Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert entered the Week 17 game against the New England Patriots with a chance to cruise past Peyton Manning in the NFL history books. He did just that—in the first half.

The Chargers obliterated the New England Patriots 40-7, clinching a wild-card spot. The Chargers improved to 10-6. They still have a shot at the No. 5 seed, which is valuable because that team will play the Houston Texans, who will be the weakest of the AFC's division winners and are locked into the No. 4 seed.

Coming into the game, Herbert, in his fifth season in the NFL, had amassed 20,466 career passing yards, good for the second-most ever in a player's first five years in league history behind former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning (20,618). The former Oregon Ducks star needed just 153 yards to break the record.