2) Herbert hopes to overcome injury, leak OL vs. Patriots’ D
Justin Herbert has been a miracle worker at times for the Chargers, finding ways to thrive despite injuries and poor defense up front. He sat out Week 18 protecting his broken left hand, and now the question is how good his defense will be against New England. Jamaree Salyer, the team’s third left tackle this season, has sat out the last two games with a hamstring injury, and potential replacements Austin Deculus or Bobby Hart have struggled. The Patriots, however, need a disciplined pass rush. Herbert has been excellent outside the pocket as a thrower and scrambler, able to get out of trouble and puncture defenses, but he’s also been sacked three or more times in 10 of his 16 starts. The Patriots’ field goal percentage (6.64%, 20th) doesn’t tell the whole story, as their pressure percentage (35.9%, according to Next Gen Stats) is 10th and it’s possible they could get Harold Landry (knee) back. New England has also generally kept the big plays in check this season, allowing just 42 passes of 20-plus yards (tied for seventh-best) and just three games of 40-plus (tied for second). The Chargers have a very balanced passing attack, with four receivers between 641 and 741 passing yards this season. Keep an eye on rookie Oronde Gadsden II, who has shaky hands but explosiveness, especially against a New England defense that has struggled to field good receivers at the position. The Patriots will give up some catches with their zone-heavy scheme, but between limiting explosive passing plays and keeping an eye on mobile quarterbacks, which limit their options, the Chargers may have to work their way up and down the field.
3) Which running game can provide the biggest boost?
The Chargers and Patriots each rank at the top of the league in rushing yards and yards per carry, but they’ve taken different paths to get there. The Chargers have Omarion Hampton back from injury and Kimani Vidal has added explosiveness to the backfield, but the blocking hasn’t always allowed them to consistently thrive. Justin Herbert’s flair has helped give those fast totals a cosmetic boost at times, too. The Patriots’ run defense looks good on the stat sheet, allowing just 101.7 yards per game (sixth), but they’ve been cut up a bit late in the season by the likes of Breece Hall, Derrick Henry and James Cook. The return of defensive tackle Milton Williams appeared to help the run defense last week, and the Patriots could get two other pieces — linebacker Robert Spillane (foot) and defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga (foot) — back from injuries. New England has leaned more on the run game down the stretch, with Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson playing big roles. Stevenson has been hot of late, averaging 9.6 yards per carry and scoring six TDs in his last four games, and Henderson is the big-play football player with four TDs of 50-plus yards this season. Like the Chargers, the Patriots’ run blocking has been spotty at times, but Campbell’s return last week bolstered the offensive line. The Chargers’ run defense has been very good this season, with Saquon Barkley being the latest to hurt them in Week 14, but the Patriots will likely be patient with the run game and continue to push, especially if they get an early lead.