3 Things We Learned From the Los Angeles Chargers After Week 8
The Los Angeles Chargers put together a strong showing in their Week 8 victory over the Chicago Bears.
SportsGrid looks at the Chargers through Week 8.
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1. The Chargers Played a Full 60 Minutes on Sunday Night
It’s been a rollercoaster start to the regular season for the Los Angeles Chargers. Through seven games, it’s been hard to establish exactly what this team is. They could be a mediocre team, but there are still signs that this team has underachieved. Coming off losses against the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs, the Chargers needed to respond against a lackluster Chicago Bears team, and they did. Throughout the entire Sunday clash, there was never any doubt about who the better team was. That showed up on the scoreboard, which had the Chargers come out on top 30-13. As nice as it is to pick up a victory, the Chargers need to have these types of outings more consistently and against better teams. The Chargers have back-to-back games against the New York Jets and Detroit Lions, which could determine whether they can make a charge at a wild-card spot in the AFC.
2. Austin Ekeler Exploded, Quentin Johnston Arrived
Austin Ekeler plays a significant role in the success of the Chargers offense. When Ekeler makes explosive plays, winning results typically follow. Ekeler did most of his damage through the air on Sunday, tallying seven catches for 94 yards and a touchdown. Considering that rookie wideout Quentin Johnston entered the game with 64 receiving yards this season, we’d call a five-catch, 50-yard performance a breakout outing for the youngster. There’s a reason that the Chargers selected Johnston with a first-round pick last year, and we expect to see him get more touches moving forward after this solid showing.
3. Defense Pressured at the Right Time
There have been inconsistencies and injuries for the Chargers on defense, but they put together a strong showing on Sunday against an inexperienced Bears offense. They made Tyson Bagent uncomfortable early and often in his second start, highlighting a solid game plan from defensive coordinator Derrick Ansley. Khalil Mack also had a dominant game, even if the box score didn’t necessarily reflect that at the end of the game. Throughout Sunday Night Football, there were a lot of little plays that the Chargers made, limiting the damage and allowing them to control the football. We know what Mack and Joey Bosa can do, but the rest of the defense has to contribute, and they did exactly that against the Bears in Week 8.
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