2026
Week 12 · Sunday 8:20 PM ET · SoFi Stadium
vs
Chargers offensevsPatriots defense
Season numbers through Week 8: 7 games for Chargers, 8 for Patriots. Ranks are out of 32; #1 is the best offense or the stingiest defense.
Tight ends feast
Patriots give up 7.9 targets a game to tight ends (20th), against a league average of 7.6. Chargers' tight ends produce 7.4 (17th).
Deep left is open
Patriots are worst against deep left throws, allowing +0.96 EPA per attempt. Chargers send 6% of their throws there. That is a small part of their offense so far.
Pressure problem
Chargers take a sack on 10% of dropbacks (28th). Patriots get home on 8% (5th). League average is 7%.
Explosive play rate
Call this one even. Chargers create explosive plays on 8% of snaps (25th). Patriots give them up at 9% (16th).
Players to watch
Patriots
Drake MayeQB · 157/234 · 1983 yds · 15 TD · 8 INTEPA per dropback +0.21 · 9th
Rhamondre StevensonRB · 96 car · 367 yds · 3 TD · 23 recEPA per touch 0.00 · 18th
DeMario DouglasWR · 26 rec · 332 yds · 4 TD · 37 tgtEPA per target +0.57 · 13th
Hunter HenryTE · 29 rec · 326 yds · 2 TD · 34 tgtEPA per target +0.55 · 5thElijah PonderWeakside Linebacker · 23 tackles · 6 sacks · 1 PD6 sacks · T-7th in the NFLMarcus JonesNickel Back · 39 tackles · 1 sack · 1 INT · 6 PD1 INT
Chargers
Justin HerbertQB · 131/212 · 1398 yds · 5 TD · 10 INTEPA per dropback -0.26
Omarion HamptonRB · 89 car · 309 yds · 3 TD · 11 recEPA per touch -0.23
Tre HarrisWR · 18 rec · 256 yds · 0 TD · 28 tgtEPA per target +0.30
Quentin JohnstonWR · 12 rec · 202 yds · 0 TD · 26 tgtEPA per target +0.24Tuli TuipulotuWeakside Linebacker · 29 tackles · 3 sacks · 1 INT · 3 PD3 sacksCam HartLeft Cornerback · 28 tackles · 2 INT · 6 PD2 INT · T-11th in the NFLThe Patriots lead the series 12–5 since 1999 (they first met in 2001). Jan 11, 2026, at Gillette Stadium: the Patriots won 16–3. Drake Maye started at quarterback for the Patriots and Justin Herbert for the Chargers; Mike Vrabel and Jim Harbaugh coached.
The last 5
| 2025 · Wk 19 · playoffs | LAC 3 at NE 16 |
| 2024 · Wk 17 | LAC 40 at NE 7 |
| 2023 · Wk 13 | LAC 6 at NE 0 |
| 2021 · Wk 8 | NE 27 at LAC 24 |
| 2020 · Wk 13 | NE 45 at LAC 0 |
2026 records
| Patriots | Chargers | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 5–3 | 0–7 |
| Division | 3–0 | 0–3 |
| Conference | 5–1 | 0–4 |
| Other conference | 0–2 | 0–3 |
| Home | 3–0 | 0–3 |
| Away | 2–3 | 0–4 |
| Last 5 | WWWLW | LLLLL |
| Streak | Won 1 | Lost 7 |
| Points a game | 23.0 – 20.3 | 14.1 – 25.0 |
Every meeting since 1999, regular season and playoffs, from nflverse's game list, which starts in 1999; the all-time series goes back further. Franchises that moved count as one team (the Raiders, Chargers and Rams). Home and away are from the Patriots' side. Records are this regular season.
Chargers offense · 3WR 1TE
- QBJustin Herbert#10 · 131/212 · 1398 yds · 5 TD · 10 INT
- RBOmarion Hampton#8 · 89 car · 309 yds · 3 TD · 11 rec
- WRLadd McConkey#15 · 17 rec · 286 yds · 1 TD · 24 tgt
- WRQuentin Johnston#1 · 12 rec · 202 yds · 0 TD · 26 tgt
- WRTre' Harris#9 · 18 rec · 256 yds · 0 TD · 28 tgt
- TECharlie Kolar#88 · 10 rec · 98 yds · 0 TD · 17 tgt
- LTJoe Alt#76
- LGKayode Awosika#74
- CJake Slaughter#66
- RGCole Strange#69
- RTTravis Burke#77
Patriots defense · Base 3-4 D
- RDEMilton Williams#97 · 20 tackles · 1 sack
- NTCory Durden#94 · 19 tackles · 1.5 sacks
- LDEChristian Barmore#90 · 7 tackles · 3.5 sacks
- WLBElijah Ponder#91 · 23 tackles · 6 sacks · 1 PD
- SLBDre'Mont Jones#5 · 14 tackles · 1 sack
- RILBRobert Spillane#14 · 47 tackles · 2 PD
- LILBChristian Elliss#53 · 58 tackles · 1.5 sacks · 1 PD
- RCBChristian Gonzalez#0 · 21 tackles · 5 PD
- LCBCarlton Davis III#7 · 25 tackles · 1 PD
- NBMarcus Jones#25 · 39 tackles · 1 sack · 1 INT · 6 PD
- SSCraig Woodson#4 · 36 tackles · 1 INT · 3 PD
- FSKevin Byard#31 · 40 tackles · 1 INT · 3 PD
Starters from each team's current depth chart (nflverse, from ESPN), drawn in the offense's base three-receiver set against the defense's base front. The nickel back, the extra defensive back most teams use against three receivers, is drawn lighter. Left and right are as the offense sees the field. The toggle at the top flips which offense is drawn.
| Stat | LAC off | Favors LAC · Favors NE | NE def allows | NFL avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | ||||
| EPA per play | -0.26#32 | +0.01#18 | +0.00 | |
| Success rate | 35%#32 | 44%#16 | 44% | |
| Yards per play | 4.7#30 | 5.3#12 | 5.4 | |
| Explosive play rate | 8%#25 | 9%#16 | 9% | |
| Passing | ||||
| Pass EPA per dropback | -0.30#32 | +0.08#22 | +0.03 | |
| Sack rate | 10%#28 | 8%#5 | 7% | |
| Running | ||||
| Run EPA per carry | -0.23#31 | -0.09#13 | -0.08 | |
| Yards per carry | 3.7#23 | 3.8#11 | 4.1 | |
| Money downs | ||||
| 3rd down conversion | 37%#27 | 38%#10 | 41% | |
| Red zone TD rate | 50%#29 | 57%#12 | 61% | |
| Targets by position | ||||
| WR yards per game | 122#27 | 152#23 | 147 | |
| TE yards per game | 47#22 | 52#14 | 55 | |
| TE targets per game | 7.4#17 | 7.9#20 | 7.6 | |
| RB receiving yards per game | 31#15 | 31#14 | 32 | |
Chargers: EPA per throw
Patriots: EPA allowed per throw
Green gains more than expected, red loses value. Cells with fewer than 5 throws are grayed out.