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Philip Rivers led the Los Angeles Chargers to a 23-17 victory against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Wild-card round, improving the Chargers road record to a remarkable 8-1 this season. The Chargers will now head to Gillette Stadium to try and topple the Tom Brady-led Patriots, who haven’t lost at home since October 1, 2017 and haven’t lost at home in the playoffs since the 2013 AFC Championship.
Sure, the Patriots haven’t looked like their usual dominant selves for much of 2018, but they’re still 8-0 at home.
While Rivers has beaten the Patriots once in his career, that victory came in 2008, when Brady was sidelined with an injury and Matt Cassel was the Patriots’ QB. In his seven starts against Brady, Rivers is 0-7 (including 0-2 in the playoffs).
The AFC Divisional Round matchup will be the first time Rivers and Brady have met in the playoffs in more than a decade. Will Rivers finally be able to take down Brady? The Chargers and Patriots will meet on Sunday, January 13 at 1:05 p.m. ET.
For now, let’s take a look at the history of Brady vs. Rivers.
AFC Divisional Round, January 20, 2007: Patriots 24, Chargers 21
Going into the 2006 playoffs, the Chargers were expected to make it to the Super Bowl. Sitting at 14-2, Rivers and the Chargers hosted the Patriots in the divisional round for an AFC Championship berth.
Both QBs had a rough game. Brady went 27/51 for 280 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but threw three picks. Rivers was 14/32 for 230 yards and an interception. Rivers would’ve won the first matchup against Brady had Troy Brown not stripped Marlon McCree after one of Brady’s interceptions.
September 16, 2007: Patriots 38, Chargers 14
The year the Patriots finished with a perfect 16-0 regular record, they trounced Rivers’ Chargers 38-14. Brady had a sensational game, completing 25/31 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns. Rivers? Not so much. He went 19/30 for 179 yards, two touchdowns, and two picks.
AFC Championship, January 20, 2008: Patriots 21, Chargers 12
Rivers and the Chargers traveled to Gillette later that same season for the AFC Championship. Though both QBs had sub-par games, the Patriots kept their undefeated season alive (only to lose in heartbreaking fashion in the Super Bowl against the underdog Giants).
Brady went 22/33 for 209 yards, while Rivers went 19/37 for 211 yards.
October 24, 2010: Patriots 23, Chargers 20
Down 20-3 going into the fourth quarter, Rivers and the Chargers made a valiant comeback in the fourth quarter that fell just a bit short.
Brady went 19/32 for 159 yards and a touchdown, while Rivers went 34/50 for 336 yards, a touchdown and an interception. It was the first time in Rivers’ career when he outplayed Brady head-to-head.
September 18, 2011: Patriots 35, Chargers 21
Another game where the Patriots got off to a fast start, too fast for the Chargers to overcome. Rivers and the Chargers found themselves down 20-7 heading into the fourth quarter, and the two teams traded touchdowns in the fourth.
Brady turned in a great performance. He was 31/40 for 423 yards and three touchdowns. Rivers played well for the most part, completing 29/40 passes for 378 yards and two touchdowns. Unfortunately, he threw two costly interceptions.
December 7, 2014: Patriots 23, Chargers 14
The Chargers had a 14-13 lead going into the fourth quarter, but thanks to a Stephen Gostkowski field goal and a 69 yard TD to Julian Edelman, the Patriots scored ten unanswered to win at San Diego.
Brady bested Rivers again, going 28/44 for 317 yards to Rivers’ 20/33 189 yard performance.
October 29, 2017: Patriots 21, Chargers 13
The last time the Patriots met the Chargers Brady went 32/47 for 333 yards. Rivers was 17/30 for 212 yards. The end result, a one possession game that never really felt close, was emblematic of the Rivers vs. Brady results over the past decade.