Thanks to an early missed PAT by Gus Bradley and a critical 4th down overtime stop by Marshon Lattimore, the New Orleans Saints take 1st place in the NFC South and are 3-2 after a thriller in overtime.

First Half

The Los Angeles Chargers win the coin toss, and elect to start with possession. After a short 2-yard gain by Justin Jackson, Justin Herbert throws an incomplete pass on 2nd down. Herbert scrambles on 3rd and 8 but falls short. Chargers go three and out, and defense makes a strong opening statement. Chargers punt.

Marquez Callaway back and returns the kick for 19 yards. Saints commit to the run on the opening drive. After an 8 yard gain by Latavius Murray, Drew throws a short pass to Alvin Kamara for the first down. Brees’ short pass to Kamara for -5 yards sets them up for 3rd and 11. Uncharacteristic drop by Kamara forces Saints to punt.

Herbert throws to Tyron Johnson for 7 yards, and Joshua Kelley gets back-to-back carries for a first down. Chargers keep driving. Shy Tuttle stuffs Kelley at the line and Chargers get no gain on first down. Chargers commit to the run early, and Justin Jackson breaks through on 2nd and 9 for 36 yards. Justin Herbert sees some pressure from pass rush and throws incomplete into the endzone. Keenan Allen gets the 17 yard TD catch on 3rd and 7 after a scramble by Herbert. Bradley misses the extra point. LAC 6 - NO 0.

Marquez Callaway back for the punt, decides to take off and runs to NO 22 for 29 yards. On 3rd and 9, Brees connects with Sanders for a critical 14 yard catch. Hill in to throw and gets nearly intercepted. Brees throws incomplete to Tre’Quan Smith on 3rd and 10. Mercifully, this drive is over. LAC 6 - NO 0.

Chargers fair catch. Herbert throws incomplete after Davenport makes an appearance and hits him on the throw. No flags thrown (for once). On 2nd and 10, Jackson runs for a loss of 2. Chargers get flagged for illegal motion and Saints elect to decline. On 3rd and 12, hello Hendrickson! Herbert gets sacked by Trey Hendrickson.

Saints start the drive on the 48. Brees throws short to Murray for a first down. Murray gets the carry again, and he’s notably been used quite a bit thus far. Brees throws to Smith for a short gain. Taysom Hill in at QB, and fans are ready to light things on fire. Hill gains just 1 yard on 3rd and 3, and Saints try for the field goal. Wil Lutz gets New Orleans on the scoreboard. LAC 6 - NO 3. End of the first quarter.

Touchback to start the drive. Juyton is stuffed on a short throw for a loss of 4 yards. On 2nd and 14, Herbert completes a short pass to Henry for 8 yards. On 3rd and 6, another sack! Herbert split sack by Cameron Jordan and Trey Hendrickson. Chargers go three and out. Dwayne Washington collides with the punter and a flag is thrown; two flags for holding and roughing the kicker erases the third three and out drive for the Chargers. Chargers regain possession. Keenan Allen being looked at for a back issue by the medical tent, is questionable to return.

Saints defense leaves a massive hole for Kelley to run for 9 yards and get the first down. Herbert has Guyton wide open downfield and gains 49 yards after burning Lattimore. Chargers at NO 4. Herbert passes short left to Mike Williams for the touchdown; Lattimore unable to catch up to the route. 4 yard TD by Williams. LAC 13 - NO 3.

Touchback to start the drive. Brees takes a lot of time in the pocket before throwing a short pass incomplete to Callaway. Kamara with a 9 yard catch sets up 3rd and 1. Fullback Michael Burton gets stuffed at the 34 for no gain. Payton not feeling particularly risky tonight, and Saints punt after going three and out.

Fair catch on the punt. Herbert throws to Jackson for a 1 yard gain. Shy Tuttle chases Jackson down and tackles him after a 5 yard gain. Penalty on Dwight Freeney for illegal blocking. Jackson tries tripping half the team and Lattimore eventually grabs him for a critical 3rd down stop.

