Chargers embarrass themselves vs. Patriots with lowlight last seen in 1992

The Los Angeles Chargers met the New England Patriots in the Wild Card round of the NFL Playoffs and produced a night that will live in the wrong kind of history, as the scoreboard froze at a brutal 16–3. Three points tied a franchise lowlight last seen in 1992. Under the stadium lights, the offense stalled. The Patriots stayed razor-sharp while the Chargers never found the jolt they needed. The numbers told the story long before the final horn.

The Chargers 3 points in the Wild Card round loss to the Patriots is the second fewest in Chargers postseason history, behind a 31-0 loss to the Dolphins in 1992. pic.twitter.com/tlDW447D9i

— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) January 12, 2026

The Patriots ran 64 plays for 381 total yards, a clean 6.0 yards per snap. By contrast, the Chargers managed 59 plays for 207 yards and just 3.5 per play. As a result, that gap felt wider on every drive. Then, passing made it worse. Los Angeles went 19 of 31 for only 120 yards, a flat 3.2 yards per pass. Meanwhile, New England hit 17 of 30 for 235 yards at 6.7 per throw. To their credit, the Chargers did avoid a pick. Still, pressure wrecked timing, as six sacks cost them 39 yards. Even so, the ground game could not rescue it, with 87 rushing yards on 22 tries.

Chargers relive 1992 in a brutal playoff collapse

The Patriots stayed balanced and cruel. They rushed 29 times for 146 yards at 5.0 per carry. Along the way, they moved chains, drained the clock, and finished drives. By contrast, the Chargers did none of it. Instead, ten drives came and went. Only once did one end with points. After that, the rest faded into punts and frustration.

Now, this loss sits beside the infamous 1992 postseason, when the then–San Diego Chargers shut out the Patriots 17–0 in the Wild Card only to be crushed 31–0 by the Miami Dolphins days later. Different era. Same pain. Still, fans remember those ghosts. They felt them again as the scoreboard refused to budge. Three points in a playoff game is not a blip. It is a warning.

Right now, the Patriots look like a team built for January. On the other side, the Chargers looked lost in it. Under those harsh NFL Playoff lights, belief matters. Even more, execution matters. So where does Los Angeles go from here, and how long will this sting before a real answer finally arrives?

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