Los Angeles secured their playoff spot on December 28, 2024, with a 40-7 demolition at Gillette Stadium, where 64,628 fans watched the home team’s season effectively end. The Chargers dominated every meaningful statistic: 428 yards to 181, 40:34 possession time to 19:26, and perhaps most significantly, four sacks to zero. New England fell to 3-13 with their sixth consecutive defeat in what would be their penultimate game of the 2024 season.
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Quarterback Contrast: Protection Determines Production
Justin Herbert threw from a pocket so clean he might as well have been running drills in practice. Not one Patriots defender touched him across 40 dropbacks. Zero sacks, zero hits, zero hurries on 61.5% of his attempts. The results were predictable: 26 completions on 38 attempts, 281 yards, three touchdowns, zero interceptions. Herbert’s streak without a pick reached 277 attempts at that point, and he joined exclusive company, becoming just the third quarterback with Peyton Manning and Russell Wilson to post 3,000+ yards and 20+ touchdowns in each of his first five seasons.
Complete Quarterback Statistics
| Quarterback | Comp/Att | Pct | Yards | TD | INT | Rating | Sacks | Fumbles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Herbert (LAC) | 26/38 | 68.4% | 281 | 3 | 0 | 116.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Drake Maye (NE) | 12/22 | 54.5% | 117 | 1 | 0 | 84.8 | 4-30 | 1 lost |
| Taylor Heinicke (LAC) | 0/2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Jacoby Brissett (NE) | 1/2 | 50% | -2 | 0 | 0 | 56.2 | 0 | 0 |
Drake Maye’s night went sideways immediately. Cam Hart caught him scrambling near the sideline on New England’s opening drive, sending the rookie quarterback to the locker room for evaluation. Maye returned at 10:15 of the second quarter but faced relentless pressure: four sacks, seven quarterback hits, and pressure on 61.5% of his dropbacks compared to Herbert’s zero percent.
The game’s pivotal sequence occurred at 8:35 of the second quarter. Maye attempted a pitch right to DeMario Douglas. The timing was off, the ball hit the turf, and Derwin James Jr. recovered at the New England 44. Nine plays later, Herbert found Ladd McConkey from 6 yards out for a 17-0 lead. New England ran just 13 offensive plays the rest of the half.
Maye salvaged his touchdown streak thanks to Bud Dupree jumping offside. The free play allowed him to launch deep to Douglas for 36 yards, extending his franchise rookie record to eight straight games with a touchdown pass. Without that penalty, his streak would have ended.
Receiving Production: McConkey Exploits Secondary Weakness
The Los Angeles Chargers vs New England Patriots match player stats reflected a clear turning point when Christian Gonzalez left with a concussion at 13:18 of the second quarter. Ladd McConkey had been relatively quiet with 3 catches for 28 yards against the Patriots’ top corner. Once Gonzalez headed to the locker room, McConkey exploded for 5 catches, 66 yards, and both his touchdowns.
Receiving Statistics by Quarter
| Player | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Total | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ladd McConkey | LAC | 2-19 | 3-35 | 3-40 | 0-0 | 8-94 | 2 |
| Quentin Johnston | LAC | 2-16 | 1-19 | 2-13 | 0-0 | 5-48 | 0 |
| DeMario Douglas | NE | 0-0 | 2-40 | 1-5 | 1-1 | 4-46 | 1 |
| Joshua Palmer | LAC | 1-10 | 2-19 | 1-12 | DNP | 4-41 | 0 |
| Derius Davis | LAC | 1-23 | 1-6 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2-29 | 1 |
| Kayshon Boutte | NE | 0-0 | 1-9 | 2-12 | 1-7 | 4-28 | 0 |
McConkey operated primarily from the slot, where according to tracking data from the game, five of his eight catches came for 79 yards. His 40-yard touchdown in the third quarter beat Marte Mapu, who was rotating through coverages after Gonzalez’s absence.
The performance pushed McConkey to 77 receptions on the 2024 season, breaking Keenan Allen’s 2013 franchise rookie record of 71. His 1,054 receiving yards also surpassed Allen’s 1,046. Only John Jefferson’s 13 touchdown catches in 1978 exceeded McConkey’s season total among Chargers rookies.
Derius Davis provided the game’s first points, catching a 23-yard touchdown at 3:21 of the first quarter. The score capped an 11-play, 91-yard march that consumed 6:12. Joshua Palmer contributed 4 catches before exiting with a heel injury in the third quarter. Elijah Molden left via cart with a shin injury after initially returning from an earlier collision.
Ground Game: Stevenson Abandoned, Dobbins Controls Clock
The rushing statistics exposed New England’s inability to adjust after falling behind. Rhamondre Stevenson touched the ball just twice in the entire game, both in the first quarter.
