In the latest episode of “you can take the NFL out of San Diego, but you can’t take the San Diego out of the NFL,” we check on a trio of resilient locals who’ll perform Sunday in Minnesota’s dome.
The NFC South-leading Saints (5-4) figure to once again turn to a pair San Diego speedsters in second-receivers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. The Saints throw Olave nearly 10 passes per game. Shaheed leads the NFL with 19.3 yards per reception across 26 catches.
The Vikings (5-4) of Kevin O’Connell, a former San Diego State quarterback and second-year head coach, will try to pull out another victory despite losing a starting QB in each of the past two games.
It was a few weeks ago that Olave, a San Marcos Mission Hills High School graduate drafted 11th last year, hit the roughest patch yet of his brief NFL career.
Misunderstandings with first-year teammate Derek Carr marred a nationally televised performance. The veteran QB screamed “what are you doing?” after the receiver stopped a go route. As fans’ boos echoed in the New Orleans dome much later, a final incompletion to Olave secured the Saints’ fourth defeat in five games.
Bad went to worse a day later, when Olave was arrested for reckless driving. Police said he was going twice the 35-mph speed limit in his Dodge Charger.
On social media, the receiver expressed frustration with the public fallout.
“They couldn’t wait (to) tear me down & bash me,” he posted on X.
Olave, who acknowledged he was in a football “slump,” reported the New Orleans Times-Picayune, has rebounded to catch the majority of his targets the past two games. The Saints won both contests.
Carr’s play has improved, too. The QB praised the 23-year-old receiver at length Sunday after Olave caught six of eight passes for his second-best catch rate (75 percent) this year.
“He’s a young player,” said the 10th-year pro. “This is another thing that I think is a problem in this league: we don’t give young guys a chance to grow and develop, and go through their process. He’s developing into what I think is going to be a tremendous player for a long time.
“The city of New Orleans should be very happy to have Chris as one of their starting receivers because he’s the ultimate pro, he loves football,” he added. “He’s a great teammate. He does anything you ever ask him.”
With the Bears ahead 7-0 last Sunday, Olave caught an 8-yard pass for a touchdown, his second this season. He appeared relieved by his nice showing, reported the Times-Picayune’s Patrick Magee.
“Been through a rough month but God always comes through,” he said.
The first player to greet Olave?
Shaheed, who leads the team with three TD receptions.
In most Saints games, the former football and track star from Mt. Carmel High School in Rancho Penasquitos appears turbo-charged. Against the Colts two weeks ago, he caught three aerials for 153 yards.
If not for the ACL tear — his second — suffered as a senior at Weber State, Shaheed may have been drafted in 2022 instead of signing with the Saints as a free agent.
None of the three San Diegans can fathom the astounding continuity enjoyed by the NFL franchise that was moved from San Diego to Los Angeles six years ago.
Both Olave and Rasheed are on their third starting QB while also adapting to situational QB Taysom Hill.
Because of injuries, O’Connell may start his third QB in as many games Sunday.
Kevin O’Connell turned to Joshua Dobbs last week after starter Jaren Hall was injured.
(Jeffrey Phelps / Associated Press)
Vikings rookie QB Jaren Hall was concussed in the first quarter last week, Never mind that Hall had taken all of the first-team practice snaps in the response to the loss of veteran Kirk Cousins for the season with a torn Achilles. O’Connell talked Josh Dobbs, Hall’s replacement, through every snap by giving instructions through the QB’s headset until the play clock’s 15-second mark.
Only a few days earlier, Dobbs joined the team via a trade with the Cardinals.
Already, the Vikings were without All-Pro receiver Justin Jefferson. Also in the game O’Connell lost No. 3 receiver K.J. Osborn to a concussion and running back Cam Akers to a season-ending Achilles injury.
Dobbs led a final-minute TD drive with assists from his hoarse coach to deliver a 31-28 victory against the Falcons.
If O’Connell were to steer the Vikings (5-4) to a wild-card berth, the performance might top his first Vikings team winning the NFC North race on the strength of 11 victories in close games.
In another sign that O’Connell’s club works with slim talent margins, the Saints stand as 3-point favorites.
