Los Angeles Chargers (11-6) at New England (14-3)
Sunday, 8 p.m. EST, NBC
Against the spread: Chargers 8-8-1; Patriots 11-5-1
Series record: Patriots lead 27-17-2
Last meeting: Chargers won 40-7 in Foxborough, Mass. on Dec. 28, 2024.
Last week: Chargers lost to Broncos 19-3; Patriots beat Dolphins 38-10.
Chargers offense: overall (12), rush (12), pass (18), scoring (20).
Chargers defense: overall (5), rush (8), pass (5), scoring (9).
Patriots offense: overall (3), rush (6), pass (4), scoring (2).
Patriots defense: overall (8), rush (5), pass (9), scoring (4).
Turnover differential: Chargers plus-2; Patriots plus-3
QB Justin Herbert. In his sixth season, he’s still looking for his first playoff win. His 84 completions on third down are among the league leaders this season. He’s led the Bolts to 15 career come-from-behind wins in the fourth quarter or OT, including against Denver, Miami and Philadelphia this season.
QB Drake Maye. The MVP contender finished the regular season with a 72 percent completion rate, the highest in team history and the sixth best in NFL history. It’s better than Tom Brady, who had a 68.9 percent completion rate in 2007. The MVP that season was Brady. Maye is the eighth quarterback in NFL history to finish a season completing 70% or better of his passes with at least 4,000 passing yards and 30 touchdown passes.
Chargers rushing attack vs. Patriots defense. The Patriots defense didn’t allow a 100-yard rusher in the first 11 games, but allowed four rushers to get there over the final six. Los Angeles ranked 12th in the NFL in rushing for 121.6 yards per game. The Chargers also held the ball for the second-most time in the NFL, averaging 32:20 in time of possession. That included a conference-leading 32 drives that lasted at least five minutes.
Chargers: RB Omarion Hampton (ankle) didn’t practice Wednesday while getting treatment. He didn’t practice all last week or play in the regular-season finale against Denver. Hampton broke his ankle in Week 5 against Washington and he missed time while on injured reserve. ... CB Donte Jackson (ankle), DB Elijah Molden (hamstring) and OL Jamaree Salyer (hamstring) were limited in practice.
Patriots: LG Jared Wilson began the week in the concussion protocol. He's missed the past two games. ... C Garrett Bradbury, RT Morgan Moses, OL Vederian Lowe and LB Anfernee Jennings all sat out Wednesday's practice with illnesses. ... DL Khyiris Tonga missed Wednesday's practice with a foot issue.
This will be the fifth playoff meeting between the teams, with the Patriots having won three of the previous four. ... New England won the most recent postseason matchup 41-28 in the wild-card round of the 2018 playoffs. That was the start of the Patriots run to their sixth Super Bowl win to cap that season.
The Chargers led the league this season with 115 third down conversions, while the defense also was the NFL’s best, allowing 80 conversions. The Bolts are the third team in 50 years to lead the league in both offensive and defensive third down conversions. ... The Bolts have earned their second straight 11-win season and postseason appearance under coach Jim Harbaugh. ... WR Keenan Allen, Quentin Johnston and Ladd McConkey have at least 50 catches, 700 receiving yards and four TD receptions, the most in the league. ... OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (13.0 sacks), Odafe Oweh (7 1/2) and Khalil Mack (5 1/2) lead the Chargers’ pass rush. ... LA went 5-0 in prime-time games this season, most in a single season in franchise history. ... Chargers RB Omarion Hampton played at North Carolina with Patriots QB Drake Maye. Hampton led the ACC in rushing yards, while Maye led the conference in passing yards in 2023. ... Chargers teammates QB Justin Herbert and LB Troy Dye along with Patriots S Brendan Schooler were teammates at Oregon and led the Ducks to a victory in the 2020 Rose Bowl game. ... This is the Patriots’ sixth season with 14 or more victories. ... Patriots coach Mike Vrabel joined George Seifert (1989 with San Francisco), and Jim Caldwell (2009 with Indianapolis) as the only coaches to win 14 games in their first season coaching a team. ... This is the Patriots' first home playoff game since the 2019 season they lost to the Vrabel-coached Tennessee Titans in the wild-card round. ... The Patriots are 23-5 all time at home in the playoffs. .... New England is 4-6 all time in the wild-card round. ... Only six players remain on the roster from the Patriots' most recent playoff appearance in 2021: DT Christian Barmore, TE Hunter Henry, Jennings, OL Mike Onwenu, RB Rhamondre Stevenson and LB Jahlani Tavai. ... WR Stefon Diggs has played in 14 playoff games and has 69 receptions for 909 yards and four touchdowns. ... RB TreVeyon Henderson finished the regular season with 1,132 scrimmage yards and 10 total touchdowns, becoming the third rookie in franchise history with 1,000-plus scrimmage yards and 10-plus TDs in a season. He joins Robert Edwards (1998) and Curtis Martin (1995).
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