The 14-3 New England Patriots secured their first AFC East division title since 2019 this year, and quarterback Drake Maye‘s name keeps coming up as one of the top contender’s for this season’s MVP — it’s been a surprising turn for the team who went 4-13 last season. The team will play at home on Sunday night against the 11-6 Los Angeles Chargers for their first playoff game of the post-season, where the odds are ever so slightly in the Pats’ favor.
Kick off for this week’s Sunday Night Football game between the Chargers and Patriots is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock; here’s everything you need to know about this week’s game and the rest of the Wild Card Weekend schedule.
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How to watch the Los Angeles Chargers vs. New England Patriots:
Date: Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026
Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
TV channel: NBC
Streaming: DirecTV, Peacock, YouTube TV, NFL+ and more
Los Angeles Chargers vs. New England Patriots game time:
The Chargers vs. Patriots game kicks off at 8:20 p.m. ET/5:20 p.m. PT this Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts.
Los Angeles Chargers vs. New England Patriots game channel:
The Wild Card Weekend game between the Chargers and the Patriots will air on NBC.
How to watch the Los Angeles Chargers vs. New England Patriots game without cable:
You can stream NBC on platforms like DirecTV and Peacock. (Note that Fubo and NBC are currently in the midst of a contract dispute and NBC channels are not currently available on the platform.) The game will also be streaming on Peacock and on NFL+, though with an NFL+ subscription, you’re limited to watching this week’s game on mobile devices.
For $17 monthly you can upgrade to an ad-free subscription which includes live access to your local NBC affiliate (not just during designated sports and events) and the ability to download select titles to watch offline.
All times Eastern.
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Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026
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L.A. Rams vs. Carolina Panthers: 4:30 p.m. (FOX)
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Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears: 8:00 p.m. (Prime Video)
Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026
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Buffalo Bills vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: 1:00 p.m.(CBS)
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San Francisco 49ers vs. Philadelphia Eagles: 4:30 p.m. (FOX)
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Los Angeles Chargers vs. New England Patriots: 8:00 p.m. (NBC)
Monday, Jan. 12, 2026
How to watch NFL games in 2026:
Many NFL games are broadcast on local channels, so if you’re looking to catch an in-market game, it may be as simple as turning on your TV (or setting up a digital TV antenna) or finding a live TV streaming service that carries the correct RSN (Regional Sports Network). If you want to watch out-of-market games, a $7 monthly subscription to NFL+ will let you watch every out-of-market local and primetime game in the season on your phone — but only a select few regular-season games on your TV. You could also spring for the uber-expensive NFL Sunday Ticket package to get every out-of-market Sunday game of the season.
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When it comes to nationally broadcast games, NFL games typically air across ESPN, NBC, CBS, Fox, ABC and NFL Network. Thursday Night Football games stream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video, select football games will stream exclusively on Peacock, games on CBS will stream live on Paramount+, and Monday Night Football games will air on ESPN or ABC and stream on the newly revamped ESPN+ this season. That’s six channels and four streaming platforms to keep up with this season — and that’s not counting your local RSN’s for in-market games and an NFL+ or NFL Sunday Ticket subscription for out-of-market games. And we can’t forget about Fox One, Fox’s first streaming service, a place where you can also stream games airing on FOX (if you don’t already have access to it).
Confused? You’re not alone. Here’s a breakdown of the platforms we recommend checking out so that come game time, tuning into your favorite team’s games will be as easy as simply turning on the TV.
- Free trial available
- Unlimited cloud DVR storage
- Free ESPN unlimited
- Entirely sports-focused
- No NBC
- You probably already have access to Prime Video
- Only Thursday Night Football games
- Can only watch MOST live games on your phone
- All ESPN content in one place
- Content from NFL Network and NFL RedZone
- Bundle option with NFL+
- Only ESPN games available with the base service
How to watch NFL games in-person:
Tickets for the 2025 NFL season are on sale now.
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Every way to watch NFL games this season:
To recap, here are all the ways you can watch NFL games in 2025.
2026 NFL offseason preview: Dallas Cowboys are a Super Bowl contender — if they can re-sign George Pickens and fix defense
The NFL offseason has begun, and Yahoo Sports is previewing the coming months for all 32 teams, from free agency through the draft and more.
AFC East: Bills | Dolphins | Patriots | Jets
AFC North: Ravens | Bengals | Browns | Steelers
AFC South: Texans | Colts | Jaguars | Titans
AFC West: Broncos | Chiefs | Raiders | Chargers
NFC East: Cowboys | Giants | Eagles | Commanders
NFC North: Bears | Lions | Packers | Vikings
NFC South: Falcons | Panthers | Saints | Buccaneers
NFC West: Cardinals | Rams | 49ers | Seahawks
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2025 season record: 7-9-1 (u 7.5 wins), second in NFC East, missed playoffs, 22nd in DVOA
Overview
So many things worked out for the Cowboys. Brian Schottenheimer, perhaps the most scrutinized head coaching hire last offseason, was a net positive. Trading for George Pickens was the steal of the offseason and benefited both Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. The Cowboys’ run game improved with the hire of Klayton Adams as offensive coordinator. The Dallas offense led the league in yards per game and was top five in EPA per play. But none of that could overcome Dallas’ biggest move of the offseason: trading away Micah Parsons.
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Without Parsons, the Cowboys missed the impact of a top-tier pass rusher. Despite Jerry Jones’ insistence that Parsons’ freestyling negatively impacted the run defense, the Cowboys were one of the league’s worst defenses the entire season and ultimately fired coordinator Matt Eberflus. Former Eagles assistant Christian Parker was hired to replace Eberflus. Due to the struggles, Dallas traded for Quinnen Williams at the deadline. Williams is a fantastic player and immediately made an impact for the Cowboys, but it cost a 2026 second-round draft pick, leaving Dallas with no Day 2 picks this year, and a 2027 first-round pick.
