Justin Herbert and Chargers completely shut down by Patriots in season-ending loss

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The MVP chants for the second-year quarterback of the New England Patriots rang throughout Gillette Stadium on Sunday night.

The Chargers, meanwhile, were haunted by their own echoes.

Another playoff game. Another one-and-done exit.

The gutty season of quarterback Justin Herbert again ended with a whimper, a 16-3 loss on a night when the Chargers’ defense provided ample opportunities.

“We have to do better than three points,” Herbert said. “As an offense, that’s not good enough. The quarterback play wasn’t good enough, and we let the defense down today.”

🏈 Patriots 16, Chargers 3 — FINAL

Justin Herbert’s winless streak in the postseason continues.

With the offensive line struggling to protect him and his receiving corps unable to make enough critical catches, Herbert dropped to 0-3 in the playoffs in the Chargers’ season-ending loss to the second-seeded Patriots in the AFC wild-card playoffs.

The Chargers pieced together a drive on their final possession, but it all came crashing down when Milton Williams sacked Herbert on fourth down to effectively end the game. It was the Patriots’ sixth sack of the game.

🏈 Patriots 16, Chargers 3 — 7:26 left in the fourth quarter

The Chargers’ season appears to be on the brink.

Justin Herbert fumbled as he was sacked by K’Lavon Chaisson, with Christian Elliss recovering the ball for the Patriots.

Herbert was slow to get up and trainers were looking at his right arm on the sideline.

The Chargers’ five possessions of the second half have resulted in four punts and a turnover. They have 158 yards of total offense and Herbert has been sacked four times.

Luckily the Chargers held the Patriots to a three-and-out after the fumble recovery, putting the ball back in Herbert’s hands with 5:39 left.

🏈 Patriots 16, Chargers 3 — 9:45 left in the fourth quarter

Drake Maye completed a 28-yard pass to former Chargers tight end Hunter Henry for the game’s first touchdown, making it a two-score game.

The touchdown capped a seven-play, 80-yard drive that included a 16-yard reception by Kayshon Boutte and a 13-yard run by Rhamondre Stevenson.

🏈 Patriots 9, Chargers 3 — 14:01 left in the fourth quarter

Another possession, another punt for the Chargers.

The last four drives have ended in punts for a Chargers offense that is being shut down by the Patriots’ secondary. Tight coverage is forcing Justin Herbert to throw into very tight windows, and the Chargers’ receiving corps isn’t making catches.

Early in the six-play possession, Herbert fumbled as he was sacked, only for Kimani Vidal to pick up the ball and run 17 yards for the Chargers’ biggest gain of the third quarter (outside of a 22-yard pass interference penalty on the Patriots).

But two short runs followed by an incompletion to Quentin Johnston and a wide-open drop by Keenan Allen ended the drive.

🏈 Patriots 9, Chargers 3 — 1:34 left in the third quarter

Andy Borregales kicked a 39-yard field goal to extend the Patriots’ lead late in the third quarter.

The eight-play, 64-yard drive included a 42-yard reception by Kayshon Boutte that put the Patriots in field-goal range and a 19-yard pass to Hunter Henry.

While Drake Maye and the Patriots are not finding the end zone against a stingy Chargers defense, they are finding some rhythm on offense — something that has been missing for the Chargers.

After Maye was strip-sacked by Odafe Oweh on the previous New England drive, the Chargers punted for the third straight possession.

🏈 Patriots 6, Chargers 3 — 7:06 left in the third quarter

Odafe Oweh strip-sacked Drake Maye and Da’Shawn Hand recovered the fumble to end a promising-looking drive for the Patriots on their first possession of the second half.

The Chargers took over at their 23-yard line.

Oweh has been a force so far, using his speed and size to put pressure on Maye and the New England running game. Oweh has 9½ sacks in 13 games with the Chargers since being acquired via a trade with Baltimore in October.

Until Maye’s fumble, the Patriots were slicing through the Chargers’ defense. Rhamondre Stevenson caught passes of 10 and 17 yards and former Chargers tight end Hunter Henry also caught a 17-yard pass on the drive.

The Chargers went three-and-out to open the second half, with Ladd McConkey unable to come up with what would have been a remarkable catch on third down.

🏈 Patriots 6, Chargers 3 — HALFTIME

A huge run by Drake Maye set up a 35-yard field goal by Andy Borregales to give the Patriots the lead with two seconds left in the first half.

Maye’s 37-yard run set up the opportunity for New England to take the lead going into the locker room.

The Chargers’ final possession of the first half was a frustrating one. Justin Herbert was nearly sacked at the goal line to start the drive, just managing to throw away the ball.

