Chargers dominate Lions in Hall of Fame Game preseason opener

The Los Angeles Chargers kicked off its 2025 NFL preseason with a beatdown over the Detroit Lions, 34-7, in the Hall of Fame Game. 

With the league honoring those entering the great Pro Football Hall of Fame across the street in Canton, Ohio, it was Trey Lance, the third overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, putting on a show for his new Chargers squad. 

Justin Herbert is the starting quarterback for the Chargers, and he didn’t suit up as is custom this early in the season. But Lance is in a battle for the backup position, and he made quite the impression on head coach Jim Harbaugh with his performance on Thursday night. 

After the opening kickoff ended up as a fumble by the Lions, Lance needed five plays to go 28 yards for a 4th-and-2 touchdown pass to Will Dissly to get the first touchdown of the year on the board for Los Angeles. 

Lance would find the end zone again later in the first half, as he rifled a slant pass to rookie KeAndre Lambert-Smith, the fifth-rounder out of Auburn, who sped into the end zone to make it 21-7 in favor of the Chargers. 

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Los Angeles scored a second touchdown in the first quarter after rookie cornerback Nikko Reed picked off Lions quarterback Kyle Allen and almost took it to the house for a very memorable moment in his first taste of NFL action. Two plays later, Kimani Vidal punched it in for the score. 

Lance would play into the second half for the Chargers, leading the way for two field goals to pull away from the Lions even more. He finished his game with 12-of-20 passing for 120 yards and two touchdowns. 

Meanwhile, Allen, who is battling for the backup position to Jared Goff, did not have the greatest performance to kickoff his preseason slate. He went 9-of-14 for 91 yards, but threw two interceptions, the second of which killed a good-looking drive. 

Veteran running back Craig Reynolds, a fan-favorite in Detroit, was able to score a touchdown on one of his 10 rushes on the night. Also, rookie receiver Isaac TeSlaa had two catches for 46 yards. 

Mistakes are expected in the NFL’s first game of the preseason, but head coach Dan Campbell can’t be happy with his special teams unit, as there was another fumble after the opening kickoff. 

Jakobie Keeney-James, the UMass product trying to make the Lions’ roster, had trouble with JK Scott’s high punt and he botched it, resulting in a Chargers recovery. Luckily, the Lions’ defense picked them up by not allowing a touchdown despite the Chargers starting with the ball at the Lions’ five-yard line. 

The Chargers, though, certainly built a great foundation to build off as training camp continues to get rolling on through August.

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