Los Angeles Chargers 34 vs 7 Detroit Lions summary, stats, scores and highlights | NFL Hall of Fame Game
Trey Lance shined in his first game as a Los Angeles Charger. He threw two TDs in the first half as the Chargers went on to blowout the Detroit Lions.
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Hall of Famers inducted into the Hall of Fame this weekend
This year’s Hall of Fame class isn’t very long, but it certainly is stacked. We start with Eric Allen who had a fantastic career as a corner back with the Philadelphia Eagles. Jared Allen (no relation) was one of the most feared pass rushers of his day. Antonio Gates was an unstoppable tight end who played most of his career with the San Diego Chargers after excelling as a basketball player in college. Sterling Sharpe, brother of Shannon, had his career cut short because of injuries but he was an incredible athlete and as Shannon put it, the best football player in the Sharpe house hold.
Hallowed ground of NFL royalty
Welcome to Tom Benson Stadium, where the Hall of Fame Game has been played since 2022. The Hall of Fame Game dates back much farther than that, but the game has been played here for the last three years. It’s also the home to Canton McKinley High School, but maybe more importantly it’s the home of the Hall of Fame. Legends of the game are enshrined in the hallowed halls of the Hall of Fame and this year another class of legends will be immortalized as they get their gold jackets and head busts that welcome them into football’s most prestigious club.
Curse of the Hall of Fame Game
It’s a great thing for us, but may not be the best thing for the teams involved in the Hall of Fame Game. While we are jacked to have football back, the harsh reality is that the Hall of Fame Game hasn’t set too many teams up for success during the impending season. There has never been a team that played in the Hall of Fame Game that has gone on to win the Super Bowl, and only a handful of them have made it to Super Sunday.
Star watch: Chargers
The Chargers already have Justin Herbert at quarterback. They have Ladd McConkey who was a revelation at WR in his rookie year. They did lose Mike Williams to retirement in the offseason, but they brought in Najee Harris from Pittsburgh as he looks to revitalize his career. The defense was the back bone of this team, despite coach Harbaugh looking to bring in a change on the offensive side. Khalil Mack is back for one more year at least, and Denzel Perryman is one of the vets on the team. Like the Lions’ stars, those guys are unlikely to see much of the field tonight, if any. Tonight will be about the guys looking to make the team. The rookies, and second or third year guys are going to have their time to shine.
Star watch: Lions
The Lions are going to rely on their workhorses from last year. You’ve got Jared Goff who is one of the best QBs in the game. Jahmyr Gibbs turned into the most dynamic running back in the league after David Montgomery got injured towards the second half of the season. They have Aiden Hutchinson coming back from a season ending injury, Alex Anzolone holding it down in at the linebacker position, and Kerby Joseph in the secondary. Unfortunately none of those players are likely to get time tonight. It will be the younger guys getting the spot light tonight, hoping to make it one more week, to survive one more cut day and take one step closer to making the roster.
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Chargers story lines
For the Chargers, the story is a little different. They are a team that has been under achieving for years, but a change of coach was the first step in changing the culture of things in the City of Angels. Justin Herbert played in all 17 games, which was a change for the Chargers. He had battled injuries since coming into the league, but his coach kept him healthy and the Chargers were able to rally to get to the playoffs. They were never in the contender conversation, but this year, with one season under coach Harbaugh, and another season with Herbert under center, the Chargers have a chance to make some noise in the AFC.
Lions story lines
You hear the term “window closing” a lot. The question is: is the Lions Super Bowl window closing? And if it’s not, how long do they have left? It’s hard to keep a competitive team year after year. There are roster changes and contracts to sort out. The Lions have a good chunk of their roster from last year back, but that doesn’t mean that there’s going to be an easy path to the Super Bowl. Between injuries, which plagued them last year, and bumps in the road along the way, nothing comes easy in this league. The question is, can they overcome the challenges of being one of the contenders and deliver each and every Sunday?
Vidal got his second TD run of the night on what turned out to be a busy night for him. He ended the evening with 37 yards on 9 carries and two TDs as the Chargers went on to cruise over the Lions in the first of full month of preseason games to come. The Chargers win the game, but having football back in our lives is a win for everyone.
