The Chargers return home Sunday for a Week 8 matchup against the Saints.

Kickoff from SoFi Stadium is at 1:05 p.m. (PT).

The Bolts are seven-point favorites and the over/under for Sunday's game is 41.5 points.

Here are five final thoughts ahead of Week 8:

1. A pivotal game

The Chargers have been at held at least a .500 or better record through six games in the Jim Harbaugh Era.

And with the Bolts sitting at 3-3 ahead of Sunday's game, the Chargers want to keep it that way by Sunday evening.

"Absolutely you want to stay above .500," Rashawn Slater said. "Every win is big, every week is important.

"We're always going to have that fighting spirit but we want to be winning and be a winning football team and have a positive record," Slater added. "We want to stack these wins as much as we can."

The numbers show how a 4-3 record would look and feel better than that record being flipped.

According to data provided by the NFL, teams that start 4-3 since 1990 go on to make the playoffs 49.5 percent of the time.

It should be noted that those odds are likely a tad higher in recent seasons since the league expanded to 17 games and seven playoff teams.

Either way, it's a drastic difference than 3-4 teams, which have only made the playoffs 19.2 percent of the time.

As the Bolts approach the midway point of the season, they know it's 'go time,' beginning with Sunday's matchup against a Saints team that started 2-0 but has since dropped five straight games.

"We think about those games where they took it to their opponents," Justin Herbert said. "They're much better than their record indicates."

Herbert later added: "We got a healthy respect for them for sure."

Offensively, the Bolts are focused on finding the end zone after relying on kicker Cameron Dicker to tally all 15 points in Week 7.

"We want to score [touchdowns] every drive," Chargers Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman said this week. "Touchdowns are great, we love them. Field goals are good, we like them. But obviously, we have to score points."

And tackling has been a high priority for the defense, which struggled in that area in Monday night's loss.

"Not up to our standard of what we expect in those certain areas of football," Chargers Defensive Coordinator Jesse Minter said.

The Chargers are looking to snap a four-game skid against the Saints, a team that Bolts haven't beaten in nearly 20 years.

A win would go a long way in propelling Harbaugh's squad through this middle stretch of the season.

"We're all fighting for the same thing," Daiyan Henley said: "I don't think anyone's playoff hopes are lost at this point in the season."

2. Bosa reflective, ready for return

Joey Bosa is questionable for Week 8 but the Chargers outside linebacker said he'll play Sunday.

Bosa said he "had three really good days in a row" and will likely be on a snap count against the Saints.

"I'm definitely going to be out there," Bosa said. "I'm not gonna be playing 60 plays or anything, but I'm going to be out there."

Bosa seriously injured his hip on the first defensive snap in Week 3 against Pittsburgh and said he was feeling iffy going into that game. He has missed the past three games while rehabbing.

The nine-year veteran went into extensive detail Friday in the locker room as he recounted the past month and what he had to deal with in order to return to the field.

Bosa said his hip injury was essentially a glute strain that caused severe sciatic nerve pain, so much so that he could barely walk or sleep in the days following his injury.

"It was some of the worst pain I've ever dealt with," Bosa said. "It was not a fun."

Bosa said he relied on teammates, coaches, family, friends and his therapist to help pull him through a very tough stretch.

"The adversity I've dealt with over the years has only made me stronger and has helped me learn more about myself and kind of the things I need to do to be successful," Bosa said. "At this age, I'm not a fresh young rookie anymore that can get away with doing some things that I could back then.

"I kind of definitely hit a low point dealing with this, but it's made me stronger mentally," Bosa continued. "I've been doing all the work I can with all the tools I have and the people around me to not only help physically but help mentally.

"When you're in it, it feels hopeless sometimes," Bosa added. "But I think I'll look back at this point and all these injuries that I've dealt over the last three years … it will be an important part in my journey and my career."

Bosa's potential return could help a Chargers pass rush that has been solid but not spectacular of late.

The Chargers rank 26th in the NFL with 13.0 total sacks and are 19th, according to Pro Football Focus, with a pressure rate of 33.3 percent.

