On a field loaded with playoff history, the Los Angeles Chargers couldn't outrun their familiar postseason pattern. Jim Harbaugh's Chargers — a banged-up M-A-S-H unit all season — hit one final wall in a game that seemed maddeningly winnable. Imagine how vexing this has been for Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, whose gutty season yet again ended with a frustrating fizzle. Three Herbert scrambles and an incomplete pass later, and the Chargers were skulking off the field pointless, and the Patriots had a huge emotional lift. But they struggled as the game wore on and gave up four of their six sacks in the second half.

Source: Los Angeles Times January 12, 2026 06:11 UTC