NEWSLETTER
Entering the 2019 season, talking about a Bears-Chargers Super Bowl wouldn’t have been far-fetched. Both teams had legitimate championship aspirations after coming off 12-win seasons (with a little untapped potential) in 2018.
But we are now seven weeks into the season, and neither squad is living up to the expectations set before them when the year began.
The Bears (3-3) have taken a step backwards, because quarterback Mitch Trubisky has been smacked with the regression stick. Meanwhile, the Chargers (2-5) have been riddled with injuries and inconsistency since the season kicked off. On Sunday, these two teams will meet at Soldier Field, with the winner getting an opportunity to boast that their season is saved after beating a team that is better on paper than their record indicates.
Well, unless these two teams battle to a tie.
Never Tell Me The Odds:
The Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas lists the Bears as 3.5-point favorites over the Chargers with an over/under set at 41. But it is worth noting that Chicago opened as a 6-point favorite, which means there has been a ton of money wagered in favor of Los Angeles since Monday to move the line nearly three points.
Series History:
The Bears lead the all-time season series 7-5, which is impressive if you consider they have been outscored in those games 232-204.
Game Time, Broadcast Info, Officiating Crew:
Location: Soldier Field
Broadcast Info: Sunday, October 27 at noon CT on FOX-TV (Thom Brennaman, Chris Spielman, Shannon Spake), WBBM-AM 780 and WCFS-FM 105.9 (Jeff Joniak, Tom Thayer, Mark Grote), ESPN Radio (Adam Amin, Tom Ramsey, Ben Hartsock)
Referee: Brad Rogers
Expected Starters and Lineups:
Bears Offense Expected Starters:
Bears Defense Expected Starters:
Bears Specialists:
Chargers Offense Expected Starters:
Chargers Defense Expected Starters:
Chargers Specialists:
Keep An Eye On …
Bears Offense: David Montgomery is a contrarian pick, but here goes nothing. The Bears need to run the ball, but not because the offense needs balance or whatever. They simply need to move the ball, get first-downs, and score points … and I’m convinced dropping Mitch Trubisky back to pass 50+ times isn’t going to get it done. Chicago picked up wins in Weeks 2, 3, and 4 by giving Montgomery 18, 13, and 21 carries. Perhaps running the rock 20+ times against a defense that has allowed 4.2 yards per attempt this season will help matters.
Bears Defense: Roquan Smith has a 50.3 run-defense grade this season, which is the lowest among the Bears’ linebackers. And after seeing his snaps scaled back last week, he could see a further reduction in playing time if he struggles on Sunday. The Chargers figure to run a bunch with both of their backs. And if Smith can’t cut it, keep an eye on if Nick Kwiatkoski doesn’t get an extended look next to Danny Trevathan.
Chargers Offense: Austin Ekeler is Pro Football Focus’ fourth-highest-graded running back with an 85.3 grade that ranks better than the likes of Alvin Kamara, Le’Veon Bell, and Ezekiel Elliott (among others). And even though Melvin Gordon will get a chunk of touches, the Chargers won’t go away from Ekeler, who is a dual-threat back who the Bears need to keep tabs on at all times.
Chargers Defense: Desmond King was one of my favorite draft-eligible players in 2017. The Iowa product was a standout player in the Big Ten, starring for the Hawkeyes in the secondary and flashing return skills here and there that should have had him on many radars. Instead, he lasted until the fifth round and was taken shortly after the Bears selected offensive lineman Jordan Morgan from Division II Kutztown University. The Bears cut Morgan before the 2018 season, while King has evolved into an All-Pro nickel defender and return specialist. Sure would’ve been nice to have one of those without diving into the free agent market.
