CANTON, Ohio (AP) — Fifteen wins. No. 1 seed. Super Bowl betting favorites.
The Detroit Lions fell way short last season, going one-and-done in the playoffs after having the best regular season in franchise history.
They still have a loaded roster stacked with talent and plenty of unfinished business.
The Lions kick off their quest for their first Super Bowl title when they take on the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night in the Hall of Fame game, which opens the NFL’s preseason schedule.
The Chargers are also coming off a season that ended with a loss in their playoff opener, a wild-card game against Houston. But it was a different vibe in Los Angeles where Jim Harbaugh came in and led a six-win improvement.
Harbaugh, who led Michigan to a national championship before leaving for the NFL, guided the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl in his second season in 2012. Can he do it again with the Chargers? They haven’t won any titles since capturing the 1963 AFL championship.
Expectations are high for both teams but it’s a long road to the Vince Lombardi trophy.
It starts in the exhibition opener, two days ahead of the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
“It’s a new season, it’s a new beginning,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said as he enters his fifth season in charge. “You understand what that road looks like and there’s going to be nothing easy about it. But I think it’s — every year you do this and you just realize, ‘Hey man, just get in.’ Win this division — that’s always going to be the goal. Find a way to win your division because now you’re automatically in and then once you’re in, it’s the matchup. And don’t worry about the — OK, maybe we have to go on the road, so be it, or if something happens.
“You take your best unit, you put your best practice that you can together, find the guys that you’re going to use to try to go win that game and then let it ride. No, I’m still as enthusiastic as ever. I know these guys are. There’s a price to be paid to get yourself back into the dance, back into the tournament, and that will never change and if we let that slide at all, then we’re going to be sitting here at home in January and that’s not what we want.”
Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, Penei Sewell and the rest of Detroit’s star-studded offense won’t see any action against Los Angeles. Hendon Hooker and Kyle Allen will play quarterback for the Lions as they battle to be Jared Goff’s backup.
Justin Herbert and the Chargers’ veterans also will watch from the sideline. Trey Lance will start at quarterback for Los Angeles. Lance, the 25-year-old third overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, is on his third team after stops in San Francisco and Dallas.
“He’s had a heck of a camp,” Harbaugh said. “I just want to get Trey Lance game experience. With his career and then in college, he doesn’t have as much as most guys.”
Rookie DJ Uiagalelei, who signed with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent, is scheduled to play the second half. Veteran Taylor Heinicke will serve as the emergency third quarterback.
Rookie running back Omarion Hampton, selected by Los Angeles 22nd overall and wide receiver Tre Harris, a second-round pick, are expected to play. But Detroit’s top two draft picks, defensive tackle Tyleik Williams and guard Tate Ratledge, aren’t scheduled to play.
The game features the debut of Detroit’s two new coordinators. OC John Morton replaced Ben Johnson, who left to coach Chicago. DC Kelvin Sheppard took over for Aaron Glenn, who went to coach the New York Jets.
“I’ve said this before, it hurts to lose two guys that, man, have been here from the beginning, have a lot of trust and faith in,” Campbell said. “There’s a lot of communication that goes that’s not even said because once you get to that, you understand each other. A look, a nod, body demeanor says it all. And that’s just a little bit of what we have to gain together between myself, Johnny Morton and Shepp. But that takes a minute, it takes time. We’ll get it, it’ll come. That’s what practice is about, that’s what preseason games early in the year, all of that. We’ll be good.”
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