The New Orleans Saints came back from 20-3 down in the second quarter to beat the Chargers 30-27 on Monday night football.
The Chargers extended their run of losing games by a single score to four straight. Chargers fans shouldn't be too disappointed though as Justin Herbert threw for 264 yards and four touchdowns.
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The Kid draws first blood.
In early possessions, both teams try and figure out how this game is going to go. With the Saints dink and dunk offense not working due to drops and Drew Brees just playing poorly and the Chargers only breaking through for a run more than five yards once
This one opportunity saw Justin Jackson runs for 36 yards to set a red zone possession. The very next play gave us a highlight from the excellent Justin Herbert. His touchdown throw, a thing of beauty with the blitz coming for him, the rookie extends the play and throws across his body, 17 yards to Keenan Allen who grabs his second touchdown this season. A missed extra point leaves the Bolts on 6-0.
Herbert is sacked by Saints defensive end Trey Hendrickson, and the Colts will have to punt for a third time in the first quarter. It is okay because so have the Saints. However, this punt is kicked off from the 15-yard line. Saints picked up the ball midfield, the Chargers defence, however, holds the Saints to a 48-yard field goal which kicker Will Lutz buries it down the middle as the first quarter expires.
Chargers 6-3 Saints
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History to repeat itself?
After Saints running back, Dwayne Washington gets a roughing the kicker foul on another Chargers punt. With Drew Brees and the Saints offence flaming out again. Herbert unleashes his arm on the next possession and bombs a 49-yard-deep ball to Jaylen Guyton who is down inside the five-yard line. Herbert floats a ball to the back of the end zone for Mike Williams. Extra point is good this time, and the Chargers lead 13-3 in the second.
The first time Allen and Williams have scored a touchdown in the same game since week 12 2018. Times are changing for the Chargers.
Two straight three and outs for both teams The Saints just could not get it going in the second quarter with Brees only having 32 yards midway through the second quarter, three Chargers players have more yards, with the rookie Herbert tripling it. This was capped off with Brees throwing an interception straight to Chargers cornerback Nasir Adderley. Adderley runs it down to the one-yard line. He wanted six, he got zero, but Herbert got six, with a one-yard connection to the tight end Hunter Henry. The Chargers punishing poor offensive play from the Saints and had a 20-3 lead.
6 plays 51 yards 1 minute 52 seconds. Brees suddenly wakes up and becomes efficient and deadly. Emmanuel Sanders comes down with the ball, and it is ruled a touchdown, but because it is inside the two-minute warning it is reviewed and reversed. Brees finishes the drive on his own merit by a quarterback dive over the huddle. For the second week in a row, the Chargers concede a late touchdown in the second quarter. Last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the Bolts lead 24-7 with a minute to go in the second quarter, Tom Brady and company marched down the field and scored. The Chargers went on to lose that game 38-31.
Chargers 20-10 Saints end of the half.
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Defense, Defense, Defense.
The second half starts a lot like the first, a lot of special teams, with both team’s defense putting in the work.
It takes 7 minutes for either team to get into the red zone. In that time the Chargers sacked Brees and stuffed the running game of Alvin Kamara and Kenneth Murray to under 15 yards each. On the flip side, the Chargers have lost weapon number one in Allen as he was downgraded from questionable to out at the end of the half and are struggled to contain the Saints pass rush. Herbert is strong and sizeable, which is good because the pressure he received in the third quarter would shrink any man.
On the red zone visit the Saints cannot convert to six and will settle for three. As Lutz kicks his second field goal of the day a 53-yard bomb straight down the middle. Saints make it a one-score game.
The third quarter ended with the Chargers punter Ty Long coming out for the sixth time.
Chargers 20-13 Saints.
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The Man vs The Kid fourth-quarter duel.
Brees gets sacked by Joey Bosa after finding his groove on offense and moving the ball up the field. But Brees is not settling for anything from a composed drive. So, the veteran throws a 41-yard touchdown to tight end Jared Cook who breaks off his route and takes two Chargers cornerbacks for a ride. A great dart from Brees who decided to find the correct time to find his form. That was Brees' first attempt for more than 20 yards. The Man struck first.
With the Chargers looking to go ahead in this game Herbert tries to get his side going but it is a three and out but both teams. Until out of nowhere the rookie Justin Herbert throws a 64-yard bomb to Williams for the go-ahead touchdown, and Williams' second touchdown of the evening. The one big play made all the difference as on the previous six possessions the Chargers did not manage 64 yards total.
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The Kid was in lockstep.
3.20 to go. Now it was all on the Veteran. Since the half, Brees was 14/16 157 yards and a touchdown. Brees continued this form as he threw a deep 28-yard pass to Kamara, the superstar running back comes up with the goods after juggling the ball and sets up a Taysom Hill nine-yard touchdown run. 48 seconds left.
Herbert leads the offense on a four-play drive before a challenge on where running back Justin Jackson went out came back exactly as was called on the field. This did give the Chargers offense an extra time out in terms of time.
Then Herbert in primetime, game on the line. Throws up a beautiful fade for Mike Williams to grab. Williams comes down with and set up Michael Bagley for the 50-yard field goal.
It hits the upright.
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Overtime
Saints win the toss and get the ball first.
It is worth remembering the Chargers have lost all three of their games this season by one score. The Saints march down the field with precision 7 plays 48 yards. However, just like regulation, the Saints cannot convert chances into six and Lutz converts his third field goal.
The chargers get a huge penalty with Malcolm Brown getting called a roughing the passer for 15 yards. Herbert has 4 attempts to extend overtime but his offense cannot get it done with Marshon Lattimore making the crucial stop.