Saints aim to prolong Chargers' Monday night misery
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (1-3) at NEW ORLEANS (2-2)
Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN
OPENING LINE - Saints by 7 1/2
RECORD VS. SPREAD - Chargers 3-1, Saints 2-2
SERIES RECORD - Chargers lead 7-5
LAST MEETING - Saints beat Chargers 35-34 on Oct. 2, 2016 in San Diego
LAST WEEK - Chargers lost to Buccaneers 38-31; Saints beat Lions 35-29
AP PRO32 RANKING -- Chargers No. 11; Saints No. 21
CHARGERS OFFENSE - OVERALL (6), RUSH (12), PASS (97).
CHARGERS DEFENSE - OVERALL (19), RUSH (14t), PASS (25).
SAINTS OFFENSE - OVERALL (17), RUSH (13), PASS (17).
SAINTS DEFENSE - OVERALL (6), RUSH (6t), PASS (13).
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Los Angeles is 1-3 for the first time since 2016. '¦ The Chargers have dropped five straight Monday Night games. '¦ Coach Anthony Lynn is 0-2 on Monday nights. '¦ Rookie QB Justin Herbert has thrown for at least 290 yards in all three starts. He became the first rookie QB last week with two TD passes of 50 or more yards in a game since Houston's Deshaun Watson in 2017. '¦ RB Austin Ekeler expected to miss the next three games due to a hamstring injury. '¦. Rookie RB Joshua Kelley is fourth among AFC rookies with 258 scrimmage yards. '¦ WR Keenan Allen leads the AFC with 32 receptions and is second with 327 receiving yards. ... WR Jalen Guyton has a TD catch in two of the past three games. '¦ TE Hunter Henry has at least five receptions in five of his last six games. '¦ LA defense is third with a 42.9% red-zone TD percentage. '¦ DE Joey Bosa has three sacks and leads the league with 17 quarterback pressures. '¦ CB Michael Davis has interceptions in two of his last three road games, including a 78-yard interception return for a TD last week. ... Saints QB Drew Brees was a second-round draft choice by the Chargers in 2001 and spent five seasons with the franchise. ... Brees passed for 246 yards with two TDs and one interception last week. ... Brees has passed for 300-plus yards in his previous three Monday night games. ... RB Alvin Kamara had 119 scrimmage yards (83 rushing) and a TD rushing last week. Kamara leads the NFL with 557 scrimmage yards seven total TDs. Kamara had two TDs in each of the Saints' first two home games this season. ... RB Latavius Murray had two TDs rushing vs. the Lions. ... WR Tre'Quan Smith had two TDs receiving at Detroit. ... WR Emmanuel Sanders led the Saints with six catches for 93 yards last week. ... 2019 Offensive Player of the Year WR Michael Thomas has missed past three games but could play this week after returning to practice in Week 4. ... DE Cameron Jordan had his first sack of the season last week. ... DE Trey Hendrickson has a sack in three of four games this season and leads New Orleans with three sacks. ... The Saints rank last in the NFL in red-zone defense, allowing opponents touchdowns on 82.4% of possessions inside the New Orleans 20. ... Fantasy tip: The versatile Kamara has been at his best at home and should match up well against a defense that has not been exceptionally effective against either the run or pass this season.
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