The Chargers opened preseason play with a 34-7 victory over the turnover-prone Detroit Lions on Thursday night in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. Here’s what we learned as the Chargers’ backups, free agents and rookies dominated their Lions’ counterparts from start to finish:
LANCE LOOKS SHARP
Trey Lance didn’t win the backup quarterback’s job with his poised and accurate showing over three quarters against the Lions, but he sure made a case that he should be second on the depth chart behind Justin Herbert. Lance wasn’t flawless, but he did plenty to impress the Chargers.
Coach Jim Harbaugh said Tuesday the plan was for Lance to play the first half plus the first possession of the second. Harbaugh altered the plan after Lance completed 9 of 12 passes for 97 yards and two touchdowns through the first two quarters as the Chargers opened a 21-7 lead.
Lance ended up playing the first three quarters before yielding to DJ Uiagalelei, completing 13 of 20 for 120 yards and touchdown passes of 5 yards to veteran tight end Will Dissly and 15 yards to rookie wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith, a fifth-round draft pick. Lance was sacked once.
“That was the game plan, get him out there and play him,” Harbaugh told reporters in Canton.
Taylor Heinicke, who was Herbert’s backup last season, was the Chargers’ emergency third quarterback against the Lions. Harbaugh said Heinicke would play in the Chargers’ next preseason game, on Aug. 10 against the New Orleans Saints at SoFi Stadium. Harbaugh didn’t say who else would play in that one.
Lance benefited from the Lions’ early turnovers, converting short drives into touchdowns and a 14-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. He was composed in the pocket while under pressure and delivered accurate throws on the touchdown plays to Dissly and Lambert-Smith in the first half.
“Some good, some bad, always leave a few out there, but I feel good about it overall,” Lance said. “No turnovers. Got the win. I’m excited to watch the tape and see where we can go from here. I was excited I got to play. I was excited we got this fourth preseason game. If they told me I could play four full games, I’d be fired up about it. It was cool.”
DEFENSE DOMINATES
Chargers safety Kendall Williamson forced a fumble on the opening kickoff and recovered the ball at the Lions’ 28-yard line, the first of Detroit’s five turnovers. Williamson’s play set up Lance’s 5-yard touchdown pass to Dissly in the right corner of the end zone less than three minutes into the game.
Later in the first quarter, defensive back Nikko Reed intercepted a Kyle Allen pass and returned it 60 yards to the Lions’ 6-yard line. Reed’s interception set up running back Kimani Vidal’s 2-yard touchdown run for a 14-0 lead with 5:13 remaining in the opening quarter.
Defensive backs Tony Jefferson, in the first quarter, and Myles Purchase, in the fourth, also had interceptions. Detroit’s lone score came after a 15-play, 60-yard drive that chewed up the first 9:29 of the second quarter, cutting the Chargers’ lead to 14-7 before Lance hit Lambert-Smith for a touchdown just before halftime.
Emany Johnson, a free agent safety, led the Chargers with seven tackles. Linebackers Tre’Mon Morris-Brash and Junior Colson each had four tackles. Williamson and rookie defensive lineman Jamaree Caldwell, a third-round draft pick, were two of five Chargers with three tackles.
“Defense kind of picked up where they left off,” Harbaugh said, referring to the fact that the Chargers led the NFL by giving up an average of 17.7 points during the 2024 season. “Seven points (given up Thursday) and creating turnovers. To hold the Lions to under 100 yards rushing, that was a great accomplishment. So, it was a good start, good start. We’ll go back and keep building.”
The Lions rushed for 93 yards on 28 attempts, an average of 3.3 yards per carry.
WHAT COMES NEXT?
The Chargers return to the practice field on Saturday in El Segundo in preparation for the second of their four preseason games, a home date against the Saints on Aug. 10. The Chargers had 11 training camp sessions before facing the Lions and they’ll have six additional practices before hosting the Saints.