Foxborough (Parliament Politics Magazine) January 12, 2026 – The New England Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 16-3 in an AFC wild-card playoff game at Gillette Stadium on Sunday night. Drake Maye threw a fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Hunter Henry while the Patriots’ defense sacked Justin Herbert six times and limited the Chargers to 207 total yards.
New England (15-3) advances to host the winner of the Pittsburgh-Houston divisional matchup, marking their first playoff win since Super Bowl LIII on February 3, 2019.
The Patriots took control early with field goals from Andy Borregales and sealed the low-scoring affair through defensive dominance. This victory ends a seven-year postseason drought for New England under coach Mike Vrabel.
What were the key statistics from the Patriots’ 16-3 victory?
The final score stood at Patriots 16, Chargers 3, with scoring by quarter: Chargers 0-3-0-0, Patriots 0-6-3-7. Andy Borregales converted three field goals for New England, including 23-yard, 35-yard, and 39-yard kicks, accounting for 9 points, plus the extra point after the touchdown for a total of 10 kicking points.
Drake Maye, in his playoff debut, completed 17 of 29 passes for 268 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, while rushing for 66 yards on 10 carries. Rhamondre Stevenson contributed 53 rushing yards and 75 receiving yards on three catches, including a 48-yard catch-and-run. Hunter Henry caught the game’s lone touchdown on a 28-yard pass, finishing with three receptions for 64 yards.
Justin Herbert completed 19 of 31 passes for 159 yards for the Chargers, with no touchdowns, and led his team in rushing with 57 yards on 10 carries. Ladd McConkey had three catches for 32 yards, while Keenan Allen recorded three for 25 yards.
New England’s defence recorded six sacks on Herbert, including two each from K’Lavon Chaisson and Milton Williams. The Patriots held Los Angeles to 207 total yards (87 rushing, 120 passing), forced two fumbles (one lost), and intercepted one pass by Daiyan Henley.
The official Patriots account confirmed the result and highlighted the defensive feat shortly after the game. Patriots Communications said in X post,
“The @Patriots have defeated the L.A. Chargers 16-3. The last time the @Patriots held a team to 0 touchdowns in a playoff game was in Super Bowl LIII, when they defeated the L.A. Rams 13-3.”
The @Patriots have defeated the L.A. Chargers 16-3.
— Patriots Communications (@PatriotsComms) January 12, 2026
The last time the @Patriots held a team to 0 touchdowns in a playoff game was in Super Bowl LIII, when they defeated the L.A. Rams 13-3. pic.twitter.com/tpEeRPizEP
How did early fourth-down stops swing momentum to New England?
New England’s defence set the tone by stuffing the Chargers on fourth-and-2 from the Patriots’ 10-yard line early in the second quarter, as Herbert misfired a pass to Keenan Allen, as reported in the ESPN game recap. This turnover on downs led to Borregales’ 23-yard field goal, giving New England a 3-0 lead.
In the third quarter, Odafe Oweh strip-sacked Maye, with De’Shawn Hand recovering, but the Chargers punted after failing to capitalise. Later, Chaisson’s strip-sack of Herbert in the fourth quarter provided a short field position that helped secure the win.
Milton Williams sealed the game with a sack on fourth down from the New England 43, prompting a post-play head-butt celebration with coach Mike Vrabel that bloodied the coach’s lip, according to the Associated Press report cited in CBS Sports coverage. Vrabel remarked,
“The big dogs come out in January. I think Milt took that to heart,”
as quoted in the recap.
The Chargers’ only score came on a 21-yard field goal by Cameron Dicker late in the second quarter, tying the game at 6-3 before Borregales’ 35-yard kick at halftime made it 9-3. Los Angeles failed to score a touchdown, their first such playoff shutout since a 2007 AFC championship loss to New England.
How did Maye and the Patriots convert big gains into points?
Maye connected with Kayshon Boutte for a 42-yard gain in the third quarter, setting up the 39-yard field goal that extended the lead to 9-3. His 28-yard touchdown strike to Henry early in the fourth quarter, set up by a 16-yard pass to Boutte and a 13-yard run by Stevenson, proved decisive at 16-3.
Despite turnovers, including an interception tipped by Teair Tart and caught by Daiyan Henley, as well as a strip-sack fumble, the Chargers could not convert, punting or turning it over on downs.
Maye praised the defense post-game,
“How about our defense, man? Congrats to the defense. What a night. It was so fun to watch,”
as reported by Sky Sports.
The Patriots controlled the time of possession, 32:15 to 27:45, converting 4 of 11 third downs and 1 of 1 fourth downs, according to CBS Sports stats.
How did the Chargers’ offense struggle under the Patriots’ pressure?
Herbert, returning from hand surgery just over a month prior, faced constant pressure, was sacked six times, and lost one fumble. Chargers safety Derwin James offered a poignant reflection on the defeat.
BoltUpYo said in the X post,
“Chargers S Derwin James on the 16–3 loss to the Patriots: ‘We didn’t get it done today, man. It’s like drawing it up in the sand and the waves come by and knock it away.’ 💔🥺 🎥: (via @chrishayre / @CBSLosAngeles)”
Chargers S Derwin James on the 16–3 loss to the Patriots:
— ًBoltUpYo (@BoltUpYo) January 12, 2026
“We didn’t get it done today, man. It’s like drawing it up in the sand and the waves come by and knock it away.” 💔🥺
🎥: (via @chrishayre / @CBSLosAngeles) pic.twitter.com/OT6V2EsTO6Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh noted,
“He’s a warrior. He just gives it everything he has, all the time,”
acknowledging the hand issue but praising his effort, as per the CBS recap.
Los Angeles managed 17 first downs to New England’s 19 but went 1-for-10 on third downs and 1-for-3 on fourth downs. Their red-zone efficiency was 0-for-2, with no touchdowns.
This marks the second consecutive wild-card exit for the Chargers (11-7), with Herbert now 0-3 in playoffs.
How did injuries affect key players in the Patriots vs the Chargers game?
Patriots cornerback Carlton Davis exited briefly with a toe injury but returned, while Christian Gonzalez left in the second half with a head injury. No major updates were reported on Herbert’s status beyond the hand issue.
New England (15-3) topped the AFC East and earned the No. 2 seed, hosting the divisional round game next Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers or Houston Texans, who play Monday night. The win revives memories of past playoff success, last achieved in Super Bowl LIII against the Los Angeles Rams on February 3, 2019.
The Chargers’ season concludes, finishing second in the AFC West behind Denver’s 14-3 mark.
When was the Patriots’ last playoff win?
The Patriots’ previous playoff victory occurred on February 3, 2019, when they defeated the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 in Super Bowl LIII.
This recent 16-3 win over the Chargers mirrors that defensive masterclass, holding another Los Angeles team scoreless for touchdowns in the postseason.
What NFL games are scheduled for next week?
NFL divisional playoff games scheduled for next week include the winner of Pittsburgh-Houston at New England on Sunday, alongside other matchups such as top seeds hosting based on conference standings.
Specific times and networks follow standard NFL playoff formatting, with AFC and NFC games spread across Saturday through Monday.
Which teams will the Patriots and Chargers face in their next games?
The New England Patriots will face the winner of Monday night’s game between the Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers in their next matchup. The Patriots’ Divisional Round game is scheduled for Sunday, January 18, at Gillette Stadium, with the official kickoff time to be announced after the Wild Card game concludes.
The Los Angeles Chargers’ season has ended following their 16-3 loss to the Patriots in the AFC Wild Card round on Sunday, January 11. Their next scheduled game will be at the start of the 2026 NFL season.
