Patriots Playoff Notebook: Patriots 16 Chargers 3

New England nearly blanks Los Angeles en route to their first postseason win since Super Bowl 53

Thanks to the Red Sox thriftiness, I’m not feeling good right now. Alex Bregman signed with the Cubs and instantly the Bears came back from being down 21-3 to win on Saturday night. I’m worried that the city of Chicago are taking everything from us, maybe that win was meant for us and they took it.

I start with this insane sentiment only to illustrate my mental state as this game kicks off. I’ve missed this feeling of nervous, nauseous, paranoia. The Patriots are back in the playoffs and that calls for something new, that’s right it’s the first ever Real-Time Recap for a playoff game! (I’m only doing this to break new ground, it has nothing to do with wanting to try to go to bed at a decent hour before work tomorrow. It’s about the ground breaking and always striving to give you, the Notebook readers something new!)

- Four-playoff games down and each one of them came down to the wire. They always say “This game will come down to who has the ball last” but each game saw the team who had the ball last, doing various degrees of nothing with it. Will this game buck the trend? Who will get their first playoff win, Justin Herbert or Drake Maye? Can the Patriots win their first playoff game since Super Bowl 53? It’s Patriots vs Chargers, NEXT!

- Chargers win the toss and defer to the second half, to quote Shoresy “SET THE TONE!”

- After the Pats pick up a first down on their first two plays, I’m reminded of how fun all the names are on this Chargers roster are. Early favorite is Teair Tart. As I write this, Odafe Oweh sacks Drake Maye to snuff out our opening drive. The Patriots punt it away.

- Best name on the Chargers offense, I’m taking Trey Pipkins III. Honestly didn’t know there were two other Pipkins. Seems like a good thing to be aware of.

- 4^th down and 2 at the Patriots 48, the Chargers are going for it? Or not, the Patriots don’t bite, LA takes a delay of game and will punt it away. After picking up a couple of quick first downs, the Patriots defense settled down on the first drive. Hey, that’s the first time I’ve said that this season! Felt good. Pats take over inside their own 10.

- Well I jinxed us, on a play Cris Collinsworth described as “Sometimes the player who does the least on at a play” is how he describes Teair Tart deflecting Drake Maye’s pass that momentarily settles in Derwin James’ hands, before being intercepted by teammate, Daiyan Henley and the Chargers are set up 1^st and goal just inside the 10. Looks like the Patriots are going to be starting from behind.

- 3 Herbert runs leaves the Chargers at the 2-yard line and once again LA looks like they’re going for it on 4^th down. THEY ARE, CHRISTIAN GONZALEZ DEFENDS KEENAN ALLEN, THE PASS FALLS INCOMPLETE!! PATS TAKE OVER! So after all of that and we essentially lost 6 yards of field position.

- Let’s try this again. Little underneath dump off to Mondre and he breaks it for 50-yards! Incredible poise by Maye, facing a blitz, he threw that from the tail of the Elvis logo in his own end zone and never flinched. Momentum just flipped as the Patriots created some space from their own goal line.

- On 3^rd and 4, Josh dials up some razzle dazzle, Mondre takes the end around and flips it to Efton Chism, who has a wide open Drake Maye and just over shoots him. If this play had connected, we would’ve had a statue up outside the stadium by Tuesday. Pats pass up a 41-yard field goal attempt and convert on 4^th and 4 to Kyle Williams. Drive continues.

- Maye is sacked on first down but on 2^nd and 18, Maye finds Efton Chism for a first down to close out the first quarter with the Patriots at the Chargers 11. I’m already exhausted. I need another coffee.

- The Chargers stiffen and the Patriots are left to attempt a 23-yard field. Borregales drills a low one that gets through, 3-0 Patriots. You always want to come out of a drive like that with 7-points, but the Chargers defense was on the field for a long time and we came away with points, we can build off of this.

- I’m not going to lie, it’s nice to see Gillette Stadium for a prime time playoff game again. We got so used to this scene for so many years, this just looks right. Mike Tirico has been remarking throughout broadcast about the playoffs returning to Foxborough and I’m here for it. (Though he keeps saying Boston.)

- Behind the much maligned/patchwork, Chargers offensive line, LA is putting a drive together as the Patriots can’t get a finger on Justin Herbert. Add in a face mask penalty and the Chargers are set up on the 13-yard line. But once again the defense stands up and the Chargers are left with a 4^th and 2, this time they opt for a 21-yard Cameron Dicker field goal. (Told you the Chargers had great names, Dicker the Kicker.) 3-3, 6:52 to go in the first half.

- The Patriots are having a tough time passing against this LA defense, they’re bringing extra rushers and New England can’t get a down field passing game going. The book on the Chargers was that they don’t allow big plays and to beat this defense you have to put together drives. That’s proving true thus far, Barringer punts it away and Jahlani Tavai downs in inside the 10. (JAHLANI TAVAI IS GOOD!!!)

