INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Ladd McConkey was a menace downfield and helped lead the University of Georgia to two College Football Playoff championships.

After being used primarily in midfield routes and on third downs in his first seven NFL games, McConkey showed on Sunday what an all-around receiver he can be for the Los Angeles Chargers.

McConkey had two touchdown catches, including a 60-yard score in the third quarter, and became the first Chargers rookie receiver in 11 years to have a 100-yard receiving game as Los Angeles beat the reeling New Orleans Saints defeated with 26:8.

“That’s pretty cool, so I hope I get another one,” said McConkey, who had six balls for 111 yards. “Anytime you get in the end zone it’s a big deal, so I’m just glad I was able to contribute for the guys today.”

McConkey has emerged as one of Justin Herbert's favorite targets in a Chargers passing attack that is still without a reliable veteran receiver following the offseason departures of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.

“He’s an absolute receiver. Having that short game and those intermediate routes that he was so good at, and now you open up some of those go balls that you have to respect,” Herbert said of McConkey. “And that it can be set up anywhere – indoors and outdoors. You know, we have a real ballplayer on our hands.”

Herbert totaled 328 yards (279 passing, 48 rushing) and two TD passes to help the Chargers (4-3) rebound from a last-second loss last Monday night at Arizona.

The Saints (2-6) have lost six straight games for the first time since 2005, which will increase the pressure on coach Dennis Allen, who has an 18-24 record in his third season.

“I think we all understand that this is a results-oriented business and we have to play better football,” Allen said.

Alvin Kamara, who signed a two-year, $24.5 million contract extension earlier this week, had 122 total yards. Chris Olave had eight balls for 107 yards.

Jake Haener replaced the ineffective Spencer Rattler in the third quarter and completed nine of 17 passes for 122 yards.

Rattler — making his third straight start after Derek Carr was sidelined with an oblique injury — was 12 of 24 for 156 yards. The Saints failed to reach the red zone and only managed one field goal in the nine drives he directed.

Carr returned to training this week and could be back in the squad next week.

“Of course we didn’t win, which is very unfortunate,” said Rattler. “We want to win. Our goal is to come here and win, get some momentum.”

The Saints came onto the field in the first quarter with their first safety since 2020 when Chargers punter JK Scott failed to catch an errant snap and the ball rolled out of the back of the end zone. The other points were scored by two field goals by Blake Grupe.

McConkey, selected in the second round of the draft, finished the game with six receptions for 111 yards, becoming the first Chargers rookie to reach the century mark since Allen had five such games in 2013. He is the fourth since the merger in 1970 with 100 yards receiving and two touchdowns.

McConkey's third-quarter score was the Chargers' first second-half TD since the fourth quarter in Week 1 against Las Vegas.

McConkey caught Herbert's pass near the right sideline at the Saints' 35, turned the field and avoided a tackle attempt by Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor at the 14 before getting into the end zone and the The Chargers' lead was extended to 16-5.

“He found it, pursued it, made an incredible catch and then a SportsCenter highlight where he scored the touchdown and put the ball in the end zone,” coach Jim Harbaugh said. “I mean, it's what we needed.”

The Chargers added another TD with 3:22 left in the fourth quarter when Herbert crawled out of the pocket on third-and-7 at the Saints 9 and found McConkey in the back left corner of the end zone.

“I think he was back there, crawled a little bit and then started rolling. “It just gave me a chance,” McConkey said.

Pulse changer

The Chargers failed to generate anything on their first three possessions. On the opening play of their fourth drive, Harbaugh found a gap on the right end and scrambled 38 yards before being forced out of bounds at the Saints 46, marking the longest run of his five-year NFL career.

The drive would result in the first of two field goals by Cameron Dicker, putting the Chargers on top.

“We didn't do much before, but I think the guys did a great job of hanging in there, staying patient, waiting for their chances and making things happen,” said Herbert, reflecting bounced back from a slow start and 20 of them completed 32 passes.

Los Angeles extended its lead to 9-3 with 1:37 left in the first half thanks to JK Dobbins' 1-yard run off from right end to set up a 15-play, 90-yard drive complete, which lasted eight minutes. However, Dicker was wide left in his attempt to score an extra point.

Rare double

Chargers defensive lineman and defensive tackle Scott Matlock became the first NFL player since 2019 to record a reception and a sack in the same game.

Matlock, in his second year with the Chargers, sacked Rattler early in the third quarter and had a 9-yard catch in the fourth quarter.

Injuries

Saints: WR Bub Means injured his hand in the first quarter and suffered a game-ending ankle injury. … RB Kendre Miller and CB Marshon Lattimore suffered hamstring injuries in the second half and did not return. For Lattimore, it was the same Achilles tendon that kept him out of last week's game against Denver. … CB Rico Payton left in the fourth quarter with a back injury. … TE Juwan Johnson was evaluated for a concussion.

Chargers: CB Kristian Fulton suffered a more serious hamstring injury in the third quarter.

Next

Saints: Next Sunday in Carolina.

Chargers: Next Sunday at Cleveland.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl