Drake Maye led the Patriots to a 16-3 playoff win over the Chargers, throwing a TD and rushing for 66 yards in his debut.

On January 11, 2026, Drake Maye led the New England Patriots to a 16-3 playoff victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. In his postseason debut, Maye ran for 66 yards and threw a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. Justin Herbert was sacked six times by the Patriots defense, which also forced a fumble that led to the game-winning goal. The Chargers were held to 207 yards and failed to score a touchdown for the first time in a postseason game since 2007 despite Andy Borregales' three field goals. Despite playing through a hand injury, Herbert was unable to lead his team to a score despite completing 19 of 31 passes for 159 yards and adding 57 rushing yards. In the divisional round, the Patriots, who haven't won a playoff game since 2018, will host the Pittsburgh-Houston winner.