5 Bold Predictions for Detroit Lions' Week 1 Matchup

Has your significant other noticed?

Has he or she seen the extra bounce in your step? Noted that you seem open to every suggestion and even smiled when asked to take out the trash?

Football season has that kind of effect on people. I didn't even know my apartment needed painting, yet here I sit writing while surrounded by walls covered in some color I've never heard of. And I'm the one who put it there. I don't remember it.

That's because I was too busy running thought experiments regarding the Detroit Lions and San Diego Chargers. Those scientific findings have led to predictions that aren't just bold, but backed up by cold, hard science.

We both know how suggestible you are right now, so click through to find out how this weekend will play out. 

Calvin Johnson Goes for 150 Yards and 2 Scores

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

"Calvin Johnson is approaching 30, so it's reasonable to question if he's still a top receiver."

"Nobody has taken as much abuse as Calvin Johnson. You just can't count on him to be healthy."

Those two statements aren't entirely representative of the public's sentiments regarding Johnson. They're also not that far off.

Johnson—as has been the case more often than not in his career—was nicked up for parts of 2014, missing four games. He still managed to gain over 1,000 receiving yards and led the team in touchdowns.

Now he faces off against a better-than-you-think San Diego secondary that doesn't employ a corner within five inches of him. And if any of them can handle the 6'5" wide receiver's speed (4.35 40-yard dash), quickness or physicality is a question too.

Nobody wants to be the analyst who is a year late to declare a decline. Johnson isn't 30 yet (not until Sept. 25). The league will be reminded of this on Sunday when Matthew Stafford continually finds his favorite option, especially when the rest of the weapons (Golden Tate, Eric Ebron, Ameer Abdullah, etc.) begin to draw their own attention.

Danny Woodhead Racks Up at Least 8 Catches

Denis Poroy/Associated Press

Unfortunately for the Lions, the Chargers also have a receiving stud who should find plenty of room to operate.

Granted, nobody will confuse Danny Woodhead with Megatron, but he could be just as deadly. And his assassin skill level gets a serious bump if DeAndre Levy isn't healthy enough to suit up.

Woodhead was an integral part of the offense in 2013, racking up a ridiculous 76 catches for 605 yards and six touchdowns. His smaller stature (5'8") is a slight advantage when it comes to slipping out of the backfield. Plus, he's slippery enough to make a hard-charging linebacker miss.

Detroit generally does well against bubble screens and flairs because the defensive backs tackle well. The linebackers obviously do well against the running game, but putting either Stephen Tulloch, Josh Bynes or Tahir Whitehead in space isn't the same as sending Levy.

The Chargers will exploit this advantage. Their offensive line isn't top-notch in terms of passing protection, so these dump-offs should help alleviate some pressure.

Matthew Stafford Is Only Sacked Once

Brandon Wade/Associated Press

Sacks were a big problem for Detroit last season.

On 45 occasions, the offensive line had to help Matthew Stafford up off the turf, and that's not including the 35 hits that didn't count as sacks, per Pro Football Focus. 

Granted, it wasn't all on the big boys up front. Stafford had a tendency to hold on to the ball too long, working through his progressions in a complicated scheme.

The season opener offers both an opportunity at redemption. The Chargers don't boast much in terms of returning pass-rushers. Corey Liuget led the team with 4.5 sacks, although it should be noted that outside linebacker Melvin Ingram had four in nine games.

Regardless, Detroit's blocking schemes have been simplified, and Stafford has demonstrated his thorough understanding of the offense all preseason. This should lead to more time and quicker throws.

For both of these reasons, the Lions should set the tone for a different season pocket-wise, allowing just one sack on Sunday.

Melvin Gordon Finishes Under 3 Yards Per Carry

Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press

First-round running backs come with a lot of hype. They're a rare breed now. If one is chosen that early, it's presumed that he'll excel immediately considering it's one of the more instinctual positions.

Melvin Gordon might be a first-rounder, but that's all he has in common with the above.

The preseason has shown a young rusher who doesn't understand the intricacies of his new offense, taking off too early and recognizing seams too late. He knows it too, having told Matt Clarida of NFL.com after his first preseason game that he "definitely [has] a lot of work to do" because "[i]t definitely wasn't what [he] expected at all."

The news only gets worse for Gordon. Though the Lions might have lost a couple of extremely capable run-stuffers, Haloti Ngata is a proven block-eater, and Tyrunn Walker has been beasting opponents since August.

And even if DeAndre Levy doesn't play, Josh Bynes or Travis Lewis can handle the running game next to Stephen Tulloch and Tahir Whitehead. Rushing yards are going to be tough to come by. If Gordon is still struggling to see the game properly, the Lions defense will only exaggerate the issue.

Detroit Wins 27-24

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

Everyone knows Detroit struggles on the road, particularly against good teams. So does everyone, though.

Yet this one lines up pretty well for the boys in Honolulu Blue.

There isn't a lot of relevant tape on defensive coordinator Teryl Austin's unit because things are bound to be different without Ndamukong Suh. Obviously, this makes it more difficult to prepare for whatever the mad coordinator is cooking up.

Plus, as was covered a few slides ago, San Diego's secondary is talented but lacks the physical presence to affect Detroit's receivers. The Lions struggle against aggressive defenses that attack receivers at the line of scrimmage. Considering the physical mismatches against Calvin Johnson, that would be a poor strategy.

This one won't be easy. Detroit needs to retain its smart ways with the football, making the Chargers earn whatever they get. In the end, the more talented roster with a rising quarterback will have enough juice to pull off a tough road win.

I recently went on record to say Detroit would finish 12-4. It's a strong statement fortified by the talent level and leadership present. None of it will happen without Matthew Stafford taking a step forward, and DeAndre Levy's absence throws a game-or-two monkey wrench into that prediction.

However, few teams are built as well as the Lions. The obvious caveats always apply, but this should be the first of many wins this season.

All advanced stats, grades and positional rankings are courtesy of Pro Football Focus.

Brandon Alisoglu is a Detroit Lions Featured Columnist who has written about the Lions on multiple sites. He also co-hosts a Lions-centric podcast, Lions Central Radio. Yell at him on Twitter about how wrong he is @BrandonAlisoglu.