The New England Patriots continued their dominance as they advanced to their eighth consecutive AFC championship game after a 41-28 win over the Los Angeles Chargers at Gillette Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

This game featured the highest combined age of opposing QBs in a playoff game at 78 years and 199 days. For the Patriots, Tom Brady, the 41-year old with five Super Bowl rings, against 37-year old Chargers QB Philip Rivers, who has yet to even play in a Super Bowl.

The Patriots had a dominant start, scoring a touchdown on each of their first four possessions. It was the first time the Pats scored a touchdown on their opening drive in their last seven playoff games. The Chargers scored on their first drive, but couldn’t keep pace with Brady and the Patriots, who led 35-7 at halftime. New England added two field goals in the second half, and the Chargers scored three touchdowns in the second half, but it ultimately wasn’t enough.

Brady is now 8-0 in his career vs. Rivers, who finished 25 of 51, threw for 331 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Brady dominated finishing 34 of 44 throwing for 343 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. Brady improves to 20-3 at home in his postseason career.

Sony Michel, the Patriots’ rookie RB, was playing in his first career playoff game. He had 24 carries, running for 129 yards, and rushed for three of New England’s five touchdowns. Rex Burkhead also rushed for a touchdown, and Phillip Dorsett caught a touchdown pass from Brady.

New England wins their 35^th postseason game all-time, passing the Packers for third most all-time, and are now 13-2 in the divisional round in the Brady-Belichick era. This was the Patriots’ 16^th consecutive win at home.

Rivers continues to come up short in the playoffs as he is still looking for his first Super Bowl appearance and hasn’t played in the AFC championship game since the 2007 season.

The Patriots, however, are headed to their eight consecutive AFC title game, where they will face the AFC’s top seed, the Kansas City Chiefs, which will be quite an entertaining game to watch. (6:40 p.m. EST, on CBS in U.S., or CTV in Canada)

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Stats and info courtesy of NFL.com