BOSTON — On a gray, rainy day in Foxboro, the New England Patriots put forth a rather dreary performance.
With Bailey Zappe taking over for Mac Jones at quarterback, the Patriots failed to score. Despite another strong defensive performance, New England lost again, this time by a 6-0 final score at the hands of the visiting Los Angeles Chargers.
The Patriots had a chance to mount a winning drive in the final minutes, taking over at their own 13-yard line with 4:36 left in the game. After benefitting from a questionable replay review that resulted in a first down via penalty, Zappe connected with DeVante Parker on a deep ball up the left sideline for a 40-plus-yard gain that put the Patriots in the red zone for the first time all game. But Parker’s foot came down out of bounds while making the catch, and Zappe’s next two passes fell incomplete for a turnover on downs.
Justin Herbert completed a 24-yard pass to Alex Erickson on a third down on the ensuing Chargers possession, allowing Los Angeles to take two kneeldowns to end the game. Herbert was 22-for-38 for 212 yards with no touchdowns, no interceptions, and no sacks.
The loss drops the Patriots to 2-10 on the season. They’ve now lost five straight games for the first time since 1995.
Zappe finished the game completing 13 of his 25 passes for 141 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions while taking five sacks.
Neither team scored in the first quarter. The Patriots threatened, driving as far as the Chargers’ 31-yard line, but Rhamondre Stevenson lost a fumble while suffering an ankle injury on a tackle by Tuli Tuipulotu just behind the line of scrimmage. Stevenson left the game and did not return.
Outside of Stevenson’s 41 yards from scrimmage on his 10 touches, the highlight of the first quarter for New England might have been Bryce Baringer’s 70-yard punt.
The Chargers finally put the first points of the game on the board when Cameron Dicker successfully kicked a 38-yard field goal with 9:09 remaining in the second quarter. That kick capped a 27-yard drive by the Chargers, who had taken over near midfield after the Patriots were forced to punt from deep in their own territory.
Dicker doubled the Chargers’ lead with yet another 38-yard kick, this one coming with 44 seconds left in the first half. That score came when the Chargers got another short field to work with, this time thanks to a 34-yard punt return by Derius Davis. The Chargers only gained 7 yards on the drive, but Dicker’s kick was good, giving the Chargers a 6-0 lead at halftime.
The score remained 6-0 at the end of the third quarter, with the Patriots punting on their lone full possession of the quarter and the Chargers punting twice. The Patriots’ other possession of the third quarter carried over into the fourth quarter … which they began with a punt.
The Patriots finally put together a big play on offense in the fourth quarter, when Tyquan Thornton took an end-around and took off flying up the left sideline for a 39-yard gain.
The Patriots got the ball to the Chargers’ 30-yard line on that drive, but instead of asking the struggling Chad Ryland to attempt a 48-yard field goal in the rain, Bill Belichick kept the offense on the field for a fourth-and-5. Zappe took a sack, turning the ball over on downs.
The Patriots will have a short week coming up, as they will head to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers on Thursday night.