Wild Card · 2025–26 season
Patriots
W 16-3 vs Chargers · Jan 11, 2026
Misery Index · Euphoric
Patriots fans toasting a first playoff win since SB 53 and reminding anyone listening that the Chargers asked for this.
The emotional rollercoaster
Fan misery across the game window. Up is worse.
What happened
The defense held the Chargers to a single C.Dicker field goal, which is the kind of stat line that turns a 16-3 final into a coronation. D.Maye survived an early interception and an O.Oweh strip-sack to deliver the dagger — a 28-yard touchdown to H.Henry in the fourth — and looked the part on a 37-yard scramble before that. First playoff win since SB53, and the building finally exhaled.
What fans said
“HOW DOES IT FEEEEEEEEL TO GET OUR FIRST PLAYOFF WIN SINCE SUPER BOWL 53?”
u/Vuish▲ 1857joy
“Chargers flew across the country to kick a field goal. GO PATS LFG”
u/CleXa_Trout307▲ 1816joy
“Daddy's home, and he's hungry for a SB”
u/crackdup▲ 602joy
“Finally those preschoolers know what it feels like to watch a Patriots team win a playoff game”
u/XRT28▲ 527joy
“Shoutout to Milton “I am literally the highest paid Patriot of all time” Williams for being the best FA acquisition of the decade.”
u/LezEatA-W▲ 749pride
“Legendary defensive performance. Shades of that Rams SB win.”
u/crackdup▲ 956pride
14 more
“best defensive showing of the year and it doesn't feel close”
u/MonorailCat567▲ 352joy
“Go, and I can't stress this enough, pats”
u/LutzExpertTera▲ 231joy
“Their sub is in shambles right now. Every single comment and post starts with "Fire___"”
u/Snaffoo0▲ 67rage
“He straight up *murder* Herbie at the end there I love it”
u/fighterpilot248▲ 114joy
“We got a good one in Milty 🥲”
u/GloriousVictor▲ 142joy
“Just remember, the Chargers wanted the Pats. Mess with the bull, you get the horns.”
u/fatroony5▲ 997pride
“There's clearly a lot to be worked on, but holy shit, who thought we'd be in the second round of the playoffs in 2026?”
u/Joe7s▲ 296hope
“THE CHARGERS WANTED US, they got us…and they got BOUNCED.”
u/olollort▲ 255pride
“YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES”
u/ArdFarkable▲ 39joy
“#WE WON A FUCKING PLAYOFF GAME”
u/WineOptics▲ 25joy
“Mike Vrabel bled for this win.”
u/Banana5scaleX▲ 614pride
“right? all those strength of schedule yappers can STFU”
u/SeaLeopard5555▲ 52rage
“DOES IT COUNT FOR THE SCHEDULE NOW BITCHES?”
u/CelticsDiehard34▲ 178frustration
“WE ALL WE GOT!!! WE ALL WE NEED!!!!”
u/Alternative-Bee-8981▲ 47joy