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[New England Patriots]

Stefon Diggs’ arraignment postponed until February

New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs has had his request to postpone his arraignment granted by a judge, according to court records.

Diggs is now scheduled to be arraigned in Dedham District Court on Feb. 13 — five days after the Super Bowl — instead of the previously scheduled Jan. 23 date.

Diggs is facing charges of felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery stemming from an alleged incident on Dec. 2. According to a police report, Diggs is accused of choking and slapping his personal female chef over a money dispute.

His attorney, David Meier, denied the allegations in a released statement.

“Stefon Diggs categorically denies these allegations,” Meier wrote. “They are unsubstantiated, uncorroborated, and were never investigated — because they did not occur. The timing and motivation for making the allegations is crystal clear: they are the direct result of an employee-employer financial dispute that was not resolved to the employee’s satisfaction. Stefon looks forward to establishing the truth in a court of law.”

Diggs has remained eligible to play while the legal process unfolds. After appearing in the Patriots’ regular-season finale last week, the veteran receiver is now set to take the field for New England’s playoff opener Sunday night.

The news was first reported by The Boston Globe.

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl...on-diggs-arraignment-postponed-until-february

 

[New England Patriots]

Patriots vs. Chargers Friday injury report: Khyiris Tonga out, three questionable

The New England Patriots will be down one starter against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Nose tackle Khyiris Tonga has been ruled out for the wild card after staying sidelined for a third straight week due to a foot injury, head coach Mike Vrabel announced during his Friday press conference.

But elsewhere, wide receiver Kayshon Boutte, offensive tackle Thayer Munford Jr. and outside linebacker Harold Landry III all close in on the playoffs with questionable game statuses.

Here’s the final injury report ahead of Sunday’s 8 p.m. ET kickoff at Gillette Stadium.

OUT​

Patriots​

• DT Khyiris Tonga (foot)

Chargers​

• WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith (hamstring)
• S Kendall Williamson (ankle)

Since sustaining a foot injury in December against the Baltimore Ravens, Tonga has been a non-participant for nine consecutive practices. A third matchup among the No. 2 seed’s inactives is ahead. The all-purpose defensive tackle’s inaugural campaign in Foxborough has brought 24 tackles along with a pair of stops for loss, a pair of quarterback hits and a pair of batted passes. He stands with 337 snaps on defense, 14 snaps on offense and 65 snaps on special teams.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh’s side has ruled out two and listed six others as questionable, including the reigning No. 22 overall pick from the University of North Carolina.

QUESTIONABLE​

Patriots​

• WR Kayshon Boutte (hamstring)
• OT Thayer Munford Jr. (knee)
• LB Harold Landry III (knee)

Chargers​

• RB Omarion Hampton (ankle)
• TE Tucker Fisk (ankle — IR return)
• OT Austin Deculus (oblique)
• LB Bud Dupree (hamstring)
• LB Del’Shawn Phillips (hamstring)
• S Elijah Molden (hamstring)

The Patriots added Boutte to the injury report midway through the week. The perimeter wideout, listed as a limited participant, previously missed two games in November because of a hamstring injury and finished the campaign with 33 catches for 551 yards and a career-high six touchdowns.

Additional questionable designations reside on the offensive line and off the edges. Munford, who has made two starts in jumbo sets and tallied 100 offensive snaps since rejoining the AFC East champions, sat out Thursday’s practice due to a knee issue. And Landry has continued to practice in a partial capacity due to a knee issue of his own. New England’s sack leader had been ruled out for back-to-back games to end the regular season before ramping up for the playoffs.

Rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson, who was not in attendance for Friday’s practice due to personal reasons, will go without a game designation versus the Chargers. The same green light goes for rookie left guard Jared Wilson and veteran inside linebacker Robert Spillane. Concussion protocol and an ankle injury had kept the starters off the field since Week 16 and Week 13, respectively. Returns are on deck after upgrading to full.

Cornerback Alex Austin’s 21-day activation window remains open, as well, with the deadline for roster moves set for Saturday at 4 p.m. ET.