Rushing Distribution and Game Context
| Player | Team | Carries | Yards | Long | TD | When Used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J.K. Dobbins | LAC | 19 | 76 | 13 | 1 | Throughout |
| Antonio Gibson | NE | 12 | 63 | 20 | 0 | Mostly Q4 |
| Hassan Haskins | LAC | 8 | 30 | 8 | 0 | Clock control |
| Drake Maye | NE | 6 | 32 | 12 | 0 | Scrambles |
| Kimani Vidal | LAC | 5 | 24 | 7 | 0 | Q4 only |
| Justin Herbert | LAC | 3 | 12 | 7 | 0 | Scrambles |
| Rhamondre Stevenson | NE | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | Q1 only |
Both of Stevenson’s carries came in the first quarter with the Chargers stacking defenders near the line of scrimmage. His first attempt gained 5 yards. His second lost 4 when Tuli Tuipulotu penetrated the backfield. After those two carries produced 1 total yard, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt abandoned the run game with his featured back.
Gibson’s 63 yards require context from the play-by-play data: he gained significant yardage only after the score reached 30-7 in the third quarter. His production came against defenses focused on preventing big plays rather than stopping the run.
Dobbins returned from a four-game absence on injured reserve to provide exactly what Los Angeles needed. His 19 carries matched his season high from Week 1 of 2024. The 2-yard touchdown run at 11:58 of the fourth quarter was his ninth of the season, equaling his 2020 rookie campaign with Baltimore. The Chargers’ commitment to the run game helped them control possession for over two-thirds of the game.
Defensive Dominance: Four Sacks From Three Levels
The Chargers generated pressure from everywhere while the Patriots managed none. Derwin James Jr. led the assault with a career-high 2.0 sacks from the safety position, both on designed blitzes rather than broken plays.
Pass Rush Production Analysis
| Player | Position | Sacks | Yards Lost | Quarter | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derwin James Jr. | S | 1.0 | 8 | 2nd | DB Blitz |
| Derwin James Jr. | S | 1.0 | 15 | 3rd | Zero Blitz |
| Tuli Tuipulotu | DE | 1.0 | 7 | 1st | 4-man rush |
| Khalil Mack | OLB | 1.0 | 0 | 3rd | 4-man rush |
| Patriots Total | – | 0 | 0 | – | – |
James’s first sack came on a delayed blitz through the B-gap. His second was more devastating: a 15-yard loss on third down that ended any chance of a Patriots comeback. He also recovered Maye’s fumble at the New England 44, the short field leading directly to a touchdown.
The Patriots recorded zero sacks, zero quarterback hits, and just four total pressures on Herbert’s 40 dropbacks. That 10% pressure rate (4 pressures on 40 attempts) compared to the Chargers’ 61.5% rate (16 pressures on 26 Maye dropbacks) explains the quarterback performance disparity.
Tackle Distribution and Run Defense
| Player | Team | Total | Solo | TFL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jahlani Tavai | NE | 10 | 5 | 0 |
| Kyle Dugger | NE | 9 | 6 | 0 |
| Davon Godchaux | NE | 9 | 3 | 0 |
| Kristian Fulton | LAC | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| Troy Dye | LAC | 4 | 4 | 0 |
The tackle totals for New England reflected volume, not impact. Los Angeles ran 77 offensive plays to New England’s 48. The Patriots recorded one tackle for loss all game. The Chargers had seven.
Special Teams Drama: Points, Position, and What-Ifs
Cameron Dicker’s perfect night provided the steady scoring that complemented the Chargers’ touchdowns. He connected from 27, 38, 41, and 35 yards, never leaving doubt on any attempt. His 16 points exceeded New England’s entire offensive output by more than double.
The third quarter produced the game’s most dramatic moment, though it ultimately didn’t affect the outcome. Derius Davis caught Bryce Baringer’s punt at the Chargers’ 7-yard line at 13:19. Davis accelerated through the coverage, found the sideline, and completed a 93-yard sprint to the end zone. The crowd fell silent. Then yellow flags appeared. Kendall Williamson’s holding penalty at the 35-yard line erased the touchdown. Los Angeles took over at their 12-yard line instead of celebrating a 37-7 lead.
The Chargers responded with a 10-play, 94-yard touchdown drive anyway, McConkey catching his second score to achieve the same result Davis nearly provided instantly.
Special Teams Comparison
| Category | Chargers | Patriots | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | 4/4 | 0/0 | Never attempted |
| Extra Points | 4/4 | 1/1 | |
| Punt Attempts | 2 | 4 | Offensive disparity |
| Punt Average | 46.0 | 55.0 | |
| Longest Punt | 53 | 64 | |
| Punts Inside 20 | 1 | 2 |
Baringer averaged 55.0 yards on his four punts, including boots of 62 and 64 yards. Quality punting from your own territory, which happened on three of his four attempts according to the play-by-play. JK Scott punted twice for Los Angeles, his limited workload reflecting the offense’s ability to sustain drives.
