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The Sunday playoffs kick off in the AFC when the Los Angeles Chargers head to Gillette Stadium in Foxboro to take on the #2 seeded New England Patriots.
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Despite gaining the #2 seed in the AFC, the Patriots do not seem to have that aura of invincibility that has followed them for a decade now when it comes playoff time. No doubt that it will take a Herculean effort by the visiting Chargers, but New England won just 2 of their last 4 games while the Chargers have won 12 of 14. New England is laying -4 points to the visiting Chargers in the Patriots debut in the 2019 playoffs.
Chargers Looking for Road Win
Los Angeles staked their claim to travel to Foxboro by getting revenge on the Baltimore Ravens last weekend in Baltimore. With that win, the Chargers improved to 9-1 on the road this season, so they should not have any problem being on top of their game traveling across the country to face the Patriots. The Chargers executed a perfect game plan against the Ravens, holding them to just 90 rushing yards, 63 below their season average. They will have to come into Sunday with a totally different game plan and ready for a team that likes to spread the ball out on short, quick routes. In a nutshell, the Chargers were overlooked this year as they played in the same division as Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, but a win on Sunday would elevate them to a level only reached once in the Phillip Rivers era. The window is closing on Rivers and the Chargers, so expect them to come out focused and ready to go.
Patriots Still Team to Beat
Despite the seeming vulnerability of this year’s Patriots team, New England still managed to grab the #2 seed in the AFC and finished the year with a top 5 offense. Tom Brady was not as electric as we have seen in the past, but still finished the year with 29 touchdowns to just 11 interceptions. What really kept the Patriots near the top of the standings all year was their defense. The Patriots’ defense finished the season 7th in points allowed, so they did not need Brady and the offense to be spectacular all season. Furthermore, the Patriots have been absolutely deadly at home in the playoffs as they have won eight straight playoff games while averaging 35 points per game. With regular season and playoffs combined, the Patriots have won 15 straight home games. There has always been an air of invincibility surrounding Brady and the Patriots in the post-season, so as Brady gets older, it will be interesting to see what level of play he can bring after a long season.
Pick and Prediction
Everyone waited all season for Rivers to collapse, for him to throw his bad picks, and kind of fall off. That never happened. The Chargers offense is as scary as anyone’s right now with Rivers playing at the level he is and the weapons that the Chargers have surrounded him with. Foxboro is a daunting place though and the Patriot defense has been outstanding at home. New England still has the best quarterback to play the game and the best coach in NFL history. Hard to bet against that. I am taking the Patriots to win and cover by a score of 27-20.
