The Patriots, seeded No. 2 in the AFC with a 14-3 regular-season record, leaned heavily on their suffocating defense to stifle the Chargers' high-powered offense. New England's front seven sacked Herbert six times, forcing a fumble that set up the game's lone touchdown and holding Los Angeles to a measly 207 total yards. Herbert, despite his elite talent, completed just 19 of 31 passes for 159 yards, adding 57 on the ground but never finding the end zone—extending his playoff winless streak to 0-3.
The game started cautiously, with both teams trading punts and field goals in a defensive battle. Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker connected from 21 yards in the second quarter to tie it at 3-3 after New England had taken an early lead via Andres Borregales' field goal. But the Patriots' defense refused to yield, forcing turnovers on downs and neutralizing threats deep in their territory.
Drake Maye, showing poise under pressure, finished with 268 passing yards on 17-of-29 completions and a game-high 66 rushing yards. He overcame an early interception (tipped and picked by Daiyan Henley) and a fumble (forced by Odafe Oweh and recovered by Da’Shawn Hand), but bounced back brilliantly. The decisive moment came in the fourth quarter: with the score 9-3 after Borregales' third field goal, Maye rolled left and delivered a perfect 28-yard touchdown strike to tight end Hunter Henry—a former Charger—for the game's only score with under 10 minutes remaining.
Henry's touchdown against his old team proved the dagger, extending the lead to 16-3 after the extra point. The Patriots' defense sealed it moments later, with Milton Williams sacking Herbert on fourth down to end any late Chargers hopes.
Standout performers for New England included edge rushers like Odafe Oweh (multiple sacks and a forced fumble) and the entire unit, which tallied seven tackles for loss and limited the Chargers to 1-of-10 on third downs. Coach Mike Vrabel's squad embodied his pre-game mantra: "The big dogs come out in January." The victory was a statement that this rebuilt Patriots team, featuring young stars like Maye and a reloaded defense, is ready to contend.
For the Chargers (11-6), the loss ends a promising season under Jim Harbaugh. Despite a strong regular year, injuries along the offensive line (missing key tackles) and an inability to capitalize on Patriots miscues doomed them. Herbert was under constant pressure, and the offense managed just a field goal in a frustrating night.
New England now advances to host the winner of the Houston Texans-Pittsburgh Steelers game in the divisional round next Sunday. With momentum building and Gillette Stadium rocking, fans are buzzing: Could this be the start of a new Patriots dynasty?
One thing is clear after this dominant display—the Patriots are back, and the rest of the AFC better take notice.