Carolina Panthers in Week 2 and aggravated it during a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3..

McConkey, a second-round draft pick from the University of Georgia, caught six passes for 111 yards, becoming the first Chargers rookie with 100 yards or more receiving since Keenan Allen in the 2013 season. McConkey is the fourth Chargers rookie with 100-plus yards and two touchdowns since 1970.

Chargers outside linebacker Khalil Mack, a 10-year veteran, was impressed.

“Man, he had a hell of a day,” Mack said of McConkey, whose previous best was five receptions for 67 yards and one touchdown in the Chargers’ loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4. “He’s a hell of a player. It was only a matter of time before he was able to break out and kind of do his thing. I’m proud of him.”

J.K. Dobbins rushed for 57 yards and a 1-yard touchdown on 17 carries.

Cameron Dicker kicked field goals of 46 and 29 yards.

The Chargers’ defense handled the rest, giving up only two field goals.

“It was a solid day,” Mack said. “There was a lot of stuff to get better at, which is encouraging, especially after a win. Just got to build on that and keep stacking days. I told Derek (Carr) after the game, ‘Man, I’m glad you didn’t play, but if you were in the (game) we was going to get after you.’”

Carr, the Saints’ starting quarterback, couldn’t play because of an oblique injury, so Spencer Rattler got the start. Rattler failed to move the offense adequately, so New Orleans turned to Jake Haener, who led a late drive in the third quarter that yielded the second of Blake Grupe’s field goals.

The Chargers led the Saints 9-5 by halftime, an usual score befitting an unusual first half. The Chargers were victimized by some uncharacteristic special teams mistakes. A bad snap resulted in a safety and an early 2-0 deficit. Dicker then missed the extra point after Dobbins’ TD run.

Dobbins’ scoring run with 1:37 left in the half ended a seven-quarter drought without a touchdown, dating to their 23-16 victory Oct. 13 over the Denver Broncos. McConkey’s 60-yard catch and run was the Chargers’ first second-half TD since their season-opening win over the Las Vegas Raiders.

McConkey’s first touchdown gave the Chargers a 16-5 lead in the third quarter.

His second one made it 26-8 in the fourth.

The teams traded field goals between his scores.

Dicker had accounted for all of the Chargers’ points in their 17-15 loss to the Arizona Cardinals last Monday night, kicking five field goals. But the Chargers’ wide receivers held what they termed an accountability meeting after the game, believing they could have done better.

“I feel like this game was maybe not necessarily a must-win game,” McConkey said of Sunday’s game against the Saints. “(But) we wanted to go out and we wanted to get back on the right track. Last week, five field goals. We needed to score (touchdowns on Sunday), so to be able to do that this week was huge.”