The Los Angeles Chargers dropped their road opener, 13-10, to the Detroit Lions.
After each team went three-and-out to begin the game, the Chargers opened the scoring on their second possession, a nine-play, 68-yard drive. The drive featured a 35-yard connection from Philip Rivers to Austin Ekeler and culminated in a leaping 1-yard rushing touchdown for Ekeler with 7:57 left in the first quarter.
Punter Ty Long, starting at kicker for the second consecutive week in place of the injured Mike Badgley, added the extra point to give the Chargers a 7-0 lead.
The Lions countered on the ensuing possession with a 36-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to Kerryon Johnson with 3:47 remaining in the first quarter, but Matt Prater missed the extra point wide left, allowing the Chargers to maintain their advantage, 7-6. Stafford threw two touchdowns and two interceptions, completing 22 of 30 passes for 245 yards.
With 5:57 to go in the first half, Prater's 40-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right, his second missed kick of the day.
Mike Williams, who was a game-time decision, left his feet to haul in a 47-yard pass from Rivers with four seconds left in the half to set up a successful 39-yard field goal for Long, as the Chargers took a 10-6 lead into halftime. Williams caught three passes for 83 yards receiving on the day.
On the Lions' first drive of the second half, Casey Hayward Jr. intercepted a Stafford pass in the end zone with 11:42 in the third.
Rivers then led the Chargers to a 77-yard drive that featured a 23-yard pass to Keenan Allen on 2nd and 16 and two nullified touchdowns, a 60-yard Justin Jackson run and a 22-yard reception by Ekeler. After a defensive pass interference call, Ekeler fumbled at the Lions' 1-yard line, and Detroit recovered.
Following a Lions three-and-out, the Chargers marched down to Detroit's 21 but came out of the drive without a score, as Long hit the upright on his 39-yard field goal attempt.
Rayshawn Jenkins recorded his first career interception at the Chargers' 15-yard line on the ensuing Lions possession.
Los Angeles advanced to the Detroit 23, but Long missed his second field goal of the game, a 41-yard attempt, keeping the score, 10-6, in favor of L.A. with 11:50 to play in the contest.
The Lions then put together an eight-play, 69-yard drive that ended in a 31-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Kenny Golladay. The touchdown gave the Lions their first lead of the game, 13-10, with 7:21 remaining in the fourth. Golladay caught eight balls for 117 yards Sunday.
After the Chargers forced the Lions to punt, L.A. had a 3rd and 19 at the Lions' 28-yard-line, but Rivers was intercepted by Darius Slay.
Stafford kneeled to end the game after his 7-yard pass to Jesse James gave the Lions a first down.
In the loss, Rivers completed 21-of-36 for 293 yards passing with zero touchdowns and an interception, Ekeler recorded 133 total yards and Allen tallied 98 yards receiving on eight receptions. The Chargers defense also limited the Lions to 94 yards rushing after allowing 203 yards rushing to the Colts in Week 1. The win was only the Lions' second in the teams' past nine meetings.
The Chargers fell to 1-1 and return home next Sunday to face the Houston Texans. Kickoff is at 1:25 p.m. PT at ROKiT Field at Dignity Health Sports Park.
