> At a Glance
> – Drake Maye leads 14-3 Patriots against Justin Herbert‘s 11-6 Chargers in AFC Wild Card
> – New England flipped from 4-13 to AFC East champs with 13 wins in last 14 games
> – Both QBs seek first playoff victory; each went undefeated in 2025 primetime games
> – Why it matters: Sunday night clash decides who advances to face AFC’s top seed
Two of the league’s brightest young quarterbacks collide under the lights as Drake Maye and the surging Patriots host Justin Herbert and the Chargers with a divisional-round berth on the line.
The Matchup
New England’s turnaround has been staggering. After a 4-13 crater in 2024, first-year coach Mike Vrabel and sophomore star Maye guided the Pats to a 14-3 mark and the AFC’s No. 2 seed. The Chargers, meanwhile, posted their second straight 11-6 season under Jim Harbaugh, staying in the West race until a Week 17 home loss to Houston prompted them to rest Herbert in Denver the following week.
- Patriots: 13-1 in last 14 games
- Chargers: 0-2 in Herbert’s previous wild-card appearances
- Both teams 9-0 combined in 2025 primetime (minimum four games)
How to Watch
Date: Sunday, Jan. 11
Site: Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Massachusetts
Kickoff: 7 p.m. CT
Broadcast: NBC and Peacock
Pregame: “Football Night in America” at 6:30 p.m. CT
Commentary team:
- Mike Tirico – play-by-play
- Cris Collinsworth – analyst
- Melissa Stark – sideline
Streaming options:
- Peacock
- NBC.com
- Peacock mobile app (Apple/Android)
- NBC mobile app
Key Takeaways
- Maye is an MVP candidate in only his second season
- Herbert is still searching for his first postseason victory
- The winner advances to face the AFC’s top seed next weekend
- NBC’s crew will also call a divisional game and Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara on Feb. 8
With primetime perfection on the line, one of these young guns will leave Gillette Stadium having silenced the playoff doubters for good.