[Get more Cowboys news: Dallas team feed]
The offense wasn’t enough to make up for the defensive deficiencies and the Cowboys missed the playoffs in a season when playoff spots felt more wide open than ever.
Cap/cuts outlook
Dallas has -$24.6 million in effective salary cap space, according to Over The Cap, the second-least in the league. This is common for Dallas, a team that signs big contracts late with high salaries that can be restructured into signing bonuses to clear cap space in future years. The Cowboys can open up nearly $50 million by restructuring the contracts of Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. Moving on from Kenny Clark, a key piece of the Parsons trade, according to Jerry Jones, would open up $21 million in cap space. The Cowboys could also extend Clark and lower that 2026 figure.
Key pending free agents
WR George Pickens
S Donovan Wilson
RB Javonte Williams (re-signed to 3-year deal)
K Brandon Aubrey (RFA)
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Just about everything about the Pickens trade was a success for Dallas, outside of not making the playoffs. Pickens had his best season and will likely be an All-Pro receiver. He led the team in target share and was third among all players in receiving yards. He’s reportedly likely to get the franchise tag, but that could very well lead to a long-term deal anyway. The other big name here is Aubrey, who is a restricted free agent. Does Dallas use a first-round tender on a kicker? Is a second-round tender enough to deter outside offers for one of the best kickers in the league?
Positional needs
Edge
Linebacker
Secondary
Take your pick for the defensive position the Cowboys need to improve. You don’t finish last in defensive DVOA by being loaded. Start at edge, where the loss of Micah Parsons was immediately felt. Dallas was seventh in pressure rate but 10th in blitz rate. Much of the pressure came from the interior with Osa Odighizuwa, Kenny Clark and eventually, Quinnen Williams. Williams had 32 pressures as a Cowboy, which ended up fifth on the team.
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Dallas linebackers struggled throughout the year while the defense played 32% of its snaps in base personnel, the 13th-highest rate in the league. There wasn’t a reliable player in coverage and the run fits were inconsistent. DeMarvion Overshown was rusty in his return from knee injury, but getting him a full offseason to recover should bring back his pre-injury potential. Still, at least one linebacker will be needed to play with him.
Dallas’ secondary was a revolving mess. The team already released Trevon Diggs, who was in and out of the lineup and was one of the worst cornerbacks by adjusted yards allowed per coverage snap while he was on the field. Other bets on injured and inconsistent players did not pay off. DaRon Bland played 72% of the defensive snaps but no other corner played more than 45%. The Cowboys were last in EPA per play against the pass.
2026 NFL Draft picks
1st round, pick No. 12
1st round (GB), pick No. 20
4th round
5th round
5th round (projected compensatory)
5th round (projected compensatory)
7th round (NYG)
7th round (KC)
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Good draft fit
Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
The Cowboys need to revamp their secondary as much as anything, and Terrell is fast, scrappy and can stay in the hip pocket of wideouts despite below-average size.
What could move the fantasy needle in 2026?
Retain George Pickens
Pretty simple: the Cowboys can’t allow George Pickens to hit the open market, and reports are already indicating they intend to franchise tag the receiver. Dallas is currently over the cap by a significant amount, but can create plenty of room via cuts and restructures to star players like Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. I’d be stunned if Pickens plays anywhere else next season, whether they come to an agreement on an extension or he’s retained with the franchise tag. — Matt Harmon
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Betting nugget
It was an up-and-down season for the Cowboys, who finished 7-9-1 straight up but struggled in the role of a favorite, going 2-7 against the spread. Dallas was the NFL’s best team to the over at 12-4-1. — Ben Fawkes
2026 NFL offseason preview: Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl window hinges on fixing a broken offense
The NFL offseason has begun, and Yahoo Sports is previewing the coming months for all 32 teams, from free agency through the draft and more.
AFC East: Bills | Dolphins | Patriots | Jets
AFC North: Ravens | Bengals | Browns | Steelers
AFC South: Texans | Colts | Jaguars | Titans
AFC West: Broncos | Chiefs | Raiders | Chargers
NFC East: Cowboys | Giants | Eagles | Commanders
NFC North: Bears | Lions | Packers | Vikings
NFC South: Falcons | Panthers | Saints | Buccaneers
NFC West: Cardinals | Rams | 49ers | Seahawks
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Philadelphia Eagles
2025 season record: 11-6 (u 11.5 wins), first in NFC East, lost to 49ers in wild-card round, 13th in DVOA
Overview
This was not the world-beating team so many expected to see after last year’s Super Bowl title. Last season, Philadelphia battled with some inconsistency in the offense but found a groove by the end of the season. The 2025 version never fully got it.
How the Eagles played in games was telling. In 2024, they were 24th in points per drive on their opening possession, but improved to fifth over the rest of the game. The 2025 Eagles were sixth in points per drive on their opening possession, but dropped to 25th on all following drives. The 2024 Eagles figured it out, while the 2025 version couldn’t adapt. Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo was removed from his post after the team’s wild-card playoff loss after he failed to replicate the work Kellen Moore did previously. And the team also replaced legendary offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, who stepped down after 13 years with the team.
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[Get more Eagles news: Philadelphia team feed]
The talent is still overwhelming. That was the case with a defense that was still second in EPA per play while developing multiple All-Pro-caliber players. But, also as the defense proved, this team needs to figure out how to make that talent work together instead of just relying on the talent to carry itself.
Cap/cuts outlook
The Eagles have just over $20 million in effective cap space, per Over The Cap. That ranks in the middle of the pack. They’re fairly locked into this roster. Because of how the Eagles have structured their contracts, there’s not a lot of restructure potential — most contracts are pre-restuctured with small base salaries and option bonuses. If the Eagles re-sign Dallas Goedert early, they could create space by shrinking the $20.5 million figure that would hit the cap when his contract voids on Feb. 16.
