Age Before Youth; Brees Leads Saints To 30-27 OT Win Against Hebert, Chargers

New Orleans, LA- On a night where it was a matchup of an up-and-coming youngster taking on the distinguished and legendary elder at the quarterback position, Monday Night Football between the Los Angeles Chargers and the New Orleans Saints proved to live up to the billing. Both Chargers rookie gunslinger Justin Herbert and one of the game’s true GOATs in Saints signal-caller Drew Brees put on a quarterback duel like no other, with the elder Brees handing Herbert his fourth loss of the season, as the Saints beat the Chargers in a 30-27 overtime thriller.

Drew Brees can still throw it deep (apparently)

In both the Saints primetime losses to the Raiders in week 2 on Monday Night Football and the Packers in week 3 on Sunday Night Football, I wrote that Saints quarterback, the 41-year-old Drew Brees, had a washed-up arm that couldn’t throw the ball more than 15 yards down the field. And the case could be made that I was right, as Brees barely ever attempted to throw the ball deep. Even during the first half of the Monday night game against the Chargers, Brees looked like he was scared to air it out. Prior to the last drive in the first half, Brees only had 45 passing yards and an interception recorded. However, just when the second half kicked off, I’m glad to say I was proven wrong, as Brees showed that he still had some magic in that throwing arm; with the proof coming in the form of a 41-yard rainbow touchdown pass to tight end Jared Cook (2-51-1) in the third quarter (41 air yards, that is). Brees had a 2020 breakout night, completing 33/47 passes (70% completion percentage) for 325 yards, one passing touchdown, one rushing touchdown, and an interception. He finally developed the chemistry with wideout Emmanuel Sanders (12-122-0) that he’s needed, especially since superstar receiver Michael Thomas was a healthy scratch for New Orleans (allegedly got in a fight with a teammate at practice).

The running game was stifled for the Saints, as Alvin Kamara (19 touches, 119 yards from scrimmage) and Latavius Murray (8-34) combined for 79 rushing yards on 19 carries. But Kamara’s ability to be just as big of a threat in the passing game came in clutch in the fourth quarter, he made a circus-like catch over the head of Chargers DB Rayshawn Jenkins, coming down with the juggled ball for a 28-yard gain deep into Chargers territory. That play helped set up the Taysom Hill nine-yard touchdown run that took the game to overtime.

Chargers gonna Charger

Justin Herbert is the future of the Charger franchise. In the four games, he’s started, the 6thoverall pick has completed 97/141 passes (69% completion) for 1,195 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and three interceptions, where he’s faced off and kept pace with three former Super Bowl MVP’s in the Chiefs Patrick Mahomes (week 2), the Buccaneers’ Tom Brady (Week 4), and the Saints’ Drew Brees (Week 5). But, as great as the numbers have been for Herbert (20/34 completed passes [59% completion] for 264 yards and four touchdowns vs the Saints), the one stat he hasn’t been able to impress in is the win-loss column, as every game Herbert’s played in has been a loss. 0-4 as a starter, Herbert has yet to capture his first win as a pro, and he came incredibly close against New Orleans. After losing star receiver Keenan Allen (2-29-1) for the rest of the game to a back injury, Herbert quickly developed a solid connection with the big-bodied wideout Mike Williams (5-109-2), especially on deep passes. Their two best connections; a 64-yard deep go route that blew the Saints coverage wide open for an easy touchdown, and a 29-yard fade route that saw Williams out jump two defenders to make a critical 29-yard catch (more on that in a bit).

On the ground game, the absence of Austin Ekeler (hamstring) has been felt, but both backup halfbacks Justin Jackson (15-71) and Joshua Kelly (11-29) have made up for the loss in production, combining for 100 rushing yards on 26 carries.

The Chargers defense had a respectable outing against New Orleans. In the first half, they kept to the Saints offense to less than 150 yards, forcing four punts, a field goal, and a Brees turnover by second-year defensive back Nasir Adderley, picking him off on a crossing route meant for Emmanuel Sanders. Star pass rusher Joey Bosa, who’s playing under a laundry list of injuries, registered his fourth sack of the season, but only tacked on one QB hit and one tackle for the rest of the game. Linebacker Uchenna Nwosu had himself a day, registering four tackles and a sack on the night, before leaving the game with an injury.

The real reason the Chargers lost came down to the one position that no one values but they love to hate on; kicking. Michael Badgley missed his first kick of the game; wide left on an extra point attempt in the first quarter. He went on to make the next three extra points, before being called on to try and score a 50-yard field goal that was set up by Mike Williams’ 29-yard sideline circus catch. Badgley’s career distance record was 59 yards, a franchise record set back in 2018. But after getting a time out called right before the first kick attempt, Badgley’s second kicking attempt dinked off the right upright and fell a yard underneath the goal post. No good. This was the 9thloss by 7 or fewer points by the Chargers since 2019, an NFL record. The case can be made that the Chargers are the AFC version of the Atlanta Falcons; choking in situations where it matters most.

What’s next?

New Orleans gets another home game in week 6, getting ready to host a Panthers squad that is riding a 3-game win streak against the Chargers (what a coincidence) in week 3, the Cardinals in week 4, and the Falcons in week 5.

As for Los Angeles, Herbert’s win is all but guaranteed to come next week, as the Chargers host the 0-5 New York Jets at SoFi Stadium.