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl...out-nfl-wild-card-playoffs-three-questionable

 

[New England Patriots]

Pair of Patriots voted to 2025 NFL All-Pro team

The 2025 AP NFL All-Pro team was announced on Saturday, and the New England Patriots are represented with two players. Quarterback Drake Maye and punt returner Marcus Jones were both voted to the second team at their respective positions.

Maye, 23, started all 17 of the Patriots’ games this season and in his second year as a pro developed into one of its best quarterbacks. Completing 354 of 492 pass attempts, he led the NFL with a completion rate of 72% Maye also threw for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns and 8 interceptions.

He also led the league in several other statistical categories such as passer rating (113.5), yards per attempt (8.9), net yards per attempt (7.8), expected points added per play (0.313) and completion percentage above expectation (10.8). Nonetheless, Maye missed out on first-team All-Pro honors to Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford, who can now be considered the favorite to win the NFL MVP award as well.

Stafford received 31 first-team votes compared to Maye’s 18.

Jones, 27, is in his fourth year in the NFL and continues to be one of the league’s most electric returners. In 2025, he ran back 21 punts for 363 yards and an average of 17.3 yards per return. He also scored a pair of touchdowns, tying the league lead with a group of players including the Tennessee Titans’ Chimere Dike, the eventual first-team All-Pro selection ahead of him.

In total, nine Patriots received All-Pro votes this season. Besides Maye and Jones, wide receiver Stefon Diggs, tight end Hunter Henry, right guard Mike Onwenu, cornerback Christian Gonzalez, safety Jaylinn Hawkins, kickoff returner Antonio Gibson and special teamer Brenden Schooler. Jones also received votes as a slot cornerback.

Last year, two members of the Patriots were voted All-Pros. Brenden Schooler was named first-team special teamer, with Christian Gonzalez announced as a second-team cornerback.

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The full All-Pro teams for the 2025 season look as follows (second team in parentheses):

Offense​

Quarterback: Matthew Stafford, LA. (Drake Maye, NE)

Running back: Bijan Robinson, ATL (James Cook, BUF)

Fullback: Kyle Juszczyk, SF (Patrick Ricard, BAL)

Wide receiver: Puka Nacua, LA; Jaxon Smith-Njigba, SEA; Ja’Marr Chase, CIN (Georgie Pickens, DAL; Amon-Ra St.Brown, DET; Chris Olave, NO)

All-purpose: Christian McCaffrey, SF (Bijan Robinson, ATL)

Tight end: Trey McBride, ARI (Kyle Pitts, ATL)

Left tackle: Garrett Bolles, DEN (Trent Williams, SF)

Left guard: Joe Thuney, CHI (Quenton Nelson, IND)

Center: Creed Humphrey, KC (Aaron Brewer, MIA)

Right guard: Quinn Meinerz, DEN (Chris Lindstrom, ATL)

Right tackle: Penei Sewell, DET (Darnell Wright, CHI

Defense​

Edge rushers: Myles Garrett, CLE; Will Anderson Jr., HOU; Micah Parsons, GB (Brian Burns, NYG; Danielle Hunter, HOU; Aidan Hutchinson, DET)

Interior defenive line: Jeffery Simmons, TEN; Zach Allen, DEN (Leonard Williams, SEA; Cameron Heyward, PIT)

Linebacker: Jack Campbell, DET; Jordyn Brooks, MIA (Devin Lloyd, JAX; Ernest Jones IV, SEA)

Cornerback: Derek Stingley Jr., HOU; Quinyon Mitchell, PHI (Patrick Surtain II, DEN; Devon Witherspoon, SEA)

Slot cornerback: Cooper DeJean, PHI (Derwin James, LAC)

Safety: Kyle Hamilton, BAL; Kevin Byard, CHI (Jessie Bates III, ATL; Talanoa Hufanga DEN, Xavier McKinney, GB)

Special Teams​

Placekicker: Will Reichard, MIN (Brandon Aubrey, DAL)