- A weather report from friend of the program Don Mitchell: “Not really (cold) way better conditions than I expected. A little bit of wind but not bad. It’s really too nice.” Which tells me it’s the Chargers defense and not the conditions that has temporarily grounded the Patriots’ offense.

- The Patriots finally get to Herbert and momentarily it looks like he fumbles on his own 2-yard line, but on replay we see it is a feeble pass instead. A break for the Chargers and the next play Herbert connects with Keenan Allen for 10-yards and a first down. Missed opportunity for the Pats.

- The Chargers try a QB sneak on 3^rd and short and line judge Jay Bilbo says Herbert was short, but somehow gets overruled and a first down is called. The Patriots are siding with Bilbo as they would prefer 4^th and inches at midfield. Also, what the heck are the names associated with this game, Bilbo is making decisions? (Or apparently not? The spot is under review.) Bilbo stands alone, it’s a first down, the Chargers with under a minute to go.

- On second down, Milton Williams takes down Herbert with a Wahoo McDaniel chop to the forehead, no hands to the face is called or roughing of the passer is called and Uncle Milt is rewarded with a sack. 3^rd and 11, 44 second left, Chargers at their own 27, K’Lavon Chaisson gets home and sacks a slipping Herbert, NOW the Chargers have to punt. BILBO IS AVENGED!

- 31-second left and Marcus Jones fields the punt near mid-field. For a 3-3 game, there certainly feels like a lot is happening. Only 1 timeout, but the Patriots have a chance to find some points before the half.

- THE DRAKE TAKES OFF, 37 YARD GAIN, HE’S IN FIELD GOAL RANGE AND AWHOLE LOT MORE! VRABEL IS TRYING TO CALL THE PATRIOTS LAST TIME OUT AS THE CLOCK TICKED DOWN TO 8 SECONDS. 8 ARE PUT BACK ON, SO 16 TICKS LEFT, PATS WITH THE BALL AT 17-YARD LINE!

- The extra 8 seconds actually is more of a burden than an opportunity, Drake takes two snaps and without the chance to stop the clock on a completion in play, Maye just fires two balls out of bounds and takes it down at 6-seconds and they’ll attempt a field goal. It was a spot where more could go wrong than right. Borresgales drills another short field goal (35-yards). 6-3 Patriots at halftime.

- A weird first half, game has a strange feel to it, neither offense has been able to get much going, but the Patriots have had a couple of big plays, the 50-yard run by Mondre and the 37-yard scamper by Maye on that final drive. I would like to see the Patriots run the ball more in the second half, because the combination of coverage, pass rush and a few drops has derailed the Patriots passing game so far.

- Marcus Jones bringing a spark to start the second half, breaking up a 3^rd down pass to Ladd McConkey. Chargers go 3 & out, the Patriots take over. Schooler almost blocks the punt, mercy-sakes-alive was that close!

- Maye & McDaniels are finding a rhythm, Maye’s completed 4 passes on the drive as the Patriots cross mid-field. New England could wrest control of this game if this drive were to end with a touchdown. 3^rd and 1, Maye runs the option fakes a pitch out to Mondre and instead keeps it himself, running inside of future half of famer Khalil Mack. This was a play one of his basketball playing brothers would have run, but it’s good for a PATRIOTS…….FIRST DOWN!

- And that excitement didn’t last, Odafe Oweh strip sacks Maye and the Chargers recover on their own 23. A missed opportunity for the Patriots. The rock fight continues.

- First two Chargers pass attempts draw flags, one is picked up and the other is a PI call on Carlton Davis for 22-yards. I’m not sure that pass was catchable, unless Quinten Johnson has a scissor lift we don’t know about. Doesn’t kill us, Christian Barmore chases Herbert into a 3^rd down incompletion and the Patriots get the ball back with just over 5 minutes left in the 3^rd. Can we put together another sustained drive?

- Not a great start, Teair Tart sacks Maye on first down. I don’t blame Jared Wilson, I blame myself, that ones on me. (Collinsworth blames Will Campbell, but if the Notebook is about anything it is accountability, so I’ll accept the responsibility.) No bother, Maye finds Henry for 19-yards and a first down!

- Maye fires one deep and finds Kayshon Boutte for a 42-yard gain! A Beauty to Boutte as Doc Phil said!

- 3^rd down and 4, Maye has Hooper open in the end zone and overshoots him. You don’t see that often. Borregales is good from 39-yards out and the Patriots take a 9-3 lead. I hope I’m not thinking about that overthrow of Hooper ever again. We’ve put a lot on the defense tonight, can they keep answering the bell?

