Bears at Chargers: Game preview and prediction

The San Diego Chargers (2-6) will host the Chicago Bears (2-5) on Monday Night Football in Week 9.

Week 9 of the 2015 NFL Season will conclude on the west coast as the San Diego Chargers will host the Chicago Bears in a battle of two-win teams. The Chargers enter Monday Night Football as a 3.5-point favorite at home, despite not having much of a home field advantage. Visiting teams often cheer louder than Chargers fans do at Qualcomm Stadium.

With both teams in desperate need for a win, will San Diego Chargers quarterback continue to throw for a ton of yards or will the number three pass defense of the Chicago Bears slow him down?

Rivers has completed more passes than anyone in the NFL with 243 completions. Despite his team not playing well in 2015, he is having another Pro Bowl caliber year for the Chargers.

For the Bears, the front office initially made some moves to deplete their roster in the first few weeks, but the coaching staff led by head coach John Fox, offensive coordinator Adam Gase and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio have done a marvelous job getting the most out of their less than stellar roster.

While the Bears might pick Rivers off on Monday Night Football, they will not have the services of running back Matt Forte who is still sidelined with a sprained MCL. Chicago will have to rely on quarterback Jay Cutler and receiving targets like wide receiver Alshon Jeffery to attack the Chargers’ ninth rated pass defense.

The loser of this game will find themselves in a rough spot. Chicago would sit four games back of both Green Bay and Minnesota in the NFC North at 6-2. San Diego would sit six games back of Denver in the AFC East. Though neither team is mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, having only two wins through Week 9 doesn’t bode well for a potential playoff berth.

Prediction: Chargers 28, Bears 24