Patriots beat Chargers 16-3, advance to divisional round

The New England Patriots advanced to the divisional round of the playoffs with a 16-3 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. This marks the Patriots' first playoff win since 2018. They will host the winner of the upcoming game between the Houston Texans and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Patriots led 6-3 at halftime, thanks to two field goals. In the second half, quarterback Drake Maye threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Hunter Henry, extending the lead. New England's defense pressured Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, who was playing with a fractured left hand, registering six sacks and 11 total quarterback hits.

Herbert completed 19 of 31 passes for 159 yards and was the Chargers' leading rusher with 57 yards. Los Angeles struggled offensively, converting only one of ten third-down attempts and accumulating just 207 total yards.

For New England, Maye completed 17 of 29 passes for 268 yards, with one touchdown, one interception, and