Pride Of Detroit - Detroit Lions vs. San Diego Chargers: Full coverage of the 2015 opener A Detroit Lions blog by Lions fans, for Lions fans.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/51601/pod-fav.png2015-09-14T18:00:03-04:00http://www.prideofdetroit.com/rss/stream/90734962015-09-14T18:00:03-04:002015-09-14T18:00:03-04:00Lost and confused in San Diego
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<p>What it was like to witness the LIons' season-opener defeat in San Diego first-hand. SPOILER: not fun.</p> <p>As I circled the concourse at Qualcomm Stadium, hoping to find my sun-baked car as quickly as possible, I swatted mental demons like flies. Trying to stay positive, I quickly reminded myself that this was only one week against a good opponent on the road. But those thoughts were quickly interrupted with nightmarish visions of <span>Keenan Allen</span> ripping through my subconscious. And then <i>those</i> images merged with the suppressed memory of <span>Blake Bortles</span> thrashing the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.prideofdetroit.com/">Lions</a> defense during the preseason. Soon, my thoughts were spiraling out of control. Images of the Lions' god-awful 2008 defense appeared out of nowhere. The words "pad-level" and something about a <a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20081110/COL22/81110086/1048" target="_blank">pick being sharp</a> poisoned my brain. And then I just stopped. My deeply inward glare probably looked insane to the numerous <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/san-diego-chargers">Chargers</a> fans around, grinning, looking to rib the nearest Lions' fan. But they mostly stayed away, probably out of fear I would do something <a href="https://youtu.be/DhMz_ER-9h4" target="_blank">like this</a>.</p>
<p>I was angry. But not particularly angry at the Lions. Not angry at blitzing on third-and-19, or failing to go for it again on fourth-and-inches. Not angry at father time for calling <span>Stephen Tulloch</span> and <span>Rashean Mathis</span>' numbers. Just mad at myself. Mad for allowing myself to get duped. Despite the many warning signs, I convinced myself that Teryl Austin was a messiah, and the Lions offense would finally turn that corner. Even though I was the biggest pessimist among the writers here, there was a part deep inside of my stomach that glowed with optimism, like a Honolulu Blue Care Bear. And Sunday, the Lions betrayed my trust. They made me feel like an idiot. They extinguished my candle of hope with a fire hose.</p>
<p>Of course, now more than 24 hours removed from the game, I can more clearly look at those thoughts as those of a (mostly) crazed, in-the-moment -- and severely sunburned -- Lions' fan. That game was essentially a beat down, but it was just one game, and against a presumed playoff contender on the road.</p>
<p>That being said, I won't let myself sugar-coat this loss. The Lions looked bad, and they looked bad all around. I don't know if you're allowed to call a game decided by five points a blowout, but this was essentially a five-point blowout. Detroit was outgained by nearly 200 yards, and that number is deceptively kind to the Lions, as it includes a Detroit 83-yard drive at the end of the game against a Chargers defense in pure prevent-defense mode. The defense looked lost, the offense looked familiarly inconsistent and the coaching was just bad.</p>
<p>But good teams get blown out. It happened to the Lions on the road against New England last year. And those <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/super-bowl">Super Bowl</a> winning <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.patspulpit.com/">Patriots</a>? In Week 4, they were outgained 443-290 on their way to a 41-14 embarrassment in Kansas City against the <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chiefs</a>.</p>
<p>The key here is adjustment. The Patriots are the best team in the NFL at finding their own weaknesses and suppressing them. Now that the Lions have seen first-hand where they struggle, they will have to do the same. I have had plenty of <a href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/10/27/7076943/detroit-lions-atlanta-falcons-coaching-mistakes" target="_blank">questions about this coaching staff</a> in the past, so I don't know if they'll turn it around for the remaining 15 games.</p>
<p>If this all seems a little unbalanced and inconsistent it's because that's essentially what being a Lions fan is to me. I'm constantly trying to temper wild optimism with the weight of history, while simultaneously searching for reasons to clasp to that optimism in the face of tragedy. And when you bear witness to such a disappointing beat down like that in the first game of the season, it's hard to maintain equilibrium.</p>
