New England
Patriots
13-3
38
FINAL
50
Los Angeles
Chargers
11-5
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a thrilling Divisional Round matchup, the Los Angeles Chargers topped the New England Patriots with a final score of 50-38, securing their spot in the next stage of the playoffs. Both teams fought hard, but it was the Chargers who emerged victorious, showcasing their explosive offense and solidifying their championship aspirations for the 2026 season.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert put on a show, throwing for an impressive 491 yards and a staggering seven touchdowns, leading his team to an offensive onslaught that the Patriots struggled to contain. His top target was electric throughout the game, with the Chargers' wide receivers making big plays at crucial moments. Meanwhile, for New England, Demond Claiborne managed 82 rushing yards, and Caleb Douglas recorded 120 receiving yards, but their efforts weren't enough to keep pace with Herbert's aerial assault.
On the defensive side, the Chargers managed to contain the Patriots' offense just enough to secure the win, despite not having standout defensive performances. The game's turning point came in the third quarter when Herbert threw three consecutive touchdown passes, giving Los Angeles a commanding lead that New England couldn't overcome. With this victory, the Chargers not only advance in the playoffs but also send a message to the rest of the league about their offensive firepower.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Herbert | QB | 32 | 26 | 81% | 491 | 7 | 0 | 158.3 |
| Drew Allar | QB | 25 | 14 | 56% | 204 | 3 | 0 | 122.3 |
| Taysom Hill | TE | 2 | 1 | 50% | 77 | 1 | 0 | 135.4 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demond Claiborne | HB | 11 | 82 | 7.5 | 16 | 1 | 41 | 0 |
| Isaac Guerendo | HB | 4 | 29 | 7.3 | 10 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Drew Allar | QB | 2 | 4 | 2.0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Troy Franklin | WR | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | — | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Justin Herbert | QB | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | — | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Brandin Cooks | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Antonio Williams | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kyren Williams | HB | 3 | 0 | 0.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caleb Douglas | WR | 4 | 120 | 30.0 | 61 | 1 | 77 | 0 |
| Troy Franklin | WR | 3 | 102 | 34.0 | 53 | 1 | 52 | 0 |
| Hunter Henry | TE | 6 | 87 | 14.5 | 32 | 0 | 47 | 0 |
| Mason Taylor | TE | 2 | 67 | 33.5 | 17 | 2 | 35 | 0 |
| Kyren Williams | HB | 3 | 59 | 19.7 | 17 | 0 | 40 | 0 |
| Arian Smith | WR | 2 | 47 | 23.5 | 14 | 1 | 34 | 0 |
| DeVonta Smith | WR | 4 | 36 | 9.0 | 20 | 2 | 14 | 0 |
| Taysom Hill | TE | 2 | 35 | 17.5 | 6 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Demond Claiborne | HB | 3 | 34 | 11.3 | 34 | 1 | 24 | 0 |
| Antonio Williams | WR | 1 | 22 | 22.0 | 15 | 1 | 22 | 0 |
| Tetairoa McMillan | WR | 1 | 13 | 13.0 | 8 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Brandin Cooks | WR | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Eli Raridon | TE | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jihaad Campbell | MIKE | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joey Porter | CB | 4 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Caleb Ransaw | FS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jeffery Simmons | DT | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Minkah Fitzpatrick | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jamal Adams | WILL | 3 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Izien | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Byron Murphy II | DT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lorenzo Styles Jr. | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Micah Parsons | REDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zyon McCollum | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Isaiah Johnson | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Khalil Mack | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robert Rochell | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Amare Barno | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chris Johnson | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dane Belton | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kyron Johnson | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Colton Hood | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaycee Horn | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gabe Jacas | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Junior Colson | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cedric Gray | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Travis Hunter | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Garrett Williams | CB | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graham Gano | K | 1 | 2 | 3 | 43 |
| Blake Gillikin | P | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Harrison Butker | K | 1 | 1 | 5 | 53 |

