Pats Cast Episode 24: Patriots Put Up Style Points Against the L.A. Chargers

Gunner Olszewski had the best game of his career, with 183 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns. (Photo: NESN)

The Patriots marched into L.A. to take on the explosive Chargers offense. Not only did they shut them out, but they also scored 45 points of their own. There might not be a more decisive win across the NFL all season.

It was the worst any defense has made Justin Herbert look all season, New England showcased a massive special teams advantage, and the running game returned to its dominant ways.

Maybe it's just a win against a bad team, but Sunday felt like it may have been the beginning of a legitimate playoff push.

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Offense

Sunday's game looked very much like you would expect to see from the Patriots on offense. However, the blowout nature of the game makes snap counts look much different that usual.

In three passes, Jarrett Stidham threw for as many touchdowns (one) and nearly as many yards (61) as Cam Newton (69). However, that doesn't mean Newton had a bad game. The starting quarterback completed 12 of 19 passes, and he ran for 48 yards and two touchdowns.

James White caught three passes for one yard. No other Patriot had more than two receptions. Gunner Olszewski had a team-high 38 receiving yards and a touchdown – along with a 70-yard punt return for a score – and N'Keal Harry also caught a touchdown.

The good stuff offensively was in the running game. Damien Harris picked up 80 yards on 15 carries, to go along with a 15-yard catch. Sony Michel also ran for 35 yards, and Newton's impact on the ground was as huge as anybody's.

The offensive line also performed very well. The LT/LG/C trio held the Chargers without a single pressure (according to Jeff Howe), and only Mike Onwenu – facing Joey Bosa – surrendered any impactful pressure.

Defense

Much like the offense, the defense did its job early, allowing reps to be more evenly distributed than normal.

The defensive line also had a great day. Adam Butler, Lawrence Guy and Deatrich Wise each recorded a sack, Chase Winovich and Josh Uche each registered three quarterback hits and a pressure, and Winovich even added an interception.

Adrian Phillips had a team-high 12 tackles and a pass breakup. Ja'Whaun Bentley and Kyle Dugger added six more apiece, and Terez Hall chipped in five tackles and two pass breakups.

Stephon Gilmore and J.C. Jackson combined to allow only three catches on eight targets for 34 yards. Gilmore had a pass breakup, and Jackson added an interception. The combination of Jonathan Jones and Myles Bryant in the slot was seldom thrown at, but neither allowed a reception. Justin Herbert completed fewer than 50 percent of his passes, and Keenan Allen fell short of 50 receiving yards.

Cody Davis also blocked a field goal attempt, which Devin McCourty returned for a touchdown to end the first half.

Up Next

This game was a breeze. The next one won't be. New England will stay in L.A. to face the Rams, who are 8-4 this season with a running game that is suddenly trending in the right direction. They're coming off a win over the team the Patriots beat last week: the Cardinals.

Regardless of how tough the opponent will be, the Patriots are up to 6-6 now. They're still in 10th place in the AFC and two games shy of a Wild Card spot. However, they've also created separation from the rest of the pack, and they've looked objectively better than a few of the teams above them in the last couples games.

If nothing else, the Patriots have built up some late-season momentum. They no longer look like the 6-10 team that I thought they were earlier in the season.