Chargers Dominate Saints in Preseason Opener, 27-13
Chargers Dominate Saints in Preseason Opener, 27-13
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Los Angeles Chargers kicked off their 2025 preseason with a convincing 27-13 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday afternoon at SoFi Stadium. For New Orleans, the game served as a reality check for a team looking to rebound from a disappointing 2024 campaign under new head coach Kellen Moore.
Kellen Moore, making his head coaching debut after serving as the offensive coordinator for the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, saw his team struggle with discipline, racking up seven penalties for 56 yards. The offensive line, a point of concern entering the season, failed to protect its quarterbacks, who were sacked five times. Shough, who replaced Rattler, showed some promise, completing 15 of 22 passes for 165 yards, including a 54-yard touchdown to Mason Tipton in the third quarter that cut the deficit to 17-10. But the interception returned for a touchdown by Rogers halted any momentum.
“We’ve got a lot to clean up,” Moore said after the game. “It’s the first one, so you expect some rust, but we can’t afford those kinds of mistakes—penalties, turnovers, missed assignments. We’ll get back to work.”The Saints’ lone bright spot early was kicker Blake Grupe, who nailed a 31-yard field goal late in the second quarter to get New Orleans on the board. Charlie Smyth added a 50-yarder in the fourth, but it was too little, too late.
Up next, the Saints return home to face the Jacksonville Jaguars on August 17.
Sources: ESPN, The Football Database, Bleacher Report
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