TEAM NOTES
• Patriots play in 60th postseason game, the 50th during Robert Kraft's
• Patriots win first playoff game since Super Bowl LIII.
• Patriots advance to 22nd Divisional Playoff Game.
• Patriots improve to 4-1 against the Chargers in the postseason.
KRAFT EARNS 34TH POSTSEASON VICTORY
The New England Patriots have won 34 playoff games since Robert Kraft bought the franchise in 1994. The 34 wins rank third among ownership groups in NFL history and are the most by any team since he entered the NFL.
PATRIOTS PLAY IN 60TH POSTSEASON GAME
The Patriots played in their 60th postseason game, the fifth-most in NFL history behind Dallas (67), Pittsburgh (65), Green Bay (65) and San Francisco (63). In the Patriots first 34 seasons (1960-93), the Patriots played in 10 postseason games and had a 4-6 overall record. In the 32 years of Robert Kraft's ownership, the Patriots have played in 50 playoff games and have a 34-16 record in those games. Most Postseason Games Played Team Games Played Dallas 67 Green Bay 65 Pittsburgh 65 San Francisco 63 New England 60 Los Angeles Rams 57 Philadelphia Eagles 56
PATRIOTS EARN 38TH POSTSEASON WIN
The Patriots earned the 38th postseason win overall, one behind the 39 postseason wins by San Francisco.
PATRIOTS EXTEND BEST WINNING PERCENTAGE IN HOME GAMES
The Patriots have a 24-5 (.827) all-time record in home playoff games. The Patriots .827 winning percentage at home in the postseason is first among teams with at least 15 home playoff games. The Patriots are one of six teams with at least 20 playoff wins at home, joining San Francisco (26) , Pittsburgh (21), Dallas (21), Green Bay (20) and Philadelphia (20)
PATRIOTS IMPROVE IN THE WILD CARD ROUND
The Patriots improved to a 5-6 record in the Wild Card round.
PATRIOTS IMPROVE TO 4-1 IN THE POSTSEASON AGAINST THE CHARGERS
The Patriots won their fourth consecutive game against the Chargers in the playoffs, improving to 4-1 overall.
PATRIOTS EARN FIRST POSTSEASON WIN SINCE SUPER BOWL LIII
The victory over the Chargers is the Patriots first postseason win since the 13-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII on Feb. 3, 2019. It is the Patriots first postseason win at Gillette Stadium since a 4128 win against the L.A. Chargers on Jan. 13, 2019 in an AFC Divisional playoff game.
PATRIOTS ADVANCE TO THEIR 22ND DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF GAME
With the 16-3 win against the Chargers, the Patriots advanced to their 22nd Divisional Playoff game.
PATRIOTS IMPROVE TO 28-8 WHEN SCORING FIRST IN THE POSTSEASON
K Andy Borregales connected on a 23-yard field goal in the second quarter for the game's first points. The Patriots improved to 28-8 in the postseason when scoring first.
PATRIOTS HOLD OPPONENT TO JUST 3 POINTS IN THE POSTSEASON FOR THE SIXTH TIME
The Patriots allowed just 3 points against the Chargers, tying a franchise low in the playoffs for the sixth time in franchise history.
PATRIOTS REGISTER 6 SACKS AGAINST THE CHARGERS
The Patriots defense registered 6 sacks against the Chargers, tied for the second-highest postseason total. The Patriots had 8 sacks vs. Tennessee on Jan. 13, 2018 and also had 6 sacks vs. Jacksonville on Jan. 7, 2006.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
VRABEL EVENS HIS POSTSEASON RECORD
Head coach Mike Vrabel improved to a 3-3 in postseason record with a 2-1 record in the Wild Card Round, a 1-1 record in the Divisional Round and an 0-1 record in the AFC Championship Game.
MAYE AND STEVENSON CONNECT ON A 48-YARD PASS
QB Drake Maye and RB Rhamondre Stevenson connected on a 48-yard pass in the first quarter. Stevenson has three 40-yard completions in the regular season, including a career-best 55-yarder from Maye at Miami on Sept. 14, 2025. The last time the Patriots connected on a 40-yard pass in the playoffs was when QB Mac Jones connected on a 43-yard pass to WR Kendrick Bourne at Buffalo in the 2021 Wild Card game on Jan. 15, 2022.