<p>This loss may look a lot different in January, if San Diego is in the Super Bowl or if they're picking first in the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft">NFL draft</a>. With so many unknowns in the equation that is the 2015 NFL season, it's hard to know what to do with this extreme data point. Are the Lions doomed or is this the outlier that the Lions are hoping it is? I just don't know. The one thing I do know as Lions' fan is that Sunday was not very fun.</p>
https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/9/14/9323037/tales-from-the-road-san-diego-detroit-lionsJeremy Reisman2015-09-14T16:00:03-04:002015-09-14T16:00:03-04:00Five things I think we know after week one
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<figcaption>Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>It's only one game, but there are several things I think we know after week one.</p> <p>It was certainly a tale of two halves on Sunday. After the <a href="https://www.prideofdetroit.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Lions</a>' offense and defense seemed to dominate both lines of scrimmage in the first half, the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/san-diego-chargers" class="sbn-auto-link">Chargers</a> took over and scored 30 unanswered points until the final two minutes of the game. The Lions did a poor job of containing the Chargers on defense and did little to sustain any drives. It's only one game, but there are several things I think we know going into week two.</p>
<h4>1. I think <span>Ameer Abdullah</span> is the real deal.</h4>
<p>On Sunday Abdullah showed his skills as a runner, receiver, and return man. His touchdown was run was the highlight of the game, but it was his willingness to put his foot in the ground and head north and south that really stood out. I think Abdullah will be a matchup nightmare for opponents going forward, especially as a receiver. I don't think it's any fluke that he had four catches for 44 yards. By the end of the season he could be third on the team in catches.</p>
<h4>2. I think the return game could actually be good this year.</h4>
<p>After a few abysmal seasons returning the football, the Lions look like they might have a decent one-two punch in the return game. I like the idea of using both Abdullah and Tate in those roles. In Abdullah's three returns he notched 105 yards and had a long of 48 yards. In a full season last year, former returner <span>Jeremy Ross</span> failed to ever get more than a 41 yard kick return. I like that the Lions also aren't afraid of using Tate as a returner this year. Much like Abdullah, he's a dynamic playmaker that needs to be on the field as much as possible.</p>
<h4>3. I think the veterans are showing their age.</h4>
<p>It wasn't a good showing for many of the Lions' veterans on Sunday, especially on defense. <span>Rashean Mathis</span> was consistently beaten by Keenan Allen. James Ihedigbo was inconsistent even before his miserable tackle attempt in the open field. And Stephen Tulloch continued to look a step slow both in the physical and mental side of the game. Those are three players the Lions need to perform at a high level this season. With little depth behind any of them, they need to get better quickly or Lions could be in big trouble on defense.</p>
<h4>4. I think the Lions need to get <span>Calvin Johnson</span> more involved.</h4>
<p>I know the Lions have weapons all over the field, but four targets is just not enough. It's one thing if the Lions were able to consistently move the ball without him, but as the failed drives started to pile up it's hard not to wonder if Johnson was even on the field. I'm glad that <span>Matthew Stafford</span> didn't try to force the ball his way, but it's hard to accept such a limited role in a loss.</p>
<h4>5. I think the Lions were simply out-coached in the second half.</h4>
<p>I give the Chargers credit. They did a terrific job at diagnosing what was hurting them in the first half and dialing up a solid slate of counter moves. The Lions, on the other hand, failed to adjust to what was happening in front of them. Whether it was a failure to stop a barrage of in-breaking routes from Allen, or trying to blitz on third-and-19, it just seemed like the Chargers were a step ahead every time.</p>
https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/9/14/9322675/five-things-i-think-we-know-after-week-oneJustin Simon2015-09-14T14:30:02-04:002015-09-14T14:30:02-04:00PFF Grades: O-line struggles lead to defeat
