Four Takeaways After Patriots Get Blown Out By Justin Herbert, Chargers

FOXBORO, Mass. — The New England Patriots were blown out by a Los Angeles Chargers team that doesn’t blow people out.

The Chargers, who entered Week 17 with an average margin of victory of 3.6 points, outclassed the Patriots and claimed a 40-7 win at Gillette Stadium on Saturday. It was an embarrassing display on New England’s home turf.

New England fell to 3-14 while the Chargers earned a playoff berth and improved to 10-6. The Patriots need to beat the Buffalo Bills in Week 18 to tie their win total from last season.

Here are four takeaways after Patriots-Chargers:

That’s the type of loss that gets coaches fired
Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo and his coaching staff quieted the noise during the holiday week given their competitive Week 16 loss to the Buffalo Bills. But those positive vibes are now a ghost of Christmas past. It was a massive step back for the Patriots in all phases. The 15 first-half plays by New England’s offense tied for the fewest by any team in a first half in the last five seasons, per ESPN Stats & Info. The defense allowed the Chargers to score their most points of the season all while a non-existent pass-rush aided in Justin Herbert’s showing (26-for-38, 281 yards, three touchdowns). LA compiled 29 first downs compared to eight (!) of the Patriots. Will Mayo himself get the axe? Reports have hinted it’s unlikely, but possible. Regardless, the blowout will not sit well with owner Robert Kraft.

Chargers wideout twists knife into Eliot Wolf, Patriots
Remember when the Patriots could have drafted Ladd McConkey but instead traded back with the Chargers only to select Ja’Lynn Polk a few picks later? Watching from afar this season, it looked like an egregious mistake. It looked even worse up close, and ultimately served as a knife-twist for the Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf. Herbert and McConkey (eight catches, 94 yards, two touchdowns) carved up the Patriots secondary, which was without Christian Gonzalez during the final three quarters. At one point, McConkey had 94 yards receiving while the Patriots had 95 yards of offense. His single-game yardage output is more than Polk’s season output (12 catches, 87 yards, two touchdowns).

Protect yourself, Drake Maye
The Patriots quarterback was on the receiving end of plenty of physical punishment. Pro Football Focus tracked 13 pressures allowed by the offensive line. Maye entered concussion protocol for the second time of his 11-start career after taking a hit to the head on the third play of the game. Maye could have avoided the hit if he either intentionally stepped out of bounds or gave himself up, but he fought for the extra few yards. While admirable, Maye needs to go a different route on those opportunities if he wants to sustain any level of performance. Maye showed a bit of that upon returning for the Patriots. On his first play upon returning, Maye scrambled and slid near the first-down marker, taking a hit from a Chargers defender and adding a 15-yard penalty. Maye slid following another scramble shortly after. Maye is the lone bright spot on this Patriots team, which makes his willingness to avoid those hits all the more crucial.

Christian Gonzalez probably is done for the season
The hits were early and often for the Patriots on Saturday with both Maye and Christian Gonzalez entering concussion protocol in the first half. While Maye ultimately cleared protocol, Gonzalez did not. He was ruled out with a concussion, which he suffered three plays into the second quarter. We’ve seen players miss extended time in the protocol, and given where the Patriots stand, it’s fair to believe the lockdown cornerback might have played his final snap of his sophomore campaign.

Plus: Patriots fans didn’t deserve that one
Simply put.