MAYE CONNECTED WITH BOUTTE ON A 42-YARD PASS IN THE THIRD QUARTER
Maye connected with WR Kayshon Boutte on a 42-yard pass in the third quarter. Boutte has two 40-yard receptions in the regular season, both for touchdowns. He caught a 48-yard touchdown vs. Buffalo on Jan. 5, 2025 and had a 40-yard touchdown pass vs. Houston on Oct. 13, 2024.
MAYE CONNECTS ON TWO 40-YARD PASSES
Maye had a 48-yard pass to Stevenson in the first quarter and a 42-yard pass to Boutte in the third quarter. The last time the Patriots had at least two 40-yard receptions in a postseason game was in Super Bowl LII vs. Philadelphia when Tom Brady connected on a 50-yard pass to WR Danny Amendola, a 46-yard pass to RB Rex Burkhead and a 43-yard pass to WR Chris Hogan.
STEVENSON IS SECOND PATRIOTS RB WITH A RECEPTION OVER 40 YARDS IN THE POSTSEASON
Stevenson is only the second Patriots running back to have a reception of at least 40 yards in the playoffs, joining RB Rex Burkhead in Super Bowl LII vs. Philadelphia when he had a 46-yard reception from QB Tom Brady in the second quarter. Stevenson (128 scrimmage yards – 53 rushing and 75 receiving) is the first Patriot to record at least 125 scrimmage yards in a playoff game since Julian Edelman had 149 scrimmage yards vs. the L.A. Rams in Super Bowl LIII. He is the third Patriot to have 50 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards in a playoff game, joining Dion Lewis (1/13/18 vs. Tennessee) and Aaron Hernandez (1/14/12 vs. Denver).
MAYE'S 37-YARD RUN IS THE LONGEST BY A QB IN PATRIOTS HISTORY
Maye's 37-yard run in the second quarter is the longest by a Patriots quarterback in postseason history. The previous long was a 16-yard run by QB Mac Jones at Buffalo on Jan. 15, 2022. Maye's longest run in the regular season was a 41-yard run vs. Indianapolis on Dec. 1, 2024. Maye's run is the seventh longest in Patriots postseason history.
MAYE HAS MOST RUSHING YARDS BY A PATRIOTS QB IN A POSTSEASON GAME
Maye finished the game with 10 rushing attempts for 66 yards. His 66 rushing yards the most by a Patriots quarterback in the postseason. The previous best was by QB Steve Grogan, who had 35 yards rushing at Oakland on Dec. 18, 1976.
BACK-TO-BACK SACKS
DT Milton Williams and LB K'Lavon Chaisson had back-to-back sacks in the second quarter. The last time the Patriots had back-to-back sacks was in Week 2 at Miami (9/14/25), when QB Tua Tagovailoa was sacked by LB Robert Spillane on third down, and then Williams on fourth down to seal the game in the fourth quarter.
CHAISSON AND WILLIAMS EACH RECORD TWO SACKS
LB K'Lavon Chaisson and DT Milton Williams each finished with 2 sacks. It is the first time that a Patriots player had at least 2 sacks in a postseason game since LB Dont'a Hightower had 2 sacks in Super Bowl LIII vs the LA Rams. It is the second time in New England postseason history that two players had at least 2 sacks in the same game. On Jan. 13, 2017 in a Divisional Playoff game vs Tennessee, DL Geno Grissom and DL Deatrich Wise Jr. each had 2 sacks. Chaisson had one regular-season game with 2 sacks. That occurred in the win at Tennessee on Oct. 19, 2025. Williams had 2 regular-season games with 2 sacks, including a 2-sack game at Miami on Sept. 14, 2025. Williams now has two 2-sack games in the postseason. He had 2 sacks in Super Bowl LIX against Kansas City.
WESTOVER HAS FIRST CAREER RECEPTION FOR YARDS
FB Jack Westover caught an 8-yard pass from QB Drake Maye in the fourth quarter for his first career reception that gained yards. In the 2025 regular season finale vs. Miami on Jan 4, Westover caught his first pass from QB Josh Dobbs for 0 yards.
LINEUP NOTES
• LB Harold Landry III and OG Jared Wilson returned to action after missing the final two regular-season games due to injuries and were back in the starting lineup.
• LB Robert Spillane returned to action after missing the final three games due to injury.
• 30 Patriots players saw action in their first postseason game.
