The Los Angeles Chargers clinched a playoff spot in head coach Jim Harbaugh’s first season, defeating the New England Patriots 40-7 on Saturday.
The Kansas City Chiefs have already won the AFC West, so the Chargers will go into the playoffs as a Wild Card team.
The Chargers started out very hot, going out on a 17-0 run before the Patriots finally responded.
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Justin Herbert (10) reacts to the Los Angeles Chargers after a touchdown pass against the New England Patriots in the third quarter at Gillette Stadium. (Photos by David Butler II-Imagine)
Quarterback Justin Herbert hit wide receiver Derrius Davis with a hit, connecting with him for a 23-yard touchdown. On their ensuing offensive possession, kicker Cameron Decker nailed a 27-yard field goal to give the Chargers a 10-0 lead.
After the field goal, Patriots quarterback Drake May was unable to turn the field over to the running back, and the fumble was recovered by safety Derwin James Jr. to give the Chargers good field position at midfield.
Herbert took advantage of good field position and hit wide receiver Ladd McConkey for a six-yard touchdown to go up 17-0.
While the Chargers took the lead, Maye temporarily left the sidelines in the first quarter to be examined for a concussion.
The Patriots’ rookie quarterback was scrambling, trying to convert third-and-4 along the sideline when Chargers defensive back Cam Hart hit Maye high, where there was helmet-to-helmet contact.
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Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) throws a touchdown pass to wide receiver Ladd McConkey (15) against the New England Patriots in the third quarter at Gillette Stadium. (Photos by David Butler II-Imagine)
Maye fumbled the ball when it was hit, but the Patriots recovered it.
After the hit, May stayed down for a moment before finally getting up.
He was initially evaluated in the blue medical tent, then was taken to the locker room, where he was cleared to return to play.
The Patriots’ lone highlight of the game came when Maye made the Chargers jump offside, then threw a pressure on a dime 36 yards to wide receiver Demario Douglas for a touchdown.
The touchdown cut the Chargers’ lead to 17-7, but those would be the only points the Patriots would score all day.
Herbert led the Chargers’ offense and gave Decker a field goal opportunity before halftime.
Decker was good from 38 yards out, and the Chargers led 20-7 at halftime.
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Justin Herbert (10) reacts to the Los Angeles Chargers after a touchdown against the New England Patriots in the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. (Photos by David Butler II-Imagine)
The Chargers kept their foot on the gas coming out of the second half.
The Patriots got the ball first of the first half but came up three and out.
Herbert then led a 10-play, 94-yard scoring drive, capped by a Ladd McConkey 40-yard catch, to put the Chargers up 27-7, effectively sealing the game in the third quarter.
Chargers running back JK Dobbins scored a touchdown upon his return from injury in the fourth quarter.
Herbert was sensational in the win, completing 26-38 pass attempts for 284 yards and three touchdowns. The quarterback was pulled with over ten minutes left in the fourth quarter and the game was out of reach.
McConkey passed Keenan Allen for the most catches by a rookie in a single season in Chargers history, with eight receptions for 94 yards and two touchdowns.
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Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) passes the ball against the New England Patriots in the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. (Photos by David Butler II-Imagine)
It was the first time the Chargers scored 40 points in a game since 2021.
Maye was 12 of 22, with 117 yards and one touchdown, with six carries for 32 yards in the loss.
The last time the Chargers were in the playoffs was the 2022-23 season, when they suffered one of the biggest collapses in NFL history when they lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars 31-30 after leading 27-0 at one point.
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