FOXBOROUGH, Mass. —
The New England Patriots defense dominated Sunday night, beating the Los Angeles Chargers 16-3 in the NFL wild-card game at Gillette Stadium.
Both teams opened the game with strong defensive play, forcing quick stops that kept the score tied at zero early in the first quarter.
On his first playoff drive, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye threw a pass that was tipped and intercepted by the Chargers.
Los Angeles took over near the Patriots’ goal line but failed to score after coach Jim Harbaugh chose to go for it on fourth down. The game remained scoreless.
The Patriots scored first on a 23-yard field goal by kicker Andy Borregales, taking a 3-0 lead.
The Chargers responded later with a field goal of their own to tie the game 3-3.
New England’s defense continued to apply pressure, including back-to-back sacks that gave the Patriots good field position late in the second quarter.
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A 37-yard run by Maye helped set up another field goal just before halftime, giving New England a 6-3 lead.
Both quarterbacks were under pressure in the third quarter, with a few close calls between potential fumbles or incomplete passes.
The Patriots added another field goal to extend their lead to 9-3.
The game’s first touchdown came with 9:45 remaining in the fourth quarter, when tight end Hunter Henry caught a 28-yard pass from Maye. The score pushed the Patriots’ lead to 16-3.
New England kept the momentum going when linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson forced a fumble by Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. Christian Elliss recovered the ball, giving the Patriots possession with 8:08 remaining.
The Patriots will host the winner of the Houston Texans vs. Pittsburgh Steelers game in the AFC divisional round next Sunday. You can watch the game live on WMUR.