Who do Patriots or Chargers play next? Explaining potential opponents in 2026 NFL playoff bracket originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The 2026 NFL playoffs will feature plenty of new faces looking to make deep postseason runs.
The New England Patriots enjoyed a resurgent season, winning the AFC East at 14-3 and earning the No. 2 overall seed behind MVP candidate Drake Maye. Now, Maye will play in his first playoff game against a worthy opponent.
On the other side, the Los Angeles Chargers are still searching for their first playoff win with Justin Herbert at quarterback. Herbert is 0-2 in the postseason so far and now must travel to New England in hopes of picking up his first playoff victory.
Whoever wins this game will earn a chance to continue its playoff run in the divisional round. Additionally, the winner will help determine how the AFC bracket shapes up moving forward.
Here’s a breakdown of which teams the Patriots or Chargers would play with a win.
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Who will the Patriots or Chargers play next?
Since the NFL playoffs are re-seeded after the first round, the Patriots and Chargers would have different paths if they win.
For New England, the Patriots would play the No. 3-seed Jacksonville Jaguars if Jacksonville defeats the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. However, if the Bills win that game, then New England would play the winner of the Houston Texans-Pittsburgh Steelers game on Monday night. A Patriots win also means they would host the divisional-round game, regardless of who they play.
As the No. 7 seed, the Chargers have a much simpler path. A Los Angeles win would mean the Chargers play the No. 1-seed Denver Broncos in the divisional, making it three times that the two teams played this season.
NFL playoff bracket 2026
