DENVER — Is the third time the charm?
Twice in the club's history Chargers lost playoff games in New England. This was the AFC Championship game of the 2007 season. divisional play in 2018.
However, this is nothing more than a trivial answer, since the two teams are now completely different. This match features two outstanding coaches Jim Harbaugh and New England's Mike Vrabel, as well as two elite defenders in Justin Herbert and Drake May.
The Patriots haven't seen many elite quarterbacks this season, instead playing an uninspiring collection of passers that includes Cam Ward, Spencer Rattler, Dillon Gabriel and the 40-year-old Joe Flacco. New England beat Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes and Buffalo star and reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen to knock off the Bills in Week 5 and then take a 21-0 lead in Week 15.
Of course, you play whoever is on your NFL schedule, so you don't pick and choose the defenders you face. And the Patriots usually got the job done. It's just that Herbert could become a serious problem.
However, Herbert has yet to win a playoff game in six seasons and has taken more hits than any quarterback in the league (as evidenced by his broken left hand).
The Patriots plan to lean heavily on their high-powered offense to control the ball in the cold and make it three-on-three against their AFC foes from the opposite corner of the country.
