INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Ladd McConkey was a downfield threat while helping lead the University of Georgia to a pair of College Football Playoff championships.
After being used mostly on routes in the middle of the field and third downs during his first seven NFL games, McConkey showed Sunday how much of an all-around receiver he can be for the Los Angeles Chargers.
McConkey had two touchdown catches, including a 60-yard score in the third quarter, and became the first Chargers rookie receiver in 11 years to have a 100-yard receiving game as Los Angeles defeated the reeling New Orleans Saints 26-8.
“That’s pretty cool, so hopefully I get another," said McConkey, who had six receptions for 111 yards. "Any time you get in the end zone, it’s a big deal, so just glad I was able to contribute for the guys today.”
McConkey has emerged as one of Justin Herbert's favorite targets in a Chargers passing attack still finding its way without a dependable veteran receiver after the offseason departures of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.
“He’s a complete receiver. To have that short game and those intermediate routes that he’s been so good at, and now you open up some of those go balls that you've got to respect,” said Herbert about McConkey. “And for him to be able to line up anywhere — inside, outside. You know, we have a true ballplayer on our hands.”
Herbert had 328 total yards (279 passing, 48 rushing) and two TD passes to help the Chargers (4-3) bounce back from a last-second loss last Monday night at Arizona.
The Saints (2-6) have lost six straight for the first time since 2005, which will ramp up the pressure on coach Dennis Allen, who has an 18-24 record in his third season.
“I think we all understand that it’s a results-oriented business, and we need to play better football,” Allen said.
Alvin Kamara, who signed a two-year, $24.5 million contract extension earlier this week, had 122 total yards. Chris Olave had eight receptions for 107 yards.
Jake Haener replaced an ineffective Spencer Rattler in the third quarter and completed nine of 17 passes for 122 yards.
Rattler — making his third straight start with Derek Carr sidelined with an oblique injury — was 12 of 24 for 156 yards. The Saints didn't reach the red zone and managed only a field goal in the nine drives he directed.
Carr returned to practice this week and could be back in the lineup next week.
“Obviously we didn’t get any wins, so that’s very unfortunate," Rattler said. "We want to win. Our goal is to come in here and win, get some momentum going.”
The Saints got on the board in the first quarter with their first safety since 2020 when Chargers punter JK Scott was unable to catch an errant snap and the ball rolled out of the back of the end zone. The other points came on a pair of field goals by Blake Grupe.
McConkey, selected in the second round of the draft, finished with six receptions for 111 yards to become the first Chargers rookie to reach the century mark since Allen had five such games in 2013. He's the fourth since the 1970 merger with 100 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
McConkey's third-quarter score was the Chargers' first second-half TD since the fourth quarter in Week 1 against Las Vegas.
McConkey caught the pass from Herbert near the right sideline at the Saints 35, reversed field and avoided a diving tackle attempt by Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor at the 14 before getting into the end zone and extending the Chargers lead to 16-5.
“He found it, tracked it, made an unbelievable catch and then a SportsCenter highlight where he went to score the touchdown and put the ball in the end zone,” coach Jim Harbaugh said. “I mean, it's what we needed.”
The Chargers added another TD with 3:22 remaining in the fourth quarter when Herbert scrambled out of the pocket on third-and-7 at the Saints 9 and found McConkey in the back left corner of the end zone.
“I think he was back there scrambling a little bit and then rolling. Just gave me a chance," McConkey said.
Momentum changer
The Chargers couldn't generate anything on their first three possessions. On the opening play of their fourth drive, Harbaugh found an opening around right end and scrambled 38 yards before being pushed out of bounds at the Saints 46 for the longest run of his five-year NFL career.
The drive would result in the first of two field goals by Cameron Dicker to put the Chargers on top.
“We didn’t do much before that, but I thought the guys did a great job of sticking it, staying patient, waiting for their opportunities and made something happen,” said Herbert, who bounced back after a slow start to complete 20 of 32 passes.
Los Angeles extended its lead to 9-3 with 1:37 remaining in the first half on JK Dobbins' 1-yard run off right end to complete a 15-play, 90-yard drive that went eight minutes. Dicker was wide left on his extra-point attempt, though.
Rare double
Chargers fullback and defensive tackle Scott Matlock became the first NFL player since 2019 with a reception and sack in the same game.
Matlock, in his second year with the Chargers, sacked Rattler early in the third quarter and had a 9-yard catch in the fourth quarter.
Injuries
Saints: WR Bub Means injured a hand in the first quarter and had an ankle injury at the end of the game. ... RB Kendre Miller and CB Marshon Lattimore suffered hamstring injuries in the second half and did not return. For Lattimore, it was the same hamstring that kept him out of last week's game against Denver. ... CB Rico Payton left with a back injury in the fourth quarter. ... TE Juwan Johnson was evaluated for a concussion.
Chargers: CB Kristian Fulton aggravated a hamstring injury during the third quarter.
Up next
Saints: At Carolina next Sunday.
Chargers: At Cleveland next Sunday.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Joe Reedy, The Associated Press
