INGLEWOOD, Calif. — It becomes apparent who the buyers and sellers are as the calendar creeps closer to the NFL’s Nov. 5 trade deadline. Jim Harbaugh’s Los Angeles Chargers should go shopping for another wide receiver.
The Chargers (4-3) defeated the spiraling New Orleans Saints (2-6), 26-8, on Sunday. Los Angeles equaled its season-high point total. Quarterback Justin Herbert had his second consecutive game of over 270 passing yards and rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey became the Chargers’ first pass catcher to eclipse 100 receiving yards in a single game this year. Both positives developments for a passing offense that ranked 24th in the NFL entering Week 8.
“I think it’s all about finding our identity. Going into a game and playing it the way it needs to be played,” Herbert said postgame. “If we’re throwing the ball a bunch, it’s all about being smart with the ball, taking our shots downfield and understanding the situation. We believe that we got a great offensive line and a great run game, so it’s on us to be able to put those together.”
The Chargers went from Week 2 to Week 7 without scoring a touchdown in the second half. They finally broke through to pay dirt on Sunday.
McConkey had a highlight 60-yard touchdown reception in the third period, then the Chargers’ second-round pick wide receiver iced the game with another impressive 9-yard touchdown grab in the back of the end zone in the fourth quarter.
“We know what we can do when we’re clicking. We showed spurts of it. It’s all about stacking plays, drives (and) games,” McConkey said. “We know what we can be. We just got to put it on tape and put it out there.”
McConkey finished with a team-high six catches, 111 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Still, the Chargers rank in the bottom half of the league in passing offense and red zone efficiency. They finished Sunday 3-for-12 on third downs. While Los Angeles has the NFL’s No. 1 scoring defense and a top-10 total defense. The defensive unit kept New Orleans out of the end zone.
“Even the times that we haven’t come out on top, our defense has played well. We have to score points at the end of the day,” McConkey, who leads the Chargers this season with 30 catches and 376 receiving yards, said. “They are holding people and creating turnovers. We just got to capitalize on that. Those guys have been awesome all year long.”
Will Chargers try to trade for a receiver?
Herbert and the Chargers’ passing offense are still finding their identity after Week 8. Granted, Sunday’s victory was without wide receivers Quentin Johnston (ankle) and DJ Chark Jr. (groin), but they could use another weapon on offense if they hope to make a serious playoff push.
The New York Jets acquired Davante Adams, the Buffalo Bills traded for Amari Cooper and the Kansas City Chiefs got DeAndre Hopkins. Wide receiver is a position in demand. Wide outs such as Carolina Panthers’ Diontae Johnson and New York Jets’ Mike Williams (a former Charger) are rumored to be still available. Will the Chargers go shopping for wide receiver help?
Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz have a little more than a week to decide in what’s their first big midseason decision together.
“I know he’s always got our back. He’s got our front. He’s got both sides,” Harbaugh said of Hortiz. “I know he’s always going to be doing whatever he can to help our team.”
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chargers’ passing offense making strides as NFL’s trade deadline looms
