Chargers PFF grades: Best, worst performers in Week 17 win over Patriots

Spotlighting Pro Football Focus’ highest and lowest-graded Chargers players from the win over the Patriots.

In Week 17, the Chargers defeated the Patriots, 40-7.

En route to victory, there were some standout performers and others who did not contribute as much.

That said, here are the best and worst performers from Saturday’s contest, according to Pro Football Focus’ player grades.

Top 5 Offense

QB Justin Herbert — 84.8

OL Bradley Bozeman — 80.6

WR Derius Davis — 78.7

OT Rashawn Slater — 74.4

OL Sam Mustipher — 71.4

Top 5 Defense

S Tony Jefferson — 74.6

DT Otito Ogbonnia — 72.5

S Derwin James — 72.1

CB Kristian Fulton — 70.5

DT Poona Ford — 69.2

Bottom 5 Offense

TE/FB Tucker Fisk — 47.1

FB Scott Matlock — 47.4

WR D.J. Chark — 47.5

OL Jamaree Salyer — 59.5

OL Zion Johnson — 62.6

Bottom 5 Defense

EDGE Bud Dupree — 39.3

CB Ja’Sir Taylor — 47.9

S Elijah Molden — 49.4

LB Troy Dye — 51.9

CB Tarheeb Still — 52.0

Chargers dominate Patriots to clinch playoff berth: Instant analysis of Week 17 win

Here’s our recap of the Chargers’ win over the Patriots in a game that saw Justin Herbert toss three touchdowns and make NFL history.

The Chargers are heading to the playoffs after their win over the Patriots on Saturday afternoon.

Here’s our recap of Los Angeles’ 40-7 win over New England.

It was over when…

Justin Herbert hit Ladd McConkey for a 40-yard touchdown to go up 27-7 in the third quarter.

Notable number

Justin Herbert broke Peyton Manning’s NFL record for most passing yards in a player’s first five seasons (20,618).

3 stars of the game

QB Justin Herbert: 283 passing yards, 3 touchdowns
RB J.K. Dobbins: 19 carries, 76 yards, TD
WR Ladd McConkey: 8 catches, 94 yards, 2 TDs

Quick hits

The Chargers are in the playoffs for the third time in 11 seasons.
The Chargers’ offense spent most of the game on the field, dominating the time of possession battle, 40:34 to 19:26.
The offensive line kept Justin Herbert upright for the entire game, and he took advantage of the clean pockets. When kept clean, Herbert had an 80% adjusted completion percentage with 247 passing yards and three touchdowns.
Herbert’s top target was Ladd McConkey, who surpassed Keenan Allen for most receiving yards and receptions by a Chargers rookie. Quentin Johnston finished second in receiving with five catches for 48 yards. Joshua Palmer was next with four grabs for 41 yards.
The offense benefited from J.K. Dobbins’ return from injury. Dobbins averaged 4.0 yards per carry and found the end zone. He also set a new season high in rushing yards, shattering his previous best (800) in his rookie campaign.
Jesse Minter’s defense made life difficult for rookie Drake Maye. Maye was sacked four times and was held to 112 passing yards on 22 attempts.
New England went 2-of-10 on third down and failed to make it to the red zone.
Derius Davis had a punt return touchdown, but it was negated by a holding penalty.

What’s next?

The Chargers close out the regular season on the road against the Raiders next Sunday, Jan. 5. The kickoff time is to be determined.

Chargers make roster moves ahead of Week 17 vs. Patriots, activate J.K. Dobbins from IR

J.K. Dobbins should provide a boost to a running back room that’s been up and down over the past month.

The Chargers made a few roster moves ahead of the Week 17 game against the Patriots on Saturday.

Los Angeles activated running back J.K. Dobbins from injured reserve, and he is expected to play.

Dobbins suffered a knee injury in the Bolts’ loss to the Ravens last month. His presence should provide a boost to a running back room that struggled with efficiency while he was sidelined.

In 11 games, Dobbins has 766 yards and eight touchdowns on 158 rushes (4.8 yards per carry).

In other roster-related news, the Chargers elevated safeties Eddie Jackson and Kendall Williamson from the practice squad.

Jackson was signed to the practice squad earlier this week.

Throughout his pro career, Jackson has totaled 15 interceptions, 45 passes defended, 10 forced fumbles and 489 tackles. He is tied for third in Bears franchise history with six career defensive touchdowns.

Chargers Week 17 injury report: 3 players ruled out

The Los Angeles Chargers released their final injury report ahead of the matchup against the New England Patriots.

The Chargers had their final practice today ahead their matchup on Saturday against the Patriots.