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Key pending free agents
TE Dallas Goedert
Edge Jaelan Phillips
LB Nakobe Dean
S Reed Blankenship
Goedert led the team and was ninth in the league with a 27.8% target share in the red zone. His 10 red zone touchdowns were second only to Davante Adams. Jaelan Phillips was a defense-changer after the trade that brought him to Philadelphia. From Weeks 1-9, the Eagles were 14th in pressure rate. After Phillips was acquired, they ranked fifth. Dean has been excellent and was immediately put back into the starting lineup when he returned from injury, but the presence of Jihaad Campbell and the high rate of nickel defense will likely make Dean expendable in free agency.
Positional needs
Cornerback
Tight end
Edge
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Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean are two of the best players at their positions, but the second outside cornerback spot was a hole all season. Adoree’ Jackson was one of the most targeted cornerbacks on a per-snap basis and the Eagles ranked 24th in DVOA against WR2s.
Even if Goedert is re-signed, the Eagles should add a tight end to the mix. Grant Calcaterra was a negative as a blocker and did not make up for it enough as a receiver — though the Eagles were fifth in EPA per play from 12 personnel, which they ran at the 12th-highest rate in the league.
Depth on the edge will need to be addressed. That was the reason for the Phillips trade and bringing Brandon Graham out of retirement. Neither of them is under contract for 2026.
2026 NFL Draft picks
1st round, No. 23
2nd round, No. 54
3rd round, No. 68
3rd round (projected compensatory)
4th round
4th round (projected compensatory)
5th round (ATL)
5th round (projected compensatory)
6th round
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Good draft fit
Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
The Eagles have built their dominance through the trenches, and now they find Lane Johnson’s long-term replacement. Lomu moves well for his size, and has polished technique and can add even more weight and strength. Even with the departure of O-line coach Jeff Stoutland, Lomu can learn under the All-Pros they have along the line before taking over himself.
What could move the fantasy needle in 2026?
Scrap the entire offense
Yes, scrapping the offense began with moving on from Kevin Patullo as the offensive coordinator. It’s been clear all season that the design of this offense wasn’t weaponizing the players and conceptually wasn’t creating any schematic advantages. You’re kidding yourself if you think that’s the cure-all move. Saquon Barkley and A.J. Brown both turn 29 this offseason. Dallas Goedert just turned 31 and will be a free agent this offseason. if you pop open the hood of this car and you suddenly see there are more matters that need your attention beyond a paint job. — Matt Harmon
Betting nugget
The Eagles went 10-7 against the spread in the 2025-26 regular season, but were only 8-7 ATS as a favorite. They were also a surprisingly poor 4-4 ATS at home. — Ben Fawkes
Panthers OL Ikem Ekwonu tore patellar tendon in playoff loss to Rams, could miss 2026 season
The Carolina Panthers lost starting left tackle Ikem Ekwonu during their 34-31 wild-card playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The team now faces the potential playing all of next season without him.
Ekwonu, 25, left Saturday’s game with an injury after the Panthers’ eighth offensive play. He was hurt on a play during which quarterback Bryce Young was sacked. Ekwonu needed help to get off the field and was eventually carted to the locker room. He did not return to the game.
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On Sunday, head coach Dave Canales announced that Ekwonu suffered a torn patellar tendon in his right knee and will require surgery. The projected timeline to recover from such an injury is six to 12 months, which means Ekwonu will certainly miss offseason workouts and minicamps. But he could also miss part — if not all — of the 2026 season.
Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu left their playoff game versus the Los Angeles Rams after eight plays. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
[Get more Panthers news: Carolina team feed]
Ekwonu, the team’s first-round pick (No. 6 overall) in the 2022 NFL Draft out of NC State, allowed five sacks in 550 pass-block snaps this season, according to Pro Football Focus. Protecting Young’s blind side was a key factor in the quarterback’s emergence this season.
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Young posted career-highs in passing yards (3,011), touchdown passes (23) and completion percentage (63.6%), leading the Panthers to an 8-9 record, NFC South division title and playoff berth. Additionally, running back Rico Dowdle rushed for 1,076 yards.
The Panthers already faced a decision on signing Ekwonu to a contract extension after picking up his fifth-year option for next season. In light of his injury, Carolina will now have to evaluate whether or not to address the offensive line with its first-round selection (No. 19 overall) or free agency plans.
“It certainly is something that we have to consider, just depending on the duration of the injury,” Canales told reporters on Sunday. “Knowing that we’re going to go through a full offseason, and what’s the timeline and how does that affect training camp and roster numbers and all that.”
Canales was on the Seattle Seahawks’ coaching staff when tight end Jimmy Graham suffered a torn patellar tendon. Graham took nine months to return from the injury.
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Re-signing Yosh Nijman, who replaced Ekwonu in Saturday’s game, will be one of the decisions the Panthers must contemplate. Austin Corbett, Cade Mays, Brady Christensen and Jake Curhan are also unrestricted free agents for Carolina.
NFL playoff results, divisional round schedule
The wild-card round is nearly over.
Only Monday’s game between the Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers is left. The NFC divisional round matchups are set after the San Francisco 49ers upset the Philadelphia Eagles.
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The Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos both had byes in the wild-card round.
Here’s everything you need to know heading into the opening weekend of the playoffs.
