The Los Angeles Chargers were ultimately crushed in their wild-card matchup against the New England Patriots on Sunday.

It’s probably a tough pill to swallow, which is why we got some ludicrous explanations postgame…

“I feel like we’re a better team, and on any other day, we beat them,” Chargers linebacker Odafe Oweh said following the game, as transcribed by ESPN’s Kris Rhim. “We just ain’t have it today, so that’s the more annoying part.”

Oweh finished with three sacks in the loss, so he had every right to feel like he deserved more than a two-score loss, but the...

The New England Patriots cruised to a 16-3 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday night to advance to the divisional round of the 2025 NFL Playoffs. The Patriots’ defense dominated this game, thanks in large part to a slew of injuries the Chargers were dealing with along their defensive line.

Los Angeles spent much of the season playing without its top two tackles on the offensive line in Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt. While Slater missed the entire year, Alt managed to suit up for just six games before he suffered a season-ending ankle injury early in November....

Mike Vrabel won’t join the masses in worrying about the New England Patriots’ strength of schedule.

The Patriots went 2-2 against fellow playoff teams during the regular season with just one victory over a winning squad. They justified their postseason spot with a 16-3 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday night.

Vrabel was asked during Monday’s press conference, per the team transcript, what the first-round win says about his team amid the schedule chatter. The head coach sidestepped the debate by pointing out the most important takeaway from their triumph.

“It means we get to keep playing,” Vrabel...

The New England Patriots made some roster moves following their wild-card victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

New England announced the release of running back D’Ernest Johnson from the active roster and offensive lineman Sebastian Gutierrez from the practice squad on Monday.

Johnson and Gutierrez being cut loose opens up space for some potential returns, with cornerback Alex Austin eligible to be activated off injured reserve and cornerback Miles Battle likely to be brought back to the practice squad — both of which would be important given the current status of cornerback Christian Gonzalez.

Gonzalez, who was named...

The Patriots secured an extra week in their season by defeating the Los Angeles Chargers 16-3 on Sunday. As New England is getting ready for its upcoming opponent, it’s likely also keeping an eye on potential players it could consider adding in the NFL Draft.

Pro Football Focus’ Max Chadwick released a mock draft on Monday, featuring the Patriots selecting Clemson edge rusher T.J. Parker with the 30th pick.

“The Patriots don’t have a single edge defender who’s in the top 40 of PFF grade this year,” Chadwick wrote. “Parker has been incredibly productive throughout his career at Clemson, posting...

The New England Patriots turned back the clock with their first playoff win in seven years. A mainstay of the Bill Belichick and Tom Brady era felt deja vu watching his former team gut out a 16-3 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Devin McCourty played in 24 postseason games during his 13-year career with the Patriots. The three-time Super Bowl champion said Monday on “Up & Adams” that Sunday night’s atmosphere at Gillette Stadium was reminiscent of the golden age he experienced.

“That crowd, when it’s go time and you’re playing well, they’re the best out there,” McCourty said....

Players looking to be traded or signed this offseason might find the New England Patriots among the most desirable teams, and it seems Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown could be on the move.

If the Eagles decide to trade Brown, Gary Davenport from Bleacher Report suggested that the Patriots could be a potential destination.

“The Patriots have shown this season they are legitimate contenders,” Davenport wrote on Sunday. “There’s a window open — one that’s open a lot wider until the team has to pay quarterback Drake Maye all the money ever. And while the Pats have some skill-position...

The New England Patriots won their first playoff game in seven years on Sunday night in the AFC wild-card round against the Los Angeles Chargers.

With nine teams left in the running for the Lombardi Trophy, Drake Maye and company are now the AFC favorites, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.

The sports betting company listed the Seattle Seahawks (+275) as the Super Bowl favorites as of Monday afternoon, with the Los Angeles Rams (+310) not far behind.

New England’s odds are +550 as they await the winner of Monday night’s game between the Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers in the divisional...

The New England Patriots might want to consider making some changes following their wild-card victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

I’ve heard the whole “don’t change the mac and cheese” thing that has been floating around, but there are exceptions…

If they’re going to continue advancing, there needs to be improvement from the offensive line.

Drake Maye didn’t play to the standard we’ve all come to expect, as he turned the ball over twice and was one lucky bounce away from doing it a third time. Maye definitely improved as the game went along — finishing the second...

The New England Patriots kept their season alive on Sunday night with a 16-3 wild-card victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. The majority of teams across the league, though, have begun their offseason work, with that group including the Pats’ longtime rival, the New York Jets.

In 2025, the Jets opted to turn over the quarterback position to Justin Fields, but that experiment quickly went up in flames. Tyrod Taylor and Brady Cook would both eventually take the field over Fields, although neither guy really managed to do much better when it came to leading the team’s offense.

New York...

Happy Playoff Victory Monday, everyone!

It’s been a while since we got one of these; I imagine you’re all as sore as I am. The last time the Patriots played an LA-based team in a low-scoring, defensive battle that broke open when a QB not playing his best football found his rhythm at the right time and hit a tight end up the seam to break the game open just before a massive defensive play sealed it, we were all still putting a 1 in the tens column of our dates. But after an unfathomable six-year playoff win drought, the...

The New England Patriots earned a big playoff victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday night, and once again, all eyes are on the Pats. Everyone is weighing in on their return to the forefront of the NFL, including former star cornerback Stephon Gilmore.

Many folks were expecting the Pats and Chargers to engage in a shootout, but instead, both offenses struggled to put points on the board. New England’s defense, instead, took this game over in the second half, helping the team advance to the divisional round of the 2025 NFL Playoffs.

One guy who helped the Patriots...