Well, that was rough. The Detroit Lions opened the 2025 preseason with a 34-7 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game. The Lions' lackluster performance on offense confirmed the fears that many have towards Detroit without former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
John Morton makes his debut as the Lions offensive coordinator
John Morton made his debut as the Lions' offensive coordinator last night, and Detroit put up seven points in his first appearance. The lone score for the Lions came on a Craig Reynolds three-yard touchdown rush in the second quarter.
While it is only preseason, and no starters played in the game, many Lions fans are nervous about how their offense will operate without Ben Johnson. When Ben Johnson was the offensive coordinator for the Lions, the team was known for being fast-paced and hard to predict. Now with Morton, Lions fans are hoping he takes on a similar offensive philosophy.
Poor performance by the Lions backup QB's
Lions backup quarterbacks Kyle Allen and Hendon Hooker both played during the preseason opener and will be the starters for Detroit throughout the three-week exhibition slate. Both quarterbacks struggled in the Lions' loss to the Chargers on Thursday night.
Allen, a seven-year veteran backup quarterback, made his debut for the Lions, and it left fans frustrated. Allen started the majority of the game for the Lions, throwing for 91 yards and two interceptions on 9-of-14 passing.
Hooker, who the Lions drafted with the 68th pick in the third round of the NFL Draft out of Tennessee, didn't have a great showing either. Hooker threw for 18 yards and an interception on 3-of-6 passing.
The Lions still have the rest of the preseason to receive better performances from their backup quarterbacks.
Lions show encouraging signs despite poor offensive showing
Despite the Lions' poor offensive performance and concerns about the new offensive coaching entering the 2025 season, it's unnecessary to react to one preseason game that featured no starters. The Lions did show promising performances from their rookies on offense.
Wide receivers Issac TeSlaa and Dominic Lovett, both selected by the Lions in the 2025 NFL Draft, had impressive debuts. TeSlaa, who many expect could eventually be a starting wide receiver for the Lions, collected two catches for 46 yards. Seventh-round pick Dominic Lovett, out of Georgia, recorded five receptions for 31 yards.