The New England Patriots scored their first postseason win since February 3, 2019 — when they defeated the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl 53 — with a grinding, 16-3 win over the Los Angeles Chargers Sunday night.
The victory sends the Patriots, just a year removed from their second-straight four-win season, to the AFC Divisional Round next weekend. In a game when the Patriots defense held the Chargers behind two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Justin Herbert without a touchdown, Patriots sophomore QB Drake Maye led all rushers with 66 yards, also throwing for 268 and the game’s lone touchdown.
Maye suffered five sacks in the game, but Patriots rushers put Herbert on the ground six times and held the 27-year-old to just 159 yards in the air, nailing down the Wild Card Round victory for New England.
Patriots’ Opponent for Divisional Round
As of Sunday night, there are still several open questions around what comes next for the Patriots, but one thing is certain. With the victory over the Chargers, the Patriots will host a second playoff game at Gillette Stadium.
We know that because the Buffalo Bills narrowly defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars earlier on Sunday. With the No. 7 seed Chargers out, that means the Bills, at No. 6, are the lowest remaining seeded team on the AFC side of the playoffs. That dubious distinction earns them a trip to Denver for the Divisional Round to face the top-seeded Broncos.
For the Patriots, that leaves either the 12-5 Houston Texans or the 10-7 Pittsburgh Steelers as their next opponent. The Steelers, by virtue of winning the AFC North division, hold the higher seed, at No. 4, despite having the inferior regular-season record.
But when the Steelers met the No. 5 seed Texans in a wild-card weekend edition of Monday Night Football on Jan. 12, they found no way past the Houston defense.
The Texans with a 30-6 victory earned a trip to Foxborough to face the Patriots as New England’s next opponent in the Divisional Round.
When Will the Next Game Be Played?
The Patriots’ Divisional Round game against the Texans will be held on Sunday, Jan. 18. The NFL announced on Monday that the game will kick off at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, noon PT, and will be televised by ESPN and ABC.
The last time Gillette Stadium played host to two playoff games in a single season came in the 2017-18 campaign. In that year, behind legendary head coach Bill Belichick and future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady, the Patriots finished 13-3, winning the AFC East and earning a bye out of the Wild Card Round.
Then, in the Divisional Round, the Patriots took on the Tennessee Titans at home and romped past them by a 35-14 score, with Brady throwing for 337 yards and three touchdowns.
That win allowed New England to advance to the AFC Championship Game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Patriots were again the home team, but barely survived, winning 24-20. Brady passed for two touchdowns and 290 yards.
Patriots Playoff Schedule: Next Opponent, Date & Game