Former Chargers Player Calls Patriots ‘Most Complete’ Team In AFC
A former Chargers player is more confident in the New England Patriots entering Sunday night’s first-round playoff matchup.
Manti Te’o began his NFL career with the then-San Diego Chargers from 2013 to 2016. The former linebacker didn’t let that bias interfere with his analysis of the AFC landscape.
Te’o ranked the Patriots as the best of the six AFC teams playing on Wild Card Weekend during an NFL Network segment Tuesday morning. The analyst believes New England is more well-rounded than the field.
“The Patriots, to me, are the most complete team in the AFC,” Te’o said. “Offensively, defensively and special teams. Plus, they have the coach in Mike Vrabel who’s been there, done that. I know they haven’t seen the playoffs in a few years, but Mike Vrabel has. It’s in his DNA.”
To Te’o’s point, the Patriots ended the regular season second in scoring and fourth in points allowed. The Jacksonville Jaguars (sixth in points scored, eighth in points allowed) are the only other AFC team to finish inside the top 10 of each category.
Drake Maye is in a heated MVP battle with Matthew Stafford after a superbly efficient second season, and the Patriots soared to sixth in rushing following late success from TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson.
New England’s once top-ranked rushing defense struggled late without Milton Williams, who returned in Week 18. The Patriots still finished sixth against the run and ninth in passing defense.
On special teams, the Patriots allowed the 10th-fewest average yards on kickoffs and punts (net average). Andy Borregales missed a field goal and two extra points in his first two NFL games, but the rookie kicker responded to convert 27 of 32 field goals and 53 of 55 point-after tries.
The Patriots will try to parlay their balance into a deep playoff run. They’ll start by hosting the Chargers on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.