The Patriots had beaten only one team with a winning record this season and some believed they were going to hit a wall against the Chargers. The task was not easy, but they passed the test.

• also read: A first in 33 years for the Bills

• Also read: The 49ers are unkillable!

• Also read: Another magical comeback from the Bears

• Also read: Rams narrowly avoid disaster

For a little more than three quarters,the game remained very close,but the Patriots finally won 16-3 thanks to a suffocating defensive performance and a renewed life from their quarterback Drake Maye in the second half.

maye, as in the last weeks of the regular season in Foxborough, was greeted by the fans with the sound of “MVP!” to highlight his season which could earn him the title of most valuable player.

The reality was quite different in the first half, when maye was seriously struggling.He completed only 40% of his passes in the first two quarters, his lowest completion percentage in any half this season.

The Patriots returned to the locker room with a slim 6-3 lead, thanks to two field goals from Andy Borregales. Not exactly the plan, but the team was hanging on.

In control

The more the match progressed, the more Maye regained his strength. In the second half, he completed 11 of 13 passes for 163 yards and a touchdown to Hunter Henry, which gave the Patriots a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter.

The Patriots cornerback did not allow a single reception on the five occasions the receiver he was covering was targeted, according to NextGen Stats. He knocked down two passes and became one of the best players in the league at his position. It remains to be seen if he will be in uniform next week,having had to leave at the end of the game due to a head injury.

Milton Williams

Getty Images via AFP

when the Patriots signed Milton Williams for 26 million per year in March, many had doubts. He looked good against the Chargers with two quarterback sacks.