New Orleans Saints vs Los Angeles Chargers Match Player Stats (Aug 13, 2025)

Eric Rogers intercepted two passes and returned one 43 yards for a touchdown while Trey Lance rushed for 48 yards and scored on a five-yard run as the Chargers defeated the Saints 27-13 in their August 10, 2025 preseason opener at SoFi Stadium. Tyler Shough threw for 165 yards and a touchdown in his professional debut, but New Orleans committed three turnovers that proved costly.

---

---

Game at a Glance

Team Statistics Comparison

New Orleans gained 52 more yards but Spencer Rattler’s strip-sack gave Los Angeles the ball at the Saints 33, leading to the first points. Eric Rogers’ pick-six made it 17-3 midway through the third quarter. Jake Haener’s fourth-quarter interception set up the clinching touchdown.

Those three plays decided the outcome.

The Saints converted just 23% of third downs. They failed to score on both red zone trips, including a goal-line stand when the Chargers stuffed a run on fourth-and-goal from the one. Los Angeles finished drives while New Orleans stalled repeatedly after moving the ball.

What made the difference? New Orleans went 0-for-2 in the red zone while Los Angeles scored touchdowns on two of three trips inside the 20. Converting third downs at 42.9% compared to 23.1% kept the Chargers’ drives alive. Turnovers created short fields that the Saints’ offense never generated.

Tyler Shough Leads Saints Quarterbacks with 165 Passing Yards

Tyler Shough connected with Mason Tipton on a 54-yard touchdown that showcased NFL arm strength. The Louisville rookie put the ball where only his receiver could catch it after Tipton ran a double move down the right sideline. That throw validated his second-round draft status.

Eric Rogers picked him off in the third quarter. Shough stared down his target instead of working through progressions. Rogers undercut the out route and ran it back 43 yards for six points. Classic rookie mistake in his first game action.

Shough completed 68.2% of his passes and handled a two-minute drill before halftime that resulted in Blake Grupe’s 31-yard field goal. He took two sacks when protection broke down but kept his eyes downfield. His 86.4 passer rating topped Spencer Rattler’s 75.2 mark, giving him momentum in the competition.

Constant pressure defined Spencer Rattler’s afternoon. He took three sacks in five possessions, including a strip-sack when Caleb Murphy came screaming around the edge in the second quarter. Rattler completed 63.6% of passes but couldn’t sustain drives. His 22 rushing yards came mostly on scrambles under duress.

He protected the football aside from the fumble but the offensive line gave him no time to operate.

Jake Haener’s 35.9 passer rating ended any comeback hopes. Four plays, one interception, zero chance.

Who won the quarterback battle? Shough’s big-play ability separated him from Rattler despite the interception. The performance gap extended beyond the 11-point passer rating difference when you watched how each handled pressure. Shough made plays under duress. Rattler absorbed punishment without finding answers.

Trey Lance Separates Himself in Chargers Quarterback Battle

Taylor Heinicke started but went three-and-out on three consecutive drives. One completion for eight yards before getting pulled.

That performance created no competition for the backup role behind Justin Herbert.

Trey Lance took over and immediately changed the game’s energy. He rushed for 48 yards on seven carries. His five-yard touchdown capped a 17-play drive that covered 70 yards. The possession consumed 6:24 of game clock, the longest drive for either team. Lance converted third-and-seven with a 14-yard scramble. He picked up 17 yards on another designed run to reach the red zone.

He completed 50% of passes but his legs created opportunities the passing game couldn’t. Zero turnovers while providing dual-threat capability sealed his value as Herbert’s backup.

DJ Uiagalelei entered late and threw one pass that traveled 49 yards to Dalevon Campbell, setting up the clinching touchdown.

Perfect passer rating on limited opportunity.

Lance’s 48 rushing yards matched what Los Angeles needs behind Herbert. His ball security and mobility won the competition by the second quarter. Heinicke never recovered from the opening drives. Uiagalelei didn’t get enough snaps to compete.

Eric Rogers Records Two Interceptions Including Pick-Six

Los Angeles Chargers Defense – Tackles & Sacks

Los Angeles Chargers Defense – Interceptions & Pass Defense

Eric Rogers went from undrafted to indispensable in 60 minutes.

The Rutgers product allowed zero receptions on five targets. His coverage technique kept receivers blanketed throughout their routes. He read quarterbacks’ eyes, jumped routes when he recognized concepts, and stayed physical at the line of scrimmage. His first interception came when he undercut Tyler Shough’s out route in the third quarter. Rogers dove, made the catch, got up, and ran 43 yards for the touchdown that made it 17-3. His second pick came off Jake Haener in the fourth quarter, sealing the victory.

