Field Level Media
Oct 29, 2023
Justin Herbert passed for 298 yards and three touchdowns and Cameron Dicker kicked three field goals to boost the Los Angeles Chargers to a 30-13 win against the Chicago Bears on Sunday in Inglewood, Calif.
Los Angeles (3-4) stopped a two-game losing streak behind an efficient passing attack. Aiming to win consecutive games for the first time this season, the Bears (2-6) were outgained 352-295 as undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent struggled under center in his second career start.
Bears starting quarterback Justin Fields again was inactive after suffering a dislocated thumb in Week 6.
Herbert completed his first 15 passes of the game and was 21-for-25 for 212 yards and three touchdowns before halftime. Austin Ekeler had 104 yards of offense (91 receiving, 13 rushing) on five carries and five receptions in the first half and also scored the first TD of the night.
Ekeler snagged a short pass from Herbert and raced down the left sideline for a 39-yard touchdown with 7:08 left in the first quarter. That capped a 10-play, 92-yard drive for the Chargers, who scored on all four of their first-half possessions.
Following a Chicago punt, the Chargers made it 14-0 thanks to a 9-yard scoring pass from Herbert to Simi Fehoko with 43 seconds to go in the first quarter.
Ja'Sir Taylor intercepted Bagent on the Bears' next drive, leading to a 43-yard Dicker field goal. Chicago visited the end zone via Darrynton Evans' 11-yard run with 1:47 left in the first half, but the Chargers responded swiftly, as an 11-yard TD pass from Herbert to Donald Parham put Los Angeles ahead 24-7 at the break.
For the game, Herbert was 31-for-40 through the air, with Ekeler (seven catches, 94 yards) and Keenan Allen (eight, 69) serving as his top targets. Ekeler rushed 15 times for 29 yards.
Bagent was 25-for-37 for 232 yards and two interceptions with a rushing touchdown. D'Onta Foreman gained 34 yards on nine carries, while Cole Kmet had 10 catches for 79 yards.
Chicago surrendered 241 yards of total offense in the first two quarters, the third time this season the team has yielded at least 200 yards in the first half.
--Field Level Media