1) Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert will make his fourth career NFL start and first on "Monday Night Football" against Drew Brees, who will be under center for his 279th career start and 27th on Monday night.
2) Herbert is set to play back-to-back games against Tom Brady and Brees. Here's an early comparison between Herbert and the two future Hall of Famers through their first three starts:
First Three Career NFL Starts
| Quarterback | Passing | Yards | Comp. % | TD/INT | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Herbert | 77-of-107 | 931 | 72.0 | 5/3 | 102.2 |
| Drew Brees | 47-of-78 | 504 | 62.4 | 3/2 | 87.8 |
| Tom Brady | 58-of-101 | 618 | 55.8 | 2/0 | 77.2 |
3) Per NFL research, Herbert will be the first quarterback in league history to face three Super Bowl MVPs in his first four starts (Patrick Mahomes, Brady and Brees).
4) The last Chargers quarterback not named Brees or Philip Rivers to start a "Monday Night Football" game was Stan Humphries 24 years ago against the Detroit Lions on Nov. 11, 1996.
5) Herbert's first Monday night start comes against Brees, while Brees' first career MNF start came in 2003 against quarterback Brian Griese, who will be in the booth Monday as an analyst for ESPN. Griese was also teammates with Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn in Denver from 1998-99.
6) Lynn and Saints head coach Sean Payton coached together under Bill Parcells in Dallas in 2005. Lynn was the team's running backs coach; Payton was assistant head coach/passing game coordinator.
8) Wide receiver Tyron Johnson, who was elevated from the practice squad in Week 4, caught his first NFL reception – a 53-yard touchdown from Herbert – against Tampa Bay. Johnson is a New Orleans native and was the No. 1 high school football prospect from Louisiana in 2015, per 247 composite rankings.
9) Five former Ohio State Buckeyes will share the field in New Orleans on Monday night: Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa and wide receiver K.J. Hill; and Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins, cornerback Marshon Lattimore and wide receiver Michael Thomas. Bosa, Hill (redshirt), Lattimore and Thomas were all teammates in 2015.
10) The Chargers are 7-5 all-time against New Orleans and 22-24 overall on "Monday Night Football." This is the fifth straight year these teams will play each other in either the preseason or regular season.
Browse through some photos from Thursday's practice at the Hoag Performance Center.
Bolt Up and Vote!
Here's everything you need to know to help prepare you to cast your ballot.