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<figcaption>Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Everything was bad.</p> <p class="pgh-paragraph has-dropcap" id="paragraph0">If you're not aware by now, <a data-ref-index="5" target="_blank" href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.profootballfocus.com%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.prideofdetroit.com%2F2015%2F9%2F14%2F9324277%2Flions-chargers-pff-grades-offensive-line-struggles-poor-tackling-lead" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener">Pro Football Focus</a> is a website that focuses on grading NFL players for their individual performances based on an in-depth review of every snap for every game. If you're interested, <a data-ref-index="6" target="_blank" href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.profootballfocus.com%2Fabout%2Fhow-we-grade%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.prideofdetroit.com%2F2015%2F9%2F14%2F9324277%2Flions-chargers-pff-grades-offensive-line-struggles-poor-tackling-lead" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener">here</a> is a look at their grading system.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph1">Let's take a closer look at what they had to say about the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.prideofdetroit.com/">Detroit Lions</a>' <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/9/13/9319925/recap-lions-fade-as-chargers-surge-33-28">brutal loss to the San Diego Chargers</a>, shall we?</p>
<h4>Offense</h4>
<p><b>Best Grades</b></p>
<p>Manny Ramirez: +1.6<br><span>Theo Riddick</span>: +1.3</p>
<p><b>Worst Grades</b></p>
<p><span>Laken Tomlinson</span>: -3.9<br><span>Travis Swanson</span>: -2.2<br><span>Cornelius Lucas</span>: -1.7</p>
<p><b>Analysis</b></p>
<p><span>Ameer Abdullah</span> was given a -0.4 rush grade. I will present that without comment.</p>
<p>Tomlinson's poor overall grade was mostly due to his performance as a run blocker. He was given a -3.3 run blocking grade for his (lack of) efforts. <span>Manny Ramirez's</span> +1.6 overall grade was the only positive grade on the offensive line and each starter received a negative pass blocking grade.</p>
<p>Overall, the offensive line and <span>Matthew Stafford</span> need to do a better job of recognizing blitzes and picking up assignments, because plays like these just cannot happen in the NFL.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Boy, the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lions?src=hash">#Lions</a> really wanted to block #90. <a href="http://t.co/4q6EDO8XI9">pic.twitter.com/4q6EDO8XI9</a></p>
— Pride Of Detroit (@PrideOfDetroit) <a href="https://twitter.com/PrideOfDetroit/status/643475478704095232">September 14, 2015</a>
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<p>That's one way to completely shut a single player down.</p>
<h4>Defense</h4>
<p><b>Best Grades</b></p>
<p><span>Josh Bynes</span>: +2.2<br><span>Jason Jones</span>: +1.8<br><span>Tyrunn Walker</span>: +1.8<br><span>Phillip Hunt</span>: +1.7<br><span>Gabe Wright</span>: +1.3<br><span>Glover Quin</span>: +1.2</p>
<p><b>Worst Grades</b></p>
<p><span>James Ihedigbo</span>: -3.9<br><span>Stephen Tulloch</span>: -2.2<br><span>Devin Taylor</span>: -1.7<br><span>Tahir Whitehead</span>: -1.2</p>
<p><b>Analysis</b></p>
<p><span>Rashean Mathis</span> was given just a -0.4 pass coverage grade, despite allowing 9 catches on 11 targets. This is where I start to question why PFF even releases their grades before the NFL releases all-22 film because you're essentially missing half of the play when you grade wide receivers and cornerbacks.</p>
<p>One thing is for certain. Mathis, Ihedigbo and Tulloch all seem to have lost a step in coverage and all played poorly against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/san-diego-chargers">Chargers</a>. The entire defense combined for 11 missed tackles. Tulloch and Ihedigbo had three each.</p>
<p>Walker continues to look like a solid pass rusher and had a total of seven QB hurries on Sunday. He was the only D-lineman to generate much of a pass rush. The rest of the defense looked pretty solid for the most part in terms of stopping the run. <span>Jason Jones</span> (+1.6), Ziggy Ansah (+1.6), Gabe Wright (+1.3) and Josh Bynes (+1.5) all had impressive grades in that department.</p>
<p>The most telling statistic from this game is that Quin and Ihedigbo were both on the field for all 79 snaps on defense. The offense only saw 47 snaps.</p>
<p><img src="http://cdn.meme.am/instances2/500x/1864224.jpg"></p>
<h4>Special Teams</h4>
<p><b>Best Grades</b></p>
<p><span>Sam Martin</span>: +1.6</p>
<p><b>Worst Grades</b></p>
<p>None</p>
<p><b>Analysis</b></p>
<p>I thought Sam Martin had a rough day punting the ball. PFF gave him a positive grade. Three of his five kickoffs were touchbacks, so that's good, I guess.</p>
https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/9/14/9324277/lions-chargers-pff-grades-offensive-line-struggles-poor-tackling-leadAlex Reno2015-09-14T10:00:07-04:002015-09-14T10:00:07-04:005 takeaways from the Lions loss to the Chargers
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<p>The Lions lost a big lead and a huge first test of the season. Here are a few things to think about from Sunday's loss.</p> <h4>What's the matter with <span>Matthew Stafford</span>?</h4>
