Neither the Chargers nor the Patriots have been able to get in much of an offensive rhythm in the first half of their wild card matchup, as the teams are tied 3-3 at halftime.
The teams have gone a combined 2-of-10 on third down — 1-of-5 each. The clubs also have just eight first downs each. New England has outgained Los Angeles 171 to 117.
The Patriots scored first, with rookie Andy Borregales connecting on a 23-yard field goal to cap a long drive early in the second quarter for a 3-0 lead.
Then Cameron Dicker came on for a 21-yard field goal, helping the Chargers cash in on a possession that went deep into New England territory after the club had failed on fourth down earlier in the contest.
Finally, the Patriots scored again to effectively close the half, with Borregales hitting from 35 yards.
Quarterback Drake Maye is 6-of-15 for 95 yards with an interception, which came on a tipped pass. Maye is also the leading rusher with 55 yards on five attempts — including a 37-yard run late in the second period.
For the Chargers, Justin Herbert is 10-of-13 for 93 yards. Keenan Allen leads with three catches and 25 yards.
On the injury front, Patriots cornerback Carlton Davis is questionable to return with a toe injury.
The Chargers will receive the second-half kickoff.
Update 9:50 p.m. ET: Davis has returned to the game to start the second half.
Chargers Clips
The Chargers were not able to take advantage of a big takeaway midway through the first quarter of Sunday’s wild card matchup with the Patriots.
After Los Angeles elected to take a delay of game on fourth-and-2 from the New England 47, the Chargers’ punt was downed at the 8-yard line to put the Patriots in unfavorable field position.
On second-and-11 from the New England 7, quarterback Drake Maye was looking for tight end Austin Hooper over the middle when the ball was tipped at the line and eventually intercepted by linebacker Daiyan Henley to set the Chargers up with first-and-goal.
After three Justin Herbert runs, the quarterback was pressured and flushed from the pocket to his right. Herbert tried to fire one to veteran receiver Keenan Allen, but the pass was well high and landed out of bounds, incomplete.
Neither team has been able to get into much of a rhythm offensively early on in the contest.
The Chargers will have one of their key offensive players for Sunday’s wild card matchup against the Patriots.
Los Angeles running back Omarion Hampton is active for the game after he was listed as questionable with an ankle injury.
Hampton, who did not play in the regular-season finale last week, tallied 545 yards with four touchdowns in the regular season. He also caught 32 passes for 192 yards with a TD in his nine games.
He was a limited participant on Friday after not participating on Wednesday on Thursday.
For the Patriots, receiver Kayshon Boutte, linebacker Harold Landry, and offensive tackle Thayer Munford are all active after they were labeled as questionable.
Los Angeles’ inactives are cornerback Isas Waxter, safety Kendall Williamson, outside linebacker Bud Dupree, outside linebacker Kyle Kennard, offensive tackle Austin Deculus, receiver Dalevon Campbell, and tight end Tyler Conklin.
New England’s inactives are nose tackle Khyiris Tonga, guard Caedan Wallace, outside linebacker Bradyn Swinson, tight end C.J. Dippre, offensive tackle Marcus Bryant, receiver Jeremiah Webb, and quarterback Tommy DeVito. DeVito is the emergency third quarterback.
Justin Herbert hopes the third time will be a charm.
Now in his sixth NFL season, the Chargers quarterback will be playing his third career playoff game tonight, at New England. He’s winless in two prior trips to the postseason.
The first came three years ago, when a 27-0 lead melted into a 31-30 loss at Jacksonville. Last year, Herbert had four interceptions in a 32-12 loss to the Texans in Houston.
This year, Herbert has been playing through a broken bone in his left hand. He finished in the top 10 in passing yards (3,727) and touchdown passes (26). He had 498 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns.
It all boils down to tonight. The Chargers last won a playoff game in 2018. Their current 0-3 streak started with a loss to the Patriots in the divisional round that year.
If the Chargers win, they’ll go to Denver next weekend — and the Bills will visit the winner of the Texans-Steelers game.
Football teams look for any and all motivation they can find. The Associated Press has given them a little something in advance of their first home playoff game since 2019.
The Patriots, despite going 14-3, have no first-team All-Pros. As noticed be researcher Dan Kelley, and confirmed by NBC Sports research, it’s only the second time since the AP started picking All-Pro teams in 1940 that a team that won 14 or more games had no first-team All-Pros.
The other? The 2016 Patriots, who went 14-2.
That year, Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was the first-team All-Pro over Tom Brady. Of course, the Patriots ultimately had the last laugh, winning Super Bowl LI after falling behind in the third quarter, 28-3.
This year, the failure of the Pats to put any player among the first-team All-Pros could provide an extra little kick in the butt as the Patriots prepare to face the Chargers tonight.
The Chargers activated tight end Tucker Fisk from injured reserve on Saturday, the team announced.
Fisk went on injured reserve Dec. 8 with an ankle injury.
He has two receptions for 19 yards in 10 games this season, playing 233 offensive snaps and 27 on special teams.
The Chargers placed wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith on injured reserve in a corresponding move. He injured his hamstring in Week 18.
The team also elevated wide receiver Dalevon Campbell and cornerback Isas Waxter from the practice squad for Sunday’s game.
Campbell, who spent the offseason and training camp with the Chargers, saw action in a pair of games early in the season with the Panthers before being inactive twice for the Chargers as a standard elevation.
Waxter has spent the season on the Chargers’ practice squad after initially signing with Seattle as an undrafted free agent in May.
