This week, the New Orleans Saints will hit the road to face the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 8 of the 2024 regular season. Michael Peterson of Bolts from the Blue joins us to preview Sunday afternoon’s matchup.
NJ: How much has the offseason addition of HC Jim Harbaugh impacted the culture and attitude within the Chargers’ organization?
MP: I believe the impact of Jim Harbaugh being named the head coach was felt almost instantaneously. From the moment he took the podium at his introductory presser, you could tell he was at home. The man lives and breathes this game, and he wasted little time in implanting his image and mindset on the team. One of the biggest themes we’ve heard parroted from the players since training camp is that the message remains the same from the top of the team’s hierarchy all the way to the bottom. The message does not change no matter what. Everyone is on the same page about everything. When it comes to the on-field product, you can see that impact on defense. Offensively…we’re still working out the kinks.
NJ: Has anything posed a significant challenge for Los Angeles this season that they can’t seem to overcome? In contrast, where do the Chargers find the most success?
MP: The biggest thing that seems to be plaguing the Chargers is the ability to score in the second half. Right now, the Chargers are in the middle of a streak where they’ve gone 15 consecutive drives without finding the end zone. That was a big reason why they dropped a 17-15 decision to the Cardinals on Monday night. In their game against the Broncos the week Prior, the team had a 20-0 lead at halftime before winning 23-16. This team is STRUGGLING to score points in the second half and their current streak is the longest in the NFL since the Ravens in 2022 during Weeks 14-18…when Greg Roman was their offensive coordinator.
As far as what they’ve been successful at, they are currently one of the top teams in the NFL in terms of the percentage of defensive drives that end in three-and-outs. They can really get after opposing offenses despite having a really low-pressure rate. Once they find a way to create pressure at a higher clip, watch out.
NJ: Los Angeles currently ranks 31st in the league with 1,188 receiving yards. Has the Chargers’ lack of firepower on offense contributed to star QB Justin Herbert’s slow start to the season?
MP: Justin Herbert’s early lack of production stems from an unfortunate combination of Greg Roman’s run-heavy offense and the team’s lack of a Bonafide WR1. Joshua Palmer was expected to be the guy to begin the season, but the lack of quantity in targets each week to spread around has really caused all receivers to start slow. Rookie Ladd McConkey currently leads the team in both receptions and yards while Quentin Johnston leads the team with three touchdowns. Entering Week Eight, the Chargers are being highlighted as a team that should make a move for a veteran pass catcher in hopes of keeping their slim playoffs hopes alive this season. For Herbert’s sake, I hope they do. The only reason he threw for 349 against the Cardinals was because the run game was incredibly anemic against the league’s then-30th ranked run defense. The Chargers roster is built to run the football and play good defense. The defense has been doing their job, unfortunately the run game has been good for just two of six games. This must change if the Chargers want to try and reach the postseason in Jim Harbaugh’s first year at the helm.
NJ: What is one specific positional matchup on each side of the ball that you believe is essential for a Chargers victory?
MP: On defense for the Chargers, I like defensive tackle Poona Ford to have a good day against the injured interior offensive line of the Saints. Ford has been one of the top three defenders for the Bolts this season, especially when it comes to defending the run. Without center Erik McCoy and left guard Nick Saldiveri, Ford could have himself a day. He’s a pain in the leverage game due to his height (5’11) which really helps him get under and move interior lineman.
Offensively, the team’s success does tend to sway towards Ladd McConkey and the day he has. He lines up in the slot more often than not and he’ll likely draw Alontae Taylor who is having himself a great season. I believe if the Chargers want to win by more than a field goal, McConkey will have to get the best of Taylor on more than one occasion.
NJ: According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Chargers (-370) are currently 7.5-point favorites over the Saints (+295) in Sunday’s matchup; who do you think will come out on top, and what’s your final score prediction?
MP: I think this is a must-win game for the Chargers. They’re in the midst of a soft stretch of the schedule before it toughens up towards the end of the year. They’ve already dropped one of the more winnable games thus far and if they can’t find a way to beat the Saints, then it may be time to drastically pull back expectations for the Chargers in 2024. I have the Chargers winning this game 20-13 while once again overcoming some inefficiency on the offensive of the ball.
Thank you again to Michael Peterson for joining us this week! You can check out the rest of his work here.
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