The Chargers defeat the Patriots with a stunning victory to secure their spot in the playoffs

The Los Angeles Chargers secured a playoff spot in head coach Jim Harbaugh’s first season by defeating the New England Patriots 40-7 on Saturday.

The Kansas City Chiefs have already won the AFC West, meaning the Chargers will enter the playoffs as a wild card team.

The Chargers started red-hot, taking a 17-0 lead before the Patriots finally responded.

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Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) reacts after his touchdown pass against the New England Patriots in the third quarter at Gillette Stadium. (David Butler II-Imagn Images)

Quarterback Justin Herbert hit wide receiver Derius Davis with a strike and connected for a 23-yard touchdown. On their ensuing offensive possession, kicker Cameron Dicker hit a 27-yard field goal to give the Chargers a 10-0 lead.

After the field goal, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye failed to convert the pitch to the running back, and the fumble was recovered by safety Derwin James Jr. to give the Chargers good field position at midfield.

Herbert took advantage of the good field position and hit rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey for a six-yard touchdown to make it 17-0.

While the Chargers took a commanding lead, Maye temporarily left the sideline in the first quarter to be checked for a concussion.

The Patriots’ rookie quarterback was struggling and trying to convert a third-and-4 down the sideline when Chargers defensive back Cam Hart hit Maye high where there was helmet-to-helmet contact.

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Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) throws a touchdown pass to wide receiver Ladd McConkey (15) against the New England Patriots in the third quarter at Gillette Stadium. (David Butler II-Imagn Images)

Maye fumbled the ball when it was hit, but the Patriots recovered it.

After the hit, Maye lay there for a moment before finally getting up.

He was first examined in the blue medical tent and then taken to the locker room, where he was then released to play again.

The only highlight of the game for the Patriots was when Maye made the Chargers jump offside and then, with pressure on his face, threw a 36-yard dime to wide receiver Demario Douglas for a touchdown.

The touchdown cut the Chargers’ lead to 17-7, but those would be the only points the Patriots would score all day.

Herbert led the Chargers’ offense and gave Dicker a chance for a field goal before halftime.

Dicker was good from 38 yards and the Chargers took a 20-7 halftime lead.

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Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) reacts after a touchdown catch against the New England Patriots in the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. (David Butler II-Imagn Images)

The Chargers kept their foot on the gas pedal in the second half.

The Patriots got the ball first out of halftime but went out of bounds three times.

Herbert then led a 10-play, 94-yard scoring drive capped by a 40-yard touchdown catch by Ladd McConkey to give the Chargers a 27-7 lead and the game in the third to effectively seal the quarter.

Chargers running back JK Dobbins scored a touchdown in his return from injury in the fourth quarter.

Herbert was sensational in the win, completing 26-38 pass attempts for 284 yards and three touchdowns. The quarterback was retired with the game out of reach with more than ten minutes left in the fourth quarter.

McConkey passed Keenan Allen to record the most rookie catches in a season in Chargers history with eight receptions for 94 yards and two touchdowns.

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Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) passes the ball against the New England Patriots in the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. (David Butler II-Imagn Images)

This was the first time since 2021 that the Chargers scored 40 points in a game.

Maye was 12 of 22 for 117 yards and a touchdown, with six carries for 32 yards in the loss.

The last time the Chargers were in the playoffs was the 2022-2023 season, when they suffered one of the biggest collapses in NFL history, losing to the Jacksonville Jaguars 31-30 after being 27-27 at one point. 0 had led.

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