Punter: Jordan Stout, BAL (Michael Dickson, SEA)

Long snapper: Ross Matiscik, JAX (Andrew DePaola, MIN)

Kickoff returner: Ray Davis, BUF (Kavontae Turpin, DAL)

Punt returner: Chimere Dike, TEN (Marcus Jones, NE)

Special teamer: Devon Key, DEN (Del’Shawn Phillips, LAC)

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-england-patriots-news/118662/nfl-all-pro-team-drake-maye-marcus-jones

 

[New England Patriots]

Patriots rooting guide for NFL wild card weekend

Welcome to the NFL playoffs. Welcome to our first postseason rooting guide of the year.

The New England Patriots will, of course, enter the tournament on Sunday night. The second seed in the AFC, they will host the seventh-seeded Los Angeles Chargers at Gillette Stadium. And while our attention is fully on that game, the other five matchups this weekend are also worth keeping a close eye on.

So, with that said, here is our rooting guide for the non-Patriots games in the wild card round.

Saturday​

Los Angeles Rams (5) at Carolina Panthers (4) | LA 34, CAR 31

Green Bay Packers (7) at Chicago Bears (2) | GB 27, CHI 31

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Sunday​

1 p.m. ET​

Buffalo Bills (6) at Jacksonville Jaguars (3): Go Jaguars! This game has not direct impact on the Patriots, but Buffalo seems like a more challenging opponent that Jacksonville in the grand scheme of things. Also, rooting against a division rival is never the wrong thing to do. | CBS

4:30 p.m. ET​

San Francisco 49ers (6) at Philadelphia Eagles (3): Go Eagles! The same thing we mentioned on Saturday also holds true in this game. The Patriots received a sixth-round selection in the 2026 draft from the 49ers as part of the Keion White trade. San Francisco getting eliminated in the wild card round would be good for that pick’s positioning. | FOX

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Monday​

8 p.m. ET​

Houston Texans (5) at Pittsburgh Steelers (4): Go Texans! This depends largely on who will win between the Bills and Jaguars on Sunday, so this pick is subject to change. For now, however, we are going with a Houston team seemingly better suited to upset Denver in the divisional round if Jacksonville defeats Buffalo. An added bonus is the sixth-round pick the Patriots received from the Steelers for Kyle Dugger, which would be in a better spot if Pittsburgh gets bounced on Monday night. | ESPN/ABC

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This article also serves as an open thread for this week’s games. Please head down to the comment section to discuss and share your thoughts on the games as they unfold.

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-england-patriots-opinion/118681/rooting-guide-nfl-wild-card-weekend

 

[New England Patriots]

Patriots X-factors against the Chargers in NFL wild card playoffs

The New England Patriots were one of the most successful teams in the NFL during the regular season, winning 14 of their 17 games and earning both a division title and the No. 2 playoff seed in their conference. Looking ahead, however, those accomplishments matter little: it’s one-game season time.

The first of those games will see the team of head coach Mike Vrabel go up against a formidable opponent, an 11-6 Los Angeles Chargers team combining a formidable offense with one of the best defenses in the NFL. Naturally, the Patriots need to bring their A-game to the prime time matchup on Sunday night.

Beating the Chargers takes more than just good individual performance, however. The Patriots also need to be able to succeed in some critical areas. With that said, here are our X-factors for the wild card playoffs, using numbers from NFL Next Gen Stats.

Offensive X-factors​

Be aggressive against zone defense: While the Chargers do like to mix things up on critical downs, they are at their core a zone defense. During the regular season, they ranked fifth in the NFL playing variations of the coverage on 80.7% of plays. The defense coordinated by Jesse Minter performed well using it, too, allowing a completion percentage of just 64.5% while also giving up only seven touchdowns versus 16 interceptions.

