Eight Unsung Heroes in Patriots' Playoff Win Over Chargers

For the first time since the days of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, the New England Patriots have won a playoff game.

Amidst an electric wildcard weekend, the New England Patriots' matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers promised fireworks but fell far short. Regardless, the next-morning narrative defining the game has been universal but accurate: the Patriots' defense delivered a statement win against a premier quarterback, dominating with sticky coverage and explosive interior pass pressure.

Headlining the New England defensive effort was offseason acquisition and last year's Super Bowl standout, Milton Williams. Williams, an interior pass rusher, wreaked havoc on the Chargers' interior offensive line. Though the defense struggled early to generate a consistent pass rush against the battered Los Angeles pass protection, they finished the game with 30 pressures — a number so unbelievably high that it just sounds made up.

Offensively, quarterback Drake Maye also had a near-perfect second half, completing 11 of his 14 attempts for 173 passing yards and one of the most breathtakingly perfect passing touchdowns in Gillette Stadium playoff history.

Commenting on his team's intensity to seal the win, head coach Mike Vrabel remarked postgame, "We talked to them about being willing to spill some blood out there, and that the big dogs come out in January." Among the Mayes and Williams of the team were numerous "big dogs" who made their presence felt in the most important phases of the game, helping the team scrape out its first playoff win in seven years.

To be clear, there are a lot of names listed below — but given the Herculean effort given by the entire team in the biggest game of their season, each of these players deserves some recognition for their monumental contributions in a nail-biter.

Robert Spillane

For the first time since week 13, the team's premier inside linebacker was available.

Following Spillane's foot/ankle injury, New England's linebacker play suffered immensely. This led to significant struggles in the defense's run-stopping capabilities, both against quarterbacks and running backs. The defense's -.105 EPA/rush attempt from weeks 1-13 plummeted to -.011 from weeks 14-18, taking them from the ninth-best run defense to the 22nd.

Though fellow inside linebacker Christian Ellis has remained a stalwart, his reunion with Spillane helped the Patriots' defense limit Chargers' quarterback Justin Herbert's mobility — on the third drive of the game, this would manifest in the form of a goal-to-go stand that would define the rest of the evening.

In addition, Spillane's attention to detail helped Williams achieve the game-sealing sack. Spillane lines up standing in a 4i-technique, twitching pre-snap to sell the pass rush. He then takes two convincing steps towards the stretching left guard, leaving Williams with a clean one-on-one matchup and enough space on the right to swim move and chase the sack without the left guard being able to help.

Just too easy for Milton Williams 💪

LACvsNE on NBC
Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/bbB9Ywxo8F
— NFL (@NFL) January 12, 2026

TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson

In a largely lackluster first half for the offense, Stevenson was one of the few bright spots. With his improved presence in the passing attack, Stevenson's 48-yard reception in the first quarter directly yielded the team's first three points. Though unknown at the time, this single play by Stevenson alone would have been enough for New England to avoid the loss. For an offense struggling to find any momentum, Stevenson's contribution provided enough of a buffer to make an otherwise tight game feel a bit more manageable.

Correspondingly, home run hitter Henderson contributed in a manner that he was especially known for in college: pass blocking. On Maye's impeccable touchdown pass to tight end Hunter Henry, it was Henderson's cut block that kept the pocket clean enough for the young quarterback to slide and strike.

THIS IS GORGEOUS 🎯@DrakeMaye2 | @Hunter_Henry84

📺 NBC pic.twitter.com/7TYUczWj3q
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) January 12, 2026

Cory Durden

There is a legitimate argument to be had that Durden had a career breakout game — and yet, he hasn't found much recognition for his emergence.

In just 19 pass rushing snaps, the third-year inside pass rusher logged seven total pressures, two hits, five hurries, and a team-laeding 26.3% win rate. Pro Football Focus graded him at a 90.7, the highest grade of any player on the team.

With interior pass rushers Williams and Christian Barmore taking the lion's share of snaps, Durden's role as a depth piece who can consistently compress the pocket may be an underrated key if the team makes a deep playoff run.

New England Patriots defensive tackle Cory Durden (94) reacts to a defensive stop against the Miami Dolphins. — Jan 4, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots defensive tackle Cory Durden (94) reacts to a defensive stop against the Miami Dolphins during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis, and Marcus Jones

With the Patriots defense relying primarily on man-to-man coverage, a general shift from their regular season approach, both corners shined in their refined assignments.

Gonzalez, who was a true shutdown corner a season prior, retained his form of old, allowing no receptions on four targets. On the other side, Davis allowed just three receptions (one of which he actually tipped) for 31 yards, with his only real screentime being due to a heinous make-up pass interference call. In addition, Davis stuck a crucial tackle on Herbert on 2nd-and-goal following Maye's interception, saving a potential game-changing touchdown.

In the slot, Jones was largely matched up against electric slot receiver Ladd McConkey. Allowing just four receptions the whole night for 31 yards, Jones largely erased Herbert's safety blanket, keeping him off rhythm as the defensive line hunted.

Kayshon Boutte

Boutte is a really unique barometer for Maye in that when Boutte starts getting gutsy, tight-window targets from Maye, you can tell that Maye is hitting a flow state.

With Maye's other safety blanket receiver, Mack Hollins, missing time due to an abdominal injury, Boutte became the beneficiary of Maye's contested darts. He made the most of his opportunity, with a team-leading four receptions on four targets, including a 42-yard contested sideline grab that directly helped the team take a 9-3 lead late in the third quarter.

In the second half, Boutte's receiving directly contributed to 4.1 EPA — an especially valuable contribution in a game where four points were enough for a win.

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