NFC playoff field
1. Seattle Seahawks (14-3)
2. Chicago Bears (11-6)
3. Philadelphia Eagles (11-6)
4. Carolina Panthers (8-9)
5. Los Angeles Rams (12-5)
6. San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
7. Green Bay Packers (9-7-1)
AFC playoff field
1. Denver Broncos (14-3)
2. New England Patriots (14-3)
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (13-4)
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7)
5. Houston Texans (12-5)
6. Buffalo Bills (12-5)
7. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
NFL wild-card round results
Saturday, Jan. 10
Los Angeles Rams 34, Carolina Panthers 31
Chicago Bears 31, Green Bay Packers 27
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Sunday, Jan. 11
Buffalo Bills 27, Jacksonville Jaguars 24
San Francisco 49ers 23, Philadelphia Eagles 19
New England Patriots 16, Los Angeles Chargers 3
Monday, Jan. 12
5. Houston Texans at 4. Pittsburgh Steelers
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Acrisure Stadium | Pittsburgh
TV: ESPN/ABC
Tickets: Gametime
NFL divisional round matchups
Saturday, Jan. 17
6. Buffalo Bills at No. 1 Denver Broncos
6. San Francisco 49ers at 1. Seattle Seahawks
Sunday, Jan. 18
5. Los Angeles Rams at 2. Chicago Bears
5. Houston Texans/4. Pittsburgh Steelers at 2. New England Patriots
Calvin Russell III, Syracuse football’s highest-rated recruit in 25 years, joins basketball team
Syracuse Orange fans don’t have to wait until the fall to see incoming freshman wide receiver Calvin Russell III at JMA Wireless Dome.
Syracuse athletics announced that Russell — a five-star recruit — will join the Orange’s basketball team after enrolling this spring. Russell is expected to begin practicing with the team and be available for games this season.
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Playing on the basketball team was one of the factors that drew Russell to Syracuse over his hometown of Miami.
The 6-foot-5, 190-pound freshman averaged 15.2 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists during his final season at Miami Northwestern High School. In the regional quarterfinals of the state playoffs against Somerset Academy, Russell scored 38 points and grabbed 19 rebounds.
His mom, Chanivia Broussard, also played basketball for four years at the University of Miami, where she scored 1,482 points, ranks third on the Hurricanes’ all-time blocks list with 132, and was inducted into the Miami Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.
On the court, Russell will join the Orange’s freshman class, which includes Kiyan Anthony, the son of Carmelo Anthony, and highly touted 2025 recruit Sadiq White. Russell will also join a star-studded list of former Orange two-sport athletes such as Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, Floyd Little, John Mackey and Donovan McNabb.
Syracuse Basketball is currently 11-5. On the football field, Russell will join a team that struggled last season, going 3-9 and losing its last eight games.
Jauan Jennings’ sensational trick-play pass to Christian McCaffrey caught Eagles off guard — but 49ers have run it before
With their season on the line, the San Francisco 49ers dug deep into their playbook Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The result was a trick-play touchdown and a 23-19 wild-card win to keep their season afloat. The sensational play caught the Eagles off guard as Christian McCaffrey ran wide open into the end zone for a pass from Jauan Jennings.
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The play might have looked familiar to astute 49ers fans. That’s because it was — the 49ers had run it before. It’s just been a while.
The game-changing play
San Francisco’s offense had gone stagnant since a 76-yard opening-drive touchdown. So with the chance to take a lead while facing a 16-10 deficit, Shanahan dialed up the trick play to start the fourth quarter.
[Get more 49ers news: San Francisco team feed]
Brock Purdy took a snap from under center and handed off to Skyy Moore, who started the play in motion. Moore then pitched the ball to Jennings for an end-around, but Jennings wasn’t running the ball. Instead, he set his feet as he approached the right sideline and delivered a bomb to a wide-open McCaffrey near the end zone.
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McCaffrey made a late adjustment and ran under the ball for a 29-yard touchdown and 17-16 lead that shifted the fortunes of the game in favor of the 49ers and sparked their four-point win.
We’ve seen this before
If that looks familiar, there’s a reason.
The 49ers previously ran the play in a regular-season game way back in 2019 against the New Orleans Saints. The players were different. But the head coach — Shanahan — was the same.
In that instance, Jimmy Garoppolo took the snap and handed off to Deebo Samuel, who pitched the ball to Emmanuel Sanders for the end-around. Sanders then found Raheem Mostert streaking down the right sideline for a 35-yard touchdown.
Like in Sunday’s game, that play helped the 49ers rally in a 48-46 win over the Saints.
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Shanahan: ‘Klay suggested it. It was a hell of a suggestion’
Current 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak wasn’t on that 2019 coaching staff. He was a high school coach in Texas. But he was aware of the play. And, per Shanahan, he suggested running it against the Eagles.
“It’s called Skyy bang reverse pass,” Shanahan said in his postgame news conference. “Last time we called it, it was called Deebo bang reverse pass. We ran it in New Orleans when Emmanuel threw to Raheem in kind of the same area of the field.
“We were trying to set it up a little bit. We got a jet sweep to Skyy earlier in the game. It had to be on the right hash for the play because Jauan’s not left-handed. So we were just hoping to get it around there.
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“Klay suggested it. It was a hell of a suggestion.”
About that pass
Calling the play required confidence from Shanahan in Jennings’ ability to make the pass. And there’s a reason why Shanahan trusted Jennings.
Jennings is San Francisco’s No. 1 wide receiver and has played the position since he joined the 49ers as a seventh-round selection in the 2020 NFL Draft. But coming out of high school, he was one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country.
In fact, 247 sports ranked Jennings as the No. 5 dual-threat quarterback in his class — ahead of Sam Darnold, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson.
That’s impressive company with three multi-time Pro Bowl quarterbacks. Jennings converted to wide receiver at Tennessee and has played the position ever since. But he’s not letting his arm go completely unused. And his experience at quarterback came in handy Sunday.
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Jennings completed his pass with All-Pro pass defensive tackle Jalen Carter barreling down on him. Carter hit him late and got called for roughing the passer. Jennings didn’t flinch.
“Jauan threw a perfect ball,” Shanahan said. “It made me a little scared. I think he should have just thrown a bad ball and put it on him. I thought it was a hell of a catch by Christian.
“I didn’t see it, but knowing that he got roughed up and stuff, It just shows what a G Jauan is. High school quarterback.”
