The Detroit Lions fell to the Los Angeles Chargers 34-7 on Aug 1, 2025, as 5 turnovers from players like Kyle Allen doomed their preseason opener. Recap the nightmare.
StatPro NFL Beat Reporter
Well, that was ugly. There's no other way to put it. The 2025 Detroit Lions kicked off the NFL preseason not with a bang, but with a fumble on the opening kickoff, setting the tone for a disastrous 34-7 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. In a game defined by sloppiness, the Lions committed five turnovers, struggled on special teams, and saw their backup quarterbacks flounder, offering a stark reminder that even for a team with high expectations, the path to success is never smooth.
You get caught in needing to see some of these guys getting put out there and want them loose and also want to win and play well. We didn’t do it.
The game was practically over before it began. On the opening kickoff, linebacker Grant Stuard, getting an experimental look as a returner, fumbled the ball away. It was a sign of things to come. The Lions' special teams woes continued when Jakobie Keeney-James muffed a punt deep in his own territory. Add in two interceptions from starter Kyle Allen and another from Hendon Hooker, and you have a five-turnover nightmare. These weren't just mistakes; they were game-altering blunders that gifted the Chargers points and field position all night long.
With Jared Goff resting, the battle for the backup QB spot got off to a rocky start. Kyle Allen (9/14, 91 yards, 2 INTs) looked shaky, unable to build any rhythm before being picked off twice. Hendon Hooker (3/6, 18 yards, 1 INT) didn't fare any better in his limited action. The performance put a damper on the debut of new offensive coordinator John Morton, whose offense never found its footing. The lone touchdown in the second quarter was the only bright spot on a night where the offense was completely neutralized by its own mistakes.
If you're looking for a silver lining, here it is: the players who will decide the Lions' fate in the regular season were mostly watching from the sideline. Star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson, who didn't play a snap, was seen signing autographs and appeared on the NBC broadcast, his eyes firmly set on the future. 'I can’t wait for Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field,' he said, reminding everyone what truly matters. Perhaps the biggest win of the night was escaping Canton without any major injuries. This game was an evaluation for depth players, not a reflection of the starting unit.
Let's not hit the panic button just yet. It was one preseason game, and a glorified scrimmage at that. But Dan Campbell's frustration was palpable, and you can bet the team will hear about it all week. The key now is how they respond. Do they clean up the penalties and turnovers? Does a quarterback emerge from the pack? We'll get our next look on August 8 against the Atlanta Falcons. The bar has been set incredibly low; the only way to go is up.
