The weekend action of the 2025 NFL season’s wild card round concludes with one of the league’s best quarterback matchups: Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers (11-6) vs. Drake Maye and the New England Patriots (14-3).

Both squads are looking to taste victory in the playoffs for the first time since the 2018 season. That’s when the Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII, and the Chargers defeated the Baltimore Ravens in the wild card round. New England is hosting Sunday night’s showdown after improving its record from 2024 by 10 games, which ties the best year-over-year win increase in NFL history, something the 1999 Indianapolis Colts and the 2008 Miami Dolphins have also achieved.

The Patriots accomplished this feat because their second-year quarterback Maye leveled up into being an NFL MVP candidate in 2025. He became the youngest player in NFL history, at the age of 23, to lead the NFL in both completion percentage (72%) and yards per pass attempt (8.9). Herbert overcame playing behind the NFL’s worst offensive line, in large part because of injuries, as he threw for the ninth-most passing yards (3,727) and the second-most rushing yards (498) by a quarterback this season. 

Which rocket armed passer will lead their team to its first playoff win since 2018? Stay tuned to our live blog to find out along with key updates, analysis, highlights and more!

Where to watch Chargers vs. Patriots liveDate: Sunday, Jan. 11 | Time: 8:15 p.m. ETLocation: Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Massachusetts)TV: NBCFollow: CBS Sports AppOdds: Patriots -3.5, O/U 45.5 (via DraftKings Sportsbook)