The Patriots lost an ugly 6-0 game to the Los Angeles Chargers at Gillette Stadium this afternoon. The defense once again played outstanding but the offense couldn’t get finish a handful of drives that they had opportunities to score. The shutout was the first in six years for the Chargers. It is the second time the Patriots have been shutout at home this season. They were shutout 34-0 by the Saints earlier this season.

Here are seven points on the Patriots loss.

1. Zappe starts and has his moments: Bailey Zappe got the start today and had his moments but overall, he did not do enough to lead the offense to a score and the team to a win. He completed 13-of-25 passes for 141 yards and no touchdowns. Zappe missed a couple of wide open throws and he struggled to maneuver the pocket against the Chargers rush but over all, he was average at best when evaluating his performance.

2. Stevenson hurt: Rhamondre Stevenson left the second quarter with an ankle injury and did not return. Up until that point, he was running the ball well and appeared to be a focal point of the offense. There is no word on the severity of his injury but given the fact that he did not return, it would be a surprise if he plays on Thursday.

3. Defense was excellent: The defense only gave up six total points. That’s it! They have give up 26 points in three games. It is a darn shame that the offense cannot figure things out because the defense has been outstanding. You can sense the frustration and tension with the defensive players but they are saying all the right things despite the struggles of the offense.

4. Offensive line struggles again: The offensive struggled today, specially the offensive tackles. The Chargers racked up 5 sacks and harassed Zappe all afternoon. Keep in mind, the Chargers were without Joey Bosa today so it very easily could have been worse.

5. Where were the tight ends? The tight ends were non-existent in the offense today. Mike Gesicki was healthy and dressed but did not play. Hunter Henry only caught two passes for 15 yards. A tight end could be a quarterbacks best friend, especially a quarterback making his first start of the season. Not in this offense apparently. The Patriots would rather feature a receiving corp that struggles to separate and can’t make plays.

6. Herbert held in check: The defense did a great job of limiting Herbert’s ability to work the vertical passing game and they forced to check the ball down. They got consistent pressure on him and while they did not sack him, they were able to make life tough on him all afternoon.

7. Belichick keeps it short: Bill Belichick kept it short with the media after the game. He was asked a variety of questions from why he started Zappe to his future as Patriots coach. Belichick gave short responses and ended the press conference prematurely. He is less and less transparent by the day and it is a bad look for him and the organization.