The Chargers saw their season end with a 16-3 playoff loss against the Patriots on Sunday night.
Here are five takeaways from the Wild Card Round.
1. Early playoff exit for the Bolts
The Chargers are headed for the 2026 offseason.
Much earlier than they expected to be.
"It's tough to even talk about," Khalil Mack said. "We put our best foot forward and the dust fell where it was, dust settled where it is. I'm at a loss of words."
Daiyan Henley said: "We lost. Not good enough."
Derwin James added: "We didn't get it done."
Even Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh was perplexed by the way Sunday night's game unfolded.
Harbaugh was asked postgame if he had an answer for the double-digit loss.
"I wish I did. If I did, there would have been a different result," Harbaugh said. "Will be spending a lot of hard work and maybe sleepless nights getting it figured out.
But in a game where the Chargers needed to be close to perfect in order to beat the No. 2 seed in the AFC, the Bolts didn't have enough in primetime.
"We fought really hard to get here. Our efforts in this game just weren't quite enough," Zion Johnson said. "We have a lot to think about in the offseason in terms of where we can improve, how we can get better on an individual basis so this doesn't happen again."
The Chargers won 11 games for the second straight season but once again were one-and-done in the playoffs.
Despite that fact, Harbaugh echoed a sentiment of pride when describing the 2025 Chargers ... and said he has a positive outlook on the future of the organization.
"The way these players fight, the way they give it their very best, they give it their all, we'll owe them that," Harbaugh said. "Like I told the team, those that stay will be champions. Not looking at this as an end, but another beginning."
Keenan Allen added: "Definitely felt like we had a team that was very capable of making a run for it."
2. Missed chances aplenty
The script was set up perfectly for the Chargers midway through the first quarter.
Daiyan Henley picked off Maye on New England's second possession and positioned the Chargers offense with first-and-goal at the 10-yard line.
The Bolts came away empty handed.
"Couldn't get it in the end zone," Harbaugh said. "That turned out to be our best shot of the night to score that touchdown."
The Chargers didn't attempt a pass on the first three plays of the drive as Justin Herbert ran the ball three times, once on a designed rush. His fourth-down throw was incomplete.
"We just have to be able to score and we didn't do that today," Herbert said. "That's on us as an offense, when we get those opportunities we have to do everything we can to get the ball in the end zone."
Trey Pipkins III added: "Pretty big [miss]. Whenever you get good field position like that you have to capitalize. We just weren't executing at a high enough level."
Harbaugh explained his reasoning to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the 2.
"We've gone for some fourth downs ... looking back on it, you don't get it that would have been three more points where we got zero," Harbaugh said. "Had we gotten it, we would have needed just one touchdown at the end of the game.
"Would have been kicking myself had I not done it and gone for it and taking that opportunity, taking that chance. Felt like it was the right thing to do. Didn't get it in," Harbaugh added.
The Bolts had another chance to get points off a turnover in the third quarter when Odafe Oweh sacked Maye just outside of the red zone. The fumble was recovered by Da'Shawn Hand.
Down 6-3 with plenty of time left, the Bolts picked up 22 yards on a defensive pass interference call but managed just six yards on their next three plays before they were forced to punt.
It was once again a missed chance for the Bolts.
"We let the defense down today," Herbert said.
Browse through live action photos of the Bolts Wild Card matchup against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium!
