EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Chargers and New Orleans Saints are off to a fast start this season…
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Chargers and New Orleans Saints got off to a fast start this season with wins in their first two games.
Both teams have calmed down as they meet on Sunday.
The Chargers (3-3) have lost three of their last four games, including one 17-15 loss in Arizona Monday nightwhile the Saints (2-5) look to avoid their first six-game skid since 2005.
The Bolts were competitive in all six games of their first year under Jim Harbaugh, but struggled in the second half. They were outscored 55-34 after halftime.
Los Angeles also hasn’t scored a fourth-quarter touchdown in its last five games.
“There’s a lot of things we can fix and clean up, but there’s a lot of things to look forward to overall,” said quarterback Justin Herbert, who passed for a season-high 349 yards in of the defeat against Arizona.
If the Chargers want to challenge for a playoff spot, the next three weeks will be crucial. After facing New Orleans, Los Angeles plays an away match against Cleveland (1-6) then welcomes Tennessee (1-5) on November 10.
The Saints have scored 91 points in their first two games, but have 86 in the last five.
Derek Carr is likely – but not certain – to miss his third straight game on Sunday with an oblique injury in Week 5.
Coach Dennis Allen said he planned to start rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler, but did not rule out Carr, who last season started a game after not practicing all week.
Carr is “following the progression of throwing,” Allen said. “I don’t know he’ll be ready for Sunday, but we’ll continue through the week and see where we are.”
After a streak of three matches in 11 days, including one 33-10 loss to Denver on October 17the Saints arrive rested and hope to get some players back after a series of injuries.
“I think we have a lot of talent. I think we have a lot of capacity and we are capable of doing something good here. So it doesn’t feel good to lose five games in a row and we have to turn it around,” running back Alvin Kamara said.
Good feedback
Guard Cesar Ruiz, tight end Taysom Hill, receiver Chris Olave and linebacker Pete Werner all returned to practice for the Saints this week after each missing multiple games with various injuries.
Cornerback Marshon Lattimore also practiced after suffering the Saints’ loss to Denver last week with a hamstring injury.
Ruiz has missed four games since injuring his right knee in the Week 3 loss to Philadelphia.
Hill hasn’t played since he lost Week 4 at Atlanta with a rib injury after scoring two touchdowns in the first half of that game.
Olave suffered a concussion during the first quarter of the Saints’ Week 6 loss to Tampa Bay and missed the Denver game entirely.
Werner missed three games with a hamstring injury sustained in training.
Ground control
The Chargers are ninth in the league in run defense, allowing 111.2 yards per game. However, they gave up 181 yards last Monday in Arizona and missed 16 tackles.
Kamara brings another big challenge to the defense this week. Kamara not only has 438 rushing yards, but he leads running backs in receptions (34) and is second in receiving yards (252).
Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter emphasized taking the extra step and using better angles to try to reduce missed tackles.
“There are certain plays where you can say, ‘Hey, we can put this guy in the back and this guy in the back.’ You have to be careful with him because they are looking for matchups for him,” Minter said. “He runs downhill, is a great jump guy and does a great job of pressing things on the front side and then cutting them back.”
Kamara’s contract
The Saints put questions about Kamara’s future in New Orleans to rest when they signed him to a $24.5 million extension that runs through the 2026 season.
Kamara made no bones about it during training camp that he wasn’t happy with his previous contract, which was structured in a way that likely would have led to his release after this season. But he didn’t stand his ground and maintained, amid trade speculation, that his preference was to spend his entire career in New Orleans.
“This city has been faithful to me. The organization has been loyal to me,” Kamara said. “I don’t feel like I would get the same feeling as if I put the fleur-de-lys somewhere else.”
Wait
Herbert has done a good job getting everyone involved in the passing game, completing passes to nine players over the last two games. Chargers receivers, however, have five dropped passes against the Cardinals and have nine in their last three games.
Jalen Reagor also fumbled the ball at the Arizona 3-yard line and in the end zone after a 41-yard reception.
Harbaugh did not identify any factors in the drops, but said ball security was given more emphasis in practice this week.
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AP Sports Writer Brett Martel in Metairie, Louisiana, contributed to this story.
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