<p>The <a href="https://www.prideofdetroit.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Detroit Lions</a> quarterback got off to a hot start until he was hit on his arm by <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/san-diego-chargers" class="sbn-auto-link">Chargers</a> linebacker <span>Melvin Ingram</span>, resulting in an interception by Kyle Emanuel. Stafford returned to the game with a sleeve on his arm, which apparently had the power to make him forget how to quarterback. He didn't look the same for the rest of the game, throwing an extremely poor ball for another pick and nearly made it a hat trick on their last drive, which was fortunately not fully controlled by the Chargers. Stafford did wind up converting that last chance for a <span>Theo Riddick</span> touchdown, but it was too little, too late.</p>
<h4>The defense should be concerning</h4>
<p> </p>
<p>All offseason we heard from nearly every sportswriter about how the Lions defense was going to take a huge step back because of all the players we lost on the defensive line. For the first quarter, the Lions defense made them all look foolish. After forcing a 3-and-out to start the game as well as some great pressure from <span>Ezekiel Ansah</span>, the line looked like they didn't miss a step from last season. <span>Philip Rivers</span> responded by moving up and down the field with ease, going 35-for-42 and 404 yards, with <span>Keenan Allen</span> tying a Chargers single-game record with 15 catches for 166 yards. The linebackers looked confused. It would have been an even bigger loss without 2 interceptions from the Lions secondary. It was not a pretty sight and not something that one <span>DeAndre Levy</span> alone can fix.</p>
<h4>The offensive line is still a work in progress</h4>
<p> </p>
<p>The Lions were without <span>Larry Warford</span> and the offensive line struggled to protect Matthew Stafford for most of the game. Some nice blocking from rookie <span>Laken Tomlinson</span> aside, the line collapsed quickly nearly the entire game and failed to pick up several blitzes, forcing their quarterback to make quick, uncomfortable decisions and getting him banged up in the process. The run blocking was not as egregious and opened up a few good holes for <span>Ameer Abdullah</span> to run through, but overall, the unit will need to improve, especially in pass blocking.</p>
<h4>Play-calling and penalties</h4>
<p> Perhaps all the praise and ‘future head coach' talk about defensive coordinator Teryl Austin went to his head because there were some very concerning defensive play calls. Austin was also apparently unable to counter the Chargers' halftime adjustments because, well, check those numbers on Rivers and Allen again. The most baffling was calling a blitz on third-and-19, when holding the Chargers to a minimal gain and field goal would have still made it an eight point, one score game with plenty of time for a final touchdown drive. Instead, a blitz left few defenders to stop Keenan Allen from getting the 19 yards needed to pick up the first down, which ultimately led to the game-winning touchdown.</p>
<p>Jim Caldwell shouldn't be given a pass either. Flashbacks of last year's playoffs loss came back towards the end of the third quarter as Caldwell decided to punt on fourth-and-one when his team was picking up steam and needed to hold the lead.</p>
<p>Speaking of that punt, there wound up being a penalty on it. It wasn't the first. The Lions defense was fooled by Rivers' hard count twice in third down situations, which gave the Chargers free first downs. This is absolutely something that needs to be corrected.</p>
<h4>What about all the good stuff?</h4>
<p>I could probably keep going on about the bad stuff (and trust me, I could) but that's not really fair, and I'd personally like something to look forward to before next week's game, so let's talk about good stuff:</p>
<p>Let's all just remember how we felt after the first quarter for a second, shall we?</p>
<p>Ameer Abdullah: the guy is for real. He excelled in the running game, shaking <span>Eric Weddle</span> out of his boots for a touchdown. He caught passes and returned kicks and that burst ability. Is it getting hot in here? Based on today's game, he looks to surpass <span>Joique Bell</span> as the starter sooner than anticipated.</p>
<p>As lost as the linebackers looked Sunday, the secondary had a tough test with Rivers and came up with two interceptions that made what should have been a blowout appear close on the scoreboard. A heads-up play by <span>Glover Quin</span> on a tipped pass led to a pick-six, and Darius Slay's end zone interception kept the Chargers from gaining any ground before the half.</p>
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<p> </p>
<p>Circumstances weren't ideal, either. Temperatures reached 105 degrees on the field in the second half, and the Lions were on the road facing a very good quarterback with lots of good weapons and a strong defense - no small feat for sure. If there's a positive takeaway, it's that the Lions could have anticipated a loss, given those circumstances. It was HOW they lost that really hurts.</p>
https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/9/14/9321083/lions-post-game-analysis-5-takeaways-chargersJoseph Buszek2015-09-13T19:33:57-04:002015-09-13T19:33:57-04:00Recap: Lions fade as Chargers surge 33-28
