The first half of the season has been ideal for the Detroit Lions. Many of the preseason publications and prognosticators had the Lions (6-2) ascending to the top spot in the NFC North, and they have done just that. As they prepare for their Week 10 matchup against the Chargers, the Lions have the weapons to continue their success into the second half of the season.

They have a dependable quarterback in quarterback Jared Goff, a solid running game with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, a big-time receiver in Amon-Ra St. Brown, a much-improved defense and a head coach in Dan Campbell that has developed a strong, confident team that appears to have the wherewithal to overcome years of failure.

The Lions have never been to the Super Bowl and have appeared in the NFC Championship just once in the Super Bowl era. They have often fallen flat since the late 1950s and their long-suffering fans have waited to have a competitive team.

The second half of the season will be a challenge. The Lions face a significant test when they face the Chargers on the road this week, and they also have a closing stretch that includes the Dallas Cowboys and 2 games against the Vikings.

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The talented Chargers have rebounded from a slow start by winning 2 games in a row. Here are bold predictions for the Lions as they attempt to start the second half of the season with an important victory.

The Goff to St. Brown connection will be good for 100-plus yards and 1 touchdown

Goff has flourished since coming to the Lions and he is having an excellent season as the trigger man for the Detroit offense.

He has completed 200 of 293 passes for 2,174 yards with a 12 to 5 touchdown to interception ratio. He has had 35 plays of 20 yards or more, and he has built a solid connection with his best receiver.

St. Brown (blisters) has caught 57 passes for 665 yards, and both of those figures are team highs. He has caught 3 TD passes and he has 9 receptions of 20 yards or more. While St. Brown has decent speed, he is not a burner compared to several of the game's elite receivers. Nevertheless, he leads the Lions with 242 yards after the catch.

This connection needs to exploit the Chargers pass defense. The Chargers rank 32nd in passing yards allowed per game, and they are completely vulnerable to the Goff-St. Brown combination.

Look for these 2 to get off to a good start in this game and continue their assault for 4 quarters.

Running back duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery will combine for 120 yards and TD

Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have been an excellent duo for the Lions at the running back position.

Gibbs has met expectations as the team's first-round draft choice last April, and he has gained 399 yards and averaged 5.3 yards per carry on 76 rushing attempts. He has gotten into the end zone twice and he has 4 carries of 20 yards or more.

Gibbs is also a solid receiver as he has caught 28 of the 33 passes that Goff has thrown his way for 165 yards. He could become even more of a receiving weapon in this game against the porous Chargers pass defense.

Montgomery has been the perfect complement as a back who can power his way between the tackles. He has rushed for 385 yards on 94 carries while averaging 4.1 yards per attempt. When the Lions get deep in the red zone, look for Montgomery to get the call near the goal line as he has 6 rushing touchdowns.

Aidan Hutchinson will harass Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert and emerge with 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble

One of the primary reasons the Lions have shown so much improvement this year is that the defense has stepped up after a brutal performance a year ago.

This team ranked 32nd in yards allowed per game in 2022, but that's in the past. The Lions are one of the best teams in that area as they have improved to the No. 5 spot in the league, allowing 296.9 yards per game.

Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn deserves much of the credit for building a cohesive and hard-hitting unit, and second-year defensive end Aidan Hutchinson is his most impactful player.

Hutchinson has a team-high 4.5 sacks, 4 tackles for loss, 4 passes defensed, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble and 2 fumble recoveries in addition to 23 tackles. Hutchinson has a non-stop motor, and it revs highest on the game's most important plays.

Look for Hutchinson to get after Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert and cause significant problems for the Los Angeles offense.