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett set the single-season sack record during the 2025 season and he also became one of three unanimous choices for the Associated Press All-Pro team.
All 50 voters selected Garrett as one of their choices at edge rusher in this year’s voting. Those voters also unanimously selected Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua and Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba for this year’s first team.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford got the nod over Drake Maye at quarterback, which opens up the possibility of a split with MVP for the second straight season. Stafford got 31 votes while the Patriots quarterback got 18 with Bills quarterback Josh Allen getting the other one.
Stafford joins kicker Gary Anderson as the only players to be named a first-team All-Pro for the first time in their 17th season or later.
The full All-Pro teams appear below:
First team
Offense
Quarterback — Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Running Back — Bijan Robinson, Atlanta
Fullback — Kyle Juszczyk, San Francisco
Wide Receivers — Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams; Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle; Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati
All Purpose — Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco
Tight End — Trey McBride, Arizona
Left Tackle — Garrett Bolles, Denver
Left Guard — Joe Thuney, Chicago
Center — Creed Humphrey, Kansas City
Right Guard — Quinn Meinerz, Denver
Right Tackle — Penei Sewell, Detroit
Defense
Edge Rushers — Myles Garrett, Cleveland; Will Anderson Jr., Houston; Micah Parsons, Green Bay
Interior Linemen — Jeffery Simmons, Tennessee; Zach Allen, Denver
Linebackers — Jack Campbell, Detroit; Jordyn Brooks, Miami
Cornerbacks — Derek Stingley Jr., Houston; Quinyon Mitchell, Philadelphia
Slot cornerback — Cooper DeJean, Philadelphia
Safeties — Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore; Kevin Byard, Chicago
Special Teams
Placekicker — Will Reichard, Minnesota
Punter — Jordan Stout, Baltimore
Kick Returner — Ray Davis, Buffalo
Punt Returner — Chimera Dike, Tennessee
Special Teamer — Devon Key, Denver
Long Snapper — Ross Matiscik, Jacksonville
Second team
Offense
Quarterback — Drake Maye, New England
Running Back — James Cook, Buffalo
Fullback — Patrick Ricard, Baltimore
Wide Receivers — George Pickens, Dallas; Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit; Chris Olave, New Orleans
All Purpose — Bijan Robinson, Atlanta
Tight End — Kyle Pitts, Atlanta
Left Tackle — Trent Williams, San Francisco
Left Guard — Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis
Center — Aaron Brewer, Miami
Right Guard — Chris Lindstrom, Atlanta
Right Tackle — Darnell Wright, Chicago
Defense
Edge Rushers — Brian Burns, New York Giants; Danielle Hunter, Houston; Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit
Interior Linemen — Leonard Williams, Seattle; Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh
Linebackers — Devin Lloyd, Jacksonville; Ernest Jones IV, Seattle
Cornerbacks — Patrick Surtain II, Denver; Devon Witherspoon, Seattle
Slot cornerback — Derwin James, Los Angeles Chargers
Safeties — Jessie Bates III, Atlanta; Talanoa Hufanga, Denver; Xavier McKinney, Green Bay (Hufanga and McKinney were tied for the second-team spot)
Special teams
Placekicker — Brandon Aubrey, Dallas
Punter — Michael Dickson, Seattle
Kick Returner — Kavontae Turpin, Dallas
Punt Returner — Marcus Jones, New England
Special Teamer — Del’Shawn Phillips, Los Angeles Chargers
Long Snapper — Andrew DePaola, Minnesota
The status of Chargers running back Omarion Hampton for the team’s playoff opener in New England won’t be determined until closer to kickoff on Sunday night.
Hampton is listed as questionable to face the Patriots because of the ankle injury that kept him out of practice on Wednesday and Thursday. Hampton was on the field on Friday and told reporters that he plans on playing this weekend.
Hampton had 124 carries for 545 yards and four touchdowns in the regular season.
The Chargers are also listing tackle Austin Deculus (oblique), edge rusher Bud Dupree (hamstring), tight end Tucker Fisk (ankle), safety Elijah Molden (hamstring), and linebacker Del’Shawn Phillips as questionable. Wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith (hamstring) and safety Kendall Williamson (ankle) have been ruled out.
The Patriots have a few injury concerns for their wild card matchup with the Chargers on Sunday.
Head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters in his Friday press conference that defensive lineman Khyiris Tonga (foot) is out for the contest.
Receiver Kayshon Boutte (hamstring) is questionable after he was added to the injury report as a limited participant on Thursday.
Linebacker Harold Landry (knee) and offensive tackle Thayer Munford (knee) are also questionable for the contest.
Running back TreVeyon Henderson was out of practice on Friday for personal reasons, but that should not affect his status.
Jared Wilson (concussion) is set to return and play left guard.
Cleveland has put in another interview request, this time for one of the coaches who will be on the sidelines this weekend.
According to multiple reports, the Browns have requested permission to interview Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter for their head coaching vacancy.
Minter, 42, has been with the Chargers for the last two seasons under head coach Jim Harbaugh. He previously was Harbaugh’s defensive coordinator at Michigan from 2022-2023, winning the CFP national championship.
Minter has plenty of familiarity with the AFC North, too, as he worked under John Harbaugh from 2017-2020 with the Ravens. Minter began his tenure with the club as a defensive assistant, before being promoted to assistant defensive backs coach, and finally defensive backs coach.
The Titans are another team with known interest in speaking with Minter, who cannot interview until after this weekend.
