Dexter McCoil's pick-six a bright spot in Chargers' loss to Saints

CARSON >> The Chargers’ offense has come up empty on 18 consecutive drives. Maybe Dexter McCoil should switch to the other side of the ball.

The 6-foot-4 safety was responsible for the Chargers’ only score on Sunday, returning an interception 99 yards with nine minutes left in the fourth quarter. In what turned out to be a 13-7 loss to the Saints, that play will be one of the bright spots in an ugly film-review session.

Standing just in front of the goal line, McCoil suddenly found himself on the other end of quarterback Ryan Nassib’s pass. He weaved toward the right sideline, and ran almost untouched to the other end of StubHub Center.

“I was just breaking on the ball,”  McCoil said. “Just happened to be at the right place at the right time. Just trying to make a play.”

“He can move, now,” added linebacker Korey Toomer. “Long strides. … That’s what happens when you’ve got long legs like that.”

That play could be crucial for McCoil two weeks from now, when the Chargers cut their roster to 53. A former CFL champion who also spent time playing Arena Football, the Tulsa product made a regular-season roster for the first time last fall. He eventually started two games, notching 18 tackles and an interception.

Te’o returns

Manti Te’o was looking forward to this.

“It’s going to be a very exciting game,” he said Friday, “for me especially.”

After four injury-plagued seasons with the Chargers, the former second-round pick found a new home this offseason — landing in New Orleans for a fresh start. That decision came with a bonus: a preseason rematch against his old team.

On Sunday, Te’o made the most of the opportunity. The 6-foot-1, 241-pound linebacker was all over the field, looking as healthy as he has in years.

By the final buzzer, he had a game-high eight combined tackles, including three for loss.

Two days earlier, Te’o had expressed optimism about seeing quarterback Philip Rivers — especially since he now had free reign to hit him.

But Rivers sat out the game entirely, something that has become a preseason routine for him over the past several seasons. Instead Te’o made do by hitting Kellen Clemens, sacking the Chargers’ backup for a 10-yard loss late in the second quarter.

That play forced the Chargers to punt for the fifth straight possession.

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Midway through the third quarter, Te’o showed up again. The Chargers had finally found themselves in the red zone for the first time — only to see undrafted rookie receiver Jamaal Jones lose the ball.

Te’o scooped up the fumble.

Injury report

Left tackle Russell Okung and right tackle Joe Barksdale were both in street clothes on Sunday nursing ankle injuries. Barksdale wore a protective boot over his right foot.

Lynn said Friday that both would have been available for a regular-season game. Okung and Barksdale were replaced in the starting lineup by Tyreek Burwell and Chris Hairston, respectively.

Burwell sustained an apparent right-hand injury early in the second quarter. That bumped Hairston to left tackle, and moved sixth-round pick Sam Tevi into the first-string lineup at right.

Backup offensive lineman Max Tuerk also left the game with what appeared to be a finger injury. The former third-round pick has practiced mostly at guard during training camp, but played as the team’s backup center on Sunday.

Lynn did not think Burwell or Tuerk’s injuries were serious.

Several cornerbacks sat out the preseason game: Jason Verrett (knee), Casey Hayward (hamstring), and Trovon Reed (hip). The Chargers started Trevor Williams and undrafted rookie Michael Davis.

Running back Kenjon Barner, who spent the past week in the concussion protocol, also made his first preseason appearance for the Chargers. His three carries combined for a 1-yard loss.