Callaway takes off for a 33 yard gain but a holding call on J.T. Gray sets Saints back at the 26. Brees’ pass to Kamara knocked down at the line of scrimmage. New Orleans currently 1 of 5 in 3rd down conversions. Brees is picked off by Nasir Adderley, and it would’ve been a pick-six if not for a last minute tackle by Andrus Peat.

Chargers at first and goal from the 2. Sheldon Rankins makes a critical sack on Herbert. Saints redzone defense playing at a solid F. TD for Hunter Henry. LAC 20 - NO 3.

Brees throws low to Bennie Fowler for a first down, and Fowler’s first catch of the game. Can someone alert Sanders that we’re playing this game? Brees’ smart last-minute read on a screen pass to-be-intercepted saves them from disaster. Kamara has another uncharacteristic drop on 3rd and 6.

Chargers get the ball with 2:30 left in the half. New Orleans takes a timeout to regroup. Herbert attempts a ridiculously awful fake throw and Jackson gets stuffed. New Orleans takes second tieout. After loads of pressure, Herbert throws downfield and falls incomplete.

Callaway puts on his best Harris impression and gets the Saints to the 49 right before the two-minute warning. Brees connects with Kamara for 14 yards and gets a critical first down. Back-to-back first downs. Drew in the driver’s seat and is in surgical mode. Brees throws a TD to Emmanuel Sanders but gets called back after review. Brees says enough is enough and rushes for a Saints TD. LAC 20 - NO - 10.

Punt, and end of half.

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Second Half

Touchback on the kickoff. Keenan Allen is out with injury and will not return. A quick throw to Tre’Quan Smith gets a critical first down on 3rd and 3. Nwosu nearly strangles Brees and gets a sack on 2nd and 7. Kamara runs east and west but can’t get to the first down marker. Saints punt.

Chargers start at the 11. Saints makes two strong stops defending the run. On 3rd and 6, Herbert connects with Henry and barely gets the first down. Chargers run game decidedly less strong in the second half. Herbert seeing much more pressure from the Saints’ pass rush, particularly Davenport, and throws the ball away. Pass rush continues to pressure Herbert, and he overthrows Mike Williams with strong coverage by Lattimore. Chargers punt.

Callaway continues to shine and returns to the 46, but another holding call on J.T. Gray sets them back to the 35. Brees throws a stellar 19 yard catch to Emmanuel Sanders, the longest of the night for Brees. Sanders and Brees are on fire and he connects for a 13 yard catch - his sixth of the night. Brees throws and off short pass to Kamara on 3rd and 10 and Saints set up for a 4th and 4 attempt, but Brees calls a timeout. Wil Lutz 53-yard attempt is good. LAC 20 - NO 13.

Chargers touchback. Herbert keeps the ball in a fake to Jackson for 4 yards. Jackson breaks through half the Saints secondary for a first down on a gain of 13 yards. Saints defense holding strong against the run. Herbert fumbles but recovers at the 48. Patrick Robinson down after the play. Saints turn up the heat and nearly force a turnover but the play is blown dead. Chargers seem out of sync on 3rd and 11. Herbert gets hit on the throw and pass falls incomplete to Williams.

Saints start at the 11, which is the worst starting field position of the night. Kamara with forward progress gets the Saints a 1st down. Sanders and Brees are the belles of the ball on offense as Sanders connects for a 19 yard catch up the middle to end the quarter. Saints trail by a touchdown with the football.