Jennings to McCaffrey, by the numbers
Coming into Sunday’s game, Jennings was 1 for 1 in his playoff career. His previous pass was on a trick-play screen play to McCaffrey in Super Bowl LVIII against the Kansas City Chiefs. Like on Sunday, McCaffrey took it for a touchdown.
And now, Jennings is 2 for 2 in his playoff career as a passer for 64 yards with two touchdowns. And, per NFL Network, he’s now the only player in NFL history to record a perfect 158.3 passer rating multiple times in the playoffs for the same team.
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Fellow Tennessee Volunteer Peyton Manning did it only once as a member of the Indianapolis Colts.
That’s not the only notable number attached to Jennings’ pass to McCaffrey.
Per Next Gen Stats, the touchdown pass was the first of the playoffs to travel more than 20 yards. And it’s the deepest pass play of McCaffrey’s illustrious career as a pass catcher. He’d previously never caught a pass that traveled 26 yards in the air relative to the line of scrimmage.
Not bad for a pass play involving a wide receiver and a running back — especially considering that it advanced the 49ers to a divisional round matchup next week against the NFC West rival Seahawks.
2026 NFL offseason preview: Los Angeles Chargers will have plenty to spend to help Justin Herbert reach that elusive breakthrough
The NFL offseason has begun, and Yahoo Sports is previewing the coming months for all 32 teams, from free agency through the draft and more.
AFC East: Bills | Dolphins | Patriots | Jets
AFC North: Ravens | Bengals | Browns | Steelers
AFC South: Texans | Colts | Jaguars | Titans
AFC West: Broncos | Chiefs | Raiders | Chargers
NFC East: Cowboys | Giants | Eagles | Commanders
NFC North: Bears | Lions | Packers | Vikings
NFC South: Falcons | Panthers | Saints | Buccaneers
NFC West: Cardinals | Rams | 49ers | Seahawks
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Los Angeles Chargers
2025 season record: 11-6 (over 9.5 wins), second in AFC West, lost in AFC wild-card round, 17th in DVOA
Overview
The 2025 Chargers’ season was an objective success. Finishing with 11 wins and second place in their division would have sounded great at the start of the season. But it feels like the Chargers left so much on the table.
Justin Herbert was incredible throughout the season, but couldn’t get the production to match. His finish of 21st in EPA per play doesn’t come close to representing what the Chargers’ quarterback did weekly. The Chargers lost both starting tackles in Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater, while the team had nine offensive line combinations that played at least 50 snaps together. Herbert was the most pressured quarterback in the league. The team is hoping new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel will help with that issue and he replaces Greg Roman.
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This also felt like a missed opportunity for a defense that was seventh in weighted DVOA by the end of the season. Coordinator Jesse Minter left to take the head coaching job with the Ravens, so his successor, Chris O’Leary, will be tasked with keeping the Chargers playing at a high level after two impressive years from that side of the ball.
[Get more Chargers news: L.A. team feed]
But the Chargers could also look completely different next season, with some financial flexibility to build up the roster around a superstar quarterback.
Cap/cuts outlook
At $83.5 million in cap space, according to Over The Cap, the Chargers have the third-most projected space in the NFL. With only 36 players under contract, the team will need to use some of that to fill out the roster, but the Chargers should still have a lot of wiggle room to spend if they want. Another $10 million could be opened up if the team moves on from Mekhi Becton. Becton played 15 games, but had the second-highest blown block rate among right guards. Smaller cuts like Bradley Bozeman and Bud Dupree ($3 million each) are also likely.
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Key pending free agents
Edge Khalil Mack
Edge Odafe Oweh
G Zion Johnson
WR Keenan Allen
DT Teair Tart
Mack was 18th among players with at least 200 pass-rush snaps in pressure rate. He dislocated his elbow in Week 2 and came back even better just five weeks later. Oweh’s acquisition was a win-win trade that sent Alohi Gilman to the Ravens. From his first game with the Chargers through the end of the regular season, he was 17th in pressure rate.
Johnson has an interesting free-agent case. His fifth-year option was declined after three disappointing seasons. His 2025 wasn’t dominant, but it was much improved and he remained the healthiest lineman throughout the season.
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Positional needs
Interior offensive line
Defensive tackle
Edge
Mekhi Becton and Bradley Bozeman are likely gone, which already opens up two spots along the offensive line. Then there’s the Zion Johnson decision. The Chargers have one of the league’s best tackle duos when healthy (when appears to be a big if), but haven’t had the interior to match.
The Chargers could use some bigger bodies along the interior of the defensive line, especially if Teair Tart is not re-signed. This defense was second in run stuff rate on running back carries and was 11th in yards allowed before contract per carry, but the depth that allowed that to happen might need to be replenished.
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Edge is a similar spot with both Khalil Mack and Odafe Oweh set to be free agents. Tuli Tuipulotu broke out, so there is one spot along the edge accounted for. He ranked ninth in pressure rate. However, as a team, the Chargers ranked only 16th in pressure rate for the season.
2026 NFL Draft picks
1st round, No. 22 pick
2nd round, No. 55 pick
3rd round, No. 86 pick
4th round
6th round
Good draft fit
Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
The Chargers need size on the interior to help against the run, and McDonald can eat double teams and allow his teammates to make plays. That would also force offenses into more third-and-longs, where the Chargers can really get funky.
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What could move the fantasy needle in 2026?
Structural offensive changes
Justin Herbert didn’t have his best day in the 16-3 playoff loss to the Patriots. It’s tough to lose both your starting tackles, however, if you’re one of the elite offensive minds in the NFL, you can at least adjust your approach to work around the loss of Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt. After Greg Roman and this staff showed a complete inability to adjust the unit to address the issues, the team brought in former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel to call plays. Now there’s more reason to believe that this is one of the best bounce-back offensive ecosystems to invest in for fantasy football next season. — Matt Harmon
Betting nugget
A stingy defense and methodical offense led the Chargers to being one of the best under wagers this season, as Chargers games went 10-6-1 to the under in the regular season. — Ben Fawkes
Patriots smother Justin Herbert, Chargers in dominant AFC wild-card victory
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is just 27 years old. He has a lot of time to win a playoff game. But a reputation is building, and it’s not a good one.