LB Daiyan Henley (0)
LB Daiyan Henley (0)
CB Tarheeb Still (29)
S Tony Jefferson (23)
S Derwin James Jr. (3) and S Tony Jefferson (23)
OLB Odafe Oweh (98)
OLB Odafe Oweh (98)
OLB Odafe Oweh (98)
OLB Odafe Oweh (98)
OLB Odafe Oweh (98) and OLB Khalil Mack (52)
OLB Odafe Oweh (98) and OLB Khalil Mack (52)
OLB Odafe Oweh (98), OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45) and OLB Khalil Mack (52)
OLB Odafe Oweh (98) and OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
OLB Odafe Oweh (98) and OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45) and OLB Odafe Oweh (98)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45), OLB Odafe Oweh (98) and OLB Khalil Mack (52)
OLB Odafe Oweh (98), OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45) and OLB Khalil Mack (52)
OLB Khalil Mack (52), OLB Odafe Oweh (98) and OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
OLB Odafe Oweh (98) and DL Otito Ogbonnia (93)
OLB Odafe Oweh (98) and DL Otito Ogbonnia (93)
OLB Odafe Oweh (98) and Head Coach Jim Harbaugh
Head Coach Jim Harbaugh
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
WR Tre Harris (9)
WR Tre Harris (9)
WR Tre Harris (9)
WR Tre Harris (9)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
T Trey Pipkins III (79), G Mekhi Becton (73), C Bradley Bozeman (75), G Zion Johnson (77) and OL Jamaree Salyer (68)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
DB Deane Leonard (33)
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DB Deane Leonard (33) and WR Tre Harris (9)
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LB Del'Shawn Phillips (53) and DB Deane Leonard (33)
DB Deane Leonard (33) and WR Tre Harris (9)
DB Deane Leonard (33)
DB Deane Leonard (33) and WR Tre Harris (9)
LB Del'Shawn Phillips (53) and DB Deane Leonard (33)
CB Benjamin St-Juste (24)
S Tony Jefferson (23)
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S Derwin James Jr. (3) and LB Daiyan Henley (0)
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S Derwin James Jr. (3) and LB Daiyan Henley (0)
LB Daiyan Henley (0)
CB Tarheeb Still (29), LB Daiyan Henley (0) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
CB Tarheeb Still (29), LB Daiyan Henley (0) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
CB Tarheeb Still (29), LB Daiyan Henley (0) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
CB Tarheeb Still (29), LB Daiyan Henley (0) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
LB Daiyan Henley (0) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
LB Daiyan Henley (0) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
OLB Khalil Mack (52), LB Daiyan Henley (0) and DB Elijah Molden (2)
LB Daiyan Henley (0), LB Del'Shawn Phillips (53), DB Elijah Molden (2) and OLB Khalil Mack (52)
CB Cam Hart (20), DL Da'Shawn Hand (91) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
DB Elijah Molden (2), LB Del'Shawn Phillips (53) and LB Daiyan Henley (0)
DB Elijah Molden (2), LB Daiyan Henley (0) and LB Del'Shawn Phillips (53)
S Tony Jefferson (23)
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S Derwin James Jr. (3) and LB Daiyan Henley (0)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45) and LB Daiyan Henley (0)
S RJ Mickens (27) and LB Daiyan Henley (0)
CB Donte Jackson (26) and LB Daiyan Henley (0)
CB Donte Jackson (26) and LB Daiyan Henley (0)
S Tony Jefferson (23) and CB Donte Jackson (26)
LB Daiyan Henley (0)
LB Daiyan Henley (0)
LB Daiyan Henley (0)
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OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
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OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
OLB Odafe Oweh (98) and DL Justin Eboigbe (92)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
RB Kimani Vidal (30)
RB Kimani Vidal (30)
RB Kimani Vidal (30)
RB Kimani Vidal (30)
RB Kimani Vidal (30)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
TE Tucker Fisk (42)
TE Tucker Fisk (42)
RB Kimani Vidal (30)
K Cameron Dicker (11) and P JK Scott (16)
K Cameron Dicker (11) and P JK Scott (16)
P JK Scott (16) and K Cameron Dicker (11)
P JK Scott (16) and K Cameron Dicker (11)
P JK Scott (16) and K Cameron Dicker (11)
P JK Scott (16) and K Cameron Dicker (11)
LS Josh Harris (47)
K Cameron Dicker (11)
K Cameron Dicker (11)
DL Justin Eboigbe (92)
RB Hassan Haskins (28)
LB Daiyan Henley (0)
DB Elijah Molden (2) and LB Denzel Perryman (6)
LB Daiyan Henley (0)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
OLB Khalil Mack (52)
OLB Khalil Mack (52)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86), RB Kimani Vidal (30) and DL Scott Matlock (44)
OL Jamaree Salyer (68), TE Oronde Gadsden (86), C Bradley Bozeman (75), G Mekhi Becton (73) and RB Kimani Vidal (30)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
OL Jamaree Salyer (68), TE Oronde Gadsden (86), WR Keenan Allen (13), WR Ladd McConkey (15), QB Justin Herbert (10) and RB Kimani Vidal (30)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
RB Kimani Vidal (30)
WR Keenan Allen (13), WR Tre Harris (9), RB Kimani Vidal (30), TE Tucker Fisk (42), QB Justin Herbert (10) and T Trey Pipkins III (79)
QB Justin Herbert (10) and RB Kimani Vidal (30)
