New England’s surge to respect landed the No. 2 seed, hosting a Chargers team that hasn’t tasted a playoff win since 2018.
The Patriots’ transformation from four wins to 14 has been driven by Drake Maye’s second-year leap, while Los Angeles leans on Justin Herbert’s proven regular-season production to challenge the hierarchy.
The 3.5-point spread reflects faith in Maye, home field and a Patriots team that handled its schedule with ruthless efficiency.
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What our Post expert thinks about Chargers vs. Patriots
Maye became the youngest quarterback ever to lead the league in both completion percentage and yards per attempt, a profile that collides directly with a Chargers defense built to contest throws 15 yards downfield.
Herbert’s task is heavier: Los Angeles allowed a franchise-record 60 sacks, and its offense lost nearly four points per game after Joe Alt went down. His playoff starts have ended in a historic collapse and a four-interception blowout, while Maye steps into January football with nothing but momentum.
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Why Trust New York Post Betting
Sean Treppedi handicaps the NFL, NHL, MLB and college football for the New York Post. He primarily focuses on picks that reflect market value while tracking trends to mitigate risk.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
