FOXBORO, Mass. — The New England Patriots have been blown out by a Los Angeles Chargers staff that doesn’t blow individuals out.
The Chargers, who entered Week 17 with a median margin of victory of three.6 factors, outclassed the Patriots and claimed a 40-7 win at Gillette Stadium on Saturday. It was an embarrassing show on New England’s residence turf.
New England fell to 3-14 whereas the Chargers earned a playoff berth and improved to 10-6. The Patriots must beat the Buffalo Payments in Week 18 to tie their win whole from final season.
Listed here are 4 takeaways after Patriots-Chargers:
That’s the kind of loss that will get coaches fired
Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo and his teaching employees quieted the noise throughout the vacation week given their aggressive Week 16 loss to the Buffalo Payments. However these optimistic vibes are actually a ghost of Christmas previous. It was a large step again for the Patriots in all phases. The 15 first-half performs by New England’s offense tied for the fewest by any staff in a primary half within the final 5 seasons, per ESPN Stats & Data. The protection allowed the Chargers to attain their most factors of the season all whereas a non-existent pass-rush aided in Justin Herbert’s displaying (26-for-38, 281 yards, three touchdowns). LA compiled 29 first downs in comparison with eight (!) of the Patriots. Will Mayo himself get the axe? Experiences have hinted it’s unlikely, however doable. Regardless, the blowout is not going to sit properly with proprietor Robert Kraft.
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Chargers wideout twists knife into Eliot Wolf, Patriots
Keep in mind when the Patriots may have drafted Ladd McConkey however as a substitute traded again with the Chargers solely to pick out Ja’Lynn Polk a couple of picks later? Watching from afar this season, it appeared like an egregious mistake. It appeared even worse up shut, and finally served as a knife-twist for the Patriots govt vice chairman of participant personnel Eliot Wolf. Herbert and McConkey (eight catches, 94 yards, two touchdowns) carved up the Patriots secondary, which was with out Christian Gonzalez throughout the last three quarters. At one level, McConkey had 94 yards receiving whereas the Patriots had 95 yards of offense. His single-game yardage output is greater than Polk’s season output (12 catches, 87 yards, two touchdowns).
Shield your self, Drake Maye
The Patriots quarterback was on the receiving finish of loads of bodily punishment. Professional Soccer Focus tracked 13 pressures allowed by the offensive line. Maye entered concussion protocol for the second time of his 11-start profession after taking a success to the pinnacle on the third play of the sport. Maye may have prevented the hit if he both deliberately stepped out of bounds or gave himself up, however he fought for the additional few yards. Whereas admirable, Maye must go a unique route on these alternatives if he needs to maintain any degree of efficiency. Maye confirmed a little bit of that upon returning for the Patriots. On his first play upon returning, Maye scrambled and slid close to the first-down marker, taking a success from a Chargers defender and including a 15-yard penalty. Maye slid following one other scramble shortly after. Maye is the lone brilliant spot on this Patriots staff, which makes his willingness to keep away from these hits all of the extra essential.
Christian Gonzalez in all probability is finished for the season
The hits have been early and sometimes for the Patriots on Saturday with each Maye and Christian Gonzalez coming into concussion protocol within the first half. Whereas Maye finally cleared protocol, Gonzalez didn’t. He was dominated out with a concussion, which he suffered three performs into the second quarter. We’ve seen gamers miss prolonged time within the protocol, and given the place the Patriots stand, it’s truthful to imagine the lockdown cornerback might need performed his last snap of his sophomore marketing campaign.
Plus: Patriots followers didn’t deserve that one
Merely put.
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