Saints vs Chargers Game Highlights

Carson, Calif. – With rookie Alvin Kamara leading the offense, and newcomer Manti Te’o keying the defense, the New Orleans Saints defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 13-7 Sunday night before 21,197 at the StubHub Center in the second game of preseason. The Chargers offensive backups looked outmatched and flat out tired as they got pushed around all night.

“That couldn’t have gotten any uglier in my opinion,” Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said.

The Chargers’ offense struggled to move the ball on the ground, they produced no points and they started the game by promptly losing nine yards — and all of that was still better than what happened the first time the defense took the field.

With the Chargers’ starters on the field for New Orleans’ first play, Saints backup quarterback Chase Daniel handed the ball to their third-string running back, rookie Alvin Kamara, who sprinted through the right side of the defense mostly untouched for a 50-yard touchdown.

Nick Dzubnar, who’s competing to replace injured starting middle linebacker Denzel Perryman, couldn’t shake a block on the play and cover up what became a massive hole.

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“I take complete responsibility for the first play because that run hit my gap,” Dzubnar said. “So I took that first play pretty hard. I’m pretty upset about it. All you can do now is watch film and get better from it. I was pretty upset with it.”

Following the score, the loudspeaker at StubHub Center blasted a song in which the singer fittingly growls the words “Wake up.” And after the long run, the Chargers defense wiped the crust out of its eyes, limiting the Saints to only a 53-yard field goal before New Orleans’ reserves scratched out three more points in the fourth.

“I thought our defense played well other than the first play of the game,” Lynn said.

Defensive end Melvin Ingram, whom the Chargers gave close to $66 million to with more than $40 million guaranteed, looked right at home in defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s 4-3 defensive scheme.

“I’m doing the same thing, really,” Ingram said. “I don’t know what you want to call it, but I do the same thing — and that’s rush the quarterback.”

He and safety Tre Boston teamed up for a sack with Ingram easily shoving Saints rookie tackle Ryan Ramczyk, who is 314 pounds, out of his way to get into the backfield.

Later in the first half, Ingram so badly beat Ramczyk with a spin move that the left tackle had no choice to but to commit a holding penalty. And, before Ingram’s day ended, he got into the backfield for a third time, recording a solo sack before being penalized for an illegal tackle.

Lack of offense and an injured offensive line stand out in the Chargers second preseason game, but so does some strong play from both a rookie and a veteran on defense.
The Chargers’ defensive line, one of the team’s only totally healthy position groups, got help for the team’s secondary, which was filled with backups and rookies.

Four of the team’s top cornerbacks — Casey Hayward (hamstring), Jason Verrett (knee), Craig Mager (soft tissue injury) and Trovon Reed (hip) — all were unavailable due to injuries, opening the door for players like rookie cornerback Desmond King to get extended playing time.

King had a sack, a pass breakup and a tackle for a loss.

“He was making plays all over the place,” linebacker Korey Toomer said.

After two good practices against the Saints earlier this week, Lynn said Rivers didn’t need to play Sunday, so he didn’t. Rivers and the rest of the starters are expected to play the first half in the next game.

But Lynn didn’t think being without Rivers was a good enough excuse for how the offense played.

“We were flat for some reason,” Lynn said, particularly upset with the team’s 66 yards rushing.

The offensive line, playing without starting tackles Joe Barksdale and Russell Okung, didn’t give Kellen Clemens, Rivers’ backup, a lot of time, and when Clemens did have opportunities, he and the offense struggled to string together positive plays.

Third-string QB Cardale Jones, whom the team acquired earlier in training camp, didn’t have much more luck, and the Chargers’ best drive ended when receiver Jamaal Jones fumbled the ball on the team’s only trip into the red zone. Their only points came on reserve safety Dexter McCoil’s 99-yard interception return.

Jones had a chance to lead the Chargers on a game-winning drive in the final two minutes, but back-to-back sacks led to an interception, ending any comeback hopes.

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The victory ended a 10-game preseason losing streak for the Saints.

Kamara, one of the Saints’ third-round draft picks, raced through the left side for a 50-yard touchdown run on New Orleans’ opening snap. The Saints added a 53-yard Wil Lutz field goal on their second possession and a 26-yarder late in the game. That was it for the Saints offense and it turned out to be plenty as the defense turned in an impressive effort, stifling the Chargers offense.

Te’o, a linebacker in his first season with the Saints after playing with the Chargers for the past four seasons, had a sack, eight tackles and a fumble recovery. The Saints finished with eight sacks and constantly had the Chargers quarterbacks (Kellen Clemens, Cardale Jones) on the run. On the Chargers’ final possession the Saints sacked Jones on back-to-back plays and then ended the drive with a Adam Bighill interception.

The game ended a week of activities with the Chargers, including three joint practices. Neither team’s star quarterbacks (Drew Brees, Philip Rivers) played and the Saints also held out star running backs Mark Ingramand Adrian Peterson along with star defensive end Cam Jordan. Chase Daniel started at quarterback for thew Saints and played the entire first half. Ryan Nassib played the second half. He gave up a 99-yard pick-six interception to Dexter McCoil in the fourth quarter.

The game marked the debut of the Saints’ two 2017 first-round draft picks, cornerback Marshon Lattimore and tackle Ryan Ramczyk. Both players started and saw action for most of the first half.

Safety Chris Banjo had a strong first half on special teams with three tackles.

The Saints will fly to New Orleans on Monday and resume training camp with a closed practice Wednesday. Thursday’s practice with the Houston Texans is open to the public. The Saints will play host to the Texans at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Saturday, Aug. 26.

There was a strong and vocal contingent of Saints fans at the StubHub Center, primarily a soccer facility which will be the Chargers home for the next three seasons.