Lions vs Chargers: Full San Diego Game Preview

The San Diego Chargers are preparing for another White Hot Sunday in their home opener against the Detroit Lions.

The Bolts will don white jerseys and white pants as part of the promotion, and fans attending the game are being urged to do the same with their attire. The all-white look makes for an exciting atmosphere, and with temperatures projected to creep into the mid-80s it will help keep players cool in the heat of battle.

The last White Hot Sunday to go down at Qualcomm Stadium produced uplifting results, as the Chargers knocked off the Seattle Seahawks 30-21 in Week 2 of last season. San Diego faces another formidable NFC opponent in Detroit, which is looking to build off its first playoff berth in three years. Matthew Stafford and Co. bring a lot to the table on offense, especially in the passing game where Stafford has thrown for at least 4,000 yards in each of the least three seasons.

Week 1 preview starts now.

Location: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA

Date: Sunday, Sep. 13

Time: 1:05 p.m. PT (4:05 p.m. ET)

TV: FOX

All stats courtesy of NFL.com

News and Notes

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Lambo Wins Kicking Battle, Novak Released

San Diego has a new kicker, and his name is Josh Lambo. The undrafted rookie out of Texas A&M beat out veteran Nick Novak for the job over the summer, showing off accuracy (4-of-4 FGs) and leg strength (four touchbacks) during the preseason. 

Novak had been the team's kicker for the past four seasons, and an accurate one at that, but his leg strength on kickoffs became a growing concern. Lambo, a former goalkeeper for the U17 and U20 United States national team, and first-round draft pick of MLS' FC Dallas, has the stronger leg, therefore improving the kick-coverage unit's chances of preventing big returns.

Bolts Keep 4 Undrafted Rookies on 53-man Roster

GM Tom Telesco has done well to find promising young players after the draft since he took over 2013, and this year is no different. Undrafted rookies Nick Dzubnar, Tyreek Burwell, Tyrell Williams and Lambo all secured a spot on the active roster after impressing the coaching staff in the preseason.

Dzubnar led the team in tackles during the preseason with 25 and Williams logged the most receiving yards with 137. Burwell played left tackle with the second unit and was a favorite of Chargers sideline reporter and former longtime center Nick Hardwick. And Lambo, of course, caught on for the reasons mentioned above.

Green Being Evaluated for a Possible Concussion

Ladarius Green, who is set to replace veteran tight end Antonio Gates during his four-game suspension, is being evaluated for a possible concussion, the team announced on Wednesday. Including Green, the Chargers have just three tight ends on the active roster eligible to play Sunday (Miller and David Johnson are the other two). 

Should Green be forced to sit out the opener, that would place San Diego in a difficult spot, as Johnson pulls double-duty at tight end and fullback, and Miller is still learning the offense as a new player in Frank Reich's system.

Latest Injury News

Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Player	Position	Injury
Ladarius Green	TE	Concussion
Jeremiah Attaochu	OLB	Hamstring
Craig Mager	CB	Hamstring
Johnnie Troutman	G	Arm
Tourek Williams	OLB	Foot

Courtesy of Chargers.com

Troutman and Williams are sure things to miss the opener, as both are still recovering from broken bones suffered in the preseason. Green, Attaochu and Mager, however, are likely day-to-day.

We discussed earlier how Green's absence would impact the offense, and the same could potentially go for Attaochu on defense, who is expected to start alongside Melvin Ingram at outside linebacker. San Diego's pass rush would be losing one-half of its firepower, but fifth-round draft pick Kyle Emanuel might be able to get some of that back, based on how well he played in the preseason.

Assuming Green and Attaochu can heal up in time, the Chargers should be in fairly good health going into Sunday.

Key Matchups

Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Brandon Flowers and Jason Verrett vs. Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate

Verrett said during a preseason in-game interview the one receiver he's looking forward to covering this year is Johnson, and the second-year cornerback gets that opportunity right out of the gate. Johnson (6'5") has a clear size advantage over the much smaller Verrett (5'9"), but it should be an entertaining battle nonetheless given Verrett's outstanding cover skills. 

Tate, who had a career year in his first season with the Lions, will also present some problems, though it's not his size the Chargers need to worry about. It's what he can do after the catch that makes life difficult for defenders. Tate had the third-most yards after the catch in 2014 with 691, which is why defensive backs for San Diego had better wrap up when Detroit's No. 2 receiver gets the ball in his hands.

Melvin Gordon vs. Ameer Abdullah

Gordon and Abdullah used to compete against one another in the Big Ten and now they'll do so in the pros. Gordon, the 15th pick overall, and Abdullah, the 54th pick, are no longer featured backs but rather key members of committees in place with their respective teams.

Gordon got the better of Abdullah last time out when Wisconsin hosted Nebraska, setting the FBS rushing record for a single game with 408 yards, which would eventually fall soon after. Seeing the former college rivals square off again will be compelling for fans of their accomplishments in the Big Ten as well as fans of their new teams.

Matchup X-Factors

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Chargers X-Factor of the Week: Melvin Ingram

Lions head coach Jim Caldwell called Ingram a potential game-wrecker during a conference call with reporters on Wednesday. The fifth-year linebacker looked very impressive in the preseason, and Caldwell had no trouble admitting it.

"

He’s always been a highly productive guy. He can give you all kinds of problems. He looks quick and fast. And certainly he’s one of those guys they’re counting on. I don’t see any down side to his production.

He’s quite a talent. We'd better know where he is and do a good job on him, because otherwise he’ll wreck the game.

"

Matthew Stafford, when given the time, is a highly efficient passer as shown by his statistics, but the offensive line hasn't made things easy for him. Just last season, Stafford was sacked 45 times. 

The Lions traded for Manny Ramirez in the offseason and drafted Laken Tomlinson in the first round to help bolster the O-line, but Larry Warford, arguably their best player up front, is dealing with a high ankle sprain that could cause him to miss the opener. Ingram's future with the Chargers hangs on how well he performs in 2015, and the first game toward earning a big payday starts with Detroit.

Prediction: Chargers 23, Lions 21

Denis Poroy/Associated Press

San Diego is 4-0 all time at home against Detroit, and the possibility of a fifth-straight victory seems realistic with key players missing on defense for the Lions. Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley and C.J. Mosley, three of the most imposing figures up front for defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, departed in free agency and leading tackle DeAndre Levy will miss the opener with a hip injury.

Austin's unit does get a boost from the return of linebacker Stephen Tulloch, who missed most of last season due to a torn ACL, and the trade for Pro Bowler Haloti Ngata should prove fruitful, but it may not be enough to keep the Lions D as dominant as it was in 2014. Philip Rivers will test Detroit's secondary with new slot receiver Stevie Johnson, and San Diego's quartet of running backs should be able to wear down the opposing front seven without Levy in play.