The Gunslinger is coming to town.

That’s what Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is.

And, for the neutral observer, it could be fun to watch him in action Sunday in the AFC Divisonal Playoff against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.

It’s been awhile since a veteran quarterback like this came to Gillette for a playoff game, other than Ben Roethlisberger with the Steelers in the AFC Championship game a couple of years ago.

Andrew Luck was talented but still didn’t have Rivers’ or Roethlisberger’s experience when he brought the Colts to Foxborough in January 2015 AFC title game. No chance. Marcus Mariota and Blake Bortles were the QBs you had to worry about last year, and the Jags had such lack of faith in Bortles they went conservative and couldn’t close the Patriots out when they had the chance.

The year before Roethlisberge came in, Brock Osweiler, then of Houston, faced the Patriots in this same Divisional Round. Good grief, Tim Tebow came one year. Perhaps a worthy challenger was the Ravens’ Joe Flacco a few years ago.

But you get the picture. There just haven’t been many good ones.

Rivers is good, and he’s been around almost – not quite – as long as Tom Brady. Now, he is 0-7 against Brady and Bill Belichick’s Patriots in his career, so you wonder if he’s due.

“He just has that ‘It’ factor,” Patriots veteran defensive back Jason McCourty said. “I think when you look at quarterbacks across the league, there’s a handful of them that you can pick out and just be like, ‘That’s a guy I want to go into a game with, go into a season with.’ Philip Rivers is one of those guys.”

How could you not? The mini debate is whether Rivers is a Hall of Fame quarterback, and longevity shouldn’t be the issue, but winning might be. But if you want guts, determination and tenacity, Rivers would in that Hall of Fame automatically. Just the memory of him trying to move around with a torn ACL against the Patriots in the AFC title game in January of 2018 tells you that.

“I remember. … He was still out there dragging his leg, competing for his guys,” McCourty said. “He’s just that type of guy and that type of quarterback….Fiery guy,” he’s out there competing his butt off.”

Rivers isn’t bothered by his zero success against Brady.

“It’s not something you think about a whole lot,” he said. “It exists and it’s there but again, and I mean this, I don’t think that I’m playing Tom. … Certainly it’s a Tom Brady led team and we know how things work wit the quarterback and the head coach that have the record attached to it. …

“We’ve got a heck of a challenge, our offense going against that defense and how disciplined they play and how well they play especially this time of year.”

Rivers has that type of makeup to challenge the Patriots. He usually plays like he’ll sling it anytime, anywhere. No fear. That’s just not his style, and if the Chargers had a solid fan base, it would probably drive those people crazy. Otherwise, it’s a fun style to watch. An adventure.

“I think it’s important to not try to play that mistake-free game that doesn’t exist,” Rivers said. “Just go out there and play a football game. There’s going to be some good and some bad.”

The guy is running out of time. He’s played in only that one AFC Championship Game at Gillette, the closest he’s gotten to the Super Bowl.

He’s got to want this one bad.

“Just as bad as we’ve wanted it every year, to be honest with you,” he said. “Yeah, I think there’s no denying that you know that you’d you don’t have a ton of years left. I want it for our team. … It’s really not about me, it’s about us.”

If the Chargers win, it may be about Rivers. The team seems to take on his personality, in a period in which they moved to L.A.where they have no fans and play in a soccer stadium. Rivers, who is said to make the commute almost daily from San Diego, just goes and plays. No wonder Chargers coach Anthony Lynn says “I like the way he leads.”

“He’s one of the great ones,” McCourty said, “so you relish the opporunity to play against him.”

Perhaps the Patriots should be careful what they wish for.

Or maybe not. That’s the mystery – and the fun – of Philip Rivers.

Tom King may be reached at 594-1251,tking@nashuatelegraph.com, or@Telegraph _TomK.