The first game of the preseason started fast for the Chargers.
After forcing a turnover on the opening kickoff, quarterback Trey Lance got the Bolts on the board with a short touchdown pass to tight end Will Dissly. Lance would later throw a second touchdown to rookie KeAndre Lambert-Smith late in the third quarter before exiting the eventual 34-7 victory over the Detroit Lions in the annual Hall of Fame Game. He finished with 120 passing yards and two score on 13-of-20 passing.
Second-year back Kimani
Vidal scored twice on the night and led the backfield with 37 rushing yards. Hassan Haskins and Nyheim Miller-Hines both chipped in 34 yards while first-round pick Omarion Hampton had just two carries for nine yards on the opening drive.
Rookie wideout KeAndre Lambert-Smith led the team with 43 receiving yards and a touchdown on two catches.
Defensively, TeRah Edwards and Tre’Mon Morris-Brash each posted a sack while Nikko Reed, Tony Jefferson, and Myles Purchase each recorded an interception.
For a complete quarter-by-quarter recap of today’s game, keep it right here!
First Quarter
The Chargers won the toss and chose to defer. The defense was up first for the Bolts.
On the opening kickoff, edge rusher Caleb Murphy tackled the Lions kick returner and safety Kendall Williamson punched the ball out to give the Chargers first-and-10 inside the Lions 30-yard line.
Trey Lance hit tight end Will Dissly on a short play-action pass to the right flat for nine yards. After an offsides penalty on the Lions wiped out an Omarion Hampton first-down run, he took his next handoff for eight yards after breaking a would-be tackle attempt.
Several plays later, on fourth-and-goal inside the five-yard line, Lance faked a handoff once again to find Dissly in the end zone for the game’s first touchdown.
The Chargers defense stood tall on their opening drive, forcing a holding call on Detroit and breaking up a great pass (via UDFA cornerback Nikko Reed) en route to forcing a three-and-out.
Lance’s second drive ended in zero points after Cameron Dicker’s 52-yard field goal attempt “doinked” off the left upright. However, rookie wideout KeAndre Lambert-Smith caught his first professional pass on a 28-yard go route up the right sideline.
On the second offensive drive for the Lions, Kyle Allen was picked of by Reed who undercut an out route and nearly housed the interception. Several plays later, running back Kimani Vidal plowed up the middle to score the Chargers’ second touchdown of the night. With more than five minutes remaining in the first quarter, the Bolts were up 14-0.
The rough quarter for Kyle Allen only continued as his third drive ended in another interception thrown, this time to veteran safety Tony Jefferson who hauled it in just inside the boundary of the end zone.
Second Quarter
The Lions finally got on the board with a lengthy nine-minute, 29-second drive that was capped by a short three-yard rushing score from veteran back Craig Reynolds. With 5:31 in remaining in the half, Detroit cut the Chargers’ lead to 14-7.
The Lions did the Chargers a favor on the subsequent kickoff, drawing a flag for a kickoff short of the landing zone, which is assessed when the ball falls short of the receiving team’s 20-yard line. It gave the Chargers outstanding field position with the ball placed at the 40-yard line.
Trey Lance led a 60-yard, 3:40 drive, including a beauty of a 19-yard pass down the middle to tight end Tucker Fisk. Nyheim Miller-Hines was the target or ball carrier on half of the drive’s plays, contributing a 9-yard run, a 4-yard reception, and a 2-yard run on consecutive plays, as well as another 4-yard run later in the drive. Lance threw just two incompletions, one of which saw Lions cornerback Ennis Rakestraw flagged for illegal hands to the face.
On third and 6 from the Lions’ 15-yard line, Lance hit KeAndre Lambert-Smith for the score, and Dicker the Kicker nailed the extra point to make it a two-score game once again with 1:51 left in the half.
that's big play dre
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) August 1, 2025
| @nflonnbc pic.twitter.com/EBzl0Kd5vM
The Lions returned Dicker’s 62-yard kick to their own 25. Detroit went three-and-out, and Miller-Hines fair caught it on the Chargers’ 10. Two short runs for a total of 6 yards took us to the half.
Third Quarter
On the very first play of the second half, Jaret Patterson broke loose for a 30-yard gain ... that was called back on an illegal shift penalty. Lance scrambled for a 5-yard gain on second down, but a pass to Kimani Vidal cost the Chargers seven yards, and after getting nowhere on third down, they punted on fourth and 17.
And the Lions muffed the punt! Chargers wide receiver Dez Fitzpatrick recovered on the Lions’ 5-yard line. Detroit’s D held them to a field goal attempt, and Dicker nailed the 23-yarder to extend the Chargers’ lead to 24-7.
We missed a bit of game action on the broadcast because Cris Collinsworth and Mike Tirico had an extended conversation with Lions DE Aidan Hutchinson. Basically Hendon Hooker led a three-play, 1:37 drive for -7 yards, so when I say we missed some game action, I am being extremely generous. Lions punter Jack Fox hit a 46-yarder, to the Chargers’ 23, and a Lions penalty for illegal touching moved the Chargers out to their own 28.
The Chargers leaned on the run game on the next drive with some short passes from Lance mixed in, chewing up 6:50 of clock on a 13-play, 63-yard drive. On third-and-7 from the Lions’ 9-yard line, Lance hit Dalevon Campbell for what was initially called a touchdown, even though it was pretty clear he didn’t get his feet in bounds. It’s preseason for all of us, including the refs. Dicker hit the 27-yard field goal, giving the Chargers a 27-7 lead with 2:59 left in the third quarter.
Fourth Quarter
Undrafted free agent and former Florida State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei stepped in at quarterback for Trey Lance to begin the final period. His first drive ended in a three-and-out that saw the offense go backwards a yard before punting.
However, Uiagalelei’s second drive was a complete 180 as he helped lead the team down the field and into the end zone via a second rushing score from Kimani Vidal. With just 3:42 remaining in the game, the Chargers enjoyed a 34-7 lead over the Lions.
Following the two-minute warning, the Chargers forced their fifth turnover of the night when UDFA cornerback Myles Purchase picked off Hendon Hooker to notch their third interception of the game.
From there, the Chargers knelt out the clock to cement their 34-7 victory.
myles rly called dibs
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) August 1, 2025
| @nflonnbc pic.twitter.com/ICW5MNHDBc
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