Chargers 26-8 Saints (Oct. 28, 2024) Game Recap

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Ladd McConkey had two touchdown catches, including a 60-yard score in the third quarter, and became the first Chargers rookie receiver in 11 years to have a 100-yard receiving game, as a Los Angeles defeated the New Orleans Saints 26-8 on Sunday.

Justin Herbert totaled 328 yards (279 passing, 48 rushing) and two touchdown throws to help the Chargers (4-3) rebound from a last-second loss last Monday night at Arizona.

The Saints (2-6) have lost six straight for the first time since 2005. Alvin Kamara, who signed a two-year, $24.5 million contract extension earlier this week, had 122 total yards. Chris Olave had eight balls for 107 yards.

Jake Haener replaced the ineffective Spencer Rattler in the third quarter and completed nine of 17 passes for 122 yards.

Rattler — making his third straight start after Derek Carr was sidelined with an oblique injury — was 12 of 24 for 156 yards. The Saints failed to reach the red zone and only managed one field goal in the nine drives he directed.

New Orleans' points on offense came on two field goals by Blake Grupe.

McConkey, who was selected in the second round of the draft, finished the game with six receptions for 111 yards, becoming the first Chargers rookie to reach the century mark since Keenan Allen had five such games in 2013.

McConkey's third-quarter score was the Chargers' first second-half TD since the fourth quarter in Week 1 against Las Vegas.

McConkey caught Herbert's pass near the right sideline at the Saints' 35, turned the field and avoided a tackle attempt by Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor at the 14 before getting into the end zone and the The Chargers' lead was extended to 16-5.

The Chargers added another TD with 3:22 left in the fourth quarter when Herbert crawled out of the pocket on third-and-7 at the Saints 9 and found McConkey in the back right corner of the end zone.

Herbert recovered after a slow start and completed 20 of 32 passes.

The Saints came into the game with their first safety since Week 15 of the 2020 season. Chargers long snapper Josh Harris had an errant snap to the right of punter JK Scott at the LA 7 before the ball rolled out of the back of the end zone.

Cameron Dicker's 46-yard field goal five seconds into the second quarter put the Chargers on top. They extended their lead to 9-3 with 1:37 left in the first half thanks to JK Dobbins' 1-yard run off from right end to cap off a 15-play, 90-yard drive , which lasted eight minutes. However, Dicker was wide left in his attempt to score an extra point.

Injuries

Saints: WR Bub Means injured his hand in the first quarter. … RB Kendre Miller and CB Marshon Lattimore suffered hamstring injuries in the second half and did not return. … CB Rico Payton left in the fourth quarter with a back injury. … TE Juwan Johnson was evaluated for a concussion.

Chargers: CB Kristian Fulton suffered a more serious hamstring injury in the third quarter. … WRs Quentin Johnston (ankle) and Derius Davis (hamstring) were inactive.

Next

Saints: Next Sunday in Carolina.

Chargers: Next Sunday at Cleveland.

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