The Los Angeles Chargers showed just how strong they can be even without holdout running back Melvin Gordon and will look to build off that on Sunday against the Detroit Lions. The Chargers have won seven of the last eight games between the teams spanning back to 1981, with the lone loss a 38-10 defeat in their last visit to Detroit in 2011.
How to Watch NFL: Chargers vs. Lions
Date: Sunday, Sept. 15
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
TV Channel: CBS
Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)
While Gordon sits and waits for either a new deal or a new team via trade, the Chargers have a proven backup Austin Ekele. As the featured back, Ekeler continued to show his worth as he totaled 154 yards from scrimmage with two touchdowns — one rushing and one receiving. The Chargers recovered from blowing a 15-point second half lead to defeat the Colts, 30-24, in overtime last Sunday. Ekeler finished with 58 rushing yards and capped Los Angeles’ 75-yard overtime drive after winning the coin toss with a seven-yard scoring run.
Philip Rivers continues to be as steady as ever at quarterback, throwing for 333 yards and three touchdowns. He and Keenan Allen continue to have a strong connection. Allen had eight catches for 123 yards and a touchdown. Rivers needs 12 yards to become the eighth quarterback in NFL history to surpass 55,000 passing yards, joining fellow Class of 2004 first round draft picks Ben Roethlisberger (56,470) and Eli Manning (56,287), who are directly ahead of him.
Detroit’s second season under Matt Patricia began without a victory, as the Lions and Arizona Cardinals played to a 27-27 tie last Sunday. The mood after felt more like a loss for the Lions, who squandered a 24-6 lead in the fourth quarter and then rallied to draw even in overtime on Matt Prater’s 33-yard field goal with 3:48 to play.
The tie obscured a fantastic debut by T.J. Hockenson, who set an NFL record for receiving yards by a tight end in a first game. The eighth overall pick had six receptions for 131 yards. Matthew Stafford looked in sync in new offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell’s system, throwing for 385 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.
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