A wrenching Chargers season continued Monday when they blew a 17-point, first-half lead for the second consecutive week in a 30-27 overtime loss at New Orleans.
They had a chance to win on the final play of regulation, but Michael Badgley’s 50-yard field-goal attempt hit the right upright. Badgley also missed a first-quarter extra point that proved vital.
The loss was the fourth straight for the Chargers (1-4). They’ve dropped 13 of their last 15 one-score games dating to Week 2 of last season.
The winning points for the Saints came on a 36-yard field goal by Wil Lutz on the first possession of overtime.
The Chargers had one final chance, but their possession in overtime ended near midfield when Mike Williams took a short pass from Justin Herbert and narrowly missed converting a fourth down.
The Chargers took a 27-20 lead with 3:40 to go in regulation when Herbert hit a wide-open Williams for a 64-yard score, the rookie quarterback setting a new high with his fourth touchdown pass.
But the Saints responded with an eight-play, 73-yard drive that ended with Taysom Hill running nine yards for the score. Lutz’s extra point made it 27-27 with 52 seconds remaining.
The Chargers opened a 20-3 lead with a little more than four minutes to go in the second quarter behind Herbert. They also had a 17-point, second-quarter lead the previous week at Tampa Bay before a late turnover led to a momentum-shifting Buccaneers touchdown right before halftime.
Again, the Saints scored Monday on a one-yard Drew Brees run with only 14 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
Herbert led the Chargers to three first-half touchdowns, each possession ending with him throwing for the score. He finished a nine-play, 80-yard drive with a 17-yard, third-down strike to Keenan Allen. Even more impressive, Herbert made the throw after avoiding a pair of charging Saints pass rushers, end Cameron Jordan and cornerback Malcolm Jenkins.
Already dealing with an array of injuries, the Chargers lost Allen for the rest of the game soon after because of a back injury. Then came a seven-play, 75-yard possession that was extended when New Orleans was called for roughing Chargers punter Ty Long. Herbert made the Saint pay by hitting Williams for a four-yard score.
The final first-half touchdown was set up by Nasir Adderley’s first career interception. Adderley returned the pick 39 yards and inside New Orleans’ one-yard line.
After a sack and a Josh Kelley run, Herbert fired a laser to tight end Hunter Henry for a three-yard touchdown.
That put the Chargers up 20-3, with a 17-point, second-quarter edge for the second consecutive week. They blew all of that lead at Tampa Bay in a 38-31 loss. The Chargers also blew an 11-point, third-quarter lead in a loss to Kansas City in Week 2.
Herbert finished 20 for 34 for 264 yards. He fell to 0-4 as a starter. Williams had five catches for a season-high 109 yards. Brees was 33 for 47 for 325 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
The Chargers now begin their off week, which on Sunday was moved up from mid-November in response to league-wide schedule changes prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
They are set to return to action Oct. 25 against Jacksonville at SoFi Stadium.
Miller reported from Los Angeles.
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Chargers blow 17-point lead and lose to Saints in overtime - Los Angeles Times
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