Through the years, the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Chargers have become quite familiar as playoff opponents. Sunday’s wild card meeting will be their fifth postseason bout overall, and fourth over the last 19 years. Of course, every season is different, and 2025 is no exception: even though the Patriots and Chargers squared off frequently in the playoffs and as recently as December in 2024 in the regular season, they have experienced substantial change lately.
So, order to find out more about
the Patriots’ wild card opponent, we spoke with Michael Peterson of Pats Pulpit’s sister site Bolts From the Blue, the SB Nation community for all things Chargers.
Here is what he told us about the upcoming game and opponent.
1. How has Justin Herbert evolved and overcome offensive line woes this season?
Herbert has been forced to use his legs at a much higher clip this season due to his lack of protection in the pocket. He’s had to essentially play with a mental speed so amped up from the gate because otherwise he’s being knocked on his back before he can make it to his second progression. Herbert’s always been good under pressure in his career, but when being “under pressure” is literally the norm, it understandably starts of wear on you.
The Chargers would be nowhere near 11 wins or the playoffs if Herbert was not their quarterback and I’m so incredibly thankful that he is.
2. How have the Chargers worked around their litany of injuries? Especially at offensive tackle and cornerback?
Saying the Chargers have “worked around” their injuries at offensive tackle is weird to hear because it’s been a horrendous watch for fans every since Joe Alt went down for the season. While most people see the 11 wins and the playoff appearance, those who have been stuck watching this non-existent pass protection know very well they haven’t been able to solve the problem. Herbert was hit at a historic rate this year and it never, ever, lessened due to continued injuries. The Chargers trotted out over 30 different combinations with their offensive line. That’s just unheard of.
As for cornerback, it was a savvy move by general manager Joe Hortiz to stockpile corners in free agency and the undrafted free agent pool. Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart were going to be good enough as starters, but Hortiz went after Donte Jackson (turned out great) and Benjamin St-Juste (solid depth) to create a better top four. Then, as UDFAs, he found Nikko Reed (has played well in spot duty) and Eric Rogers (been on IR, the latter of which shined with a two-INT preseason performance.
3. What’s behind the Chargers’ top 10 sack rate? How do they deploy their pass rushers?
After failing to record a sack through the first five games of the season with the Ravens, Odafe Oweh is now second on the Chargers with eight sacks in 12 games. His elite athleticism and threat off the edge has made life easier for the other guy on the edge, usually being Tuli Tuipulotu or Khalil Mack. Especially down the second half of the season, defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has really turned up the heat as far as his blitz packages and how often he’s been sending extra pressure. The Patriots will have to be ready for Tuli, Mack, and Oweh to line up all over the defensive front, specifically Tuli who Minter likes to line up over guards to set picks for one of the other two.
4. Which under-the-radar Chargers should fans know ahead of this weekend’s matchup?
Rookie defensive tackle Jamaree Caldwell could be a player who helps decide how this game goes. He’s been splashy along the interior and the Chargers will need him to have one of his best games in terms of plugging up the middle and mitigating the Patriots run game. He also has shown some chops as a pass rusher with an explosive getoff but that over-aggressiveness can also lead to him taking himself out of the play. If he can play well alongside Teair Tart, this game will feel a lot more manageable when it comes to containing Rhamondre Stevenson and TreyVeon Hnderson.
5. If the Patriots win on Sunday night, what happens? If the Chargers pull off the upset, what happens?
If the Patriots win, it’s due to their offense continuing their strong season against an elite Chargers defense that had one too many breakdowns against one of the AFC’s best. With the defense not playing up to their standard, the offense was forced to play from behind which is the worst place to be when you need to throw behind their porous pass protection.
If the Chargers win, it’s due to the offensive line being able to handle the Patriots pass rush so Justin Herbert could make just enough plays to get them down the field in scoring range. The defense also would have had another strong outing with Jesse Minter finding all the right ways to fluster Drake Maye in his first playoff start despite having the MVP-caliber performance during the regular season.
