After figuring out the blueprint for stopping Lamar Jackson, the Los Angeles Chargers advanced past the wild card round of the playoffs and will now travel to face a much different quarterback and team in Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. They are set to meet at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro on Sunday, beginning at 1:05 p.m. ET on CBS (live streaming via FuboTV, CBS All-Access).
Chargers vs. Patriots 2019 live stream: Time, TV schedule, and how to watch NFL playoffs online
Philip Rivers and the Chargers offense were mostly stifled in the wild card round. Will they fare any better against the Patriots in the divisional round on Sunday?
Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Los Angeles really dominated the Ravens on defense, to the point where there was open discussion about benching Jackson in favor of Joe Flacco. But the Chargers did fade late, with the Ravens pushing back to make it a close game. They still came out on top, even with the Baltimore defense generally doing a great job of limiting them.
Philip Rivers threw for just 160 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions, and the Chargers rushed for just 89 yards as a team. It was one of their weaker performances of the season, comparable to the first time they played the Ravens (and lost).
New England will be well-rested after enjoying a first-round bye in the playoffs, and the Chargers will playing their second-consecutive road game.
The Patriots finished the regular season at 11-5, first place in the NFC East. They did have some concerning losses, falling to all of the Jaguars, Lions, Titans, Dolphins and Steelers, none of whom made the playoffs. They did finish the season on a strong note, dominating the Bills and Jets to secure the first-round bye.
Tom Brady had a good season, but one that definitely had its ups and downs. He posted his lowest quarterback rating since 2014, and threw the most interceptions he’s thrown in a season since 2013. But he did have 4,355 yards and 29 touchdowns. He’ll be assisted by Sony Michel, who had a productive year of running with 209 carries for 931 yards and six touchdowns, a per-carry average of 4.5 yards.
Below is all you need to know to follow Sunday’s action in the divisional round.
Time, TV, and streaming info
- Time: 1:05 p.m. ET
- Location: Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Mass.
- TV: CBS
- Streaming: FuboTV, CBS All-Access
- Odds: Per OddsShark, the opening line has the Patriots favored by 5 points, though that line narrowed throughout the week.
Chargers vs. Patriots news
- The Chargers have officially activated tight end Hunter Henry off of injured reserve and onto the 53-man roster. And in even better news: he was a full participant in practice this week.
- The Patriots are probably the healthiest team remaining in the playoffs. The Chargers are down to starters, but New England has few concerns.
- Don’t expect Rob Gronkowski to have a big game against the Chargers, who have been extremely good at stopping tight ends this season.
- The Chargers used to suck at kicking ... enter the Money Badger.
- It will be another cross-country 10 a.m. game for the Chargers in Foxboro. Can they handle it? It may be snowy.
- Is it finally Philip Rivers’ chance to shine against the Patriots, a team that essentially represents playoff success in the modern NFL?
- The Chargers used a defense consisting of seven defensive backs in the wild card round, but we probably won’t see a lot of that against New England.
- Beating the Chargers defense has to start up front for the Patriots.
- And of course, be sure to check the Bolts From The Blue podcasts — the most recent episode of Three Drink Minimum and The Lightning Round.
- And Pats Pulpit has a podcast about the game to listen to as well.
Chargers vs. Patriots prediction
In the divisional round playoff picks from SB Nation, four of the six making picks think the Patriots will win, leaving just two picking the Chargers. The OddsShark computer is going with the Patriots, while the coin flip landed on the Chargers.
See More:
