A wrenching Chargers season continued Monday when they blew a 17-point first-half lead for the second consecutive week in a 30-27 overtime loss at New Orleans.
They had a chance to win on the final play of regulation, but Michael Badgley's 50-yard field goal attempt hit the right upright. Badgley also missed a first-quarter extra point that proved vital.
The loss was the fourth straight for the Chargers (1-4). They've now dropped 13 of their past 15 one-score games dating to Week 2 of last season.
The winning points for the Saints came on a 36-yard field goal by Wil Lutz on the first possession of overtime.
The Chargers had one final chance but their possession in overtime ended near midfield when Mike Williams took a short pass from Justin Herbert and narrowly missed converting a fourth down.
The Chargers took a 27-20 lead with 3:40 to go in regulation when Herbert hit a wide-open Williams for a 64-yard touchdown.
But the Saints responded with an eight-play, 73-yard drive that ended with Taysom Hill running nine yards for the score.
Lutz's extra point made it 27-27 with 52 seconds remaining.
The Chargers opened a 20-3 lead with a little more than four minutes to go in the second quarter behind Herbert.
They also had a 17-point second-quarter lead in Week 4 against Tampa Bay before a late turnover led to a Buccaneers' momentum-shifting touchdown right before halftime.
Again, the Saints scored Monday on a one-yard Drew Brees run with only 14 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
The Chargers also blew an 11-point third-quarter lead in a loss to Kansas City in Week 2.
Herbert led the Chargers on three first-half touchdowns, each possession ending with him throwing for the score.
He finished a nine-play, 80-yard drive with a 17-yard strike to Keenan Allen, the connection also converting on third-and-seven situation.
Even more impressive, Herbert made the throw after avoiding a pair of hard-charging Saints pass rushers, end Cameron Jordan and cornerback Malcolm Jenkins.
Already dealing with an array of injuries, the Chargers lost Allen for the rest of the game soon after his score because of a back issue.
Then came a seven-play, 75-yard possession that was extended when New Orleans was called for roughing Chargers punter Ty Long. Herbert made the Saint pay by hitting Williams for a four-yard score.
The final first-half touchdown was set up by Nasir Adderley's first career interception. Adderley returned the pickoff 39 yards and inside the New Orleans' one-yard line.
After a sack and a Josh Kelley run, Herbert fired a laser to tight end Hunter Henry for a three-yard touchdown.
That put the Chargers up 20-3, giving with a 17-point second-quarter edge for the second consecutive week. They blew all of that lead at Tampa Bay in what became a 38-31 loss.
The Chargers now begin their off week, which on Sunday was moved up from mid-November in response to league-wide schedule changes prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
They are set to return to action Oct. 25 against Jacksonville at SoFi Stadium.
