Week 2 2019 Detroit Lions vs LA Chargers @ Home

A whole lot.

The 1-0-1 Detroit Lions narrowly beat the 1-1 LA Chargers at home week two with a score of 13-10. Mistakes (a whole lot of them) were made by both teams, including missed field goals, extra points, dropped passes, interceptions, penalties (a whole lot of them too) and even some questionable coaching decisions (again). So a normal week two game in other words. In the end though, the scoreboard shows the Lions as the winning team, which due to other scores around the league puts the Lions in 2nd place in the division behind the Packers.

Matthew Stafford was 22 of 30 (73.33%) for 245 yards 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions (though one INT was solely due to the WR muffing the catch in the endzone and hitting the ball into the defenders hands). The offense managed to put up 94 yards rushing using all the running backs (except for the fullback) that were active. All the TEs had at least one catch as well. In fact, Amendola is the only WR to not have a catch in the game, so the ball was definitely shared around. But the biggest news on offense, and this is despite starting Crosby at left tackle and Dahl at left guard, Stafford was sacked ZERO times, that's a whole lot different then usual.

Now the defense kept Phillip Rivers to 21 of 36 (58.33%) for 293 yards no touchdowns and one interception. But the Lions defense also allowed 137 yards rushing. So apparently the game plan was not to stop the run as much as the pass, and it worked, barely.

The coaching was a bit better, even though I think the Lions should have been calling timeouts at the end of the 2nd quarter when they had the Chargers penned back at their 5 yard line with about a minute to go, they might have been able to get the ball back around mid-field and possibly get themselves in a position for another field goal attempt (not going to say points, as Prater missed an extra point and a field goal this game). Basically, at different times during the game, mistakes were made by all the normal culprits, and yet, they created some issues for the Chargers as well, and ended up with the winning score, so I'm not going to be too critical this week... I'll save that for later if it'll be needed.

Next week the Lions play the Eagles in Philadelphia, a team I'll be watching Sunday night. Hopefully the Lions can continue to work on what needs work and put on a better show next week, just for my hearts sake... I'm not enjoying the ups and downs of these too close games. I am enjoying the Lions haven't lost a game yet in 2019 (ties don't count as a loss my friends) and are only a half game behind the Packers for the lead in the division, so that more then anything is why I would love to see a win against the Eagles, but that can only happen if the Lions can tighten things up a whole lot by next weekend.