FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — It's been a miraculous turnaround for the New England Patriots this season, going from four wins to 14 overnight. They've won the AFC East for the first time in six years, earned a No. 2 seed in the playoffs and seem ready to make some noise in the postseason.

The roared on Sunday night. Loudly. The Patriots completely shut down Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers, winning 16-3 at Gillette Stadium. Their defense made a big statement along the way in their first playoff win since the Super Bowl after the 2018 season.

“The big dogs come out in January,'' said first-year Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, who won three Super Bowl with the Patriots as a player.  “I thought they played extremely well. I thought they were committed to stopping on the run. What our defense was able to do early in that game in the red zone really set the tone for them for the rest of the game.

"It could have been better. (Herbert) had a lot of scrambles, and we knew that. Again, trying to rush and trying to make sure that those scramble lanes aren’t there. The secondary did a fantastic job with the play extensions and making sure that those plays didn’t get loose. I’m just really proud of everybody.”

Herbert, picked sixth overall by the Chargers in the 2020 NFL Draft, is now 0-3 in postseason games. He was 19-for-31 passing for just 159 yards and no touchdowns. He had to run for his life all night behind a patchwork offensive line that's been decimate for injury. He was sacked six times, and his season sack total this year was 54. Only Geno Smith (Las Vegas Raiders) and Cam Ward (Tennessee Titans) had more, with 55.

Here's the game story from Chargers Roundtable writer Brad Magsam.

The Patriots didn't do a lot offensively either, but they did enough. They got three short field goals from Andy Borregales, and scored their only touchdown when quarterback Drake Maye from tight end Hunter Henry from 28 yards out in with 9:45 to go in the fourth quarter.

It capped a seven-play, 80-yard drive, their longest of the game.

Maye had two turnovers — an interception and a lost fumble — and was 17-for-29 passing for 268 yards. For a potential MVP candidate, it wasn't his best night. But his defense had his back.

"This defense was so fun to watch. Congrats to them. It was so fun to watch. They won the game for us," Maye said. "I didn't throw very well tonight. Need to be better. We did what we had to do. That's what it takes in the Playoffs. Proud of this team. That was fun to get one at home. Look forward to being back here next week."

New England limited the Chargers to just 207 net yards of offense (87 rushing, 120 passing), and held them to 1-for-10 on third down conversions, and 0-for-2 in the red zone.

“I am just so proud of this defense," Patriots linebacker Robert Spillane told reporters after the game. "We have really come together, and to hold an offense like that to three points in a playoff game is huge for us.

"It is just another boost of confidence for what we have already been doing all year, so we are just going to continue sticking to the game plan that we have been on and take it from here.”

The Patriots will be back at home next Sunday in the AFC divisional round. They'll play the winner of Monday night's game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans. Game time is still to be determined.

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