“It’s exciting,” linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi said. “Sometimes it takes a little bit and you can really see the defense in the last few weeks. We play fast, we play physical, and it’s not about the decision, it’s about the execution. It’s not like we are. We make up new calls or something. It’s the same defense we played last year. We’re just executing them better and part of that, I think, is that the guys are more comfortable in the system.”
The Bears will be challenged in Los Angeles by quarterback Justin Herbert, the NFL’s 2020 Offensive Rookie of the Year and 2021 Pro Bowler. The 6-6, 236-pounder has completed 67.0 percent of his passes for 1,592 yards with seven touchdowns, four interceptions and a passer rating of 97.1, which ranks ninth in the NFL.
“He has one of the strongest arms in the league,” Borgonzi said. “He can make all the throws; In-cuts, balls on the sideline, he can make every throw there is. He is also athletic. So he presents a lot of problems because he can make any throw and then he can climb and he can throw. He climbs very effectively and is accurate.”
Herbert has been more effective in the Chargers’ first three games than he has been in the last three games, but that could be because he was facing top-10 defenses from the Cowboys and Chiefs in the last two weeks. After throwing for 939 yards with six touchdowns and no interceptions in his first three starts, he has thrown for 653 yards with four TDs and four interceptions in his last three appearances. Herbert continues to play with a broken left middle finger that he suffered in an Oct. 1 win over the Raiders.
The Chargers’ offense also features five-time Pro Bowl receiver Keenan Allen and versatile running back Austin Ekeler, a seven-year pro who set career highs with 915 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground and 107 receptions last season.
“The thing with Ekeler is he’s a strong runner,” Borgonzi said, “so we really have to attack this guy, bring your feet when you attack, because defenders are going to bounce off him if you don’t bring good feet. “Really good player in the running game, very effective in the passing game. We have our hands full with him.”