FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — As spontaneous celebrations rippled throughout the Los Angeles Chargers' locker room after their resounding 40-7 win over the New England Patriots, coach Jim Harbaugh grabbed general manager Joe Hortiz and wrapped him up in a bear hug.
“Love you!” Harbaugh said.
“Love you!” Hortiz responded.
“Great job! Let's keep it going,” Harbaugh replied, finally loosening his grasp.
The Chargers (10-6) are back in the playoffs. But the message is clear: They have their eyes on achieving much more.
Justin Herbert threw three touchdown passes and Los Angeles locked up its second playoff appearance in three seasons with Saturday's victory.
“We had a good opportunity tonight and we went out and took it," Herbert said. “We had a good plan. All week we knew how big of a game this was for us. Guys were dialed in, focused and we executed today.”
It also secured the fourth postseason appearance in Harbaugh’s five seasons as an NFL coach, adding to the three he made during his stint with the San Francisco 49ers.
“You talk to them and there's more to do,” Harbaugh said. “There's no coach who could have it better than to be coaching these players. Nobody. Maybe the only person would be future us, could have it better than us.”
Herbert finished 26 of 38 for 281 yards to become the third player in NFL history with at least 3,000 passing yards and 20 touchdown passes in each of his first five seasons. He joins Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning and Russell Wilson.
Ladd McConkey had eight catches for 94 yards and pulled in TD throws of 6 and 40 yards. With a 10-yard reception in the second quarter, he passed 1,000 yards receiving for the season, making him the third Chargers rookie receiver to reach that milestone.
JK Dobbins rushed 19 times for 76 yards and a TD.
The Patriots (3-13) have lost six straight games, their second such losing streak of the season. They are now 2-14 the last two seasons at home.
“We just didn’t play well enough in any phase of the game,” coach Jerod Mayo said. “No complementary football, and that’s what you get.”
Asked if he thinks he is coaching for his job, Mayo said it comes with the territory.
“I’m always under pressure and it’s been that way for a very long time, not just when I became the head coach of the Patriots," he said.
New England quarterback Drake Maye finished 12 of 22 for 117 yards and a touchdown. He became the first rookie quarterback in franchise history with a TD pass in eight straight games. But he was sacked four times, and a second-quarter fumble marked his eighth straight game with at least one turnover.
Los Angeles outgained New England 428-181 for the game.
Maye briefly left the game to be evaluated for a head injury following a blow to his helmet in the first quarter.
He was scrambling near the sideline on third down of the Patriots’ first possession when he was hit by Chargers cornerback Cam Hart, jarring the ball loose as Maye spun out of bounds.
No flag was thrown on the play and Maye stayed down on the turf for several seconds before eventually getting up and jogging off the field. He initially sat on the bench before going to the medical tent for evaluation.
He was replaced by backup Jacoby Brissett in the next series, which ended in a punt. But after further evaluation in the locker room and a Cameron Dicker 27-yard field goal put the Chargers in front 10-0, Maye returned to the game for the Patriots’ third series, at the 10:15 mark of the second quarter.
Maye scrambled for 9 yards on his first play back, ending with him being hit by linebacker Junior Colson as he slid to the ground. Colson was flagged for unnecessary roughness.
Five plays later, Maye mistimed a toss to Demario Douglas, causing a fumble that was recovered by Derwin James.
The Chargers took over on the New England 24 and nine plays later, Herbert connected with McConkey for a 6-yard touchdown pass to put Los Angeles in front 17-0.
Injuries
Chargers: WR Joshua Palmer left the game in the third quarter with a heel injury. DB Elijah Molden limped off the field after a collision in the third quarter. He returned but was later driven off the field on a golf cart because of a shin injury.
Patriots: In addition to Maye, CB Christian Gonzalez left the game in the second quarter to be evaluated for a head injury and was later ruled out with a concussion.
Rookie record
McConkey, a second-round draft selection, also set a Chargers rookie record for catches, surpassing Keenan Allen, who had 71 in 2013.
Up next
Chargers: Visit Las Vegas in their regular-season finale.
Patriots: Host Buffalo next Sunday in their season finale.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Kyle Hightower, The Associated Press