Running back Gus Edwards (ankle), linebacker Denzel Perryman (groin) and offensive lineman Trey Pipkins III (hip) have been ruled out for Sunday.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh said Edwards reaggravated his ankle injury from last week’s game against the Broncos.

Perryman also reaggravated his groin injury last week.

Running back J.K. Dobbins (knee), who was designated to return from injured reserve, is questionable. Harbaugh said Dobbins had a good week of practice.

Tight end Will Dissly (shoulder), tight end Hayden Hurst (illness) and safety Elijah Molden (knee) are questionable for Week 17.

Cornerback Cam Hart, who did not play last week against Denver due to a concussion, does not carry an injury designation and will play.

Who are the experts taking in Chargers vs. Patriots?

Find out who experts are picking between the Chargers and Patriots.

The Los Angeles Chargers are 4-point road favorites over the New England Patriots in Week 17 of the 2024 regular season. The over/under is 42.5 points, per BetMGM Sportsbook.

That means oddsmakers are taking bets on whether the two teams will combine to score more than or fewer than 42 points.

My score prediction for the game is a 24-14 win for the Chargers, with a total of 38 points. So, if I were putting money based on my prediction, I’d bet the under.

As for game picks, analysts believe Los Angeles will clinch a playoff spot this weekend.

Expert	Pick
Nate Davis (USA Today)	Chargers
Jarrett Bell (USA Today)	Chargers
Mike Clay (ESPN)	Chargers
Matt Bowen (ESPN)	Chargers
Pete Prisco (CBS Sports)	Chargers
Bill Bender (Sporting News)	Chargers
NFL.com Staff	Chargers (4-1)
Bleacher Report	Chargers

Saturday’s game will begin at 10:00 a.m. PT and be televised on NFL Network.

Statistical Breakdown: How the Chargers and Patriots stack up before Week 17 game

Here’s how the Chargers and Patriots stack up statistically on offense and defense ahead of Saturday’s matchup.

The Chargers and Patriots are set to square off this Saturday.

Here’s how Los Angeles and New England stack up statistically on both sides of the ball ahead of the Week 17 matchup:

Offense

Category	Chargers	Patriots
Points per game	21.9 ppg (18th)	17.3 ppg (30th)
Passing offense	200.8 ypg (28th)	178.5 ypg (32nd)
Rushing offense	106.5 ypg (23rd)	119.7 ypg (14th)
Total offense	307.3 ypg (24th)	298.3 ypg (29th)
3rd down conversions	37.89% (18th)	35.75% (26th)
Red zone scoring	57.50% (14th)	47.73% (31st)
Sacks allowed	43 (21st)	47 (26th)
Turnovers	9 (2nd)	21 (20th)

Defense

Category	Chargers	Patriots
Points allowed	18.3 ppg (1st)	24.1 ppg (24th)
Passing defense	213.9 ypg (15th)	212.4 ypg (12th)
Rushing defense	124.1 ypg (17th)	130.4 ypg (24th)
Total defense	337.9 ypg (15th)	342.8 ypg (21st)
3rd down conversions	37.07% (10th)	42.08% (25th)
Red zone defense	44.74% (1st)	62.75% (24th)
Sacks	42 (7th)	28 (31st)
Takeaways	19 (14th)	12 (29th)

NFL announces date for Chargers vs. Patriots Week 17 game

The Chargers will have nine days to rest before their next game after they face the Broncos.

The Week 17 game between the Chargers and Patriots will be played next Saturday, Dec. 28, at 10:00 am PT, the NFL announced Tuesday.

The league announced a tripleheader featuring matchups between the Broncos and Bengals, along with the Cardinals and Rams.

The game will be televised on NFL Network. Chris Rose, Ross Tucker and Steve Wyche will be on the call from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA.

The last time the Chargers and Patriots met was in 2023, and Los Angeles won, 6-0. New England leads the overall series, 27-16-2.

Report: Chargers have shown interest in trading for WR K.J. Osborn

The Chargers are looking to add another weapon for Justin Herbert.

According to Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi, the Chargers are one of the teams that has shown interest in trading for Patriots wide receiver K.J. Osborn.

Osborn hasn’t been that productive this season in New England, only with seven catches for 57 yards and a touchdown in six games. But he’s proven to be impactful in his professional career.

In four seasons with the Vikings, where he played before signing with the Patriots, Osborn caught 160 passes for a total of 1,865 yards and 16 touchdowns in those games

Currently sitting at 5-3 and well positioned to make the playoffs, Los Angeles finds itself as buyers ahead of the trade deadline. And it appears the team wants to bolster the wide receiver room.

