NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (0-1) AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (0-1) SUNDAY, AUGUST 18, 2019 – 3:00 PM (CST) DIGNITY SPORTS PARK -– CARSON, CA. TV: CBS (WWL 4 locally) – Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Dan Fouts (color ana- lyst) and Evan Washburn (sideline) LOCAL RADIO: WWL (870 AM and 105.3 FM) – Zach Strief (play-by-play), Deuce McAllister (color analyst) and Steve Geller (sideline) SPANISH LANGUAGE RADIO: Crocodile Broadcasting (97.5 FM and 105.7 FM) – Mario Jerez (play-by-play) and Victor Quinonez (color analyst) THE MATCHUP Hill took over the reigns in the second half and showed his unique versatility both running and passing. He completed The New Orleans Saints (0-1) will travel to Southern Cali- eight of 14 passes for 80 yards and also carried six times fornia on Wednesday for two days of joint practices with for a team-best 45 yards (7.5 avg.). the Los Angeles Chargers (0-1) followed by a preseason matchup on Sunday, August 18. The contest will be played In after Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray received limited at Dignity Sports Park in Carson, Calif. at 3 p.m. CT and snaps at running back, Devine Ozigbo and Dwayne Wash- will be broadcast nationally on CBS. ington received more extensive auditions. Washington carried eight times for 36 yards (4.5 avg.) and Ozigbo Since 2017, the two clubs have conducted two days of rushed three times for 20 yards (6.7 avg.). joint training camp practices, followed by a preseason tilt. On August 25, 2018, the Saints beat the Chargers 36-7 in The Saints defense surrendered 460 total net yards to the the third preseason contest that featured extensive action Vikings and struggled on third down as well as surrender- by the club’s starters, a period of practices and a victory ing several big plays, all of which have been a point of em- that served as a springboard towards a 13-3 season that phasis in both corrections on film at meetings and during resulted in a division championship in consecutive sea- practices at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center this sons for the first time in franchise history and advancing to week. the NFC Championship game. Defensive team captain and weakside linebacker Demario The Saints are 5-7 all-time against the Chargers in the reg- Davis posted four tackles and he was tied for the team ular season and are 4-4 in preseason contests. New Orle- lead in stops with defensive back J.T. Gray and linebacker ans is riding a three-game winning streak in both the regu- Darnell Sankey. Linebacker Vince Biegel recovered a lar season and preseason against the Chargers, having fumble in the second quarter. not dropped a regular season tilt against Sunday’s oppo- On special teams, the duo of kicker Wil Lutz and punter nent since 2004 and an exhibition since 1985. Thomas Morstead were in midseason form. Lutz The Black and Gold opened the 2019 preseason with a 34 drilled all four of his field goal attempts, while Morstead -25 loss to the Minnesota Vikings at the Mercedes-Benz had a 45.5 gross and net on his two punts. Superdome tight end Dan Arnold and rookie wide receiver The kickoff and punt return games, which currently have Lil’Jordan Humphrey caught touchdowns from Teddy several candidates, also came up with impressive perfor- Bridgewater and Taysom Hill. In the running game, mances. Rookie wide receiver/return specialist Deonte New Orleans gained 141 yards. Harris had a 23-yard punt return nullified by a holding call. Bridgewater started for the Saints and played the entire He also brought back three kickoffs for 90 yards. Wide re- first half. He completed 14-of-19 passes for 134 yards one ceiver Cyril Grayson Jr. brought back two kickoffs for 61 touchdown and a 110.4 passer rating. yards, as well as brining in a 32-yard reception from Bridgewater. Saints at Chargers: Preseason Week 2 2 THE COACHES for a Week 17 matchup against the New York Jets; the Bills fell, 30-10. Before being hired as an assistant in Buffalo, New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton has posted Lynn served as running backs coach for the New York a 126-80 overall record (.612), including an 8-6 postseason Jets between 2009 and 2014, where he was part of a team mark after the franchise had won only one playoff game that twice went to the AFC Championship game, in both prior to his arrival. Payton holds both the club’s top win to- 2009 and 2010. In 2007 and 2008, Lynn tutored running tal and winning percentage. He continues to represent the backs for the Cleveland Browns, and in 2005 and 2006, he Saints as the model of stability not only within the NFC