NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A New Orleans Saints team that looked so promising during the NFL season's first two weeks is now looking historically bad. With a 26-8 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, the Saints are in the midst of just their second six-game skid this century — the first in 19 years. Their most recent seven-game losing streak came in 1999 under then-coach Mike Ditka.
“We’ve got a lot of bad going on right now,” running back Alvin Kamara said bluntly. “I don’t think we’re a team that’s very committed to detail right now. .
.. I don’t think we have pride in those things, because if you would, we wouldn’t have so many other ailments.
” As losses have mounted, New Orleans' performance level has declined precipitously. During their first two defeats this season, the Saints held leads in the final minutes, but failed to close the deal. Their past four losses have come by double digits — including three straight by 18 or more points.
The latest loss was particularly bad for morale because the Saints entered the game hoping the return of a handful of prominent starters would give them an edge over the banged-up Chargers. Instead, the Chargers demonstrated how injuries can be overcome, while the Saints provided evidence of execution problems that go deeper than roster health. The Saints' performance was not entirely devoid of highlights.
But while Kamara and receiver Chris Olave both gained more than 100 yards from scrimmage, their successes were.
