Instant analysis of Chargers’ 30-27 loss to Saints

Breakdown of the Los Angeles Chargers’ 30-27 loss to the New Orleans Saints.

The Chargers once again had their opponent right where they wanted them early on in the contest, but they ultimately let the contest slip away, allowing the Saints to claw their way back in. The result? Los Angeles lost to New Orleans, 30-27 in overtime.

Here is our instant analysis from the Monday night matchup:

Injury Report

Wide receiver Keenan Allen suffered a back injury early on in the contest. Allen was attended by the team’s trainers, but he was ruled out following the half. His status remains to be seen.

Edge defender Uchenna Nwosu went down in the fourth quarter. Nwosu was spotted in the medical tent and never returned to the field. His status is up in the air.

Cornerback Casey Hayward left in the fourth quarter with an undisclosed injury. Hayward was replaced by Brandon Facyson.

Play of the Game: Mike Williams’ phenomenal catch

Rookie quarterback Justin Herbert made some outstanding throws all night, but the most eyebrow-raising play came in the fourth quarter when he connected with Williams, where he went up over two defenders to reel in the pass.

Notable Number

4: Justin Herbert made history by becoming the first rookie to throw 4 touchdowns on Monday Night Football.

Quick Notes

What more can you expect from Herbert? The rookie went toe to toe with future Hall of Fame QB Drew Brees, finishing 20-of-34 passing for 264 yards and four touchdowns. Herbert did this all while being in the face of pressure all night.

Herbert did miss some throws, including a crucial one to a wide open K.J. Hill in overtime, but it will come with timing and experience. The positives still outweigh the negatives.

Speaking of being under duress, the Chargers offensive line had no answer for the Saints pass rush. Herbert was sacked three times and was pressured 14 times (37.8% pressure rate, the defense’s highest in a game this season), per Next Gen Stats.

The Chargers took the conservative route rather than being aggressive on early downs, especially late in the game, which speaks to the lack of trust they have in the offensive line in pass protection.

Justin Jackson led the backfield with 42 snaps as opposed to Joshua Kelley with 25. Jackson took advantage of his carries, turning the 15 of them into 71 yards (4.7 YPC). Meanwhile, Kelley had yet again another underwhelming performance, failing to go over 30 yards on the ground.

We knew it was a matter of time until Herbert started taking more deep shots to Mike Williams. After Allen went down, Williams became Herbert’s go-to target. Williams turned eight targets into five catches for 109 yards and two scores.

The defense did a nice job limiting Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray to less than 100 yards rushing. Kyzir White, Rayshawn Jenkins and Kenneth Murray did their jobs to close in on plays. Kudos also goes to Linval Joseph and Uchenna Nwosu, who played vital roles in the run game.

It was only a matter of time until Brees was going to start finding holes in the secondary. Blown coverages and being blatantly out beat were a theme in the second half. Emmanuel Sanders was his go-to target and they flat out flourished, combining for 122 yards on 12 catches.

While White led the team in tackles (15), he continues to be a liability in coverage.

Michael Badgley has to be on the hot seat. Badgley missed an extra point on the team’s first touchdown and the go-ahead 50-yard field goal.

Up Next

The Chargers were set to host the Jets next Sunday, but they will now enjoy their bye week after the schedule change. Los Angeles’ next game will be against the Jaguars on Oct. 25 at 1:25 p.m. PT.