"The New England Patriots slugged it out with the Chargers to earn a 16-3 Wild Card playoff win at home. In this game, the Patriots' defense stepped up to save the day, and a key figure in that defense was the diminutive yet explosive punt returner and cornerback Marcus Jones. Signed to a mid-season contract extension in October (a very astute move by Mike Vrabel), the All-Pro special teams player made two big plays, one of which was a game-changer."
"After being carried for most of the season by the offense, Drake Maye and his offense struggled to get on track, scoring a meager six points on a pair of Andy Boregales' field goals in the first half of the game against the Chargers. Maye completed only 40% of his passes in the first two quarters, a far cry from the 72% he logged for the season before picking things up in the second half."
"Yet it was the defense that took the honors for locking up the Chargers' top quarterback, Justin Herbert, and limiting his offense to a meager field goal. The Chargers had averaged 21.6 points in 2025 (20th in the NFL). While they're not a top echelon scoring team, they were still stymied by the Patriots' aggressive defense, and Marcus Jones played a significant role in that performance."
The New England Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 16-3 in a Wild Card playoff while relying on a defense that limited Justin Herbert and the Chargers to a single field goal. Drake Maye and the offense struggled early, producing just six first-half points and completing only 40% of passes in the first two quarters before improving in the second half. New England's defense recorded six sacks, tying a team playoff record, and All-Pro cornerback and punt returner Marcus Jones delivered two critical plays, including a Pro Bowl-level red-zone tackle and another pivotal third-down stop. Jones signed a midseason contract extension in October.
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