Chargers News: Chargers Shock Lions With Big Second Half Comeback
San Diego Chargers 33, Detroit Lions 28
The San Diego Chargers looked they hadn’t played together all summer when they started their 1 o’clock game against the Detroit Lions on Sunday. The Lions took a quick 21-3 in the first half, including a 21-yard scamper by Rookie Ameer Abdullah to end the Lions first drive.
A sloppy first quarter continued as Philip Rivers‘ 3rd and 1 throw bounced off Keenan Allens pads and was returned for a pick six and a 14-3 Lions lead.
The much-anticipated debut of first round pick Melvin Gordon looked to get off to a great start when he had a crazy 21-yard run jumping and breaking tackles to make it in the end zone but the play was reviewed and it was ruled that he was down when his elbow touched.
He finished with 51 yards on 14 carries but also lost a fumble in the second half.
The Chargers finally got the offense going in the second quarter with a 7 play, 80-yard drive capped off by a Danny Woodhead 9-yard run to cut the deficit to 21-10.
Woodhead looked great in his first game back since he suffered a broken leg in the third game of the season last year that ended his campaign. He finished with 42 rushing yards on 12 carries and two rushing touchdowns, while adding four catches for 20 yards.
The Chargers got the ball back with 3 minutes left in the first half and Rivers and co. drove down to the Lions 9-yard line. On 1st and goal, Rivers severely under threw Malcom Floyd in the end zone and was picked off by Darius Slay and kept the Chargers staring at a 11 point heading into half.
The second half, was all Bolts. Jake Lambo hit a 25-yard field goal and then Matthew Stafford was hit hard and the ball was picked off by rookie Kyle Emanuel on a diving catch.
After Stafford threw another interception, this time to Patrick Robinson, the Chargers capped off the drive with a Stevie Johnson catch and run from 12 yards out for a TD and Chargers were all of a sudden down just one.
Keenan Allen played out of his mind. Coming off a disappointing sophomore campaign in ’14, all he did in this game was catch 15 balls for 166 yards. The 15 receptions ties him with Kellen Winslow (set in 1984) as the most in franchise history in a single game.
Back to the game, the Chargers weren’t done scoring. Rivers hit Ladarius Green, who was starting in place of the suspended Antonio Gates, on a 14-yard TD pass. That put the Chargers up 26-21 after they were going to go for two but a delay of game penalty pushed it back and Lambo missed the extra point.
The Chargers got the ball back and went 11 plays for 86 yards and take 6 minutes off the clock with Danny Woodheads second rushing TD putting the Bolts up 33-21. The Lions score a late TD but the Chargers hold on a cap off an incredible comeback in the 2015 season opener.
Rivers finished 35/42 for 404 yards 2 TDs and 2 INT’s. On defense, Eric “The Beard” Weddle finished with 9 tackles and 2 pass breakups.
Injures:
Right Guard D.J. Fluker was carted off the field with a left ankle injury. He will have a MRI that will determine more about the seriousness of the injury. Tough to see him go down especially how well the line played in the second half.
Ball game:
Chargers’ Secondary. Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate were held to just 6 catches total and just 63 yards. Safety’s Eric Weddle, Jaheel Addae and Jimmy Wilson were flying all over the field making tackles and blanket covering the receivers keeping Stafford from having a big day.
Up Next:
San Diego Chargers (1-0) @ Cincinnati Bengals (1-0)
Sunday, 10:00 am PT
Quick Preview:
The Bengals are coming off dismantling the Oakland Raiders (nice), and will be a tough road opponent. Leading the way is tough running RB Jeremy Hill. The front seven of the Chargers will have their hands full wrapping him up. The secondary will be challenged once again by receiver A.J Green and breakout TE Tyler Eifert who finally looks healthy after missing just about all of last year.
Check back later this week for the full preview!
Go Bolts!
Nick was born and raised in San Diego where he became a Chargers and Padres fan, attending numerous home games throughout the years with his dad. He then went on to attend college at the University of Arizona. There he earned his degree in marketing and now lives in San Francisco where he dreams of the the sunny beaches of San Diego. Bear Down.