Later in the eight-play possession, Herbert was sacked on back-to-back plays, but the first sack was a missed roughing-the-passer penalty on Milton Williams when he made contact with Herbert’s helmet.

The Chargers punted after tight coverage by the New England secondary on third down resulted in K’Lavon Chaisson sacking Herbert.

Herbert has completed 10 of 13 passes for 93 yards. Maye has 95 yards on six-of-15 passing. Each quarterback has been sacked twice. Maye has rushed for 55 yards.

The Patriots had 171 total yards to the Chargers’ 117, with both teams picking up eight first downs.

🏈 Chargers 3, Patriots 3 — 6:52 left in the second quarter

Cameron Dicker kicked a 21-yard field goal as the Chargers failed to make the most of their second trip to the red zone against the Patriots.

The 11-play, 69-yard drive was making good progress until it got to the New England 11-yard line. Kimani Vidal was stuffed on third and two before the field-goal try.

The drive included a 20-yard reception by Ladd McConkey and a gutsy 10-yard run by Vidal. On another Vidal run, a Patriots face mask penalty moved the ball into the red zone.

Justin Herbert has completed seven of nine passes for 67 yards so far.

🏈 Patriots 3, Chargers 0 — 13:32 left in the second quarter

Andy Borregales kicked a 23-yard field goal after good pressure on by the Chargers’ pass rush on third down kept the Patriots out of the end zone.

Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson opened the 14-play, 93-yard drive with a 48-yard catch-and-run. Maye kept the drive alive by completing a seven-yard pass to Kyle Williams on fourth and four.

After being sacked by Tuli Tuipulotu, Maye found Efton Chism III on a 20-yard throw that moved New England into the red zone.

🏈 Chargers 0, Patriots 0 — 5:12 left in the first quarter

Justin Herbert failed to connect with Keenan Allen in the end zone on fourth down, ruining a prime scoring opportunity after an interception deep within Patriots territory.

On the Patriots’ second possession, Teair Tart deflected a pass from Drake Maye that bounced off Derwin James Jr.’s hands and into the arms of Daiyan Henley at the New England 10-yard line.

But the Chargers couldn’t punch it in, with Herbert scrambling for short gains on the first three downs before failing to connect with Allen.

🏈 Chargers 0, Patriots 0 — 8:08 left in the first quarter

The Chargers picked up a pair of first downs on their first possession before sputtering at midfield.

Justin Herbert connected on a 14-yard pass to Tre’ Harris and a 10-yard pass to Oronde Gadsden II. He also scrambled for nine yards.

Chargers linebacker Odafe Oweh sacked Drake Maye on third down to limit the Patriots to five plays on the game’s opening possession.

Chargers rookie running back Omarion Hampton, who sustained a right ankle injury in Week 17, is active for Sunday’s game against the Patriots. Hampton came into the weekend listed as questionable.

Here are the Chargers’ inactives for the game:

CB Isas Waxter

S Kendall Williamson

OLB Bud Dupree

OLB Kyle Kennard

OL Austin Deculus

WR Dalevon Campbell

TE Tyler Conklin

Here are the players who will not be suiting up for the Patriots:

The Chargers’ mindset hasn’t wavered since Week 1.

Coach Jim Harbaugh and quarterback Justin Herbert insisted that it’s business as usual for the Chargers ahead of their AFC wild-card showdown against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on Sunday night.

But rookie wide receiver Tre’ Harris can’t help but feel some change, even if just so slightly — knowing that a loss means back-to-back seasons under Harbaugh without a playoff win.

“Everybody a little bit more locked in,” Harris said. “Everybody’s staying a couple more hours after meetings and things like that. Cleaning up things, making sure everything’s dotted. That’s what comes with playoff football.”

Jim Harbaugh listed descriptions of his players as he looked back on the injury-filled route to the postseason the Chargers took to facing the New England Patriots in the AFC wild-card round on Sunday.

Harbaugh, heading into his second postseason as Chargers head coach, coined his team as gladiators, warriors and competitors — grappling the attention off the reporter’s question about what he’d learned from the regular-season strife and onto his roster.

“They’re mighty men,” Harbaugh said Wednesday afternoon.

Justin Herbert or Drake Maye?

Both quarterbacks have had outstanding seasons and will meet on a huge stage Sunday night, each looking to pick up his first victory in the NFL playoffs.

Whereas Herbert is 0-2 in Chargers postseason games, Maye is making his first postseason appearance for the New England Patriots after assembling a most valuable player-caliber season.

Herbert hasn’t gotten as much MVP mention but has been elite, especially considering the state of his injury-riddled offensive line, which has a new configuration virtually every week.