SAN DIEGO — Ameer Abdullah scored on his first career carry. Then Glover Quin scored on his first career pick-six.
Once Eric Ebron scored on his first touch of the season, the Detroit Lions held a commanding 21-3 lead. It wasn’t even halftime yet.
Then it all fell apart.
San Diego reeled off 30 unanswered points against Detroit’s short-handed defense, and dealt Detroit a 33-28 loss in both teams’ season opener.
The Lions have now lost all five games they’ve played in San Diego, and have beaten the Chargers just once since 1978. They’ll return to action next Sunday when they face the Minnesota Vikings in their home opener at TCF Bank Stadium.
Detroit (0-1) will hope to get back star linebacker DeAndre Levy (hip) for that one, because his presence was sorely missed against San Diego. Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers did whatever he wanted to in the middle of the field, finishing 35 of 42 passing for 404 yards, two touchdowns and two intercpetions.
San Diego was doubling up Detroit’s supposedly vaunted passing attack as late as the third quarter, and finished with 484 yards overall. The Lions allowed only 300.9 yards per game all last season.