Drive Efficiency: Seven Straight Scores
Los Angeles punted on their opening possession. They scored on the next seven. The Chargers simply executed better on the downs that determined possession.
Critical Down Conversions
| Down & Distance | Chargers | Patriots |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd & 1-3 | 4/5 (80%) | 1/2 (50%) |
| 3rd & 4-6 | 3/5 (60%) | 0/3 (0%) |
| 3rd & 7-9 | 2/4 (50%) | 0/2 (0%) |
| 3rd & 10+ | 1/3 (33%) | 1/3 (33%) |
| 4th Down (all) | 2/2 (100%) | 0/3 (0%) |
The Chargers converted 10 of 17 third downs overall (58.8%). New England managed just 2 of 10 (20%). Combined with fourth-down failures, the Patriots moved the chains on just 13.3% of their opportunities to extend drives.
This efficiency gap produced the massive possession disparity. Los Angeles controlled the ball for 40:34, leaving New England just 19:26. The Patriots ran only 48 offensive plays to the Chargers’ 77, a 38% disadvantage that made any comeback impossible.
New England never reached the red zone. Not once. Their deepest penetration was the Chargers’ 23-yard line late in the third quarter, where James sacked Maye for his second takedown of the night. The Chargers reached the red zone four times, converting two touchdowns and two field goals.
Season Context: Playoffs Secured, Questions Answered
According to the official game recap, Los Angeles clinched the AFC’s fifth seed at 10-6 with this victory. Jim Harbaugh’s first season delivered exactly what ownership wanted: playoff football. This marked Harbaugh’s fourth postseason appearance in five NFL seasons, maintaining his reputation for immediate impact. The Chargers went on to win their Wild Card game before falling in the Divisional round.
The contrast with New England couldn’t have been starker. At 3-13, the Patriots matched their loss total from the previous two seasons combined. Their 1-8 home record in 2024 contributed to a 2-16 mark at Gillette Stadium over two years, the worst stretch since the venue opened in 2002. They would finish 3-14 after losing to Buffalo in Week 18.
Franchise Direction Indicators (2024 Season)
| Metric | Chargers | Patriots |
|---|---|---|
| Final Record | 11-6* | 3-14 |
| Point Differential | +73* | -128 |
| Home Record | 5-4 | 1-8 |
| Playoff Result | Won Wild Card | Missed |
*Includes Week 18 victory over Las Vegas
Jerod Mayo addressed his future following his first season as head coach after the game: “I’m always under pressure and it’s been that way for a very long time, not just when I became the head coach of the Patriots.” The comment came after a game where his team never threatened, never adjusted, and never competed past the first quarter. Mayo was dismissed following the 2024 season’s conclusion.
Individual Achievements From December 28, 2024
Justin Herbert: Became the third quarterback ever (with Peyton Manning and Russell Wilson) to post 3,000+ yards and 20+ touchdowns in each of his first five seasons. His 277-attempt interception-free streak at that point would continue through the playoffs.
Ladd McConkey: Broke Keenan Allen’s franchise rookie records with 77 receptions (previous: 71) and 1,054 yards (previous: 1,046). Would finish the season with 82 catches for 1,149 yards.
Drake Maye: Extended his franchise rookie record with touchdown passes in eight straight games, though this one required a defensive penalty for a free play. His 22 touchdown passes ranked third in Patriots rookie history.
J.K. Dobbins: Nine rushing touchdowns matched his 2020 career high. Scored in five of nine games played despite missing seven games to injury.
Derwin James Jr.: Career-high 2.0 sacks pushed his season total to 5.5, most by a Chargers safety since Eric Weddle’s 7.0 in 2011.
For comprehensive NFL playoff coverage and statistical breakdowns, visit The Sportie.
Final Statistics: Complete Domination
| Category | Los Angeles Chargers | New England Patriots |
|---|---|---|
| Total Offense | 428 | 181 |
| Net Passing | 281 | 85 |
| Rushing | 147 | 96 |
| First Downs | 29 | 11 |
| Third Down Efficiency | 10/17 (58.8%) | 2/10 (20%) |
| Fourth Down Efficiency | 2/2 (100%) | 0/3 (0%) |
| Red Zone Possessions | 4 | 0 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Sacks-Yards Lost | 0-0 | 4-30 |
| Total Plays | 77 | 48 |
| Time of Possession | 40:34 | 19:26 |
The December 28, 2024 game at Gillette Stadium demonstrated the gap between a playoff-bound team hitting its stride and a franchise in transition. The Chargers would finish 11-6 after defeating Las Vegas in Week 18 and advance to the Divisional Round. The Patriots concluded their season at 3-14, their worst record since 1992, leading to significant offseason changes including a new head coach and offensive coordinator.
