Chargers Will Dissly, #81, could not hang on to this pass as Saints Carl Granderson, #96, defends on the play during first quarter action at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. Saints Bryan Bresee, #90 and Tyrann Mathieu, #32, defened on the play. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers receiver Ladd McConkey gets wrapped up by the Saints’ Marshon Lattimore, John Ridgeway, and Jordan Howden in first quarter action at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers J.K. Dobbins, #27, gets clear to spin in for a TD during second quarter action at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. Saints Bryan Bresee, #90 and Tyrann Mathieu, #32, defened on the play. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Saints Chris Olave, #12, is taken down by Chargers Cam Hart, #20, during first quarter action at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. Saints Bryan Bresee, #90 and Tyrann Mathieu, #32, defened on the play. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers Justin Herbert, #10, gets tackled by Saints Pete Werner, #20, Cameron Jordan, #94, and Kool-Aid McKinstry, #14, during second quarter action at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. Saints Bryan Bresee, #90 and Tyrann Mathieu, #32, defened on the play. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers J.K. Dobbins, #27, gets clear to spin in for a TD during second quarter action at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. Saints Bryan Bresee, #90 and Tyrann Mathieu, #32, defened on the play. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers QB Justin Herbert, #10, gets wrapped up by Saints Alontae Taylor, #1, and Chase Young, #99, first quarter action at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. Saints Bryan Bresee, #90 and Tyrann Mathieu, #32, defened on the play. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers QB Justin Herbert, #10, gets wrapped up by Saints during first quarter action at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. Saints Bryan Bresee, #90 and Tyrann Mathieu, #32, defened on the play. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Saints QB Spencer Rattler, #18, throws on the run during first quarter action at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. Saints Bryan Bresee, #90 and Tyrann Mathieu, #32, defened on the play. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers J.K. Scott, #16, loosed the ball and is tackled by Saints Kristian Fulton, #7, in the end zone for a safety during first quarter action at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. Saints Bryan Bresee, #90 and Tyrann Mathieu, #32, defened on the play. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Saints Taysom Hill, #7, is driven back by Chargers Daiyan Henley, #0, during first quarter action at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. Saints Bryan Bresee, #90 and Tyrann Mathieu, #32, defened on the play. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh watches his team warm up before taking on the New Orleans Saints at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers QB Justin Herbert, #10, warms up before taking on the New Orleans Saints at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers QB Justin Herbert, #10, warms up before taking on the New Orleans Saints at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh warms up his quarterbacks before taking on the New Orleans Saints at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh watches his team warm up before taking on the New Orleans Saints at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Chargers Will Dissly, #81, could not hang on to this pass as Saints Carl Granderson, #96, defends on the play during first quarter action at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. Saints Bryan Bresee, #90 and Tyrann Mathieu, #32, defened on the play. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
INGLEWOOD — The Chargers ended not one but two touchdown droughts, their defense limited the New Orleans Saints to two field goals and they seized a 26-8 victory Sunday at SoFi Stadium. It was a grinding, unspectacular victory, but it sent the reeling Saints to their sixth consecutive defeat.
The Chargers improved to 4-3; the Saints fell to 2-6.
Wide receiver Ladd McConkey’s 60-yard catch and run through the Saints’ secondary for a touchdown was the Chargers’ first second-half TD since their season-opening victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 8. It also gave them a 16-5 lead with 8:48 remaining in the third quarter.
What’s more, it was quarterback Justin Herbert’s first touchdown pass since connecting with running back Kimani Vidal on a 38-yard catch and run during the Chargers’ 23-16 victory Oct. 13 over the Denver Broncos. Cameron Dicker kicked five field goals in a 17-15 loss last Monday night to the Arizona Cardinals.
Dicker kicked two field goals Sunday.
Herbert also threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to McConkey in the closing minutes. Herbert completed 20 of 32 passes for 279 yards and also ran four times for 49 yards. McConkey caught six passes for 111 yards, becoming the first Chargers rookie with 100 yards or more receiving since Keenan Allen in the 2013 season.
The Chargers led the Saints by 9-5 by halftime, an usual score befitting an unusual first half. The Chargers were victimized by some uncharacteristic special teams foul-ups. A bad snap from punt formation resulted in a safety and a 2-0 deficit. A missed extra point resulted in nine first-half points instead of 10.
The good news for the Chargers was that they scored their first touchdown since the second quarter of their victory over the Broncos in Week 6. They went seven quarters without a touchdown until J.K. Dobbins scored on a 1-yard run with 1:37 left in the first half against the Saints.
Dicker gave the Chargers a 3-2 lead with a 46-yard field goal on the first play of the second quarter. Josh Harris’ poor snap left punter JK Scott chasing after the ball in the end zone. Scott tried to control the ball, but it squirted out of the end zone for a safety for the Saints with 10:20 left in the first quarter.
The Chargers struggled to move the ball in the early going, but finally clicked with a 15-play, 90-yard drive that lasted 8:07 and produced Dobbins’ touchdown run in the closing minutes of the half. Dicker missed the extra point, however, his second miss in 68 career attempts, both coming this season.
The Saints drove for Blake Grupe’s 40-yard field goal to cut it to 9-5 with five seconds remaining in the half, prompting the clever game operations department to play Dolly Parton’s timeless classic song “9 to 5” on the SoFi Stadium sound system as the teams prepared for the ensuing kickoff.
Saints quarterback Derek Carr couldn’t play because of an oblique injury, so Spencer Rattler got his third consecutive start. Rattler failed to move the offense, so New Orleans turned to Jake Haener, who led a late drive in the third quarter that yielded Grupe’s 43-yard field goal that cut it to 16-8.
Dicker’s 29-yard field goal early in the fourth made it 19-8.
