The Los Angeles Chargers failed to get anything going during a 16-3 wild-card loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday night. Nothing Jim Harbaugh and the offensive braintrust tried to do in order to protect Justin Herbert worked at all, not even for a minute, as the quarterback was bodied for 60 minutes in what honestly became a safety issue. Mike Vrabel's defense dominated all night by sending stunts and exotic blitz packages through the art of disguise. It was a masterclass in making an opposing quarterback uncomfortable and at no point did the Chargers come close to solving the riddle.
New England linebacker Robert Spillane revealed as much after the game as he relayed what Chargers players told him about the Patriots' scheme.
"After the game, talking to a few of the guys on their team, they had no clue what we were doing," Spillane said. "They came up and said that. 'We had no clue what you guys were in all game.'"
#Patriots LB Robert Spillane says Chargers players told him after the game they had no clue what coverage New England was running.
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) January 12, 2026
“After the game, talking to a few of the guys on the other team, they had no clue what we were doing. They came up and said that.”
(🎥 @Patriots) pic.twitter.com/V1YqqYb9Nq
Zak Kuhr has stepped up to be New England's de facto defensive coordinator this season as Terrell Williams deals with health complications. It's hard to imagine painting a better picture than shutting down what can be an explosive offense on the biggest stage.
Over the past three games the Patriots have allowed 23 total points. Up next is a date against the winner of the Texans-Steelers clash on Monday night. Either of those opponents will be tasked with figuring out just what the heck New England was running—just in case they run it again with a spot in the AFC championship game on the line.
More NFL on Sports Illustrated
- Fab's 101 Interesting Fantasy Football Facts From the 2025 NFL Season
- Why Nate Scheelhaase Could Skip a Step in the Head Coach Hiring Cycle
- Albert Breer’s NFL Takeaways: Mike Vrabel’s Patriots Vision Takes Center Stage
- Micah Parsons Reveals Projected Return Timeline for 2026 Season
- A Reality Check Regarding Jim Nantz and Tony Romo
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Chargers Players Made Shocking Admission After Getting Dominated By Patriots.
