SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (4-5) at CHICAGO BEARS (6-3)
Sunday, 4:15 P.M. ET, CBS, Direct TV (714), Sirius (SD 86, Chi 94)
Why Watch
To see if warm weather San Diego can travel to cold weather Chicago and beat the Bears to save their season. The Chargers are in a four-game slide that leaves them a banana peel slip out of the division race. San Diego owned the AFC West from 2006 through 2009, then the upstart Kansas City Chiefs displaced them in 2010. Maybe that was no fluke. The Chargers show signs of being an old team. Bears fans heaped abuse on offensive coordinator Mike Martz early this season when the team opened to a 2-3 start. Four wins later, it seems Da Bears can do no wrong.
What To Watch
Defense powers Chicago’s resurgence. The Bears returned two interceptions of Detroit’s Matthew Stafford for touchdowns last Sunday. Devin Hester’s 82-yard touchdown punt return added to the damage… and to the Hester legend.
San Diego enters the game ranked ninth in total yards, but 19th in rushing yards. Surprisingly, the Chargers have more rushing touchdowns (9) than the Bears (7), but few would trade Matt Forte for the combination of Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert. Struggles at rushing leaves San Diego more dependent on QB Philip Rivers. Pressuring Rivers leads to more mistakes, a tendency the Bears surely noticed. The Bears are favored by four.
Who Will Win
San Diego will not end their slide at Soldier Field. Chicago takes this one.