The Patriots, on the other hand, have not been limited by zone coverage so far this season. Drake Maye topped the league with a 74.9% completion rate and 9.2 yards per attempt against zone looks during the regular season, throwing 13 TDs to only four INTs. He has been particularly impressive throwing deep, another area the Chargers have fared well so far this season. And while the defensive numbers suggests a formidable opponent in all those areas, Maye is the type of player to find holes and exploit the zone looks he is likely to face at a high rate Sunday.

Get the Chargers out of their comfort zone: L.A. was one of the top teams in football during the regular season operating out of dime looks, a package Minter called on 23.3% of opponent dropbacks — third-highest in the NFL. The team is able to use those seemingly lighter packages thanks to a player like Derwin James, who blurs the line between the traditional safety, nickelback and off-ball linebacker; having him on the field doesn’t compromise the defense’s integrity against the run while still in dime.

The Patriots, however, have the tools to counter this and get the Chargers out of their comfort zone. They recently started increasing the use of packages using six offensive linemen, with backup tackle Thayer Munford Jr. serving as an extra blocker on the line. For offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, this allows the team to move some responsibilities around while remaining physical up front. Against Los Angeles’ dime-heavy crew, those bigger sets and the run game advantages it creates could give New England some advantageous matchups unless Minter and company opt to adjust.

Win at the second level: For as good as the Chargers have been defensively, they have a glaring weakness in the tackle department. During the regular season, they whiffed on 15.8% of tackle attempts, the highest such mark in the league. The aforementioned Derwin James in particular was a culprit, missing a team-leading 19 takedown attempts.

On the other side of the ball, you have a Patriots team made to take advantage of those miscues. Just last week, running back Rhamondre Stevenson gained 104 of his 131 total rushing yards after contact. On the year, he and fellow RB TreVeyon Henderson have averaged a respective 6.9 and 7.2 average yards gained per missed tackle forced.

Defensive X-factors​

Set the edge: All week, the Patriots spoke about the dangers Justin Herbert presents on extended plays, be they scramble runs or passes. The Chargers quarterback ranked first in the NFL in scramble yards during the regular season with 469, while also ranking third in passing yards on extended dropbacks with 599.

Herbert is not the only player dangerous when allowed outside the pocket. Running back Omarion Hampton, who is expected to play despite dealing with an ankle injury, has a drastic inside/out split: he averaged 5.5 yards per carry on outside rushes, ranking 10th among all qualifying backs; he averaged only 2.7 yards inside, the second-fewest. For the Patriots, the goal needs to be clear: keeping both Herbert and Hampton inside by setting a hard edge versus the pass and the run.

Challenge the offensive line: It’s no secret that the Chargers offensive line has had its issues this season: over the first 17 games of the season, the unit used 18 unique combinations, the most in the NFL. One big part of that lack of stability was losing starting tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater for the season after Week 9 and in training camp, respectively. As a consequence, Herbert was pressured on 268 of 619 dropbacks this season (43.3%), the highest such rate in the NFL.

When under pressure, the Chargers Pro Bowler has thrown for the fourth-most yards in the NFL (1,192) and tied the league lead in touchdowns (10, a number shared with Drake Maye). However, he also threw nine of his 13 total interceptions on the year while under duress. Ultimately, the Patriots’ performance against L.A’s makeshift O-line will go a long way toward deciding who will win the matchup between the two wild card opponents.

Defend the slot: The last time the Patriots squared off against the Chargers, in Week 17 of the 2024 season, they had a hard time slowing down wide receiver Ladd McConkey. Working primarily against slot corner Jonathan Jones, the then-rookie beat New England for eight catches, gaining 94 yards and scoring a pair of touchdowns.

After he finished the regular season ranked first on the team in receiving yards (789) as well as second in targets (102), receptions (66) and touchdowns (6), McConkey again projects as a focal point in offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s attack. And, like last year, the slot is his preferred area of attack: he 62.3% of his routes from the slot this season, one of the highest rates in the league, and finished with 70 slot targets. Needless to say that McConkey versus Marcus Jones looks like a key matchup for the Patriots.

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/new-engl...611/x-factors-chargers-nfl-wild-card-playoffs