In their first playoff game since the 2021 season, the Patriots entered their wild-card matchup with the Chargers as the favorite to advance to the divisional round.
That was probably unexpected for LA, which seemingly wanted to face New England by resting its starters in Week 18, and it looks like a massive mistake based on how they fared in Foxboro.
Not only that, but the Patriots beat them so badly, with a defensive masterclass, particularly in the second half, that they didn't take long to fire multiple coaches as their offseason began.
NFL insiders announced on Tuesday morning that the Chargers reportedly fired their offensive coordinator, Greg Roman, who many fans were hoping would be let go even before the loss, as well as their offensive line coach, Mike Devlin.
Surely, this wouldn't have been the case had they won the game, or maybe even if they had gone further in the playoffs. But the Patriots managed to speed up the inevitable for Jim Harbaugh.
Losing to the Patriots in brutal fashion forced the Chargers' hand with several coaches
There's a chance this isn't the last firings we'll hear out of LA, either. Although Harbaugh has been the head coach for only the last two seasons, they clearly need to make more adjustments if they want to be a competitive team any time soon.
It's even more crucial to do that this offseason, with the Chiefs' immediate future in question.
With Travis Kelce's possible retirement and Patrick Mahomes' return from an ACL injury uncertain for the 2026 season, the Chargers will have a solid shot at the division next year, with only the Broncos expected to be in their way.
That requires tough decisions to be made, especially after the way they lost to the Patriots on Sunday night.
Fortunately, the Patriots aren't in that position anymore, as they have over the last few years, and no matter how far they go this postseason, they're in good hands next year, with plenty of cap space and draft picks to make the roster even better.
