Postgame notes from New Orleans Saints 30-27 overtime win against the Los Angeles Chargers

Saints improve to 3-2 heading into the bye week

Oct 13, 2020 at 12:13 AM

·With the win, the New Orleans Saints improve to 3-2 on the season and have now won their last four games against the Chargers. The Saints' record against the Chargers improves to 6-7 all-time and to 3-4 in home games. New Orleans returns to action on Sunday, Oct. 25 when it hosts Carolina in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Kickoff's set for noon on Fox.

·New Orleans has now won 14 consecutive games in the month of October, dating to a 25-20 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Oct. 30, 2016.

·The victory is the Saints' 50th win on prime time in franchise history (23 on Monday night, 20 on Sunday night, and seven on Thursday night) and improves their all-time "Monday Night Football" record to 23-22.

·The overtime victory is the Saints' third consecutive victory in regular season games that have gone to overtime, dating to a 34-31 win over the Washington Redskins on Nov. 19, 2017.

·With the win, Coach Sean Payton improves his record against Los Angeles to 3-0 all-time and defeats Chargers Coach Anthony Lynn in their first career meeting. Lynn is now the 67th opposing coach Payton has defeated and 57th opposing coach Payton holds a winning record against.

·The victory is the 142nd regular season/postseason combined victory of Payton's career, which moves him into sole possession of 25th place in NFL record books, breaking a tie with John Fox.

·The Saints amassed 408 yards including 95 rushing yards and a season-high 313 passing yards. New Orleans completed a season-high 33 passes, to eight receivers.

·The Saints held Los Angeles to 350 yards and did not allow 100 rushing yards to a single player for the 47th consecutive game, the longest current streak in the NFL. The Saints sacked Los Angeles quarterbacl Justin Herbert three times and have recorded at least three sacks in four of the team's first five games.

·Quarterback Drew Brees finished 33-of-47 passing for 325 yards and one touchdown. Brees also rushed for his 24th career touchdown and first since Dec. 8, 2019.

·Brees' appearance against his former team was his 280th career game played, surpassing Bruce Smith for sole possession of 21st in NFL record books.

·Appearing in his 50th career game, running back Alvin Kamara rushed for 45 yards on 11 carries and added eight receptions for 74 yards, recording over 100 all-purpose yards for the fourth consecutive game. Kamara has recorded double-digit carries in four of the Saints' five games this season and at least 15 combined touches in every game this year. Kamara also brought a kickoff out of the end zone for 31 yards to set up New Orleans' game-winning field goal drive in overtime.

·Kamara was held without a touchdown for the first time since Week 15 of 2019 and has his streak of consecutive games with at least one touchdown snapped at six games, tied for the franchise record.

·Kicker Wil Lutz scored the Saints' first and last points, connecting on a 36-yard field goal with 5:11 to play in overtime, which would be the game-deciding score. Lutz finished 3-for-3 on field-goal attempts, also connecting on 48- and 53-yard attempts. Lutz has converted all nine of his field goal tries this season, and is 18-for-18 on extra-point attempts, after converting three tonight.

·Receiver Emmanuel Sanders recorded his best game as a member of the Saints, finishing with 122 yards on a career-high 12 receptions. Sanders now has 215 yards in the Saints' last two games, his highest two-week total since recording 217 yards receiving in Weeks 6 and 7 of the 2018 season, as a member of Denver.

·Defensive end Cameron Jordan split a second quarter sack with defensive end Trey Hendrickson, making Herbert the 34th signal-caller Jordan has taken down. Jordan finished with a season-high 10 tackles and added a quarterback hit.

·Linebacker Demario Davis also recorded 10 tackles, his highest total this season and 21st career game with double digit stops. Davis added three quarterback hits.

·Hendrickson finished with 1.5 sacks, and now has 4.5 sacks this season, a new career-high. Hendrickson's previous career-high was four takedowns, set in 2019. Hendrickson also added three quarterback hits.

·Cornerback Marshon Lattimore finished with six tackles, including the game-winning stop in overtime, holding Los Angeles receiver Michael Williams to a five-yard gain on a Los Angeles fourth-and-6.

·Linebacker Alex Anzalone recorded the 100th tackle of his career on a second quarter stop of Los Angeles running back Joshua Kelley. Anzalone finished with six tackles.

·Tight end Jared Cook scored his second touchdown of the season on a fourth quarter 41-yard reception from Brees. Cook finished with two receptions for 52 yards, with his second reception coming on the Saints' game-winning overtime drive.

·Rookie receiver Marquez Callaway made an impact in the return game, averaging 11.5 yards on six punt returns and 28.5 yards on two kickoff returns. Callaway also recorded his best game receiving game this season, finishing with four receptions for 34 yards.

·Quarterback Taysom Hill scored his first touchdown of the season on a nine-yard run with 52 seconds to play in regulation, capping off a Saints 8-play, 73-yard score-tying drive.

·Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins recorded his first sack of the 2020 season and the 16th of his career. Rankins' last sack came against Tampa Bay in Week five of the 2019 season. Rankins finished with five tackles, adding two quarterback hits.

·Receiver Bennie Fowler recorded his first two receptions as a Saint, finishing with 11 yards on the two catches. Receiver Tre'Quan Smith also recorded two receptions for eight yards and has caught at least one pass in each of his last 10 appearances.

·Punter Thomas Morstead averaged a season-best 46.8 yards per punt, punting six times with three downed inside the 20-yard line.

·Defensive tackle David Onyemata recorded the 150th tackle of his career on an overtime tackle of Los Angeles running back Justin Jackson. Onyemata came into the game with 147 career tackles, and finished with three stops, one tackle for loss, and added a quarterback hit.

·The Saints extend their streak to 293 regular season games without being shut out, the longest such running streak in the NFL and fourth longest all-time. The streak dates to Sept. 6, 2002 when New Orleans defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26-20 at Raymond James Stadium.

Photos: Game Action #1 | Saints-Chargers Week 5 2020