Trey Lance ended the first half in perfect fashion, connecting with KeAndre Lambert-Smith on the TD that put LA up 21-7. Lance was put back in for a few drives in the second half, and ended the night 13/20 for 120 yard and two TDs. It was the perfect night for a QB who hasn't had many since getting drafted in the top three a few years ago.
The Lions were able to hang on to the ball for an entire possession and Craig Reynolds punched in the touchdown to put Detroit on the board, but that would be the only time the Lions were able to put points on the board.
Allen got picked off for a second time, this time by Tony Jefferson as the Lions gave up their third turnover of the first quarter. Allen struggled, going 9/14 for 91 yards and two INTs.
A couple plays after the pick, Kimani Vidal punched in the touchdown to double the lead for LA from Canton. It was all LA in the first 15 minutes, and really all night.
The problems continued for the Lions who turned the ball over for a second straight possession to start the game. This time is was Kyle Allen getting picked off by Nikko Reed who jumped the route and almost took it to the house.
Trey Lance made his debut as a Charger, and shined in his first game in the powder blue. A few plays after the fumble, it was Lance connecting with Will Dissly for the TD on a 4th and 2 inside the 10.
It was a dream start to the preseason for the Lions, but a nightmare for the Lions, who fumbled the opening snap. That would be a preview of what was to come for the Lions in the first half.
IT'S ALL OVER!!!
The Chargers are going to knee the ball and run the clock to wrap up this Hall of Fame Game!
INTERCEPTION!!!
Hooker goes deep to Lovett over the middle and that pass gets picked off by Purchase who takes it 49 yards the other way!!!
1st and 10 from the DET 35!!!
WE ARE AT THE TWO MINUTE WARNING FROM CANTON!!!
Hooker over the middle for Saylors who picks up 6 yards.
4th and 2 from the DET 42.
Hooker is taken down for a loss of 2 by Morris-Brash.
3rd and 8 from the DET 36.
DET get the ball back from their 34 and Saylors gets four yards on the first down run to the right side.
2nd and 6 from the DET 38.
TOUCHDOWN CHARGERS!!!
Vidal up the middle and he takes it into the endzone on fourth down from two yards out!
LA lead 34-7 with 3:42 to go in the 4th quarter!!
Vidal up the middle and he is stopped for a loss of one by Russell!
4th and Goal from the DET 2!
Patterson up the middle and he is stuffed for no gain!
3rd and Goal from the DET 1.
Vidal up the middle and he picks up 6 yards down to the 1.
2nd and Goal from the DET 1.
Uiagalelei goes deep for Johnson down the right sideline, and a flag flies for pass interference inside the 10.
1st and Goal from the DET 7.
Haskins is wrapped up for a loss of a yard.
3rd and 3 from the DET 34.
Haskins to the right side and he gets a nice chunk of 8 on the first down run.
2nd and 2 from the DET 33.
Uiagalelei finds Rice with a pass to the right side for 13 yards and a first down.
1st and 10 from the DET 41.
Haskins to the right side and he moves the chains with an 11 yard pick up.
1st and 10 from the LA 46.
LA get the ball back from their 28 and Miller-Hines picks up 7 yards on the first down run.
2nd and 3 from the LA 35.
Hooker is sacked as the pocket collapsed and dropped him a loss of 3 yards.
4th and 8 from the DET 32 and DET will punt with 9:20 to go.
Small up the middle but he is stuffed for no gain.
3rd and 6 from the DET 34.
Hooker scrambles to the left side and gets four yards before getting pushed out of bounds.
2nd and 6 from the DET 34.
Saylors to the left side and he moves the chains with a 2 yard gain.
1st and 10 from the DET 30.
DET get the ball back at their 20 and Small picks up 8 yards on the first down run to the right side.
2nd and 2 from the DET 28.
Uiagalelei's pass to Campbell on the left side is incomplete and the Chargers are going to punt with 12:31 to go in the 4th quarter.
4th and 11 from the LA 46.
Uiagalelei looks to the left for Campbell who reels it in for a gain of 12.
3rd and 11 from the LA 46.
Handoff to Miller-Hines up the middle out of the shotgun draw, and picks up 2 yards.
2nd and 23 from the LA 34.
Patterson gets wrapped up for a loss of 2 on the run to the right side, and a facemask on LA is going to back them up another 15 yards.
1st and 25 at the LA 32.
TURNOVER ON DOWNS!!!
DET go for it on fourth out of the timeout, and Hooker tries to scramble for the first down, but he is stood up before the marker and the Lions turn it over again.
1st and 10 from the LA 47 with 14:11 to go.
Hooker goes deep down the right side for Keeney-James but the coverage great by Rogers.
4th and 3 from the LA 49. Timeout Detroit with 14:18 to go in the 4th quarter.
Hooker to the left side for Meeks who reels it in for a five yard gain.
3rd and 3 from the LA 49.
WE ARE AT THE END OF THE THIRD QUARTER FROM CANTON!!!
Small up the middle on the first down run and he takes it for two yards.
2nd and 8 from the DET 46.
Small to the left side and he moves the chains with a 6 yard run.
1st and 10 from the DET 44.
Small to the right side and he takes it six yards on the first down run.
2nd and 4 from the DET 38.
Hooker finds Lovett on the left side for a gain of 7 yards and a first down.
1st and 10 form the DET 32.
DET get the ball back from their 21, and Small picks up 4 yards on the run to the right side.
2nd and 6 from the DET 25.
FIELD GOAL!!!
Dicker drills the 27 yard field goal to put the Chargers up by 20.
LA lead 27-7 with 3:02 to go in the 3rd quarter.
Lance goes to the right corner for Campbell who made the catch but didn't get both feet down.
4th and 7 from the DET 9.
Lance looks to the left side for Jackson in the corner of the end zone but that pass was just a little too heavy.
3rd and 7 from the DET 9.
Lance rolls to the right side and takes it out of bounds for a three yard scramble.
2nd and 7 from the DET 9.
Lance finds Johnson over the middle for a gain of 10 yards.
1st and 10 from the DET 12.
Vidal to the left side and he explodes into the secondary for a gain of 16.
1st and 10 from the DET 22.
Vidal to the right side and he gets a yard to bring up 3rd and short.
3rd and 2 from the DET 38.
Haskins to the left side and he picks up another nice chunk of 7 on first down.
2nd and 3 from the DET 39.
Lance to the right side and he finds Haskins for a gain of 8 yards.
1st and 10 from the DET 46.
Haskins to the left side and he picks up 7 yards on first down.
2nd and 3 from the LA 46.
Matlock up the middle and he picks up 2 yards to move the chains.
1st and 10 from the LA 39.
Miller-Hines up the middle and he gets 2 yards but they still need another yard for a first down.
3rd and 1 from the LA 37.
LA get the ball from their 28 and Miller-Hines picks up 7 yards on the first down run to the right side.
2nd and 3 from the LA 35.
Hookers pass to Lovett over the middle is incomplete and almost picked off.
4th and 14 from the DET 31 and the Lions will punt with 10:05 to go in the 3rd quarter.
Small to the right side on the hand off and he picks up 3 yards.
3rd and 14 from the DET 31.
Small to the right side and he pick up 3 yards on the handoff, but a holding call is going to bring that play back.
2nd and 17 from the DET 28.
A touchback starts the Lions drive at the 35, and it's Hooker in the game undercenter. He scrambles to the right side for a gain of 2 yards on first down.
2nd and 8 from the DET 37.
FIELD GOAL!!!
Dicker bangs home the 23 yard field goal and the Chargers add to their lead.
LA are up 24-7 with 11:26 to go in the 3rd quarter.
Lance's pass to Fitzpatrick at the left pylon was over thrown, and falls incomplete.
4th and Goal from the DET 5.
Patterson up the middle but he is stopped for no gain.
3rd and Goal from the DET 5.
Lance rolls to the right side, looking for Fitzpatrick, but that pass slipped through his hands in the corner of the end zone!
2nd and Goal from the 5.
FUMBLE!!!
Keeney-James muffed the punt and the Chargers recover it at the 5 yard line!
1st and Goal from the DET 5.
Lance over the middle for Patterson and he gets 12 yards after the short pass, but that will be well short of the marker.
4th and 5 from the LA 48 and the Chargers will punt.
Lance looks for Vidal on the screen pass but that pass was sniffed out and blown up by Pittman for a loss of 7 yards.
3rd and 17 from the LA 36.
Lance tucks it and runs up the middle for a gain of 5 yards.
2nd and 10 from the LA 43.
Patterson gets the sweep to the left side and he takes it for 30 yards, but an illegal shift is going to bring that play back.
1st and 15 from the LA 38.
Nice 39 yard return from Miller-Hines out to the LA 43.
1st and 10 from the LA 43.
WE ARE BACK IN CANTON FOR THE SECOND HALF OF ACTION!!!
Lance hit KeAndre Lambert-Smith on the slant to the left side for his second TD pass. He went 9/12 for 97 yards and 2 TDs in the first half.
The Lions finally got into the end zone after holding on to the ball for an entire possession. Reynolds put the Lions on the board to cut into the lead.
The Lions were driving at the end of the first quarter, but Allen was picked off for a second time, this time by Tony Jefferson. Allen went 9/14 for 91 yards but threw two picks.
Nikko Reed was waiting for this ball to be passed and once Allen released it, he jumped on it and almost took it to the house.
Trey Lance had a great first half in his first showing as a Charger. He opened up the game with this TD on 4th down to Dissly and continued to impress.
It was far from a perfect start for the Lions who saw the opening kickoff fumbled. That set off a series of turnovers that put them behind the 8 ball to start the game.
Miller-Hines up the middle, but he is stopped after a gain of 1 yard.
We are heading to the halftime break here from Canton, Ohio!
LA lead 21-7 after a big first quarter from LA.
Vidal gets the handoff up the left side and picks up 5 yards.
2nd and 5 from the LA 15.
LA will get the ball from their 10 yard line with 1:04 to go in the half.
Timeout LA with 1:13 to go in the 1st half as the Lions punt the ball away.
Allen tucks it and runs but gets stopped short of the marker after a 2 yard gain.
4th and 2 from the DET 33.
Allen to the right side for Small for a 6 yard gain.
3rd and 4 from the DET 31.
Allen's pass over the middle for Lovett falls incomplete after the WR slipped.
2nd and 10 from the DET 25.
DET take over from their 25 yard line with 1:44 to go in the half.
Lance with his second TD pass of the night, this one to Lambert-Smith on the slant for the TD!
LA lead 21-7 late in the 1st half.
TOUCHDOWN!!!
Lance finds Lambert-Smith with a pass over the middle and he reels it in in the end zone!!!
LA lead 21-7 with 1:51 to go in the 1st half.
Lance takes a shot to the end zone for Harris but his pass was just a bit over thrown.
3rd and 6 from the DET 15.
WE ARE AT THE TWO MINUTE WARNING IN THE SECOND QUARTER!!!
Miller-Hines up the middle and he picks up 4 yards on the first down run.
2nd and 6 from the DET 15.
Lance goes deep over the middle for Fisk for a 19 yard connection!!
1st and 10 from the DET 19.
Lance's pass to Lambert-Smith is broken up but an illegal use of the hands on DET is going to give LA a first down!
1st and 10 from the DET 38.
MIller-Hines to the right side and he picks up 2 yards.
3rd and 4 from the DET 43.
Lance finds Miller-Hines out of the backfield and he picks up four yards up the middle.
2nd and 6 from the DET 45.
Miller-Hines to the left side and he picks up 9 yards and a first down.
1st and 10 from the DET 49.
Haskins to the right side and he picks up 2 yards on the first down run.
2nd and 8 from the LA 42.
DET's kick landed short of the landing zone and that will give LA the ball back at their 40.
TOUCHDOWN LIONS!!!
Reynolds up the middle and he barrels into the endzone for the touchdown!!!
DET cut into the lead, but LA are still up 14-7 with 5:31 to go in the 2nd quarter!!
Reynolds gets the handoff and he is stopped at the line of scrimmage!
2nd and Goal from the LA 3.
Allen and the Lions go for it inside the 5, and Allen hits Lovett on the shallow out for a gain of 2 yards to move the chains!
1st and Goal from the LA 3.
Allen finds Lovett to the left side for a gain of 4 yards, but that's going to bring up 4th and short.