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<figcaption>Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>What started as a furious assault on the Chargers saw the Lions give up 30 unanswered points as Philip Rivers beat down a weary defense. The Detroit Lions offense had no answers of their own.</p> <p>What started as a promising late afternoon for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.prideofdetroit.com/">Detroit Lions</a> and a furious charge to put points on the scoreboard would be eradicated by the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/san-diego-chargers">San Diego Chargers</a> without mercy or counterattack under the hot southern California sun. Same Old Lions? Hard to tell on the very first week of a fresh NFL season, but this one certainly can't inspire any confidence.</p>
<h4>First Half</h4>
<p>The first drive started innocuously enough for the Lions. <span>Calvin Johnson</span> caught the first pass of the year for the Detroit Lions (of course it was him), followed by <span>Joique Bell</span> delivering a stiff arm hard enough to knock a safety's helmet clean off. This set up a run from San Diego's 24-yard line by <span>Ameer Abdullah</span>. His time to shine came and the Butcher went up the middle, leaving <span>Eric Weddle</span> dazed and flamed out somewhere along Interstate 8.</p>
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<p><br>The first chance for San Diego came in the second quarter. <span>Ezekiel Ansah</span> welcomed <span>Melvin Gordon</span> to the NFL with an explosive strike on second down. Then, Philip Hunt blew up <span>Philip Rivers</span> to force a three-and-out. Detroit's next drive saw another three-and-out as Ebron dropped a pass. With the ball back in San Diego's hands, <span>Melvin Gordon</span> took over the show. Leaning on the rookie, along with veteran RB <span>Danny Woodhead</span>, the Chargers plowed up the field. It looked as if the Chargers had answered when Melvin Gordon rolled over <span>Glover Quin</span> and brought it to the endzone, but the referees ruled that Gordon's elbow was down on contact. San Diego settled for a field goal.</p>
<p>Later, on another San Diego drive, Philip Rivers would throw a pass that resembled something between a lazy sidearm pitch and a softball lob. The ball popped off <span>Keenan Allen's</span> hands and into the mitts of Glover Quin. He would take it the other way for a pick-six. The Lions now led 14-3. On the following San Diego drive, Ezekiel Ansah stood up again and sacked Rivers, and on third-and-15 the snap went over Rivers' head. This set up for the Lions to start in enemy territory. Zenner and Abdullah put in rushes to set up for a third down pass to <span>Lance Moore</span> for 22 yards. Then, out of the shotgun, <span>Matthew Stafford</span> found <span>Eric Ebron</span> alone on the fringes of the endzone, and the Lions were quickly up 21-3.</p>
<p>The Chargers would answer before the end of the half. Penalties would move the Chargers deep into Lions territory and Danny Woodhead punched a nine-yard drive up the gullet, sending shivers up the spine of <a href="https://twitter.com/PFTCommenter/status/643168950763651072">@PFTCommenter</a>. With the offensive line not looking good for the Lions, San Diego got the ball back and found itself deep in Lions territory as the two-minute warning rolled in. Rivers stepped up and threw two big plays, but a false start would force them to run out of timeouts as they stood first-and-goal with 12 seconds remaining. Rivers looked to make one more play and put it directly into...the hands of <span>Darius Slay</span>. The Chargers' comeback was seemingly ended.</p>
<p>At the half, the Lions led 21-10 over the Chargers. However, the Lions were outgained severely on offense, and the lead stood thanks to big plays from the secondary.</p>
<h4>Second Half</h4>
<p>With temperatures reaching 105°F, the Chargers received the ball and began to push the tempo of the game, sensing the opportunity to wear down the gassed Lions defense. San Diego began to lean on screen plays and Danny Woodhead but were stopped short on their charge thanks to Glover Quin and settled for a field goal.</p>
<p>The Lions got the ball back. A botched snap turned into a flip to Abdullah, who took it 36 yards and completely saved the play. But the big gain would be for naught as Stafford got popped on third down; the ball leaped into the air and <span>Kyle Emanuel</span> snatched it. Naturally, it would come as the Fox crew were praising Matthew:</p>
<p> </p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">BROADCASTERS: "This could be the year that turns into a monster year for Stafford." /Stafford gets blitzed, hit, throws INT</p>
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisVannini/status/643181351018102785">September 13, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
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<p><br>The Lions would quickly get the ball back when Melvin Gordon lost the ball to a <span>Jason Jones</span> strip and <span>Stephen Tulloch</span> recovery. Unfortunately, an ugly throw on third down by Stafford would put the ball right back in San Diego's hands as his pass went directly to <span>Patrick Robinson</span>.</p>
