Facing a 45-yard field goal with under 30 seconds on the clock, a false start pushed the Chargers back to a 50-yarder. Kris Brown was not up to the task, as his kick never hooked back in to the left, nailing the right upright and sealing the win for the Patriots.
It was an ugly game for both sides marked by mistakes and inconsistency. But thanks to a few impressive drives in the second half, and one missed kick, the Patriots will escape from San Diego with a 23-20 win and return to Foxborough with a 5-1 record.