FOXBORO - To beat the New England Patriots, stopping Tom Brady or Randy Moss or Laurence Maroney is not enough - you have to score points.

"We did some good things, we gave ourselves chances, but we just didn't get it done," said San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers as the Patriots held their West Coast visitors to 107 yards of total offense, just six first downs and just three points during the second half of play.

As a result, the Patriots recorded victory No. 18, snapped the Chargers' eight-game winning streak and earned for themselves a ticket to the Super Bowl for the fourth time over the past seven seasons.

The Patriots limited San Diego to merely four field goals, stopped the Chargers on four visits inside the red zone and allowed just eight-plus minutes of ball possession time during the second half in winning the AFC Championship game Sunday at Gillette Stadium.

"We knew that we'd have to find a way to get touchdowns," said San Diego coach Norv Turner, who was without the NFL rushing leader LaDainian Tomlinson two series into the first quarter due to his ailing knee. "We came here to win, our guys executed the game plan, I thought that we would have opportunities to score, but they (New England) played great situational defense." The Chargers converted just two of eight third-down situations during the first half, none in the first quarter and converted just one during the second half.

"When we're down in the red zone, we're not panicking," said Patriots' veteran safety Rodney Harrison. "That's huge. With the experience that we have, you learn from that, it's something that you draw from in those situations."

The Patriots intercepted Rivers twice and without Tomlinson, the Chargers were able to generate just 65 yards rushing from Michael Turner. Even though Rivers had a creditable enough game (19 completions for 211 yards), it wasn't enough.

"We couldn't score a touchdown, you have to put points on the board," said Turner. "That's hard to do against a team like that. A lot of stuff has to match up."

Especially when the Chargers had two bad passes from Rivers on third down (and five- and nine-yards) situations in the first quarter, Patriots' linebacker Junior Seau sacked him on a third-and-seven chance at the New England 45 and Patriots' cornerback Ellis Hobbs stopped San Diego wide receiver Chris Chambers short by five yards in the second quarter.

"A lot of times, we allowed them in the red zone when they shouldn't be," said Seau. "Stopping them in the red zone, on third downs, it's a combination of a lot of things - there's a lot of communication, a lot of game-planning and executing."

The Chargers trailed by merely five points by intermission on the strength of three Nate Keading field goals, Brady throwing for just 98 yards (with an interception) and Maroney totaling just 16 yards in the first half.

"It came down to execution," said Chambers, who caught seven passes for 90 yards. "We had opportunity after opportunity. You have to score to win."

Vincent Jackson, the Chargers' other wide receiver caught six passes for 93 yards, but couldn't find extra room or an entrance to the end zone. "I'd be interested in seeing (on game film) what they were doing on third downs, in the red zone," said Jackson. "They gave us a few different looks, but we left a few plays out there."

An interception by the Patriots' Asante Samuel (with credit due to a leg slide tackle by Mike Vrabel) and by Ellis Hobbs on consecutive San Diego series in the second quarter eroded the Chargers' chances for an upset. "I can't ask for more than he gave," said Turner of Rivers, playing on a wounded knee himself. "He gave us a chance to win."

But without Tomlinson (1,474 regular season rushing yards, 475 receiving yards), Turner and Darren Sproles are not the 1-2 punch running and receiving.

"Unfortunately we couldn't score in the red zone, where we're so normally good at," said Rivers.

Even on third down situations in the playoffs as the Chargers were 8-for-15 against the Titans and 6-for-10 against the Colts. "Without LT (Tomlinson) in there, you have to be more choosey with the guys, but it'd be a crazy reason to think why we didn't score.

"We expected to win, you're never satisfied unless you win it all. They were better than us down there (in the red zone). In playoff games, it's not about looking pretty, but finding a way to win - that's why they're playing."