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Los Angeles Chargers vs New England Patriots: 2026 Wild Card Playoff Preview
The Los Angeles Chargers travel to Gillette Stadium to face the New England Patriots in an AFC Wild Card showdown on Sunday, January 11, 2026, at 8:00 PM ET. The seventh-seeded Chargers (11-6) take on the second-seeded Patriots (14-3) in a primetime clash featuring MVP candidate Drake Maye.
Game Details
When: Sunday, January 11, 2026, at 8:00 PM ET
Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
TV: NBC/Peacock
Weather: 38°F
How They Got Here
Los Angeles finished 11-6 in Jim Harbaugh's second season as head coach, capturing the second spot in the AFC West. The Chargers rested key starters including quarterback Justin Herbert in their Week 18 loss to Denver. They're 5-3 on the road but have dropped two straight games after winning four of five.
New England captured the AFC East crown with a dominant 14-3 record, earning the conference's second seed. The Patriots have won 13 of their last 14 games under first-year coach Mike Vrabel. They're 6-3 at home and averaging 28.8 points per game.
Quarterback Matchup
Justin Herbert leads the Chargers' offense with 3,727 passing yards and 26 touchdowns against 13 interceptions. The veteran quarterback completed 66 percent of his passes while battling through a hand injury late in the season. He sat out Week 18 to get healthy for the playoffs.
Drake Maye has been sensational in his second NFL season, completing 72 percent of his passes for 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns against just eight interceptions. The 23-year-old also rushed for 450 yards and four scores. Maye earned his second consecutive Pro Bowl selection and is drawing MVP consideration after leading New England to its first division title since 2019.
Offensive Stars
Kimani Vidal anchors the Chargers' ground attack with 643 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 155 carries. Rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey leads the receiving corps with 789 yards on 66 catches and six touchdowns. Veterans Quentin Johnston and Keenan Allen provide additional targets for Herbert.
TreVeyon Henderson powers New England's rushing attack with 911 yards and nine touchdowns on 180 carries. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson also contributes significantly. Wide receiver Stefon Diggs tops the Patriots in receiving with 1,013 yards on 85 catches and four touchdowns. Tight end Hunter Henry serves as a reliable target in the passing game.
Defensive Leaders
Los Angeles features linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu, who recorded 13 sacks to lead the defense. Linebacker Daiyan Henley paced the team with 103 tackles. All-Pro safety Derwin James serves as defensive coordinator Jesse Minter's playmaking chess piece, while Hall of Fame-caliber pass rusher Khalil Mack provides veteran leadership on the edge.
New England's defense is led by linebacker Harold Landry III, who registered 8.5 sacks. Linebacker Robert Spillane contributed 97 tackles. Both players are listed as questionable with injuries.
Recent Form
The Chargers struggled down the stretch, scoring 16 or fewer points in three of their last four games. Before resting starters in Week 18, they lost 20-16 to Houston. However, they posted quality wins over Dallas (34-17), Kansas City (16-13), and Philadelphia (22-19 in overtime) earlier in the stretch.
New England has been on fire, winning their last three games by a combined score of 108-44. They crushed Miami 38-10, dominated the Jets 42-10 on the road, and rallied past Baltimore 28-24. The Patriots have scored 28 or more points in each of their last five contests.
Key Injuries
Los Angeles lost both starting offensive tackles for the season in Pro Bowlers Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater. The Chargers have 13 players on the injury report, with cornerback Donte Jackson (ankle) among those questionable. Their offensive line struggles are evident as they rank 32nd in pass-blocking win rate and 31st in run-blocking win rate.
New England has 12 players listed on their injury report, including key defenders Harold Landry III (knee) and Robert Spillane (ankle), both questionable.
Our Prediction
| Category | Chargers | Patriots |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 11-6 | 14-3 |
| Seed | 7th | 2nd |
| Location | Away (5-3) | Home (6-3) |
| Points Per Game | 21.6 | 28.8 |
The Patriots have been dominant at home and are riding tremendous momentum behind Maye's exceptional play. Los Angeles has struggled offensively down the stretch and faces a major disadvantage with their depleted offensive line against New England's aggressive defense. The Chargers' offensive line issues could prove decisive in primetime.