Brees throws again to Sanders with Joey Bosa in his face, Sanders turns it into a positive 9 yard gain to set up 2nd and 1. Burton gets the Saints a first down. Brees escapes from pressure and throws it into the turf; Peat gets a holding call. Sanders and Brees are the only players on the offense at current. Brees connects with Sanders on 1st and 20 for a 15 yard gain on an exquisitely run route. Kamara gets his longest gain of the night with 10 yards for a first down. Nwosu injured for Chargers on the play. Bosa spins away from Ramcyzk and Brees gets lampooned and is sacked at the 37. 41 yard monster TD catch by Jared Cook and PAT ties the ballgame. LAC 20 - NO 20.

Malcolm Jenkins missed his first snap in over 2,651 consecutive reps, unsurprisingly, a record. Henry gets the first down with a short 6 yard catch at the 31. Herbert gets swallowed by the pass rush and throws the ball out of the stadium on first down. After a 9 yard gain by Jackson, Jackson barely inches by Demario Davis and Shy Tuttle for the first down. David Onyemata preys on Kelley for a loss of 5 yards. Herbert throws incomplete to Henry on 3rd and 10. Saints defense keeps New Orleans in the ballgame. Lights out performance gives Saints a chance to take the lead.

Saints on the 23 with seven minutes left in the ballgame. Brees tries to connect with Fowler but the man coverage forces an incomplete for a 3rd and 8. Saints unable to convert as Callaway gets stuffed after a gain of 3 yards. Saints go three and out and punt. Thanks for nothing, says the defense back on the field.

Chargers at the 22. Herbert connects with Virgil Green for his first touch and he picks up the 1st down with 14 yards. Saints line is impenetrable and Jackson gets stuffed for a 1 yard loss. Chargers don’t have a run game. 64 yard TD bomb to a wide open Mike Williams. LAC 27 - NO 20.

Callaway attempts to give the Saints a spark and gets New Orleans to the 27. Brees throws shorts to Sanders but he gets choked down at the 29. Brees throws short to Kamara for a 9 yard catch and a first down conversion. Sanders fights for the first down, nearly fumbling in the process, and goes out of bounds with 2:14 left. Kamara runs for 10 yards on 2nd 1 and takes us to the two-minute warning.

Kamara juggles an insane 28 yard catch and takes the Saints to the 15. Brees throws to Cook in the endzone but it gets tipped away. Callaway gets the Saints in the redzone with a 6 yard catch on 2nd and 10. WHY IS TAYSOM HILL IN THIS DRIVE. Hill said I DON’T CARE I’M GONNA JUST DO IT MYSELF. Saints gamble the game (and the season) on Hill to tie it with 0:52 left. 9 yard TD run by Taysom Hill. LAC 27 - NO 27.

Chargers at the 20. Herbert connects with Jackson for a first down with a 7 yard catch. Herbert throws to Jackson for 8 yards and he runs out of bounds; play is under review. Call stands and Chargers at 3rd and 1 with :15 left at the 38. Lattimore is left man-on-man with Mike Williams and Williams makes a deep 29 yard catch to set up a 53-yard field goal. BRADLEY MISSES THE PAT. We’re going to overtime. LAC 27 - NO 27.

Kamara back to return the kick, gets to the 34. Brees connects with Callaway for a first down for 11 yards. Brees drives down the field with efficient first down short throws to Cook and Sanders. Murray breaks through the middle on 2nd 5 for a 13 yard gain. Hill in to take the snap at the 21. Hil keeps it for a 3 yard gain. Brees tries to connect with Sanders on 3rd and 6, but pass falls incomplete at the 18. 36 yard FD by Will Lutz. NO 30 - LAC 27.

Chargers at the 25. Jackson throws incomplete on first down and gains just 4 yards with a catch by Williams on 2nd and 6. Lattimore has a huge play that breaks up an intended pass to KJ Hill Jr. to set up a 4th and 6. Lattimore wins the game for New Orleans and takes Williams down 1 yard short of the first down. Saints win in overtime.

