by Rob Maddi
CANTON, Ohio — On his third team in his fifth season, Trey Lance played like a No. 3 overall pick.
Lance threw for 120 yards and two touchdowns, and the Los Angeles Chargers beat the Detroit Lions 34-7 in the Hall of Fame game that kicked off the NFL’s preseason Thursday night.
“Big night for Trey. Just played calm, cool, collected, ran the operation, threw the ball really well,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said.
The game opened with a moment of silence for the four people killed earlier this week by a shooter who was targeting league headquarters in New York.
The gunman also wounded a league employee in the shooting Monday night. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told NBC he visited the employee for an hour on Wednesday and said the man was improving.
There was increased security around Tom Benson Stadium and the Pro Football Hall of Fame village.
Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, Penei Sewell and the rest of Detroit’s star-studded offense didn’t see any action against Los Angeles.
Coach Dan Campbell’s Lions, who went one-and-done in the playoffs last season after winning a franchise-record 15 games, also sat their top two draft picks.
“It’s the first one out of the gate,” Campbell said. “We turned it over five times and had zero takeaways. That’s hard. Can’t put the defense in that kind of a position. It’s hard to get a rhythm when you turn the ball over.”
Justin Herbert was among many of the Chargers starters rested by coach Harbaugh, who led the team to a six-win turnaround and a playoff berth in his first season. Rookie running back Omarion Hampton, a first-round pick, carried twice for 9 yards.
The Chargers recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff at the Lions 28 and converted the short field into a 7-0 lead.
Lance made a perfect touch pass on fourth-and-2 to Will Dissly, who caught a 5-yard touchdown over a defender’s outstretched hand.
“I feel good. Some good. Some bad. Left some plays out there,” Lance said.
After undrafted rookie cornerback Nikko Reed stepped in front of Kyle Allen’s sideline pass and returned it 60 yards to the Lions 6, Kimani Vidal ran in from the 2 to make it 14-0.
Allen threw another pick on the next possession to Tony Jefferson after driving the Lions to the Chargers 23.
Craig Reynolds’ 3-yard TD run cut Detroit’s deficit in half.
But Lance fired a 19-yard pass to Tucker Fisk to the Lions 19 and connected with KeAndre Lambert-Smith on a 15-yard TD pass for a 21-7 halftime lead.
Lance has started just five games in four NFL seasons after playing in only 19 games at North Dakota State. He spent just two seasons with the 49ers, who selected Brock Purdy with the last pick the same year they traded three first-round picks and a third-rounder to move up to get Lance.
After two years with Dallas, Lance joined the Chargers to compete with veteran Taylor Heinicke for the backup job. He completed 13 of 20 passes before giving way to rookie DJ Uiagalelei.
“I’m excited to play,” Lance said. “Every place is different. Every coaching staff is different. Every team is different. It’s been fun to be here. I’ve really enjoyed being here, just the joy the guys around the building have. It’s a joyful place to be.”
Allen and Hendon Hooker are battling for the Lions’ backup job behind Goff. Allen was 9 of 14 with two picks. Hooker, a third-round pick in 2023, has thrown nine passes in his first two seasons. He also tossed an interception against the Chargers.
“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,” Campbell said.
Detroit’s sloppy special teams turned it over again in the third quarter. Jakobie Keeney-James dropped a punt inside the 10 and the Chargers recovered at the 5. But Los Angeles had to settle for Cameron Dicker’s 23-yard field goal.
The Chargers capped the scoring on Vidal’s 2-yard TD run late in the fourth quarter.
Hutchinson’s return
Lions star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson told NBC in the second half he can’t wait for Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
Hutchinson had 7 1/2 sacks in five games last season before he went down with a leg injury.
Before the game, Hutchinson spent time signing autographs for Lions fans who made the trip.
Preseason rust
Dicker, who was 39 of 42 on field goals last year and 9 of 11 from 50 yards or beyond, hit the left upright on a 50-yard try. He made his next two field goals.
Gold jackets
Cornerback Eric Allen, defensive end Jared Allen, tight end Antonio Gates and wide receiver Sterling Sharpe will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Up next
Chargers: Host the New Orleans Saints on Aug. 10.
Lions: Visit the Atlanta Falcons on Aug. 8.
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