Bears vs. Chargers Point Spread: NFL Week 8 Odds, Prediction
L.A. is a heavy 8.5-point favourite to win on the NFL odds.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
If you simply looked at this matchup on paper, it probably should have been flexed out. But that was never happening with two of the USA’s biggest media markets in Chicago and Los Angeles involved. Normally, I would say expect more Bears fans than Chargers in attendance because the Bolts simply don’t have a huge LA following yet and Bears fans travel as well as anyone. It still might be the case, but with Chicago one of the league’s worst teams some fans who perhaps planned a weekend in LA might now pass.
Chicago leads the all-time series 7-6 but this will be its first time facing the Chargers in Los Angeles. The last meeting was in 2019 in the Windy City and the Bolts won 17-16 when current star quarterback Justin Herbert was still at Oregon. Philip Rivers was still the Chargers’ QB back then and Mitch Trubisky for Chicago. Kicker Eddy Pineiro missed a 41-yard field goal as time expired. The Bears had Trubisky take a knee with about 40 seconds left rather than try to get closer to the goal line because coach Matt Nagy didn’t want to risk a fumble. That completely sums up Nagy’s former tenure in Chicago: Awful decisions.
Chicago Bears
The Bears played without starting quarterback Justin Fields on Sunday but still knocked off the Raiders, who were playing with their own backup QB, by a score of 30-12. Former Division II star and undrafted free agent Tyson Bagent looked very composed in completing 21 of 29 for 162 yards and a TD while rushing for 24 yards. He became the first Bears quarterback to win his debut start since Craig Krenzel in 2004 and will start again this week with Fields dealing with a thumb injury on his throwing hand. Chicago was without its top two running backs as well vs. the Raiders, but D’Onta Foreman stepped up nicely with 89 yards and two scores as the Bears managed a season-high 173 yards rushing. One of those top two running backs, Roschon Johnson, likely will return this week.
Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert is one of the most talented (and highest-paid) QBs in the NFL, but sometimes for all the amazing throws Herbert can make, he misses the easy ones. He hasn’t been particularly sharp in back-to-back losses in which the Chargers have been held to 17 points in each. Herbert completed just 56.7 per cent of his throws in Sunday’s 31-17 defeat in Kansas City and had two picks. The Chiefs scored 24 points in the first half, the second most the Chargers have allowed in the opening half since Brandon Staley became coach. His seat is getting hotter by the day. Down by a touchdown at halftime, the Chargers offence had four separate chances to go down and tie the game in the second half but couldn’t do it. Tight end Donald Parham had a TD catch before leaving in the fourth with a quad injury.
CHI
LAC