Final Score Prediction: Patriots 31, Chargers 17
What's at Stake
The winner advances to face the top-seeded Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round. For Los Angeles, this represents a chance to build on Harbaugh's foundation and prove they can win in January. New England aims to continue their remarkable turnaround season and keep Maye's magical campaign alive with a run toward the Super Bowl.
| Passing | C/Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Int | Sacks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Herbert [QB] | 19/31 | 159 | 5.1 | 0 | 0 | 6-39 |
| Rushing | Yds | Att | TD | Lng |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Herbert [QB] | 57 | 10 | 0 | 16 |
| Omarion Hampton [RB] | -1 | 1 | 0 | -1 |
| Kimani Vidal [RB] | 31 | 11 | 0 | 10 |
| Receiving | Tgts | Rec | Yds | Lng | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tucker Fisk [TE] | 3 | 3 | 12 | 7 | 0 |
| Keenan Allen [WR] | 8 | 3 | 25 | 10 | 0 |
| Tre Harris [WR] | 3 | 2 | 20 | 14 | 0 |
| Quentin Johnston [WR] | 6 | 3 | 20 | 9 | 0 |
| Ladd McConkey [WR] | 4 | 3 | 32 | 20 | 0 |
| Kimani Vidal [RB] | 3 | 2 | 20 | 11 | 0 |
| Oronde Gadsden II [TE] | 3 | 3 | 30 | 10 | 0 |
| Fumbles | Fum |
|---|---|
| Da'Shawn Hand [DT] | 0 |
| Justin Herbert [QB] | 2 |
| Kimani Vidal [RB] | 0 |
| Interceptions | Int | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daiyan Henley [LB] | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Tackles | Tckl | Solo | Sck |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denzel Perryman [LB] | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Tony Jefferson [S] | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Del'Shawn Phillips [LB] | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Hassan Haskins [RB] | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Da'Shawn Hand [DT] | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Teair Tart [DT] | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Elijah Molden [CB] | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Benjamin St-Juste [CB] | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Donte Jackson [CB] | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Otito Ogbonnia [DT] | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Khalil Mack [LB] | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Deane Leonard [CB] | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Derwin James Jr. [S] | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Troy Dye [LB] | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Tre Harris [WR] | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Tuli Tuipulotu [LB] | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Jamaree Caldwell [DT] | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Tarheeb Still [CB] | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| Daiyan Henley [LB] | 13 | 9 | 0 |
| R.J. Mickens [S] | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Odafe Oweh [LB] | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Kick Returns | No | Yds | Lng | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaret Patterson [RB] | 1 | 28 | 28 | 0 |
| Derius Davis [WR] | 4 | 100 | 34 | 0 |
| Punt Returns | No | Yds | Lng | TD |
|---|
| Kicking | FG | Lng | XPM | XPA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cameron Dicker [PK] | 1/1 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Punting | No | Yds | TB | in20 | Lng |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JK Scott [P] | 5 | 211 | 1 | 3 | 54 |
| Passing | C/Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Int | Sacks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drake Maye [QB] | 17/29 | 268 | 9.2 | 1 | 1 | 5-33 |
| Efton Chism III [WR] | 0/1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 |
| Rushing | Yds | Att | TD | Lng |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhamondre Stevenson [RB] | 53 | 10 | 0 | 13 |
| Drake Maye [QB] | 66 | 10 | 0 | 37 |
| TreVeyon Henderson [RB] | 27 | 9 | 0 | 15 |
| Receiving | Tgts | Rec | Yds | Lng | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhamondre Stevenson [RB] | 4 | 3 | 75 | 48 | 0 |
| Hunter Henry [TE] | 5 | 3 | 64 | 28 | 1 |
| Austin Hooper [TE] | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stefon Diggs [WR] | 5 | 2 | 16 | 9 | 0 |
| Kyle Williams [WR] | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| Drake Maye [QB] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TreVeyon Henderson [RB] | 1 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| Demario Douglas [WR] | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Jack Westover [TE] | 1 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| Kayshon Boutte [WR] | 4 | 4 | 66 | 42 | 0 |
| Efton Chism III [WR] | 1 | 1 | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| Fumbles | Fum |
|---|---|
| Christian Elliss [LB] | 0 |
| Drake Maye [QB] | 2 |
| Jared Wilson [C] | 0 |
| Interceptions | Int | Yds | TD |
|---|
| Tackles | Tckl | Solo | Sck |
|---|---|---|---|
| K'Lavon Chaisson [LB] | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Christian Barmore [DT] | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Anfernee Jennings [LB] | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Marcus Jones [CB] | 6 | 6 | 1 |
| Brenden Schooler [S] | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Austin Hooper [TE] | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Jack Gibbens [LB] | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Harold Landry III [LB] | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Jaylinn Hawkins [S] | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Milton Williams [DE] | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Christian Elliss [LB] | 8 | 3 | 0 |
| Robert Spillane [LB] | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Carlton Davis III [CB] | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Elijah Ponder [LB] | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Cory Durden [DT] | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Dell Pettus [S] | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Craig Woodson [S] | 11 | 7 | 0 |
| Charles Woods [CB] | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Jahlani Tavai [LB] | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Christian Gonzalez [CB] | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kick Returns | No | Yds | Lng | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Efton Chism III [WR] | 2 | 48 | 26 | 0 |
| Punt Returns | No | Yds | Lng | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marcus Jones [CB] | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Kicking | FG | Lng | XPM | XPA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andres Borregales [PK] | 3/3 | 39 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| Punting | No | Yds | TB | in20 | Lng |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryce Baringer [P] | 3 | 130 | 1 | 2 | 55 |