Ladd McConkey has impressed in his rookie season. Quentin Johnston has shown signs of improvement in his sophomore campaign. D.J. Chark has yet to make his Charger debut due to a hip injury.

This is a position that could benefit from another playmaker for Justin Herbert, as the Bolts continue to find their stride in the passing game.

Los Angeles Chargers vs New England Patriots Prediction, Game Preview

Los Angeles Chargers vs New England Patriots prediction, game preview, and fantasy player to watch.

Los Angeles Chargers vs New England Patriots prediction, game preview, and fantasy player to watch.

Los Angeles Chargers vs New England Patriots Broadcast

Date: Sunday, December 6
Game Time: 4:25 ET
Venue: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
Network: CBS

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– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions

Los Angeles Chargers (3-8) vs New England Patriots (5-6) Game Preview

For latest lines and to bet on the NFL, go to BetMGM

Why New England Patriots Will Win

The Patriots are grinding it out.

The passing game isn’t always working, the running game isn’t always okay, and coming up with points have been like pulling teeth, but they’ve managed to win three of their last four games by dominating the time of possession and coming up with timely defensive plays.

The Chargers are playing well, but they can’t win. Oh sure, they beat the Jets, but that’s been it over the last five games even though the offense is productive and the defense hasn’t been all that bad.

This continues to be a team that doesn’t know how to win.

But …

– CFN Experts Picks: NFL

Why Los Angeles Chargers Will Win

The Chargers have the biggest problem against teams that can push the passing game deep, and that’s not New England.

Cam Newton is coming off a 69-yard passing day, but he’s able to take a few downfield shots when needed. That’s not New England’s game, though. It wants to pound with the running game – the Chargers can strike quicker.

In a perfect world, Justin Herbert and the passing game get off to a hot start, Cam has to press, and then the mistakes start to come like they did earlier in the season.

Fantasy Football Player To Watch

RB Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles
Can the top back finally take the pressure off Herbert and give the team more of a running game? None of the running back options have been able to do much, and Ekeler is easing his way back into the fun after missing most of the year hurt.

He ran for for just 44 yards last week against Buffalo, and he only has one touchdown on the year, but for a team that needs the backs to do more, he could be a differentiating factor.

What’s Going To Happen

New England doesn’t win on style points, but it wins.

The Charger run defense might not get gouged, it’ll give up well over 100 yards, the Patriot defense will do a lot of bending, but not a lot of breaking, and Cam and company will be on the field long enough to take Herbert out of any rhythm.

Los Angeles Chargers vs New England Patriots Prediction, Line

New England 20, Los Angeles 17
Bet on Los Angeles vs New England with BetMGM
Los Angeles Chargers -1.5, o/u: 47
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2.5

Must See Rating: 3

5: Gangs of London
1: Hillbilly Elegy

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3 key things to know about Chargers’ Week 13 opponent, Patriots

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez previews the New England Patriots.

The Chargers are looking to show some life after suffering their eighth loss, as they’re set to go to battle against the Patriots this Sunday.

Here are three things to know about Los Angeles’ Week 13 opponent:

Checking in on Cam

The Patriots acquired quarterback Cam Newton before the start of the season, eventually being named the starter. It’s been an up and down season for Newton, who is 5-5 as the successor to QB Tom Brady. While he has thrived at running the football, carrying the football 92 times for 387 yards and nine touchdowns, Newton has struggled as a passer. The former No. 1 overall selection has nine interceptions, three fumbles, has taken 18 sacks and has only thrown four touchdown passes. His struggles could be due to the lingering effects from his shoulder injury or simply confident issues. But New England has tailored their offense around him, resorting to a run-heavy approach.

Running wild

Like I mentioned, the Patriots have shifted to a run-heavy offense and the team is thriving on the ground. New England is fifth in the NFL, averaging 149.6 yards per game. RB Damien Harris serves as the team’s early down option, James White has the change-of-pace role while Newton is deadly in the red zone and short yardage situations. RB Sony Michel, who’s been out since Week 3 should also be back in the mix.

How’s their defense?

The Patriots have produced a mixed bag of results. After getting owned by Texans QB Deshaun Watson, the defense held Cardinals QB Kyler Murray last weekend to one of his worst offensive outputs of the season, limiting him to less than 200 passing yards and only 31 yards rushing. Their pass defense, which features a strong secondary, including former Chargers safety Adrian Phillips, is No. 14 in the NFL, allowing 229.2 yards per game while their run defense is No. 21, allowing 123.3 YPG. New England has only gotten to the quarterback 11 times this season.