RB Kimani Vidal (30)
RB Kimani Vidal (30)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
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P JK Scott (16)
P JK Scott (16)
WR Tre Harris (9)
WR Tre Harris (9) and TE Will Dissly (89)
WR Tre Harris (9), TE Will Dissly (89) and LB Troy Dye (43)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
DB Elijah Molden (2) and CB Tarheeb Still (29)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
DL Da'Shawn Hand (91)
CB Donte Jackson (26)
DT Jamaree Caldwell (99)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
DL Teair Tart (90)
DL Teair Tart (90)
OLB Odafe Oweh (98)
OLB Odafe Oweh (98)
OLB Odafe Oweh (98)
OLB Odafe Oweh (98)
S Tony Jefferson (23)
OLB Odafe Oweh (98)
DL Da'Shawn Hand (91) and LB Del'Shawn Phillips (53)
DL Da'Shawn Hand (91) and LB Del'Shawn Phillips (53)
S Tony Jefferson (23)
S Tony Jefferson (23)
DL Da'Shawn Hand (91)
OLB Odafe Oweh (98) and OLB Bud Dupree (48)
Defensive Line Coach Mike Elston and DL Da'Shawn Hand (91)
DL Da'Shawn Hand (91) and P JK Scott (16)
RB Kimani Vidal (30)
DL Teair Tart (90)
DL Teair Tart (90)
DL Teair Tart (90)
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DL Teair Tart (90)
DL Teair Tart (90) and DL Da'Shawn Hand (91)
DL Teair Tart (90) and DL Da'Shawn Hand (91)
DL Teair Tart (90) and DL Da'Shawn Hand (91)
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DL Da'Shawn Hand (91) and DL Teair Tart (90)
DL Da'Shawn Hand (91) and DL Teair Tart (90)
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DL Teair Tart (90) and OLB Khalil Mack (52)
DL Teair Tart (90)
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S Derwin James Jr. (3) and LB Daiyan Henley (0)
RB Kimani Vidal (30)
RB Kimani Vidal (30)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45), DL Da'Shawn Hand (91), CB Tarheeb Still (29), S Derwin James Jr. (3) and OLB Khalil Mack (52)
LB Denzel Perryman (6)
LB Daiyan Henley (0)
LB Troy Dye (43)
WR Derius Davis (12)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
DL Justin Eboigbe (92) and DT Jamaree Caldwell (99)
DT Jamaree Caldwell (99) and LB Daiyan Henley (0)
DT Jamaree Caldwell (99), DL Teair Tart (90) and CB Tarheeb Still (29)
DL Teair Tart (90), DT Jamaree Caldwell (99) and CB Tarheeb Still (29)
OLB Khalil Mack (52) and OLB Odafe Oweh (98)
OLB Khalil Mack (52) and OLB Odafe Oweh (98)
OLB Khalil Mack (52) and OLB Odafe Oweh (98)
OLB Khalil Mack (52) and OLB Odafe Oweh (98)
OLB Khalil Mack (52) and OLB Odafe Oweh (98)
OLB Khalil Mack (52) and OLB Odafe Oweh (98)
OLB Odafe Oweh (98) and OLB Khalil Mack (52)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45) and OLB Khalil Mack (52)
OLB Khalil Mack (52) and OLB Odafe Oweh (98)
RB Kimani Vidal (30)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
3. Defense frustrated by big plays
If you had told the Chargers before the game that they would limit the Patriots high-powered offense to just 16 points, they surely would have taken in.
And on the whole, the Bolts defense played well enough to win in New England.
"I thought our defense played well. It was a strength for us all year," Harbaugh said. "Opportunistic again, got the turnovers, weren't able to capitalize.
"I thought they played well, like they always do. Fight, play their hearts out, like our entire team does, every man on the team does," Harbaugh added.
Odafe Oweh led the way with three sacks and two forced fumbles, but his eye-popping performance wasn't enough.
"I feel like we stopped them a few good times," Oweh said. "They were just in better situations than us."
The Chargers allowed 381 yards to the Patriots, but it felt like the Bolts had the upper hand for the majority of the game.
The difference? The Patriots and Maye were able to hit on a handful of big plays, including five that gained at least 20 yards. Those five plays added up to 175 yards, a little less than half of New England's total output.
There were two pass plays of 40-plus yards plus a 37-yard scramble from Maye that helped set up a field goal as the Patriots took a 6-3 halftime lead.
Mack shook his head when recalling the explosive plays allowed.
"Rush and coverage had to work together. Can't give up no big plays," Mack said.
James added: "Credit to Drake Maye, every time we got to him he got back up. Every time his team needed a play, he used his legs. A lot of credit to him. He did everything he could to get the job done for his team."
Overall, the Chargers defense limited the Patriots to just 4-for-11 on third downs and forced a pair of turnovers.
James said they needed to be better in the playoffs.
"We got to finish. Can't give up the touchdowns, can't give up no points, really," James said. "Can't give up no field goals, nothing.
"Just get better. Right now I don't really have the words honestly," James added. "Just look at the film. I wish I had better words for you."
4. Herbert takes responsibility in loss
Let's be clear, the Chargers wouldn't have been playing Sunday night if it weren't for Herbert.
The Bolts quarterback played through multiple injuries in 2025, including a fractured left hand, and willed the Chargers to multiple comeback wins and a playoff berth.
