Chargers vs. Bears: Who to Watch

Three players who will have an impact on Monday's game at Qualcomm Stadium

I hate the term “must-win game.” I mostly hate it because it somehow diminishes the importance of every other game of the season and in the context of the National Football League’s 17-week pressure cooker literally any game could be the difference between a playoff berth and exit interviews.

So let’s not call Monday night’s game against the Bears a “must-win” for the Chargers. Let’s just say if they don’t win then the Bolts need to be ripped apart at the seams, with a few foundational pieces kept in place, and rebuilt brick by brick.

If they do win, then that gigantic construction project can be put off for another week. We do know they had to make another roster move ahead of the game. Center/guard Chris Watt’s shoulder injury is bad enough to land him on the season-ending Reserve-Injured list so guard Craig Watts was signed from the practice squad.

That gives us a decent launching point for the three players to watch this week:

Javontee Herndon, PR/WR

The Chargers have one punt return yard this season. One. Uno. Jacoby Jones was released because he was running backwards more than he was running forwards (if he even caught the ball in the first place) so Herndon takes over the punt return duties. He averaged 10 yards per return during the preseason but Herndon does not have a whole lot of experience bringing back punts. He only did it nine times during his college career at Arkansas, all during his senior season. If he can get anything at all going in the return game and help the Chargers improve on their starting field position, which is statistically the worst in the NFL this year, it has got to be a step in the right direction.

Kavell Conner, ILB

No Manti Te’o, no Denzel Perryman means Donald Butler and Kavell Conner are the starters, which means if a big play needs to be made it’s probably up to Conner. He had an interception in the exhibition season against the Cardinals so he’s shown the ability to be a difference maker. The Bears will not have injured running back Matt Forte so expect them to put the game in quarterback Jay Cutler’s hands. He likes to throw it to tight end Martellus Bennett, who could be a big problem over the middle. Conner and the safeties will have to defend him and with Cutler’s tendency to throw the ball in to coverage there will be chances to make game-changing plays.

Everyone On The Offensive Line


I say this because while I’d like to talk about the importance of run blocking improving in this game I don’t know who to single out because it’s inevitable that they’re all doing to play at some point. So let’s just say the entire line, no matter what combination is out there, needs to start clicking and open a few running lanes for Melvin Gordon and Danny Woodhead. There have been too many missed blocks on run plays that stop a potentially good gain before it has a chance to happen. Maul somebody, move the chains and give Philip Rivers an easy day for once.

Derek’s Prediction

Very simple; both teams have two wins. The Chargers are more talented on paper but they’re facing a guy they’ve had all kinds of trouble beating in Chicago head coach John Fox, who has never lost a game as a visiting head coach at Qualcomm Stadium. The Chula Vista native is 5-0 in his home town barn. He knows how to get his teams ready better than his old offensive coordinator Mike McCoy does.

Final score: Bears 27, Chargers 23

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