The Chargers are ready for a crosstown battle with the Rams.

The Chargers and Rams play Sunday at SoFi Stadium. Kickoff is at 1:05 p.m. (PT), with the Bolts set to be the road team.

The Chargers-Rams betting line shows the Bolts are Week 8 underdogs.

Here are five final thoughts ahead of Week 8.

1. Back from the bye

By the time kickoff arrives Sunday, the calendar will have flipped to November.

The Chargers, who sit at 0-6, are still looking for their first win of the 2026 season.

There's hope that a weekend away — the Bolts had a bye in Week 7 — did the team some good both physically and mentally.

"I think there's a little bit of that feeling," right guard Cole Strange said. "I mean, you kind of try to force that feeling every week after you lose.

"But getting a little bit of time to get away physically, or at least just mentally, for a second then you kind of come back and refocus," Strange added.

Right tackle Joe Alt said: "I definitely think it's a fresh start. The way I look at it personally, the past is the past and we're focused on the future so let's try to go 1-0 this week. Let's attack every day with that mindset."

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert said the bye week "was much needed."

As the Bolts prepare to kick off the final 11 games of the season, they'll do so against a Rams team that is 3-4 and had also underwhelmed at times in 2026.

Even still, the Rams have a trio of wins while the Bolts are still looking for their first one.

The Chargers will look to get rid of that goose egg on Sunday in the Battle of Los Angeles.

"We need to win," Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh said earlier this week.

That sentiment was echoed by Defensive Coordinator Chris O'Leary.

"We're all desperate for a win ... every night, the anger inside is there," O'Leary said. "I feel it, we all feel it, we want it.

"But the only way to address that is to double down on the process and do it together, to trust each other," O'Leary added. "We're focused on [getting] solutions, doing it together and going to get that win."

2. Alt ready for return

A big name didn't show up on the Chargers injury report this week.

And after missing two games with a neck injury, it appears Alt is ready for his return to the starting lineup.

"I'm feeling better. Just happy to be back out there getting some reps and continuing to progress," Alt said.

The former first-round pick was injured during Week 4 in Seattle when a Seahawks defender went up high and collided with Alt's helmet.

"It was a fluke. I was blocking my guy and a [different] guy jumps and hits me in the head/neck area," Alt said.

The Chargers, who have started four rookies in recent weeks, will obviously welcome Alt's return.

But will the Pro Bowler go back to his usual spot at right tackle? Or move over to left with Rashawn Slater on Injured Reserve?

Travis Burke has played left tackle of late with Alex Harkey starting at right tackle.

"Right now the focus is just being back out there and being healthy. That's all I've been really focused on. Wherever we end up, we end up," Alt said.

"If I do [play left tackle], I'm going to draw on all of my history at left, even going back to college," Alt added.

Alt ranks 11^th in Pro Football Focus pass-blocking grade at 77.6 among offensive tackles with at least 130 snaps.

3. O'Leary vs. McVay

A year ago, O'Leary was the Defensive Coordinator at Western Michigan and was getting his unit ready for the Central Michigan offense.

It's safe to say he'll face a jump up in competition Sunday when the Bolts go against the Rams and Sean McVay, who is generally regarded as one of the top offensive minds in NFL history.

"He's incredible, it's a great challenge. I think Sean is an unbelievable play caller and coach, has a Super Bowl," O'Leary said.

Mack added of McVay: "Going against him in particular … they do whatever it takes to win the game. They pull it out no matter the pressure, no matter the scheme. One of the best coaches I've played against in my 13 years."

O'Leary said this week that the Bolts defense did a self-scout where they looked "at all facets" of the unit.

"How we prepare the guys through the week, then on the field between the lines situationally, where we are in certain areas, how can we get better at every area," O'Leary said. "Big picture, that's how we approached it."

O'Leary's group has been solid in his first season as the DC, ranking sixth in success rate (44.4 percent) and ninth in EPA per play (-0.028).

But the Bolts will be in for a massive test Sunday against McVay's offense, which features stars such as Matthew Stafford, Kyren Williams, Puka Nucua and others.

O'Leary said this week he's more focused on the big-picture battle rather than the individual one against McVay.

"I don't really ever think of it that way. I think about it in the sense of our 11 versus their 11, what can  do to get our guys in the best position?," O'Leary added. "Obviously, there's tendencies and situational stuff that I've got to have a great plan for and make play calls according to what I'm thinking he's going to do, but that's a little less of the battle. For me, it's more about our guys versus theirs."

4. Tweaks on offense?

The Chargers spent the bye week trying to figure out ways to jumpstart their offense.

Mike McDaniel and Herbert has two separate film sessions while other team meetings took place where the Chargers Offensive Coordinator show positive clips on film to inspire some confidence.

Entering Week 8, the Bolts rank last offensively across the league in EPA per play (-0.190), success rate (40.1 percent), points per game (15.0) and turnovers (15).

"If you start below your expectations, it doesn't mean you have to finish that way," McDaniel said Thursday.

He later added: "I think we're in a good spot … guys are very motivated to change the results we've had in the first six games."

That won't be easy against a Rams defense that is among the NFL's best units, even without edge rusher Myles Garrett.

Ahead of Sunday, the Rams rank seventh in EPA per play (-0.042) while ranking 10^th in both EPA per dropback (0.019) and rush defense EPA (-0.130).

The Rams are coming off a game where they allowed just 48 rushing yards against the Raiders.

"Stout defense and they have a lot of depth, too," Alt said. "They're playing the run extremely well and get off blocks so well. It's really going to be about being sound this week and trusting your fundamentals."

While Garrett might on Injured Reserve, the Rams still have plenty of big-name players on that side of the ball, including future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald, Byron Young and Trent McDuffie.

"I see a high-effort unit with a bunch of really good players," McDaniel said. "I know the coaching staff all too well and they're very, very well-coached, very sound.

He later added: "There are a lot of elite players. A lot of gold jackets on the team in general, that we'll watch in Canton for years to come. It's a great challenge for us, that we're going to have to be on our P's and Q's."

5. Special teams keeps climbing

The Chargers put together perhaps their best special teams game of the season against the Chiefs before the bye.

The unit forced a turnover with a fumble recovery and also ripped off a season-best, 21-yard punt return from Derius Davis.

"I thought it was a solid game," Chargers Special Teams Coordinator Ryan Ficken said. "I still think we need to improve, there's always room for improvement in everything we do.

"But I thought we neutralized the returner in terms of coverage and we did a good job with that forced fumble. We've got to keep punching the ball out as much as we can," Ficken added.

Entering Week 8, the Chargers recent turnaround in the third phase has the Bolts up to 11^th overall in Pro Football Focus special teams grade at 87.5.

Ficken said he used the bye week to look at changes big and small that could help his unit going forward.

"You always want to look at into anything and everything and how you can improve, right? That's how we approach it and it's not just the bye week, but every week," Ficken said.

"What can we go ahead and lean into more? What do we need to lean into more? What can we go ahead and maybe just change a little bit? It doesn't have to be drastic wholesale change, but it can be just subtle things that maybe will give us an edge," Ficken added.

The next challenge will be an inconsistent Rams group that ranks 24^th in PFF special teams grade at 68.9.

Ficken said this week he expects "expect anything and everything" from the Rams, especially after they made a change at kicker and brought in veteran Brandon McManus. The Rams also added Joshua Karty to the practice squad.

"I know they've had the kicker changes and everything, but McManus is a very good, efficient, veteran kicker. Made a lot of big kicks," Ficken said.