"If anything, he's the reason we were in this position. Throughout the season, had those injuries," Keenan Allen said.
He later added: "Doing what he does. Taking hits, getting back up, coming back trying to go back to the next play and keep us in the game."
James said: "Toughness. He was just trying to give us a chance. Anytime I seen him, guys hitting him from the left, hitting him from the right and he kept battling. Nobody knows how hard it is back there when it's like that. Credit to him for going out there and giving it his all, all season not just this game. All season. Got a lot of respect for 10, I know what type of player he is."
Harbaugh also lauded the quarterback for his consistent toughness.
"Warrior. Doing everything and anything he could to move our team and get us in the end zone," Harbaugh said. "He just gives it everything he can all the time."
But Herbert was not at his best Sunday night, something the quarterback took responsibility for after the game.
"As an offense, it wasn't good enough. I didn't play well enough and didn't make any plays," Herbert said.
The quarterback completed 19 of 31 passes for 159 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. He lost a fumble and had a passer rating of 74.5, his fourth-lowest mark of the entire season.
The quarterback was asked postgame how well he was able to see the field.
"Not well enough, and that's the tough part," Herbert said. "We have to do better than three points as an offense. It's not good enough. Quarterback play wasn't good enough and we let the defense down today."
Ladd McConkey, Allen, Quentin Johnston and Oronde Gadsden — the Chargers top pass catchers — each only had three receptions on a tough night.
As for his playoff record, which dropped to 0-3, Herbert said he would keep striving to get a postseason win.
"I don't know. I haven't figured it out yet. That's the tough part about the NFL, there's a lot of good teams and wasn't good enough today," Herbert said.
Check out the top photos of the Bolts warming up for their Wild Card matchup against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium!
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45) and OLB Khalil Mack (52)
WR Tre Harris (9), WR Derius Davis (12), WR Quentin Johnston (1) and WR Ladd McConkey (15)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
OLB Khalil Mack (52)
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Head Coach Jim Harbaugh and Defensive Line Coach Mike Elston
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OLB Khalil Mack (52)
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OLB Khalil Mack (52)
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OLB Khalil Mack (52) and CB Cam Hart (20)
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DL Justin Eboigbe (92)
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CB Tarheeb Still (29)
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QB Justin Herbert (10)
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Head Coach Jim Harbaugh
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Head Coach Jim Harbaugh
Head Coach Jim Harbaugh
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Defensive Backs Coach Steve Clinkscale and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
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DT Jamaree Caldwell (99) and OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
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RB Omarion Hampton (8)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
LB Daiyan Henley (0)
LB Daiyan Henley (0)
LB Denzel Perryman (6), CB Donte Jackson (26), CB Benjamin St-Juste (24), CB Cam Hart (20), DB Elijah Molden (2) and S RJ Mickens (27)
OLB Odafe Oweh (98)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Tony Jefferson (23)
LB Daiyan Henley (0), S Derwin James Jr. (3), Head Coach Jim Harbaugh and QB Justin Herbert (10)
S Derwin James Jr. (3) and Head Coach Jim Harbaugh
QB Justin Herbert (10), OLB Khalil Mack (52), S Derwin James Jr. (3), LB Daiyan Henley (0), C Bradley Bozeman (75) and G Zion Johnson (77)
QB Justin Herbert (10), OLB Khalil Mack (52), S Derwin James Jr. (3), LB Daiyan Henley (0), C Bradley Bozeman (75) and G Zion Johnson (77)
5. Bolts run game falters
The Chargers lost the time-of-possession battle Sunday night by only controlling the ball for 27 minutes and 45 seconds.
That was about five minutes fewer than the Bolts held the rock in the regular season — not including Week 18 without their starters — when the Chargers led the league in that metric.
One reason the Bolts faltered there in New England? An inability to produce a consistent run game.
Herbert led the Chargers with 57 rushing yards 10 carries while Kimani Vidal had 31 yards on just 11 attempts.
Rookie Omarion Hampton, who was questionable to play with an ankle injury but was active, had a single carry that lost a yard.
"We weren't good enough. We didn't get enough points, sustaining the drives, left the defense out on the field too much in terms of time of possession. Just wasn't our night," Harbaugh said.
Overall, the Bolts offense managed just 207 total yards, which would have been their second-lowest output in the regular season.
Harbaugh credited a stingy New England defense for showing up to play and helping the Patriots win the game.
"They were a big factor. That was a heck of a performance by them," Harbaugh said. "They were able to get the stops. Third down, red zone, played really good situational, played really good coverage.
"There were some that could have gone either way and they were able to make the play. I congratulate them, it was a heck of a game," Harbaugh added.
The Chargers finished the game just 1-for-10 on third downs.
