FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Sony Michel ran for 129 yards and had three touchdowns and the New England Patriots beat the Los Angeles Chargers 41-28 in the divisional playoffs on Sunday to earn their eighth straight trip to the AFC championship game.
New England (12-5) will play at Kansas City in next week’s AFC title game. The Patriots beat the Chiefs 43-40 in Foxborough in Week 6. The Patriots finished 9-0 at home this season.
It is the 13th conference championship game appearance by the Patriots during the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick era.
“It’s going to be a good game,” Brady said of the rematch with the Chiefs. “They’re a good team. We played them earlier this year. I know everybody thinks we suck and, you know, we can’t win any games, so we’ll see. It’ll be fun.”
The Chargers (13-5) haven’t reached the AFC title game since the 2007 season.
Quarterback Philip Rivers finished 25 of 51 for 331 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. He is 0-5 in games played in Foxborough, including 0-3 in the postseason.
Brady finished 34 of 44 for 343 yards and a touchdown. He improves to 8-0 as a starter against Rivers, who drops to 1-8 against New England all-time.
James White tied Darren Sproles’ NFL postseason record with 15 catches, totaling 97 yards.
Julian Edelman had nine catches for 151 yards.
Los Angeles lost for just the second time on the road (8-2) and first time outside Los Angeles this season. In its past four trips to the playoffs, Los Angeles has lost in the divisional round.
“We dug ourselves a hole in the first half,” Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said. “One game doesn’t define where we are as a football team.”
Rivers seemed poised to keep Los Angeles in the game, connecting with Keenan Allen for a 43-yard score on Los Angeles’ first offensive possession. It was the longest touchdown of Allen’s career, including the postseason.
MILESTONES
Michel became just the second Patriots rookie in franchise history to have a rushing touchdown in the postseason. He joined fellow Georgia alum, Robert Edwards, who ran for a touchdown as a rookie in New England’s 1998 wild-card loss to Jacksonville.
Michel also became the first New England player with two rushing TDs in the first quarter of a playoff game since LeGarrette Blount did it in the 2013 divisional-round win against Indianapolis.
Brady extended his postseason record with his 15th career 300-yard passing game. Next is Peyton Manning with nine.
STREAKING
Brady has a touchdown pass in 13 straight postseason games, tied for the third-longest streak since 1950. Only Brett Favre (20) and Brady himself (18 from 2001-11) have longer streaks.
INJURIES
Chargers: Safety Adrian Phillips was helped off the field early in the first quarter with an arm injury, but returned. Receiver Mike Williams jogged off the field after a collision in the first quarter.
Patriots: Guard Shaq Mason left the game in the fourth quarter.
