Sunday Night Football: Justin Herbert's three TDs have Chargers up 24-7 at halftime
Chargers quarterback got off to a hot start and carried it through the entire first half against the Bears on Sunday night.
Los Angeles has a 17-7 lead at halftime.
Herbert finished the first half 21-of-25 for 212 yards with three touchdowns. He completed his first 15 passes to help the Chargers build a 17-0 lead. He connected with running back Austin Ekeler for a 39-yard touchdown on a screen play to finish the team’s first drive. Then Herbert hit Simi Fehoko for a 9-yard score late in the first quarter to make it 14-0.
The quarterback’s first incompletion came with 8:58 on the clock when Herbert was looking for tight end Donald Parham on third-and-3 from Chicago’s 25. Cameron Dicker made a 43-yard field goal to give L.A. points.
Making his second start, undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent fired his first pass 41 yards down the field to Darnell Mooney. But Chicago didn’t get much else going until after Dicker’s field goal. Bagent converted three third downs with passes and running back Darrynton Evans ran it in for an 11-yard touchdown on third-and-4 to make the score 17-7.
But Chicago’s defense couldn’t carry the momentum. Ekeler caught another long screen — this time for 23 yards — to put L.A. deep in Chicago territory. Then the Chargers scored when Parham broke through defenders for an 11-yard touchdown, putting L.A. up by 17.
Ekeler has five catches for 91 yards with a TD. He also has 13 yards on five carries.
Bagent is 10-of-15 for 121 yards with no touchdowns and a pick.
The Chargers will receive the second-half kickoff.