- Marcus Jones sacks Justin Herbert, the ball pops out, but running back Kimani Vidal picks it up and runs for a first down. I’m starting to think the bounces aren’t going our way tonight. We’ve turned the ball over twice, the Chargers have fumbled once and turned it into a first down. Not great Bob.

- The 3^rd quarter ends with Herbert getting flushed out of the pocket and picking up a first down. 9-3 Patriots, but feels like these missed opportunities are going to come back and haunt us tonight. Strange night.

- Stranger still, Keenan Allen drops a 3^rd down pass which would’ve been good enough for a first down. Which is all Collinsworth can talk about, not that the Patriots declined an illegal shift penalty that would’ve negated the play anyway. But regardless, the Patriots get the ball back with a 6-point lead and 14:01 on the clock. Points could put this away.

- Maye throws a lump in your throat ball out towards the sidelines, but Boutte grabs it and gets a little run after the catch and the Patriots are across mid-field.

- NBC comes back from commercial to a shot of both head coaches standing with their hands on their knees. Both Harbaugh and Vrabel have been peeling these officials all night.

- Mondre takes a 2^nd down carry down to the 29-yard line as the clock ticks below 10 minutes.

- And then lightning strikes, the Chargers blitz on first down with Daiyon Henley, TreyVeyon Henderson updends the blitzer and Maye throws a dime to Hunter Henry for a 29-yard touchdown! 16-3 Patriots with 9:45 remaining and it’s bedlam in Foxborough!!!!!!! You were waiting for a play like this all night, the protection was good, Henderson threw a great block and Maye stepped up and made an outstanding throw to the former Charger Henry.

- Bad news for the Patriots, Christian Gonzalez has been pulled off the field by the independent neurologist, (he’s being checked for a concussion.) Herbert gets the drive started for the Chargers with back to back first down runs and Chargers are across mid-field.

- The Charge of Los Angeles is shorted by an avalanche of Patriots defenders, the middle of the Patriots line crushed the pocket, and the K’Lavon Chaisson and Elijah Ponder crushed Herbert, the ball pops out and the Christian Elliss is Jonesy on the spot!!! The Patriots recover and can pound nails into the Los Angeles coffin! Goodness Herbert took a beating on that play. Patriots ball on the Charger 45, 8 minutes left.

- Maye is sacked on 3^rd down and the ball pops out, but thankfully the bounce went New England’s way as Jared Wilson recovers it and saves the chance to punt for the Patriots. Could have been disastrous for the Pats, instead the Chargers cling to hope. 16-3, just under 5:39 left.

- 3^rd down and 2, Anfernee Jennings just lambasted Justin Herbert for the 5^th sack of the game. Throw in the towel Arnold Skaaland, throw in the towel! Herbert has been beaten down with a Persian Club the entire second half. 4^th and 9 at their own 25-yard line, the Patriots blitz, but Herbert finds the Orande Gadsden Jr for a first down. Did Herman Boone become our defensive coordinator? Because we are blitzing all night. (Or at least this half. Shouts out Remember the Titans.)

- 2 minute warning, 4^th down and 9 for the Chargers at the 34, this is the game and when the money is on the table, you know who’s picking it up? Highest paid player in team history, Milton Williams hit’s a Ron Simmons spinebuster on Herbert and ends the competitive portion of the game. AND THE PATRIOTS HAVE WON THEIR FIRST PLAYOFF GAME SINCE SUPER BOWL 53!!!! DRAKE MAYE WINS HIS FIRST PLAYOFF GAME! THE DREAM SEASON CONTINUES!!!

I’ve missed watching the Patriots play playoff games. When Mike Vrabel was hired almost a year ago, he said that he wanted to build a team that could win division championships (check) host playoff games (check) and win playoff games (check) and compete for Super Bowls (still in play.)

This whole season has felt ahead of schedule. We didn’t think Drake Maye could develop as quickly as he has, we didn’t think this team could compete on this level, yet here and they are and they’re making the most of the opportunity. Right now it doesn’t matter the schedule that led them to be 14-3 during the regular season, because tonight they took advantage of their home field scenario and smothered the Chargers. Nice to see Maye win his first playoff game, so at least that monkey doesn’t get to sit on his back. (See Herbert, Justin.)

Now we wait, we get to hunker down and enjoy watching the Texans at Steelers on Monday night, knowing that the winner of that game gets to come to Foxborough next week, with one day’s less rest than us. I believe that we will play next Sunday, but we won’t know if it’s at 3pm to 6:30pm until after the Monday night game.

The Patriots have won a playoff game and next weekend, they get to host another. In between, we get to think back fondly to this game and get nervous, nauseous and paranoid about next week.

God, I’ve missed this.

Title photo credit to Don Mitchell, Friend of the Program and the Sterling Collection.