How good has Ladd McConkey been for the Chargers?
The rookie receiver, drafted in the second round by Los Angeles to help replace Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, has quickly become Justin Herbert’s preferred target when both are healthy. McConkey has been playing through a hip injury that has limited him over the last week or two, but that didn’t stop him in the third quarter against the Saints.
With a second and nine from the Chargers own 40-yard line, Herbert faked a handoff to running back JK Dobbins and scanned downfield. Joshua Palmer ran a seam route from his outside receiver position, holding a Saints safety in the middle of the field. McConkey ran a slot fade against Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor and Herbert trusted the one-on-one matchup down the sideline.
McConkey won the hand fighting battle with Taylor down the sideline, pulling the ball down and creating separation from the cornerback. With room to run after the catch, the rookie took the ball back toward the middle of the field and got a block from Palmer to finish a 60-yard touchdown that gave the Chargers a 16-5 lead.
It’s McConkey’s third touchdown of the season and first score in nearly a month.
BAD LADD
📺 | @nflonfox pic.twitter.com/v66t4LR3Ck
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) October 27, 2024