<p>A serious injury to DJ Fluker would put a halt to the action for a while. When it resumed, Philip Rivers found <span>Stevie Johnson</span>. Johnson beat two Lions defenders and put it in the endzone; after the PAT, the Lions lead had been scythed to one single point. Stafford was talking to trainers on the sideline and returned with a compression sleeve on his throwing arm; Calvin Johnson had only been targeted twice.</p>
<p>The next Lions possession saw Abdullah fall short of a first down. The Lions punted, giving the Chargers a chance to snatch the lead in the fourth quarter.</p>
<p>Philip Rivers kept picking out Keenan Allen and blowing up <span>Rashean Mathis</span>. Before the Lions could adjust, Rivers found <span>Ladarius Green</span> in the endzone. The lead was gone. A delay of game on the two-point conversion attempt kept the Chargers from taking a seven point lead, so they settled on a PAT instead...and missed.</p>
<p>Eric Weddle stopped rare a rare pass toward Calvin Johnson, and Ameer Abdullah finally found the ball slipping out of his hands, although he recovered his own fumble. Stafford put it over Golden Tate's head in what seemed to be another case of miscommunication. The Lions punted.</p>
<p>Sensing blood, Rivers continued to target Keenan Allen (continuing to burn Rashean Mathis in the process). A bubble screen to Stevie Johnson turned into a 34-yard gain. The defense was overheated and fraying now along with the offense. A key stop could have been had on third-and-19, but the Lions decided to blitz and Philip Rivers continued to prove his excellence as he found (can you guess who?) Keenan Allen again. The dagger was in.</p>
<p>With 3 minutes left, Darius Slay went down and would leave the game limping. The Chargers offense continued to chug along, and a Danny Woodhead one-yard touchdown put this one on ice. As the clock struck two minutes, Thom Brennaman exclaimed "this game's not over yet!"</p>
<p>He would be wrong. Although Stafford would cut up the middle of the field and find <span>Theo Riddick</span> in the endzone before the one-minute mark, the onside kick would careen out of bounds. The game was over.</p>
<h4>Final Score: 33-28 Chargers</h4>
<p>Somewhere, the Lions offense got turned around and found itself in Coronado. The defense overheated. Rashean Mathis looked puzzled. Darius Slay was marked as questionable for return. No one was sure where Calvin Johnson had vanished, too; maybe Kensington, or further afield in La Mesa, we're not certain. Stafford struggled after taking a hit and looked, as we've seen many times before, brilliant yet ineffective in the same game. Unfortunately that ineffectiveness lasted too long and the brilliance came far too late.</p>
<p>The shining moment of the day for the Detroit Lions was Ameer Abdullah, who clocked in valiant performances on both offense (seven carries for 50 yards) and special teams. The Lions play the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Minnesota Vikings</a> in Minneapolis next Sunday.</p>
https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/9/13/9319925/recap-lions-fade-as-chargers-surge-33-28Chris Perfett2015-09-13T19:08:25-04:002015-09-13T19:08:25-04:000-1
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<figcaption>Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Detroit Lions start off the season with a brutal loss at the hands of the San Diego Chargers by a final score of 33-28</p> <p>On to Minnesota. I've got nothing for you guys. That was bad.</p>
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https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/9/13/9320293/lions-chargers-final-score-week-one-loss-keenan-allenAlex Reno2015-09-13T17:26:00-04:002015-09-13T17:26:00-04:00Lions at Chargers: Second half open thread
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<p>The Detroit Lions got off to a hot start and lead the San Diego Chargers by a score of 21-10 at the half.</p> <p>Let's finish this one, boys.</p>
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<p align="left"><b>Note:</b> Do not ask for or post links to streams. This is a <a href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2012/8/6/3222650/a-note-on-streams">violation of SB Nation rules</a>.</p>
https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/9/13/9318677/lions-at-chargers-second-half-open-threadAlex Reno2015-09-13T16:33:02-04:002015-09-13T16:33:02-04:00Ameer Abdullah is pretty good at football, guys<iframe src="https://vine.co/v/eFjYxnbw3L7/embed/simple" width="600" height="600"></iframe>
<div class="source source-img"><p><p>Abdullah's first run in the NFL was a beauty and he even shook Eric Weddle out of his socks toward the end of the run.</p></p></div>
https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2015/9/13/9320003/ameer-abdullah-is-pretty-good-at-football-guysAlex Reno