The Los Angeles Chargers were in a battle in Week 1. It took overtime to do it, but they snuck by the Indianapolis Colts with a final score of 30-24.
Meanwhile, the Detroit Lions also went to overtime in their Week 1 matchup. They were facing off with the Arizona Cardinals; however, there was no winner in this game. The teams ended up tying by a final score of 27-27.
With both teams playing some extra football last week, things could get crazy in Week 2. Although the Chargers enter the game as favorites, it's only slightly—and they are the away team.
Hey, anything can happen in the NFL, right?
So what exactly will happen this week? Here are four bold predictions for the Chargers in their Week 2 matchup with the Lions.
Austin Ekeler Produces Yet Again
Superstar running back Melvin Gordon is in the middle of a holdout. Lucky for the Chargers, they have a really good backup.
That backup is Austin Ekeler, and he'd be a big part of an offense on a lot of teams. With Gordon out of the picture at the moment, that's exactly what he's doing in Los Angeles.
In Week 1, Ekeler carried the ball 12 times for 58 yards and a touchdown. He was only getting started. The running back also reeled in six receptions for 98 yards and another two touchdowns.
That's a massive day overall. It's also something that he can keep pace with.
Yes, asking Ekeler to recreate 150-plus yards and three touchdowns a week is a little insane. However, you can expect somewhat similar production at least.
He'll be a major threat in the passing game at all times and is a consistent runner who might not be as flashy as Gordon but can still get the job done.
The Lions defense is a lot better than many give them credit for, but they still have their flaws. Ekeler is the kind of player that can expose those flaws perfectly, and it will lead to another massive game from the 24-year-old.
Slow Down Detroit's Passing Attack
The Detroit Lions like to pass the ball. That might be the understatement of the century. They've been throwing the ball a lot for a long time.
However, that's sort of changing. They're still very focused on the pass, but they have tons of potential in the running game.
Even so, the offense still runs through the passing. If you can stop that, you stop the offense. Los Angeles has the defense to do just that.
No, you likely won't completely contain Matthew Stafford and all his weapons for the entire game, but you can definitely create problems for them.
The Chargers have a strong pass rush that can get to Stafford and make him uneasy in the pocket. Meanwhile, they have a solid secondary that should be able to handle the receivers of Detroit.
Stafford won't close in on 400 yards like he did in Week 1, and he'll likely turn the ball over once or twice as well. It will be a far cry from his strong performance against the Cardinals.
Joey Bosa Records Three Sacks
One of the reasons Stafford won't have a fun night is Joey Bosa. The defensive end causes headaches for quarterbacks pretty regularly.
He'll do that again in Week 2.
After recording 10.5 sacks in his rookie year (12 games), Bosa racked up 12.5 the following season. However, he appeared in just seven games last year (5.5 sacks)—so the hype died down slightly.
Bosa's ready to ramp that back up though. He picked up one sack last week and he's going to feast in Week 2. Sadly for the Lions, they're his next victims.
This will be Bosa's coming out party. Him reminding the league he's still young and improving, and more dangerous than ever.
Chargers Win Big In Detroit
The Chargers are favorites in this game—but barely. Detroit has the makings of a competitive enough team, and they have home field advantage in this game.
However, that won't matter for Los Angeles. The Chargers are going to come out firing. They want to prove they're the dominant team they were last year after barely sneaking a victory past the Colts in Week 1.
Philip Rivers will be on his game, and Keenan Allen is never off it. As mentioned before, Ekeler will put up numbers. Meanwhile, Justin Jackson could show that big play potential as Ekeler's backup again in Week 2.
The defense will be in top form, with Bosa leading the charge and taming Stafford and the Lions' deadly offensive attack.
Detroit will put up a fight for a little, but the Chargers will take command sooner rather than later. They win by multiple scores and kick their year off properly, walking out of Week 2 with a 2-0 record.
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