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NEW ORLEANS – A group of admirers peered through metal bleachers, craning their necks to peek at the Chargers as they trudged to the locker room.

They intensified their efforts when the four former LSU players skimmed past, especially Jacob Hester.

The 5-foot-11, 235-pound fullback, once the main ball-carrier on a Tigers national championship team, punctuated the opening drive with a 6-yard romp through several Saints. He also pancaked linebacker Jonathan Casillas, caught a pass for four yards and, lest someone consider him one-dimensional, added a special teams tackle.

So, Jacob, what was your favorite?

“I’m going into a fullback role, so I have to say I like blocking a little bit better,” Hester said. “You know, if you asked me four years ago I would’ve said running, but I’m loving what I’m doing right now.”

That was easy on a night that he scored against the favorite team of his childhood and got a positive reception.

“It was a little bit weird,” Hester said. “Normally when you go on the road you don’t get that kind of treatment, so it was fun to see Hester signs in the crowd and see LSU jerseys.”

BLITZED: San Diego is going to blitz this year, and they’re going to try to be unpredictable in how they do it.

The preseason has included a steady array of quarterback pressures up the middle and around the outside by linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties.

The common thread? Footballs going places the opposing offense didn’t intend.

Eric Weddle slipped past the right side to drill Drew Brees in the back Saturday, dislodging the football. Saints tackle Jon Stinchcomb recovered, but the continued presence of such hits bodes well for a defense that aims to dictate the strategy of the opposing offense.

Weddle benefitted from a hit on Tony Romo last week by Stephen Cooper, corralling an interception that led to a 40-yard touchdown drive. An Antwan Applewhite sack and strip contributed to San Diego’s 25-10 win in its preseason opener against Chicago.

The defense also neutralized New Orleans in the fourth quarter when Patrick Ramsey had an opportunity to cement the outcome well before the final drive. A late Nathan Vasher interception in Saints territory set up a 1-yard Billy Volek touchdown that drew San Diego within 26-21 with 5:44 left.

“We felt like we got pressure on their quarterback. We felt like we did some good things against the run at times,” Luis Castillo said. “There’s some things we need to clean up in terms of placement (against the run) and making sure we’re extremely sound, but no one here feels satisfied because we’ve got a lot of football to play this season and we feel like we can get a lot better.”

RETURN TRIP: Several Chargers have played in the Superdome, especially those who played high school or college football in Louisiana.

But only David Binn had played in the facility in a Chargers uniform before Saturday’s game. San Diego’s visit marked its first game at New Orleans in 13 years. They would’ve traveled to the Big Easy in 2008 but instead the game was staged at London’s Wembley Stadium.

INDOOR BOOM: Mike Scifres, kicking indoors, crushed a 58-yard punt into the end zone during the second quarter to force a touchback. The ball hit inside the 2 and careened sideways across the plane.

He later lofted a 59-yard punt to Adrian Arrington, who met Hester after a five-yard return, and a 65-yarder in the fourth quarter.

LOW PENALTIES: San Diego cut its penalties by a significant margin after racking up several in the preseason opener. The Chargers drew just three flags and lost 25 yards.

The first offense also converted both its opportunities in the red zone and did not commit a turnover.

BACK AGAIN: Applewhite made a tackle for a loss for the third consecutive game.

Entering the game as a substitute in the third quarter, Applewhite drug running back Chris Ivory down for a two-yard loss.

The outside linebacker leads the team with three sacks after missing most of last season with an injury.

BOLTS: Ogemdi Nwagbuo started at nose tackle and Larry English started at outside linebacker … All four Chargers that played for LSU were captains for the game, as well as Scifres, who went to high school in Destrehan, La. … Davis caught three passes for 41 yards, all in the second half.

ATTENDANCE: 70,031.

GAME WEATHER: Indoors, 80 degrees.