Rogers left with a leg injury and appeared on crutches postgame. His roster spot looks secure after this performance.

Caleb Murphy came screaming around the edge all game. His strip-sack of Spencer Rattler in the second quarter broke the scoreless tie. The fumble recovery at the Saints 33 set up Cameron Dicker’s 44-yard field goal. Murphy beat right tackle Dillon Radunz twice with speed-to-power moves, collapsing the pocket from outside.

He finished with 2.0 sacks and two tackles for loss.

Emany Johnson’s 11 tackles topped all defenders with eight solo stops. Marlowe Wax made nine tackles, all solo, and added a sack. The front seven held New Orleans to 61 rushing yards on 20 carries by double-teaming centers and penetrating gaps before running backs could accelerate.

Rogers’ coverage matched his ball skills. Zero receptions allowed plus two interceptions equals a roster lock.

Saints Defense Records Three Sacks Despite Loss

New Orleans Saints Defense – Tackles & Sacks

New Orleans Saints Defense – Pass Defense

Isaiah Stalbird and Jaylan Ford combined for 16 tackles with 11 solo stops. Both linebackers attacked downhill, taking on pulling guards and shedding blocks to make tackles at the line. They wrapped up ball carriers rather than going for big hits, preventing broken tackles that could have turned into big gains.

Their fundamentals kept Los Angeles out of explosive plays.

Chris Rumph II faced his former team and sacked Trey Lance in the third quarter, forcing Dicker’s field goal instead of a touchdown. Fadil Diggs added another sack and two tackles for loss. The defensive line generated consistent pressure on all three Chargers quarterbacks.

Zero takeaways hurt despite the pressure. New Orleans held Los Angeles to 248 total yards and just 100 through the air. The defense created enough stops to keep the game competitive but couldn’t force turnovers when the offense struggled.

Three sacks showed pass rush capability. Eric Rogers’ two interceptions made the real difference. Los Angeles scored defensive touchdowns. New Orleans didn’t.

Chargers Rush for 148 Yards on 4.4 Average

Los Angeles pushed New Orleans backward at the point of attack. Their offensive line double-teamed defensive tackles and created holes off tackle throughout the game. The Chargers rushed 34 times for 148 yards (4.4 average) and two touchdowns.

Trey Lance led with 48 yards on seven carries. His five-yard touchdown capped the game’s longest drive. Raheim Sanders scored the clinching touchdown from 11 yards with 1:52 remaining. Hassan Haskins averaged 5.5 yards per carry, providing production whenever called upon.

New Orleans managed just 61 yards on 20 attempts. That brutal 3.1 average came from offensive line injuries forcing backup linemen into extended action. Kendre Miller averaged 2.5 yards on six carries. The Saints had no running lanes all game.

The Chargers averaged 4.4 yards per carry compared to the Saints’ 3.1. That gap showed offensive line dominance.

Mason Tipton Catches 54-Yard Touchdown for Saints

New Orleans Receivers

Mason Tipton’s only catch went 54 yards for six points. Tyler Shough threw a perfect ball down the right sideline after Tipton ran a double move that left his defender trailing by three steps. The score cut the deficit to 17-10 early in the third quarter, providing brief momentum that New Orleans couldn’t sustain.

Kevin Austin Jr. caught four passes on five targets for 42 yards. Cedrick Wilson Jr. added three receptions for 37 yards. No receiver dominated.

Velus Jones Jr. caught four passes but made his biggest impact on special teams with two kickoff returns totaling 73 yards.

Los Angeles Receivers

Dalevon Campbell’s three receptions covered 62 yards. His 49-yard grab from DJ Uiagalelei moved the ball to the 11-yard line, setting up the final touchdown that sealed the victory. Brenden Rice, son of Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, caught a 12-yard pass during Trey Lance’s scoring drive.

Tipton’s 54-yard touchdown was New Orleans’ only explosive play through the air.

Special Teams Provides Field Position Advantages

Kicking Performance

Cameron Dicker connected from 44 and 40 yards, adding seven points when drives stalled short of the end zone. Blake Grupe and Charlie Smyth split kicking duties for New Orleans. Grupe made a 31-yarder before halftime. Smyth drilled a 50-yarder in the final seconds.

Both kickers showed accuracy.

Return Game Impact

Velus Jones Jr. returned two kickoffs for 73 yards, including a 46-yarder in the third quarter that gave New Orleans possession at their own 46. The offense went three-and-out on the ensuing possession, wasting excellent field position.

JK Scott punted six times for Los Angeles, averaging 48.3 yards per attempt. His longest traveled 58 yards. Those kicks consistently flipped field position in the Chargers’ favor.

