The Chargers will defeat the Lions to open the 2025 preseason
In their first game since Super Bowl Lix, the Los Angeles Chargers defeated the Detroit Lions 34-7 in the NFL Hall of Fame Games to begin the 2025 preseason.
The Lions’ mistake was the difference as Detroit turned the ball over five times. On top of that, they were punished eight times for 68 yards.
Offensively, these teams were pretty uniform. The Chargers earned 261 yards, while the Lions were 197 yards. However, the mistake cost Detroit once again. This was summed in 3 (20%) with 15 (20%) on the third and fourth downs of this game. Meanwhile, LA was 6 at 15 (40%) in such circumstances.
It was a non-ideal start for the Lions. The Lions fumbled around for the opening kickoff and set up charges on Detroit’s 28-yard line. After six plays, the Los Angeles tight end uncomfortably caught a fourth five-yard touchdown pass to give Bolt a 7-0 early lead.
Mental errors derailed the Lion’s first few drives. The retention penalty was forced to get out three times on first possession. Quarterback Kyle Allen then threw intercepts on consecutive drives. The first drive went back 60 yards to Detroit’s 6-yard line. The result was two consecutive plays, with Los Angeles leading 14-0.
Chargers fans saw Omarion Hampton in their first round draft pick, carrying the ball only twice for nine yards. Also, rookie wide receiver Keandre Lambert-Smith, who easily caught a 28-yard catch in the RA’s 28-yard contest, finished the night with two receptions and a touchdown for 43 yards.
The Lions finally made their appearance on the board in the second quarter. This is thanks to chasing Craig Reynolds, who took 34 of the Lions’ 60 yards on the fourth drive of the game. He also ran into the end zone with a 3-yard touchdown run, cutting LA’s lead to 14-7.
Former third pick and Chargers backup quarterback Treylanse had a great outing as a starter for LA. He went 13 with 20 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns. The second TD gave Bolt a 21-7 advantage.
Detroit’s mistake took over in the second half when he muffed the first punt return of the third quarter and owned lacquer on the Lions’ five-yard line. However, the defense was held firmly, and it was a 24-7 game, simply abandoning the field goal. The charger raises another field goal on the next drive to advance 27-7.
Detroit’s third-year quarterback Hendon Hooker replaced Kyle Allen in the second half. However, he wasn’t much better than Allen, making him three with six on 18 yards, nine rushing yards and interceptions.
The score was concluded by a charger running through Kimani Vidal. He finished the game with 9 carries for 37 yards and two TDs.
Both of these teams will be off for at least a week. On August 8th, Detroit faces the Atlanta Falcons on the road. Two days later, the charger will host the saints of New Orleans.