Defenses Dominating Patriots vs. Chargers at Halftime

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — As Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson might say, “Finally, playoff football has come back to New England!”

The New England Patriots are hosting the Los Angeles Chargers in a Wild Card Round playoff showdown at Gillette Stadium. As fate would have it, the longtime AFC rivals are locked in a defensive slugfest in the second-to-last game to be played on the NFL’s opening weekend of the playoffs.

Quarterback Drake Maye has completed 6-of-15 for 95 yards with one interception, as well as five carries for 55 yards on the ground. Conversely, Chargers veteran Justin Herbert has thrown for 93 yards on 10 attempts.

In that vein, here are the highlights from a first half in which the Pats hold a 6-3 lead, with the Chargers set to possess the ball first to begin the second half.

First Quarter: The Irresistible Force Meets the Immovable Object

While the Patriots and the Chargers failed to find the end zone during the first period of play, the action on the field clearly revealed the priority both teams placed on precision and tenacity.

Maye was intercepted on his second offensive drive of the game, as his pass intended for tight end Austin Hooper was tipped by defensive tackle Teair Tart and into the hands of linebacker Daiyan Henley. The turnover gave the Bolts optimal field position at the New England 10-yard line. Yet, Los Angeles could not make the Patriots pay for their misfire. New England’s red zone defense forced a turnover on downs, with cornerback Christian Gonzalez providing textbook coverage on Chargers’ receiver Keenan Allen.

Jan 11, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) scrambles as Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley (0) defends during the second quarter in an AFC Wild Card Round game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

Second Quarter: Something Had to Give …. And It Did

While New England’s first scoring drive technically began in the latter stages of the first quarter, the Pats' 14-play, 93-yard drive culminated in the second period. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson highlighted the series with a 48-yard catch-and-run off a check down from Maye. Still, the Chargers held New England out of the end zone. Rookie kicker Andy Borregales made a 23-yard field goal to give the Pats a 3-0 lead.

The Chargers responded with a lengthy scoring drive of their own. Herbert led the Bolts on a 10-play 69-yard drive. On second-and-11 from their own 27-yard line, the Chargers QB delivered the highlight of the drive, a 22-yard completion to receiver Ladd McConkey. Los Angeles kicker Cameron Dicker put the cap on the series with a 21-yard field goal to tie the game 3-3.

With time winding down in the second stanza, the Chargers appeared to come up short on a 3rd-and-1 from their own 27. However, the line judge ruled that the ball was pushed beyond the 28-yard line, which gave the Bolts an additional attempt at adding points before the end of the half. Still, the Pats persevered with back-to-back sacks from Milton Williams and K’Lavon Chaisson.

With less than 35 seconds remaining, the Patriots regained the ball with one last gasp effort for points before halftime. Maye finaly found an opening for a 37-yard scramble to the New England 46-yard line. Borregales made a 35-yard field goal to give the Patriots a 6-3 lead at halftime.

Injury Update:

Cornerback Carlton Davis III left the game late in the second quarter with a toe injury. Davis is questionable to return in the second half.

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