Patriots vs. Chargers: Three Bold Predictions for Sunday Night’s AFC Wild Card Bout

The Patriots will welcome the Chargers to Gillette Stadium on Sunday night.

Drake Maye and the Patriots will welcome the Chargers to Gillette Stadium on Sunday. / David Butler II-Imagn Images

The 2025 NFL playoffs will continue on on Sunday night in Foxboro, Mass., with the Patriots welcoming the Chargers to Gillette Stadium for an 8:00 p.m. ET kickoff and a chance to advance to the divisional round on the line.

L.A. enters this one as the No. 7 seed in the AFC playoffs, having finished the season 11–6 and above .500 for the second consecutive year under coach Jim Harbaugh. Despite battling injuries along the offensive line, the Chargers have remained productive offensively, averaging a respectable 21.6 points per game. Defensively, they’ve been among the league’s best, allowing just 285.2 yards per contest—the fifth-fewest in the NFL.

New England, meanwhile, has done a complete 180° since last season’s catastrophic campaign, going 14–3, winning the AFC East, and having both an MVP candidate in quarterback Drake Maye and a Coach of the Year favorite in Mike Vrabel. They're now hosting a home playoff game for the first time since the days of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick in 2019.

We’re in for a good one on Sunday night. Here are three bold predictions for Patriots vs. Steelers.

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Rhamondre Stevenson will run for 100-plus yards, score two touchdowns for a second straight week

Rhamondre Stevenson went off against the Dolphins on Sunday. / Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Rhamondre Stevenson has been on a tear of late, rushing for 178 yards and three touchdowns on 11.9 yards per carry over the last two weeks while hauling in an additional seven catches for 77 yards and two more scores. As a whole, the Patriots' offense seemingly found a groove as well, rushing for season-highs in back-to-back weeks while averaging 5.7 yards per carry.

On top of this, the stout Chargers defense we talked about above has faltered a bit of late, allowing 100-plus rushing yards in each of the last two games to go along with five receptions for 54 yards from opposing running backs.

With L.A. continuing to look vulnerable on the ground, Stevenson is poised for another big day—which is why I'm going with him to clear 100 yards and find the end zone twice for the second straight week.

Justin Herbert will score two total touchdowns, but also throw two costly interceptions

Justin Herbert has struggled in the postseason throughout his career. / David Butler II-Imagn Images

Justin Herbert has turned in a more pedestrian season than usual in 2025, completing 66.4% of his passes for 3,727 yards with 26 touchdowns and posting a passer rating of 94.1, good for just 15th in the NFL. Additionally, he's thrown 13 interceptions on the year—the highest total of his career.

The Patriots, meanwhile, have been stout against the pass, allowing the ninth-fewest passing yards per game (193.5) and intercepting 10 passes, a combination that’s fueled a top-four defense in points allowed (18.8 PPG).

While the 27-year-old, two-time Pro Bowl quarterback will undoubtedly get his on Sunday night, look for New England to punch back as well. In a relatively back-and-forth contest, I'm predicting that Herbert—who has notoriously struggled in the postseason—will throw multiple touchdowns and multiple interceptions.

Patriots’ dream season continues with two-score victory over Chargers

Mike Vrabel has the Patriots rolling in his first season at the helm. / David Butler II-Imagn Images

Mike Vrabel has this Patriots team rolling. Since their loss to the Bills last month—just their third defeat of the season—New England has rattled off three straight wins over the Ravens, Jets, and Dolphins. The Chargers, meanwhile, have dropped two straight games, including last week’s loss that cost them valuable ground in the wild-card race. These are two teams headed in opposite directions.

That’s why, along with what we outlined above, I'm predicting a 31–21 New England win, sending Drake “Drake Maye” Maye into the divisional round in just his second NFL season.

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