4th and 1 from the LA 5.
Small to the right side and he picks up 3 yads.
3rd and 5 from the LA 9.
Small to the right side for a gain of 2 yards on first down.
2nd and 8 from the LA 12.
Small to the left side and he picks up 2 yards on the first down run.
2nd and 8 from the LA 12.
Allen out of the shot gun and he scrambles to the right side for a gain of 3 yards and he is going to keep the drive alive!!
1st and 10 from the LA 14.
Allen over the middle to Lovett for 8 yards and he got popped at the end of that play.
4th and 3 from the LA 17.
After a false start backed up DET five yards, Small goes to the left side on the handoff and picks up 3 yards.
3rd and 11 from the LA 25.
Small to the right side but he is cut down after a gain of 1.
2nd and 9 from the LA 23.
Reynolds to the right side and he breaks a run into the secondary for a gain of 13 yards!
1st and 10 from the LA 24.
Reynolds moves the chains with a run up the middle for a gain of 4 yards.
1st and 10 from the LA 37.
TIMEOUT DET WITH 12:55 TO GO IN THE FIRST HALF.
Allen goes to the right side for Zylstra for a gain of 5 yards.
3rd and 1 from the LA 41.
Reynolds to the right side and he picks up another 4 yards on first down.
2nd and 6 from the LA 46.
Reynolds to the right side for a gain of 10 yards on the first down run.
1st and 10 from the 50.
WE ARE AT THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER!!!
The Chargers are up by two TDs after the three first quarter TOs by DET.
Lance to the right side for Davis on a short pass, and Davis is taken down after a gain of 4 yards.
4th and 4 from the LA 26, and the Chargers will punt witih 15 to go in the 1st quarter.
Lance over the middle for Gadsden for a gain of 7 yards.
3rd and 8 from the LA 22.
Lance is sacked for a loss of five by Stuard on the first down drop back.
2nd and 15 from the LA 15.
INTERCEPTION!!!
Allen goes deep for TeSlaa, but Jefferson makes the pick in the end zone!
LA take over at their 20 after the third turnover of the Lions night.
Allen finds Lovett on the left side for a gain of 10 yards to bring up 3rd and short.
3rd and 2 from the LA 23.
Reynolds is dropped in the backfield for a loss of 2 yards on first down.
2nd and 12 from the LA 33.
Allen goes back to TeSlaa and he picks up another 22 yards on the right side.
1st and 10 from the LA 31.
DET start the drive from their 23, and Allen finds TeSlaa for a big gain of 24 yards on the left side.
1st and 10 from the DET 47.
With great field position, Vidal punched it in from close range to double the lead in the first quarter.
Nikko Reed saw this Allen pass coming from a mile away, and he picked it off and almost returned it for 6!
TOUCHDOWN CHARGERS!!!
Vidal up the middle and he fights into the end zone for the 2 yard TD!!!
LA lead 14-0 with 5:13 to go in the 1st quarter!!!
Vidal to the 2 yard line after a 4 yard run to the left side.
2nd and Goal from the 2.
INTERCEPTION!!!
Allen looks for Kennedy on the right side with an out route, but Reed jumped the route and took it back to the DET 6 after a 60 yard return!
1st and Goal from the 6.
Allen was looking for a deep shot down field, but nothing was open and threw it into the grass.
3rd and 9 from the LA 42.
Reynolds to the right side and he gets a yard on the first down run.
2nd and 9 from the LA 42.
Allen swings it over to Reynolds who turns up field and picks up 10 yards on the left side.
1st and 10 from the LA 43.
Reyolds gets the handoff to the right side but is taken down after a two yard loss, but an offside on LA is going to give DET a free first down.
1st and 5 from the DET 47.
MISSED FIELD GOAL!!!
Dicker misses the 52 yard field goal off the left upright!!!
DET ball from their 42 with 7:30 to go in the 1st quarter!!!
Lance hangs in the pocket, rolls right and finally just throws it away.
4th and 6 from the DET 34.
Vidal gets the carry and he picks up another 2 yards to bring up 3rd and medium.
3rd and 6 from the DET 34.
Patterson to the right side for a gain of 2 on first down.