"I always tell him that you can't look down on it and that you have to attack it," Derwin James, Jr. said. "Just keep going to get on the other side of it.

"He's all in and wants to win," James later added. "He's giving us his everything ... we can't wait for him to get back out there."

Harbaugh added: "I'd love to Joey out there affecting the game like I know he can."

3. Find a way to finish

For weeks, the Chargers have talked on both sides of the ball about finding a way to finish games.

That theme has been hammered home again this week after another frustrating fourth quarter in Arizona.

"We're our own harshest critics," Slater said. "None of us are happy about how Monday went. We want to become that team.

"We understand that in order to become that team that consistently wins, you have to be able to finish in the fourth quarter, in the second half," Slater added. "Whatever it takes. We have team full of relentless workers and I know we're going to get there."

Entering Week 8, the Chargers are 28th in the league in terms of fourth-quarter scoring at just 3.7 points in the final stanza. On the flip side, the Bolts are 25th in fourth-quarter points allowed at 7.7 per game.

Overall, the Chargers have been outscored 46-22 in the fourth quarter of games this season.

"Defensively, offensively, special teams … we've been talking about and working on all week is playing four really good quarters," Harbaugh said. "Start to finish.

"We've had some good starts and had good play," Harbaugh added. "But get that consistently for four quarters. That what we're talking about over all three phases."

4. Wide receivers staying ready

Moments after Monday night's loss, the Chargers wide receiver group huddled up in the visiting locker room.

The group felt responsible for a two-point loss that included multiple dropped passes, a fumble at the goal line and an inability to find the end zone.

"Just for us, we know the standard we want to play at," Simi Fehoko said. "It was just talking about how we can keep elevating our game and keep executing what's called and keep the main thing the main thing.

"We talked about it, met about it and talked about how we can get over the hump as a group," Fehoko added. "Essentially, just perform how we know we're capable of."

Herbert noticed that chat and relayed how proud he is remains that group.

"They hold themselves to a very high standard. They take a lot of pride in their work," Herbert said. "It wasn't our best day, but I know they came out [Wednesday] with a great attitude, great work ethic and we made all those corrections that we needed to.

"It's an incredible group of guys that we have there and very fortunate to be able to throw to them," Herbert added.

As the Bolts get ready for Week 8, it appears they will have to bounce back against New Orleans with a short-handed group.

Quentin Johnston, Derius Davis and Ladd McConkey are all either questionable or doubtful for Sunday's game.

"The whole room feels the same way in that we're all plug and play in any way we can help the team," Fehoko said. "We take that mindset serious in the receiver room and don't want to have a drop off. We all just need to step up and make sure there is no drop off."

The return of DJ Chark would be a much-needed boost as the wide receiver is questionable. Chark began the season on Injured Reserve and has yet to play in a game this season.

5. Rookie Rattler at QB

The Chargers will see Spencer Rattler at quarterback on Sunday.

With Derek Carr still battling an oblique injury, New Orleans will turn to the rookie as he makes his third straight start.

Among quarterbacks in Week 6 and 7 with at least 40 dropbacks, Rattler posted a Pro Football Focus grade of 52.1, which ranked 26th out of 27 quarterbacks.

But Minter said this week he expects a much-improved Rattler at SoFi Stadium against the Bolts.

"I see a young quarterback who's gotten a little bit better the last two games," Minter said. "Every snap, I think, when you're a rookie you get a little bit better. We've seen it with our own rookies.

"He had to play two games in a five-day span. Now he's had a few extra days probably to [say], 'OK, here's how fast it goes, this is how fast the game really moves.' I expect his best performance," Minter added. "And I expect them to continue to try and put him in position to do the things he does well."

Through two-plus games (Rattler took over for Carr late in Week 5), the 2024 fifth-round pick has thrown for 415 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He has compiled an overall passer rating of 70.7.

"They're going come out and try to run the ball and do things to compliment Rattler's style of play," Khalil Mack said. "It's going to be a challenge, man."