Courtesy of Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times

FOXBOROUGH- The Patriots are hosting a home playoff game for the first time in six years on Sunday night when the Los Angeles Chargers come to town . The Chargers are a familiar playoff opponent, one the Patriots have faced four previous times in their history. The playoff rivalry goes all the way back to 1963 and it is a rivalry that has been tightly contested through the years.

It is why the Patriots should proceed with caution and not take this Chargers team lightly. The Patriots are 3-1 against the Chargers all-time in the playoffs, with all three of their wins coming between 2006 to 2018. Two of the three meetings were decided by one score. It is why Patriots Coach Mike Vrabel believes the Patriots will have their hands full with the Chargers on Sunday night.

“I will just tell you that they play great defense. They’re very sound. They’re good tacklers. They’re physical. They get off the field on third down. They’re good in the red zone. They run the football. It’s a physical football team. They possess the football. They lead the NFL in time of possession. They have very good quarterback play. They’re well coached. They play with technique and fundamentals. The game, it doesn’t – they don’t panic one way or the other. They kind of stick to their game plan, wear you down and execute in critical situations. So, a lot of respect for them and certainly what they’ve done in a short amount of time.”

Vrabel hit the nail on the head. Aside from having several talented players like quarterback Justin Herbert, outside linebacker Khalil Mack and safety Derwin James, the Chargers are also well coached. Jim Harbaugh, offensive coordinator Greg Roman and defensive coordinator Jessie Minter form one of the best head coach, coordinator triumvirates in the NFL. The Chargers will have a good plan and they will be prepared to play.

Los Angeles will want to pound the rock and they are willing to ball control the opposition. Roman is a patient play caller. He can afford to be. The Chargers defense is one of the best in league. They have kept the Chargers in games this season. Vrabel has been very impressed with the play of their defense, especially lately.

“They don’t give up a whole lot of first downs. Stingy. You’re going to have to earn it. They’re just not going to give it to you. They’re very sound in that regard. So, we’ll have to have great execution, make great decisions and be able to put some drives together to sustain. They’re just not going to hand you two X plays down to the 1-yard line.”

Vrabel continued: “They don’t really beat themselves. They’re statistically excellent in every category across the front. Defensively, they don’t just stop the run well, they don’t give up, but they’re good on third down, they’re good on the short yardage – excellent. In the red zone, I think it’s – you look at a play that broke against the Texans, it was a screen to the left, and every single guy on defense is chasing the ball. Khalil Mack wins the race, hammers the football out and causes a fumble. So, those are the things that I can appreciate with a defense or for a team, and this is certainly a team that’s going to play that way.”

The other key match up in this game is the quarterback match up between Justin Herbert and Drake Maye. It is a big reason why NBC opted to pick up the game. For what it’s worth however, Maye is focusing on the Chargers defense, not Herbert.

“I think you play the defense. You play who you’re out there on the field against. I think the quarterback matchup is one of the things that’s natural for people to do, but I’m playing against 11 guys on defense. Unless he rolls out there on defense, I don’t expect him to do that. I’m focusing on the defense, and we’ve got a tough job.”

Both quarterbacks could end up having big games. Whichever one play the best will ultimately give their team the best chance to win.

Games like this are always challenging. The Chargers are a good football team and more than capable enough of coming into Foxboro and stealing this game. The Patriots will have to play their A game if they want to get it done and advance.

Managing emotions will also be a key. Many of these Patriots have never been in a playoff game before. Maye says Vrabel has stressed the importance of maintaining routines and not changing preparation practices because of the playoff game.

“I think what Coach [Mike Vrabel] was preaching is just don’t change our process, our preparation, throughout the week, what we’ve been doing. I think the natural thing is to get a little more amped. I guess that’s just natural, as a human, for a big game. Just trust what you’ve been doing. I told these guys at the end of the season, before the playoffs came, to put some extra work in, to stay after practice. Some guys have been running extra routes and little things like that that can go a long way, but don’t do anything out of the ordinary. That’s the biggest thing. Trust what you’ve been doing. Trust the preparation you’ve been doing all season. Trust your coaches and your teammates around you, and just go out there and have fun. It’s playoff football, so you’ve got to bring your best, and everybody knows that. That’s the expectation. Just trying to live up to that and just trying to be myself.”

If Maye and the Patriots do what they have done all season long, they will be fine. There is no reason to deviate from what got them here. Make the Chargers play your game. If the Patriots do that, they will live to play another day. If they don’t, lightning will strike and we will be left wondering what could have been.