Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert completed 31 of 40 passes for 298 yards with 3 touchdowns, no turnovers and a passer rating of 122.7. He was not sacked in the game.
In his second straight start, Bears undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent completed 25 of 37 passes for 232 yards with two interceptions.
The loss dropped the Bears to 2-6.
“We didn’t play supplementary football like we did last week and the last few weeks,” Eberflus said.
On the first play from scrimmage of the game, Bagent completed a 41-yard pass down the right sideline to a flying Darnell Mooney. But the Bears were forced to punt after Bagent was sacked by defensive end Joey Bosa on third-and-11.
“Nobody likes to lose,” Bagent said, “so very disappointed that we couldn’t build on that, especially on that drive. But we accomplished what we wanted to do on that first play, and I thought, “Mooney.” made a great catch.
Herbert then threw touchdown passes on the Chargers’ first two possessions, giving Los Angeles a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.
First, Austin Ekeler converted a screen pass into a 39-yard TD, capping a 10-play, 92-yard drive. After a second Bears punt, Herbert completed a 9-yard touchdown pass to receiver Simi Fehoko with 43 minutes left in the opening period.
The Bears’ next possession ended in a turnover when Bagent’s pass intended for DJ Moore was intercepted by cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor at the Chargers’ 43.
Los Angeles converted the takeaway on Cameron Dicker’s 43-yard field goal to increase the lead to 17-0 midway through the second quarter. The kick came after defensive end Khalid Kareem, who was placed on injured reserve Saturday, deflected a pass over the middle. It was Herbert’s first incompletion after rushing for 142 yards and two touchdowns on his first 15 passes of the game.
The Bears cut the deficit to 17-7 on Darrynton Evans’ 11-yard touchdown run with 1:47 left in the first half, capping a 14-play, 75-yard drive.
But the Chargers responded as Herbert completed a nine-play, 75-yard drive in just 1:43, culminating in an 11-yard TD pass to tight end Donald Parham Jr. to extend their lead to 24-7 , while there were still :04 left, half of it.
In the first half, Herbert completed 21 of 25 passes for 212 yards with three touchdowns and a passer rating of 141.6.