2nd and 8 from the DET 36.
Lance goes deep down the right side on 3rd and short and he finds Lambert-Smith with a beautiful throw that picks up 28 yards!
1st and 10 from the DET 38.
Lance sets up a screen but he throws it into the ground as the pressure came.
3rd and 4 from the LA 34.
Lance back to work on the second series, and he finds Patterson on a short out route for 6 yards to the right side.
2nd and 4 from the LA 34.
Handoff to Reynolds on the right side. but he is stopped after a gain of 4 and the Lions will punt.
4th and 14 from the DET 31 with 10:14 to go in the 1st quarter.
Allen looks over the middle for Lovett who had the ball in his hands for a first down, but he dropped it after the contact came.
3rd and 18 from the DET 27.
Reynolds to the right side and he is stopped after 2 yards on the 1st and long run.
2nd and 18 from the DET 27.
Reynolds gets the handoff to the left side and gets 2, but a holding call will bring the Lions back 10 yards.
1st and 20 from the DET 25.
DET get the ball back from their 35 after a decent return from Stuard who just fumbled.
1st and 10 from the DET 35.
Dissly started the drive with an 8 yard catch and finished the drive with this TD snag on 4th down. Trey Lance looked good on his opening drive as a Charger.
Terrible start to the game for the Lions who turn it over on the opening kickoff after Stuard coughed up the return.
TOUCHDOWN!!!
Lance with the toss to the pylon for Dissly in the end zone and he makes the TD snag on 4th down!!
LA lead 7-0 with 12:11 to go in the 1st quarter after the early fumble by the Lions!!!
Handoff to Hampton out of the shotgun and he is stopped on the run to the left side after a gain of 1.
4th and 2 from the DET 5.
Lance fumbled the snap and hand to fall on the loose ball.
3rd and 3 from the DET 6.
Hampton back to the right side and he picks up 8 yards on the first down carry!
2nd and 2 from the DET 5.
Hampton put the right side and he picks up enough for the 1st down. and tack on another 5 yards after a defensive offside.
1st and 10 from the DET 13.
Trey Lance looks to the right side for Dissly who reels the catch in and picks up 9 before stepping out of bounds.
2nd and 1 from the DET 19.
FUMBLE!!!
The Lions returner, Stuard, fumbled the ball on the opening kickoff and the Chargers recover the ball on the DET 28!!!
WE ARE UNDERWAY FROM CANTON OHIO!!!
Chargers last year
Jim Harbaugh’s first season as coach in LA got off to a rocky start through the first month and a half. They beat some easy teams, but then evened out once the better teams came rolling around. A four game win streak set them straight and they finished the season with a three game win streak that earned them a Wild Card spot in the playoffs. They would end up getting dominated by the Houston Texans who stifled the offense and knocked them out of the playoffs in a 32-12 game from Houston.
Lions last year
The Lions are coming off of their best year maybe ever. Jared Goff, Jamyhr Gibbs and the offense were one of the most potent, explosive offenses in the league and that carried this Lions team to a fantastic 15-2 regular season in which they earned the one seed in the NFC on the final day of the season. They beat their division rival, the Minnesota Vikings for first place in the NFC North and the Conference and had a first round BYE in the playoffs. They ran into a spectacular rookie and a resurgent Washington team that stunned them in front of their home fans and cut their dream season short. This year, they will be desperate to get back to that stage, or even farther.
We are live from Canton
Hello everyone and welcome to Canton where we officially kick the NFL season off. Tonight, the pads are on and the gloves are off. It may not be a game loaded with stars (we probably won’t see a single one of them on either side of the field) but at least we have football back in our lives. There will be second, third and fourth tier players fighting for their careers looking to make an impact tonight, and hoping to catch the attention of the coaches before the first cut day approaches. There is still a lot up for grabs, even though the result of the game may not matter too much.
Chargers vs. Lions live
The wait is over. Football is here. It might not be the real thing with the big stars, but tonight we get our first taste of pigskin since the Super Bowl back in February. It’s the Los Angeles Chargers and the Detroits Lions kicking off the preseason from Canton, Ohio. AS English will be with you all night providing live coverage, stats, scores and highlights of tonight’s Hall of Fame Game.
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