Latest Bear Win Has Chargers on Thin Ice

It’s too late for the Chicago Bears, who can’t help but think of what might have been.

“We’re playing now like a playoff-caliber team,” quarterback Dave Krieg said after throwing three touchdown passes to lead the Bears to a 27-14 victory over the San Diego Chargers.

It was the second consecutive victory for the 7-8 Bears.

As for the Chargers (7-8), they have lost three in a row and will be officially eliminated from postseason play if Indianapolis beats Kansas City today.

“I told them from where we are in the playoff thing, it’s over with,” Charger Coach Bobby Ross said. “We can come back and end on a positive note with a win over Denver.

“Nothing would be nicer than that.”

Krieg’s eight-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Wetnight, who sat out the five previous games because of a torn knee ligament, gave the Bears a 24-14 lead seven seconds into the fourth quarter.

The score came three plays after San Diego’s Terrance Shaw was called for end zone pass interference against the Bears’ Curtis Conway, putting the ball at the one.

Earlier in the drive, Krieg completed a fourth-down pass to Raymont Harris. There was also a crucial face-mask penalty on the Chargers, giving the Bears an extra down after they faced third-and-21.

“It’s been very disappointing. Today is probably the way the whole season has gone, just a couple of plays here and there that changed the whole thing,” said Charger quarterback Stan Humphries, who returned after sitting out last week’s loss to Pittsburgh because of a concussion.

The Chargers moved to the Bears’ 14 in the middle of the fourth quarter, but after two running plays and an incomplete pass, John Carney’s 26-yard field-goal attempt hit the right upright, his second miss of the game.

“That’s discouraging. You drive the ball and miss on field goals. That hurt us, hurt us a lot,” Ross said.