Justin Herbert passed for 281 yards and Ladd McConkey caught two TD passes as the Chargers defeated the New England Patriots 40-7 to clinch a playoff berth.

Justin Herbert threw three touchdown passes and the Los Angeles Chargers clinched their second playoff appearance in three seasons with a 40-7 victory over the New England Patriots.

With Justin Herbert lighting up the passing lanes, our expert NFL predictions expect Herbert to ruin the holiday season for the New England faithful.

The Chargers beat the New England Patriots 40-7 to clinch their first playoff berth since 2022, which will be their third postseason appearance in 11 seasons.

But even as they realized one goal by making the postseason, Harbaugh tried to keep things focused on the road ahead by stressing: “There's more to do.” The Chargers (10-6) go into the regular-season finale at Las Vegas knowing they will be at least the AFC's sixth seed and avoid a trip to Buffalo for the wild-card round.

Last season the Los Angeles Chargers finished with a lowly 5-12 record. Now, after a blowout win over the New England Patriots, the Chargers are headed to the playoffs. More news: Saints Reveal Playing Status For WR Chris Olave For Week 17 But how could an organization make the shift from being a losing team to a playoff team in only a matter of months?