Bears Tackling Issues in Loss to Chargers

The Bears defense struggles with tackling in their 30-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, leading to big plays.

The Chicago Bears defense, known for its fundamentally-sound tackling, had been performing well in recent weeks. However, in their Sunday night game against the Los Angeles Chargers, the unit struggled in this area, leading to a 30-13 loss.

Coach Matt Eberflus expressed disappointment in the team's tackling, stating that they had been working hard on it in practice and had seen improvement in previous games. But against the Chargers, their efforts did not pay off.

The Bears' missed tackles were particularly costly on two touchdown passes by Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. One was a 39-yard pass to running back Austin Ekeler, and the other was an 11-yard pass to tight end Donald Parham Jr.

Cornerback Jaylon Johnson acknowledged the team's poor tackling in the first half, emphasizing the need to fix their mistakes. He expressed frustration, knowing that they were capable of performing better and that the solution was simply to execute their tackling techniques properly.

Despite a promising start with a 41-yard pass completion from Tyson Bagent to Darnell Mooney on the first play of the game, the Bears offense failed to capitalize on the opportunity. They were forced to punt after a series of unsuccessful plays, including a 10-yard sack by Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa.

Coach Eberflus highlighted the importance of converting explosive plays into scoring opportunities, expressing disappointment that the offense couldn't take advantage of the early momentum. Running back Darrynton Evans echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need to improve in practice and avoid similar mistakes in future games.

Evans did contribute to the Bears' offense, scoring their first touchdown on an 11-yard run in the first half. He credited a well-executed play call and effective blocking for his success.

The Bears' defense continued to excel against the run, limiting the Chargers to just 54 rushing yards on 25 carries. However, running back Austin Ekeler was still able to make an impact as a receiver, catching seven passes for 94 yards.

Star defensive end Khalil Mack had a relatively quiet game, but he made a crucial play in the second quarter. He prevented a trick play by the Chargers, potentially saving a touchdown for the Bears.

Several players were inactive for the Bears due to injuries and illness, including quarterback Justin Fields, right guard Nate Davis, cornerback Terell Smith, and safety Jaquan Brisker. Defensive end Dominique Robinson was a healthy scratch, and safety Eddie Jackson was active but did not play due to a foot injury. Elijah Hicks and Duron Harmon started at safety in their absence.

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