The Chargers’ 16-3 loss to the New England Patriots in a wild-card game Sunday night featured yet another poor performance by Herbert in a playoff game. It wasn’t all Herbert’s fault. His offensive line has been an issue for most of the season. L.A.’s running game never got much going. Too often the Chargers ask Herbert to do it all, and perhaps that wore on him over a long season. But after this latest playoff failure in his third postseason appearance, Herbert’s lack of any success on the league’s biggest stage will start to become a big part of the story of his career.
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Herbert came up well short despite the Chargers’ defense keeping Los Angeles in the game until the fourth quarter. Herbert hadn’t even surpassed 100 yards passing deep into the fourth quarter against a Patriots defense that doesn’t intimidate anyone. The Patriots’ offense wasn’t great, but Drake Maye at least had one big touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to give his team a comfortable lead.
Next week, the Patriots will play the winner of Monday night’s Houston Texans-Pittsburgh Steelers game.
Herbert has been to the playoffs three times, and each time has been a different type of meltdown from the Chargers and their quarterback. In a league that puts a lot of emphasis on how a quarterback does in the postseason, a bare playoff résumé for Herbert will start to get noticed.
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No touchdowns through 3 quarters
A game with two of the NFL’s best quarterbacks produced a first half with no touchdowns.
The Chargers got down to the 2-yard line after picking off a Maye pass deep in Patriots territory, but went for it on fourth down and Herbert threw incomplete. New England had a 93-yard drive but it kicked a field goal when the drive stalled.
The biggest offensive play of the first half came on a Maye run. He took off in the final minute of the first half and had a wide-open field in front of him. He ran for 37 yards before he was stopped, and that set up a field goal in the final seconds of the half.
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The Patriots led 6-3 at halftime. After a thrilling first four games to start the playoffs, the uneventful first half was a letdown.
With 9:35 left in the fourth quarter, someone finally reached the end zone. Maye had his best pass of the night, a perfect throw to Hunter Henry for a 28-yard score. With the way the Chargers’ offense was playing, the 13-point lead after that touchdown seemed insurmountable.
The Patriots might not have been lighting up the scoreboard, but Maye was having a good night. The same couldn’t be said for Herbert.
Justin Herbert struggles in playoffs again
Herbert’s first playoff appearance started well. The Chargers took a 27-0 lead against the Jacksonville Jaguars in a wild-card playoff game at the end of the 2022 season. Then the Chargers had one of the biggest collapses in NFL playoff history and lost 31-30.
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Last season, the Chargers made it back to the playoffs and Herbert threw four interceptions and Los Angeles lost 32-12 to the Texans.
Sunday night was another rough playoff outing. Herbert’s night was summed up on one play, when Herbert was under pressure, fumbled and got crushed by Elijah Ponder as the Patriots recovered the fumble. Herbert laid on the ground in pain for a few seconds afterward.
Herbert missed several passes he usually makes. An offense that averaged 21.6 points per game this season scored just three Sunday night. It took almost 55 minutes for Herbert to get over the 100-yard mark passing for the game. Every one of his playoff appearances has been a similar story: Herbert hasn’t played anywhere near the level we saw from him in the regular season.
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Herbert and the Chargers should be a playoff contender again next season. Their offensive line will be healthier and the organization will continue to build up the roster. After Sunday night, Herbert should be eager to get back to the playoffs and finally have a good game once he’s there.
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Ryan Young
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Ryan Young
With their win, the Patriots will now host either the Houston Texans or Pittsburgh Steelers next weekend. The Texans and Steelers will square off on Monday night to wrap up wild-card weekend.
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Ryan Young
The Patriots have sealed their win, and they’re headed to the divisional round. It marked the team’s first playoff win since Super Bowl 53 in 2019.
Justin Herbert is now 0-3 in his playoff career.
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Ryan Young
The Patriots are all over Justin Herbert tonight. That was their sixth sack of the game, and it just sealed their playoff win.
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Ryan Young
The Chargers just got the ball back after a quick stop, so they aren’t out of it just yet. But they’ll have to work quickly here if they have any shot of getting back in this.
They’re down 16-3 with 5:39 left.
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Ryan Young
Justin Herbert was absolutely crushed on this strip sack, and was so slow to get up. The Patriots will take back over, and we’re just about done here.
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Ryan Young
Finally, we have a touchdown. Drake Maye just hit Hunter Henry for a perfect 28-yard touchdown in the corner of the end zone, and the Patriots are suddenly in full control midway through the fourth quarter.
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Ryan Young
Back-to-back incompletions there, and a bad miss by Keenan Allen that would have been negated by an illegal shift anyways, gave the ball right back to the Patriots.
New England could ice the game right here with a touchdown, though the game hasn’t seen one yet tonight.
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Ryan Young
The Patriots are up by six entering the final quarter tonight, but the Chargers are driving after a huge Justin Herbert scramble and a self fumble recovery moved them near midfield.
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Ryan Young
Kayshon Boutte put the Pats in scoring position, but they had to settle for another field goal just a few plays later. A 39-yarder has them up 9-3 now with 1:34 left in the third quarter.
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Ryan Young
A controversial PI call extended that drive, but added pressure on Justin Herbert there on third down forced an errant throw and the eventual Chargers punt.
So the Patriots fend off points after the turnover, and will take back over.
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Ryan Young
Odafe Oweh just drilled Drake Maye in the backfield and forced the ball loose to come up with another turnover, so the Chargers will take back over. That’s a huge stop there with the Patriots in the red zone.
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Ryan Young
That was the perfect start to the third quarter for New England. The Pats forced a quick three-and-out, and just barely broke up what would’ve been a deep gain to Ladd McConkey on third down.
So, another punt for the Chargers.
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Ryan Young
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Ryan Young
The Patriots settled for another field goal there before halftime, so they’ll enter the break up by three.
We’ve got a low scoring battle brewing in Foxborough so far in the final wild-card game of the night.
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Ryan Young
That’s a 37-yard gain from Drake Maye, and the Patriots are suddenly in scoring position here before halftime.
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Ryan Young
The officials marked Justin Herbert short of the first down on a short third-and-one, but a review ended up giving the Chargers the first down anyways to keep their drive alive.
But then, back-to-back sacks doomed them anyways. Williams got to Herbert first, and then Chaisson followed suit.
The Patriots will get the ball back with about 40 seconds left in the half.
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Ryan Young
The Chargers forced a quick stop there, but will now take over at their own 8 yard line after a perfect punt from the Patriots. They’ll get the ball back with 3:23 left in the half.
A score here would be huge, especially considering they’ll get the ball back after halftime, too.
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Ryan Young
The Chargers quickly made it down the field there, thanks in part to an early 20-yard pass to Ladd McConkey, and then opted to take the points this time. A 21-yard field goal from Cameron Dicker has tied the game back up.
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Ryan Young
The Chargers came up with a huge defensive stand of their own there, but the Patriots opted to settle for the points this time. So they’re up 3-0 after an easy 23-yard field goal.
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Ryan Young
We’re still scoreless tonight in Foxborough, but Drake Maye and the Patriots will be at the Chargers’ 11 yard line with a first down when we come back.
49ers vs. Eagles: Brock Purdy, San Francisco dethrone Philly on late fourth-quarter TD drive
There have been two consistent storylines to the San Francisco 49ers’ season: They lose star players to injuries, and they keep winning in spite of it.
Not many teams have overcome the amount of important injuries that the 49ers have this season. In the first half Sunday they lost tight end George Kittle to an Achilles injury. And the 49ers won anyway, upsetting the Eagles 23-19 in the NFC wild-card round in a victory that ended Philadelphia’s quest for a second straight Super Bowl title.
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The 49ers went 12-5 and had a shot at the No. 1 seed in the NFC all the way until the final game of the regular season despite the slew of injuries through the year. When they lost Kittle Sunday, they had at least been through that situation before.
Receiver Jauan Jennings threw a touchdown pass to Christian McCaffrey in a key turning point at the beginning of the fourth quarter, and McCaffrey caught another touchdown in the final three minutes to give the 49ers a late lead.
The Eagles drove to the 49ers’ 20-yard line but that’s when San Francisco’s defense tightened up, and on a fourth-and-11 play that would determine their season Jalen Hurts threw into triple coverage over the middle and it was batted down incomplete.
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The Eagles’ season ends in a massive disappointment, but it couldn’t have been too surprising based on how inconsistent they had been. Their offense never found its footing during the regular season and Sunday was more of the same, with a lack of execution and hardly any big plays. The dominant team that won a Super Bowl last season rarely showed up this season, and that carried over to the playoffs.
The 49ers deserve credit though. There haven’t been many teams better at overcoming adversity.
Brock Purdy and the Niners are moving on to the divisional round, where the Seahawks await. (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images)
(Lauren Leigh Bacho via Getty Images)
Both teams struggle in windy conditions
Bad weather games can make for a fun setting on television, but it can lead to some sloppy football.
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Sunday was windy in Philadelphia, with gusts up to 36 miles per hour according to the Fox broadcast. It showed. Receivers had trouble tracking passes in the air. Both quarterbacks struggled with accuracy at times. Neither offense got much going.
The 49ers’ offense wasn’t helped by yet another major injury, something that has been an unfortunate theme throughout their season. Kittle went down with an Achilles injury as he was being tackled. He was carted to the locker room. If it is a torn Achilles for Kittle, who is 32 years old, it’s an injury that could affect the 49ers into next season as well.
The Eagles’ issue this season hasn’t been injuries, but a flailing offense and angst within their own ranks. That was exemplified in the first half by A.J. Brown not being able to haul in a couple of deep passes, then Fox showing Nick Sirianni sprinting down the sideline to tell his receiver to get behind the sideline, perhaps to avoid the Eagles getting a penalty for too many men on the field, and the two needing to be separated as they had words with each other.
The 49ers had a tough break at the end of the first half. Purdy scrambled in the final seconds, trying to get more yards for a field-goal attempt. Initially it was ruled he got out of bounds with one second on the clock, but a replay review showed he fumbled before landing out of bounds. There was a 10-second runoff due to the review and the half was over.
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The first half ended with the Eagles leading 13-10, but neither team could have felt great about how it played.
49ers get heroics from Jauan Jennings, Brock Purdy and their defense
The 49ers weren’t getting much from their conventional offense so they went back to Jennings throwing the ball. That worked for a touchdown in the Super Bowl two years ago, and it worked to give the 49ers a lead early in the fourth quarter. Jennings, who was Rivals’ 13th-ranked dual-threat QB in his class but switched to receiver at Tennessee, got the ball on a reverse and looked downfield. He threw to McCaffrey, who did a remarkable job of tracking the ball and caught it over the shoulder for a touchdown. The 49ers hadn’t played great and suffered a huge loss when Kittle exited the game, but led 17-16 with that play.
The 49ers gave it back. Cornerback Quinyon Mitchell picked off a bad pass from Purdy. Mitchell had two interceptions and a forced fumble. The Eagles’ drive stalled but Jake Elliott hit a field goal and Philadelphia led again.
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The 49ers weren’t giving up. Purdy led a drive downfield and found McCaffrey in the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown with 2:54 left. San Francisco missed the extra point but led 23-19.
The Eagles needed a touchdown but it was hard to trust their offense to put together a drive. Hurts threw a nice pass over the middle on third down but Brown dropped it, which led to a fourth-and-5. Hurts came up with a completion to Dallas Goedert to keep the drive alive. The Eagles kept it moving after that and reached the 49ers’ 20-yard line. Hurts threw too high to DeVonta Smith on third down and he couldn’t haul it in, then on fourth-and-11 Hurts tried to squeeze in a pass to Goedert and it was easily knocked down.
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It will be a long offseason for the Eagles, figuring out how they took such a step back from their Super Bowl winning season. The offseason hasn’t started yet for the 49ers, which is remarkable given all they’ve dealt with.
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for live updates, highlights and more as the Philadelphia Eagles host the San Francisco 49ers for wild-card weekend:
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Ian Casselberry
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Ian Casselberry
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Ian Casselberry
The 49ers and Seahawks will face each other for a third time this season, matched up in the divisional round after San Francisco’s 23-19 win in Philadelphia.
The two teams split their regular-season meetings. The 49ers won in Week 1, 17-13. But the Seahawks answered decisively in the Week 18 finale with a 13-3 victory.
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Ian Casselberry
Will the 49ers dine on cheesesteaks after their big win over the Eagles?
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Ian Casselberry
49ers – 361 yards total offense
Brock Purdy: 18-of-31, 262 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
Demarcus Robinson: 6 catches, 111 yards, 1 TD
Christian McCaffrey: 6 catches, 66 yards, 2 TD; 15 rushes, 48 yardsEagles – 307 yards total offense
Jalen Hurts: 20-of-35, 168 yards, 1 TD
Saquon Barkley: 26 carries, 106 yards
Devonta Smith: 8 catches, 70 yards
Dallas Goedert: 4 catches, 33 yards, 1 TD; 1 rush, 1 yard, 1 TD -
Ian Casselberry
The 49ers escape Philadelphia with a 23-19 upset of the Eagles. Brock Purdy kneels three times to run out the clock and end the Eagles’ season.
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Ian Casselberry
Jalen Hurts’ pass attempt to Dallas Goedert on fourth-and-11 is tipped away by Eric Kendricks and the 49ers take over on downs.
That is it for the Eagles. The 49ers will be able to kneel out the clock with 40 seconds left in the game.
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Ian Casselberry
Two consecutive incompletions by Jalen Hurts put the Eagles at fourth-and-11 from the 49ers’ 21-yard line with 43 seconds remaining.
Philadelphia calls a timeout.
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Ian Casselberry
Jalen Hurts hit Devonta Smith for a 15-yard gain, but he’s then sacked by Kelon White for a 1-yard loss.
The Eagles have a second-and-11 at the San Francisco 21-yard line with 1:28 remaining.
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Ian Casselberry
Following A.J. Brown’s drop, Dallas Goedert gets the Eagles a first down on fourth-and-10 with a 15-yard reception. That moves Philadelphia to the 49ers’ 45-yard line.
Devonta Smith then makes a 10-yard reception to get to the San Francisco 35-yard line at the 2-minute warning.
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Ian Casselberry
Jalen Hurts keeps having to throw short against the 49ers defense. He begins this drive with two passes to Saquon Barkley for a combined 5 yards.
On third-and-5 from the Philadelphia 40-yard line, A.J. Brown drops a catch over the middle.
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Ian Casselberry
The 49ers are back on top with a 4-yard throw from Brock Purdy to Christian McCaffrey.
Purdy stepped up in the pocket to elude the Eagles’ edge rush and hit McCaffrey breaking back to the middle of the end zone.
Eddy Pineiro missed the extra point, resulting in San Francisco holding a 4-point lead with 2:54 remaining in the fourth quarter.
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Ian Casselberry
Christian McCaffrey hasn’t had much running room today, but he broke off a 10-yard gain on first-and-10 from the Eagles’ 20-yard line.
The Eagles’ front seven may be getting tired this late in the game as the offense can’t stay on the field.
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Ian Casselberry
Demarcus Robinson makes a 16-yard catch on first-and-10 from the San Francisco 44-yard line. That gives him 111 yards on 6 receptions today.
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Ian Casselberry
The Eagles are currently missing one of their top defensive lineman. Jordan Davis is being evaluated for a calf injury, according to Fox Sports’ Erin Andrews.
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Ian Casselberry
The Eagles regain the lead on a 33-yard field goal by Jake Elliott. That completed a 47-yard, 8-play drive that took 4:55.
Saquon Barkley gained 23 yards on 4 carries during the drive, but left the game with a possible injury.
Eight minutes remain in the fourth quarter.
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Ian Casselberry
Philadelphia gets some help from the 49ers defense with Marquis Sigle getting flagged for unnecessary roughness.
Sigle hit Jalen Hurts as he was sliding. It appeared that he couldn’t avoid the contact, but still drew the flag.
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Ian Casselberry
The Eagles’ defense makes a play after San Francisco begins its drive with a 10-yard pass to Kyle Juszczyk and a 3-yard rush by Christian McCaffrey.
On second-and-7 from the 49ers’ 44-yard line, Brock Purdy is picked off by Quinyon Mitchell, snaring an underthrown pass.
Philadelphia takes over at its 38-yard line.
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Ian Casselberry
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Ian Casselberry
Philadelphia can’t put together a drive to answer the 49ers’ touchdown.
The possession began with a holding penalty on Darius Cooper. That wiped out an 11-yard gain by Saquon Barkley. With 20 yards to gain for the first down, the Eagles could only manage a 7-yard rush by Barkley between two incompletions by Jalen Hurts.
Braden Mann punts 46 yards and San Francisco begins at its 31-yard line after a 10-yard return by Skyy Moore.
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Ian Casselberry
A flag was thrown on the 49ers’ touchdown, which made it appear as if the score could be called back. However, the penalty was on the Eagles’ Jalen Carter for roughing the passer.
