The Chargers are one-and-done in the postseason after a 16-3 loss to the Patriots on Sunday night.

Here's a game recap from the Wild Card Round of the playoffs:

Turning Point

It was a playoff football to the core — tight, physical and low-scoring.

The Chargers trailed 6-3 at the break after missing some key chances in the opening half.

Daiyan Henley scored an interception on New England's second drive to set the Chargers up at the Patriots 10-yard line, but the Bolts came away scoreless after throwing incomplete on fourth-and-goal from the 2.

The Patriots took an early three-point lead but the Bolts answered with a field goal from Cameron Dicker.

The Chargers defense was burned by Patriots quarterback Drake Maye late in the second quarter when he broke loose for a 37-yard scramble to set New England up for another field goal and a halftime lead.

Odafe Oweh made a game-changing play midway through the third quarter when he stripped Maye of the ball on a sack in the red zone.

But the Bolts once again came away empty-handed after the turnover as the offense was forced to punt near midfield.

The tide then turned away from the Bolts as the Patriots converted a third-and-13 before hitting a 42-yard pass play that set up another field goal.

Down 9-3 late in the third quarter, the Chargers offense once again moved near midfield but punted for the fifth time of the game.

The Bolts defense then allowed another scoring drive as the Patriots found the end zone for the first time of the game to build a double-digit lead.

Things then went from bad to worse for the Bolts as Justin Herbert was sacked and fumbled on the Chargers ensuing possession. The Patriots recovered in Chargers territory but the Bolts defense forced a punt.

Top Play

Oweh was a one-man wrecking crew on defense Sunday night.

The edge rusher essentially took points off the board for the Patriots when he notched a strip-sack on Maye that was recovered by Da'Shawn Hand.

The Bolts traded for Oweh in early October despite the fact he had not recorded a sack with the Ravens.

But the edge rusher flourished with the Bolts with 7.5 sacks in 12 games and then turned it up a notch with a trio of sacks Sunday night against New England while also recording a pair of forced fumbles.

Key Stat

The Chargers lost the time of possession battle Sunday night as they only controlled the ball for 27 minutes and 45 seconds.

That stat was usually an indication to how the Chargers game turned out in the regular season.

If you exclude Week 18 when the Chargers rested their starters, the Bolts finished first in the league in time of possession at 32 minutes and 55 seconds.

But they lost that battle in part because the offense couldn't get much going, especially after halftime.

The Chargers first two possessions after the break went for under two minutes while the third one was just two minutes and 33 seconds.

Excluding Week 18 with no starters, the Bolts won the time-of-possession battle in 12 of 16 games, going 10-2 in such contests.

The Bolts were 1-3 in regular-season games where they lost that battle. And were ousted in the opening round of the playoffs after losing that stat in New England.

Scoring Summary

Up Next

The Chargers season is over after a loss in the Wild Card Round.

The Bolts will now turn their attention to the 2026 offseason, including 2026 NFL free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft.