Room Quote: Defensive tackle Milton Williams, after inadvertently splitting coach Mike Vrabel’s lip during a celebratory game-sealing sack: “I was turnt. I forgot he didn’t have a helmet on.”
Los Angeles Chargers Breakdown
For the Los Angeles Chargers, success in the Justin Herbert era has often been a tale of “what ifs.” Despite the high hopes that coach Jim Harbaugh would break the cycle, the Chargers face another offseason with a familiar, unfulfilled feeling.
A lifeless offense and another disappointing playoff performance from Herbert, dropping him to 0-3 in his postseason career, overshadowed a defense that repeatedly bailed out the team on Sunday.
Most Surprising Performance: Linebacker Odafe Oweh, acquired from the Baltimore Ravens in October, delivered arguably his best performance of the season. He racked up 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 3 pressures, consistently stepping up for a struggling offense.
His three sacks set a single-game postseason franchise record. Oweh, 27, now heads into free agency as a top edge rusher, and his playoff heroics likely boosted his market value.
Quarterback Performance: Justin Herbert’s performance did little to silence critics questioning his ability to lead a team to a championship. While he has been excellent all season despite playing behind the league’s worst offensive line, he was uncharacteristically off on Sunday.
He missed or underthrew open receivers and struggled to navigate relatively clean pockets. Herbert’s playoff struggles remain a significant critique of his professional career, and Sunday night did not alter that narrative.
Trend to Watch: The health of rookie running back Omarion Hampton is a growing concern. He appeared in only nine games this season, missing seven due to a left ankle sprain and another due to a right ankle injury.
His latest injury, sustained in Week 17, kept him out of Week 18 and limited him to just two snaps on Sunday. These repeated ankle issues raise questions about his long-term durability.
Best Locker Room Quote: Odafe Oweh, expressing his frustration after the loss: “And any other day, we beat them. We just ain’t have it today, so that’s the more annoying part.”