Bears – Chargers LIVE: Bolts open up big lead as fourth quarter looms – Marca English
Sunday Night Football in Week 8 takes place in Inglewood, California, where the Los Angeles Chargers (2-4) host the Chicago Bears (2-5) in a pivotal matchup.
The Bears are hoping to secure back-to-back wins and return to the fringes of the NFC North race. It’s also an important game for the Chargers, who have fallen well behind the pace in the AFC West and must win to have any hope of hanging around in the playoff race. Los Angeles is favored by 8.5 points, and kickoff is slated for 8:20 ET.
Chicago Bears at Los Angeles Chargers – NFL Week 8 Sunday Night Football, live updates and play-by-play from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA:
The Bears (seven wins) lead the all-time series with the Chargers (six wins), but this will be Chicago‘s first visit to SoFi Stadium since the Bolts moved there in 2020.
Los Angeles looking to get back on track
The Chargers have been among the NFL‘s most disappointing teams in 2023. Just one season removed from a playoff appearance, Los Angeles must act fast in order to get back in the race this year — but its porous defense is likely to inhibit any progress in the postseason hunt.
Head coach Brandon Staley finds himself on the hot seat, unable to coax consistent performances out of a defense that has allowed at 475 yards to three different teams — and has been the NFL‘s worst against the pass. Making matters worse, the Chargers have lost three one-score games and were shut out in the second half of a loss to Kansas City in Week 7. Quarterback Justin Herbert continues to battle through an injury to his non-throwing hand as well as the absence of top wide receiver Mike Williams, who is out for the season with a ligament tear in his knee.
Bagent and the Bears have an upset in mind
With Justin Fields still shelved due to a dislocated right thumb, it will be rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent getting the call as he seeks to record the second win of his NFL career — both against AFC West teams.
Bagent led the Bears to an impressive victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 7, but the Chicago running game also played a decisive role. The Bears have rushed for at least 160 yards in each of the past four games, and their defense has been solid too, holding consecutive opponents to under 250 total yards and forcing six turnovers in the past three games. The slight uptick has cooled head coach Matt Eberflus‘s seat as Chicago seeks a winning formula for the future. A win over the Chargers could be a further springboard.