Jones Jr. gave New Orleans good field position. The offense wasted it every time.

Game Summary

Six punts dominated a scoreless first quarter as both offenses struggled to establish rhythm. On the first play of the second quarter, Caleb Murphy strip-sacked Spencer Rattler. The fumble recovery at the Saints 33 set up Dicker’s 44-yard field goal for the first points.

Trey Lance then engineered a 17-play, 70-yard drive. It consumed 6:24 of game clock. He converted third downs with his legs and scored from five yards with 1:38 left before halftime. Tyler Shough responded with a two-minute drill that resulted in Grupe’s 31-yard field goal as time expired.

The Chargers led 9-3 at halftime.

Eric Rogers intercepted Tyler Shough at 9:48 of the third quarter and returned it 43 yards for a touchdown. The successful two-point conversion made it 17-3. Shough fired back immediately. He found Mason Tipton for 54 yards and a touchdown at 7:14, cutting the deficit to 17-10.

Dicker’s 40-yarder at 4:50 of the fourth extended the lead to 20-10. Jake Haener threw an interception to Rogers moments later. That turnover set up the final touchdown. Sanders scored from 11 yards at 1:52, making it 27-10. Smyth connected from 50 yards for the 27-13 final.

Injury Impact on Saints Performance

Multiple Saints starters left on carts. Center Will Clapp went down on the second play of the first quarter. Left tackle Trevor Penning required a cart later in the game. Wide receiver Bub Means also left on a cart in the third quarter.

The offensive line injuries forced backup linemen into extended snaps. Five sacks allowed and constant pressure on all three quarterbacks stemmed partly from players learning on the fly.

Those injuries create depth concerns extending through training camp.

A late fourth-quarter leg injury ended Eric Rogers’ breakout performance. Postgame reports showed him on crutches in the locker room, creating concern about a player who made a compelling roster argument with two interceptions.

Coaching Connections and Context

Brandon Staley returned to SoFi Stadium as New Orleans’ defensive coordinator after serving as Chargers head coach from 2021-23. Kellen Moore previously worked as Los Angeles’ offensive coordinator in 2023 under Staley. Chris Rumph II faced his former team after playing for the Chargers from 2021-23. He responded with a sack in the third quarter.

The Chargers rested quarterback Justin Herbert and several other starters after finishing 11-6 and reaching the playoffs in 2024. New Orleans sat Alvin Kamara, Cameron Jordan, Demario Davis, Chris Olave, and Davon Godchaux.

Kellen Moore made his head coaching debut for New Orleans after winning Super Bowl LIX as Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator. Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers improved to 2-0 in preseason after beating Detroit 34-7 in the Hall of Fame game four days earlier.

Performance Analysis

New Orleans generated 52 more yards but the three critical turnovers erased that advantage. Spencer Rattler’s strip-sack gave Los Angeles the ball at the Saints 33, leading to the first points. Eric Rogers’ pick-six made it 17-3. Jake Haener’s interception set up the clinching touchdown.

Those three plays decided the outcome.

Going 0-for-2 in the red zone left 14 potential points on the board. The goal-line stand when the Chargers stuffed a run on fourth-and-goal from the one showed New Orleans couldn’t finish drives. Converting just 23% of third downs meant drives stalled repeatedly after gaining yardage.

Los Angeles won through situational execution. The Chargers converted 43% of third downs, sustaining drives when opportunities presented themselves. They scored touchdowns on two of three red zone trips.

Tyler Shough’s 54-yard touchdown to Tipton validated his arm strength. His pick-six came from staring down his receiver instead of working through progressions. His 86.4 passer rating topped Spencer Rattler’s 75.2 mark. Spencer Rattler took three sacks in five possessions. Constant pressure defined his afternoon more than his 63.6% completion rate.

Trey Lance’s 48 rushing yards and zero turnovers won the Los Angeles backup quarterback battle. His dual-threat ability proved more valuable than passing statistics. Eric Rogers, Caleb Murphy, and Jamaree Caldwell significantly boosted their roster chances with standout individual performances and player performance metrics that exceeded expectations.

Complete statistical breakdowns and individual statistics breakdown provide deeper analysis of this preseason exhibition results and individual matchups.

The Saints hosted Jacksonville on August 17 in their second preseason game. The Chargers faced the Rams on August 16 at SoFi Stadium as the designated road team. New Orleans needed to address offensive line depth immediately after losing multiple starters to injury. For complete box scores and play-by-play details, the official game recap provides additional context.

Fans seeking comprehensive data throughout the preseason and regular season can find detailed matchup analysis tracking trends across multiple games.