Offense
Rex Grossman lost the grip on the ball and threw an interception. The Chargers stopped Cedric Benson cold, holding the starting running back to 2.2 yards per carry. Benson also coughed up the ball on his own 40 in the third quarter when Chargers defensive tackle Jamal Williams stripped him in what Benson called “just a great play by the defense.” Adrian Peterson fumbled in the fourth quarter with the Bears down 7-3. “Any time you’re in the fourth quarter down by two scores, the running game isn’t going to look the way you want it to look,” center Olin Kreutz said. “You can’t turn the ball over, especially on the road,” offensive coordinator Ron Turner added.
Defense
When you hold reigning NFL MVP LaDainian Tomlinson to 25 yards rushing — his lowest total since 7 yards against Philadelphia in 2005 — and when you make arguably one of the top offenses in the NFL look more like a team of replacement players for more than three quarters, you’re supposed to win. Defensive coordinator Bob Babich’s bunch was better than advertised, save for one big hiccup — a 17-yard touchdown pass from Tomlinson to Antonio Gates in the third quarter. The Chargers had possession for 12 more minutes than the Bears in the second half. “We don’t get tired,” linebacker Brian Urlacher said. “Sometimes we get winded, but we don’t get tired.”
Special teams
Brandon McGowan gave it away at the Bears’ 29 when he fell asleep on a punt return and let the ball hit him in the shoulder for a fumble. The Chargers scored four plays later. Every team makes mistakes, but those aren’t the kind an elite team can tolerate — especially when playing a better one. Nobody in the Bears’ locker room singled out McGowan by name. But he received a tongue-lashing from Bears coaches immediately after the play and was the safety who appeared to have the responsibility for the part of the field where Antonio Gates caught Tomlinson’s touchdown pass.
Comeback players
Any concerns about whether defensive tackle Tommie Harris would be able to return to Pro Bowl form coming off hamstring surgery were answered in the third quarter. That’s when Harris fired out of his stance like a ball out of a cannon to force a fumble on the Chargers’ 1-yard line before the center snap hit Philip Rivers’ hands. Safety Mike Brown intercepted a Rivers pass but sprained his knee.