served in the same role for the Dallas Cowboys. Between South, as he is the longest tenured head coach within the 2003 and 2004, Lynn coached the running backs for the division, but also among the most accomplished within the Jacksonville Jaguars, before which he acted as a special National Football League. Only the New England Patriots’ teams assistant for the Denver Broncos from 2000 to 2002. Bill Belichick (2000) has been with the his team longer. Before beginning his career as a coach, Lynn enjoyed a six Payton is also one of just seven active coaches to lead a -year career as a player, serving as a running back from team to a Super Bowl victory. The others are Belichick, the 1993 to 1999. After going undrafted in 1992, Lynn was Seattle Seahawks’ Pete Carroll, the Oakland Raiders’ Jon signed by the Denver Broncos, appearing in 13 games in Gruden (Tampa Bay in 2002), the Baltimore Ravens’ John 1993. In 1995, he was picked up by the San Francisco Harbaugh, the Philadelphia Eagles’ Doug Pederson and 49ers and recorded his first NFL carry, a five-yard gain the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Mike Tomlin. The 2018 Saints edi- against Atlanta on Sept. 10, 1995. In 1996, he recorded his tion posted a 13-3 regular season record, secured the only NFL start and had the longest rush of his career, a 67- NFC’s number one seed for the postseason and advanced yard gain against Atlanta on Sept. 29, 1996. He returned to to the NFC Championship game. A franchise-record five the Broncos in 1997 and was part of the teams that won players were selected to the Associated Press All-Pro team Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII before retiring after the and a club-best eight were named to the Pro Bowl. New 1999 campaign. Before his career in the NFL, Lynn played Orleans’ ten-game winning streak was the second-longest running back at Texas Tech from 1988 to 1991. in club history and the longest run of consecutive victories in the NFL in 2019. The streak only sits behind in club rec- ord books, New Orleans’ 13-0 start under Payton in 2009, the season when they captured Super Bowl XLIV. Payton 2018 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS – LOS earned a bachelor’s degree in communications at Eastern ANGELES CHARGERS STATISTICAL Illinois, where as a quarterback he had 10,665 passing yards, at the time the third-highest total in NCAA Division I- COMPARISON AA history. Payton was inducted into the Eastern Illinois 2018 Regular Season National Football League Hall of Fame in September of 2000 and had his jersey re- Rankings tired in a ceremony in September of 2010. He received an honorary doctorate from his alma mater in 2013. Payton Saints Chargers was born December 29, 1963 in San Mateo, Calif., and Record 13-3 12-4 raised in Naperville, Ill., Payton has a daughter, Meghan Scoring Avg. (NFL Rank) 31.5 (3) 26.8 (6t) and a son, Connor. Opp. Scoring Avg. (NFL Rank) 22.1 (14) 20.6 (8) Total Off. (NFL Rank) 379.2 (8) 372.6 (11) Rushing Off. (NFL Rank) 126.6 (6) 117.1 (15) Los Angeles Chargers Head Coach Anthony Lynn is in his Passing Off. (NFL Rank) 252.6 (12) 255.6(10) third season leading the Bolts. He led the Chargers to a 12- Total Def. (NFL Rank) 349.1 (14) 333.7 (9) 4 record and their first postseason appearance in five sea- Rushing Def. (NFL Rank) 80.2 (2) 105.8 (9) sons, after helping turn around the franchise to post a 9-7 Passing Def. (NFL Rank) 268.9 (29) 227.9 (9) mark in 2017, a four-game improvement from 2016. Lynn’s Kickoff Return Avg. (NFL Rank) 24.3 (10) 23.3 (8) hiring was the Los Angeles Chargers’ first transaction upon Punt Return Avg. (NFL Rank) 6.5 (24) 10.5 (13) their announced relocation from San Diego. In addition to Turnover Margin (NFL Rank) +8 (7) +1 (15t) the significance of being the first African-American head Penalties 94 113 coach in the team’s history, he has also served as a stead- Penalty Yards 939 967 ying force during the team’s move 90 miles up the Pacific Opp. Penalties 85 103 Coast. Prior to his move to the West Coast in 2017, Lynn Opp. Penalty Yards 814 828 was the assistant head coach and running backs coach for the Buffalo Bills from 2015 to 2016, gaining offensive coor- dinator responsibilities last season as well. Prior to the final game of 2016, Lynn was promoted to interim head coach Saints at Chargers: Preseason Week 2 3 LAST REGULAR SEASON MEETING NEW ORLEANS SAINTS-LA New Orleans Saints 35, San Diego Chargers 34; Octo- CHARGERS SERIES HISTORY ber 2, 2016 @ Qualcomm Stadium – The Saints’ dra- The Chargers have a slight edge in the regular season se- matic come-from-behind victory gave New Orleans an all- ries between the two clubs, leading it 7-5.