Patriots Will Face a Challenging Test in the Wild Card Round Against Chargers
New England's impressive turnaround season is set to be put to the test as they face off against the 11-6 Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC wild card round. The Patriots, who finished the regular season with a 14-3 record and secured the No. 2 seed, will look to build on their momentum from Sunday's convincing 38-10 win over the Dolphins.
Justin Herbert, the Chargers' 27-year-old quarterback, has been one of the top signal-callers in the league since making his debut in 2020. Despite playing with a porous offensive line this season, Herbert still managed to throw for 3,727 yards with 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions over 16 games.
However, Herbert's health is something to keep tabs on going into next weekend. He underwent surgery to repair a fracture in his left hand on December 2, but didn't miss any games after the procedure. While he may have benefitted from the week off, a diminished Herbert would be a welcome sight for the Patriots' defense.
The Chargers' offense has struggled with injuries this season, losing All-Pro left tackle Rashawn Slater and Pro Bowl right tackle Joe Alt to injury. Without their franchise tackles, Los Angeles' offensive line has frequently taken on water, entering Week 18 with a league-worst pass block win rate of 54 percent.
New England's defense may not be anchored by its pass-rushers, but players like K'Lavon Chaisson, Milton Williams, and Harold Landry should be able to get their opportunities to wreak havoc against Herbert. The Chargers' defense has frustrated opposing quarterbacks this season, with quarterbacks completing just 60.79 percent of their throws against them - the fifth-lowest mark in the league.
Ultimately, the Patriots will need to corral Herbert and prevent him from extending plays if they want to keep their season alive. But with the Chargers struggling on both sides of the ball, New England may have a chance to pull off an upset and advance to the AFC Divisional Round.
New England's impressive turnaround season is set to be put to the test as they face off against the 11-6 Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC wild card round. The Patriots, who finished the regular season with a 14-3 record and secured the No. 2 seed, will look to build on their momentum from Sunday's convincing 38-10 win over the Dolphins.
Justin Herbert, the Chargers' 27-year-old quarterback, has been one of the top signal-callers in the league since making his debut in 2020. Despite playing with a porous offensive line this season, Herbert still managed to throw for 3,727 yards with 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions over 16 games.
However, Herbert's health is something to keep tabs on going into next weekend. He underwent surgery to repair a fracture in his left hand on December 2, but didn't miss any games after the procedure. While he may have benefitted from the week off, a diminished Herbert would be a welcome sight for the Patriots' defense.
The Chargers' offense has struggled with injuries this season, losing All-Pro left tackle Rashawn Slater and Pro Bowl right tackle Joe Alt to injury. Without their franchise tackles, Los Angeles' offensive line has frequently taken on water, entering Week 18 with a league-worst pass block win rate of 54 percent.
New England's defense may not be anchored by its pass-rushers, but players like K'Lavon Chaisson, Milton Williams, and Harold Landry should be able to get their opportunities to wreak havoc against Herbert. The Chargers' defense has frustrated opposing quarterbacks this season, with quarterbacks completing just 60.79 percent of their throws against them - the fifth-lowest mark in the league.
Ultimately, the Patriots will need to corral Herbert and prevent him from extending plays if they want to keep their season alive. But with the Chargers struggling on both sides of the ball, New England may have a chance to pull off an upset and advance to the AFC Divisional Round.
theyve got some crazy speed on their defense and justin herbert is still one of the top qbs in the league 
its gonna be a real test for the patriots defense if they wanna take it down 
. On the other hand, if the Chargers' O-line struggles continue to plague them, Patriots' pass rushers might just get the break they need 
. Either way, I'm thinking low-key upset here... the Chargers' defense has been solid this season, but the Pats have some talented young guys on D who could make a big impact 
, herbert's still got some juice in that left hand of his, and if they can't contain him, it's all over 
but on the flip side, chargers' O-line is a hot mess 
, los angeles might struggle to keep herb upright for most of the game...if pats defense can capitalize on it 
, maybe they can pull off that upset 
. On one hand, their offense has been looking pretty solid lately, especially with Josh Allen at the helm 
. However, I think the Chargers' D is actually pretty stout, and they might be able to contain Herbert's magic 
.
. If he's not 100% or worse, that means the Pats get a big advantage 
. And even if Herbert does play, I think New England's D can keep up with him 
. They've got some talented pass-rushers in Chaisson, Williams, and Landry who can give Herbert fits 
, which could spell trouble for Herbert if he takes a hit or two 
i mean, losin all those tackles left them with a league-worst pass block win rate... that's just crazy! 
but on a positive note, the patriots' defense looks solid, especially if klavon chaisson and company can get to herbert. it's gonna be a battle for sure, but i think new england might have this one 
. Los Angeles' defense is actually pretty solid, so don't sleep on that