FINAL SCORE: NO 30-27

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Here’s a Quarter by quarter breakdown of the events:

1st Quarter

• Chargers elect to start with possession from the 15.
• Saints force three and out.
• Saints drive starts at the 47.
• Kamara loses 5 yards on a short pass, drops the next pass on 3rd and 11.
• Touchback.
• Justin Jackson gains 36 yards on 2nd and 9 to get them to the Saints 20.
• 17 yd TD for Keenan Alen.
• Bradley misses PAT.
• LAC - 6 - NO 0
• Kick returned to the 22.
• Sanders gains 14 on 3rd and 9 on a critical catch.
• Brees throws incomplete on 3rd and 10.
• Fair catch.
• Davenport pressures Herbert and throws incomplete.
• Trey Hendrickson with a big sack on 3rd and 12 to force a punt.
• Saints drive starts at the 48.
• Wil Lutz kicks 48-yard field goal.
• LAC -6 - NO 3

2nd Quarter

• Split sack by Cam Jordan and Trey Hendrickson.
• 3 and out.
• Guyton burns Lattimore and gains 49 yards.
• TD Catch by Mike Williams.
• LAC 13 - NO 3
• Touchback.
• 9 yard catch by Kamara sets up 3rd and 1.
• Michael Burton gets stuffed for no gain.
• Saints punt.
• Saints defense has strong drive, goes 3 and out.
• Holding call on the punt sets Saints back at the 26.
• Interception by Naris Adderley and near pick-six.
• TD catch by Hunter Henry.
• LAC 20 - NO 3
• First down by Bennie Fowler and his first catch of the game.
• Kamara with another uncharacteristic drop on 3rd and 6.
• Chargers get the ball with 2:30 left in the half.
• 3 and out.
• Callaway sets up NO at the 49 right before the two-minute warning.
• 14 yard catch by Kamara gains a critical first down for Saints.
• TD to Emmanuel Sanders called back upon review.
• Rush TD by Drew Brees.
• LAC 20 - NO 10
• End of half.

3rd Quarter

• Touchback to start the half for the Saints.
• Saints can’t convert on 3rd down and punt.
• Chargers at the 11.
• Pass rush pressures Herbert to throw the ball away and overthrow on 3rd down.
• Callaway runs to the 46 but a holding call on Gray sets them back 10 yards.
• Sanders connects with Brees for a stellar 19 yard catch.
• Saints’ offense on the field for 4th and 4 but Brees calls TO.
• 53-yard field goal by Wil Lutz.
• LAC 20 - NO 13
• Chargers touchback.
• Jackons breaks through the entire secondary for a 13 yard gain.
• Pass rush forces Herbert to throw incomplete to Williams on 3rd and 11.
• Fair catch by Callaway on the 11.
• Sanders and Brees connect for a 19 yard catch to end the quarter.

4th Quarter

• Brees connects with Sanders on 1st and 20 for a 15 yard gain.
• Brees sacked by Joey Bosa at the 37.
• 41 yard TD catch by Jared Cook.
• LAC 20 - NO 20
• Herbert gets pressured and can’t convert against Saints pass rush.
• Chargers punt.
• Saints on the 23.
• 3 and out.
• Saints punt.
• Chargers at the 22.
• 64 yard TD catch by Mike Williams.
• LAC 27 - NO 20
• Saints at the 27.
• Kamara gets a first down at the 43 before the two-minute warning.
• 9 yard TD run by Taysom Hill.
• LAC 27 - NO 27
• Chargers at the 20.
• Williams torches Lattimore with a deep 29 yard catch to set up the 50 yard field goal.
• Bradley misses the FG. Overtime.

Overtime

• Kamara returns the kick to the 34.
• Brees throws incomplete to Sanders on 3rd and 6.
• 36-yard field goal by Will Lutz.
• NO 30 - LAC 27
• Lattimore breaks up a 3rd and 6 pass intended for Hill Jr.
• Lattimore takes Williams down after a 5 yard gain on 4th and 6. Ballgame.

FINAL SCORE: NO 30 - 27 (OT)

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