Trey Lance Shines For Los Angeles Chargers In Hall of Fame Game

Trey Lance backed up his big-name draft status with one of his best performances yet. Amid third-team uncertainty, Lance led the Los Angeles Chargers to a roaring 34-7 victory over the Detroit Lions in the Hall of Fame Game. Will this be a sign of things to come?

Lance’s Redemption Arc?

Here is a guy who’s become the NFL’s version of a wandering bard. Drafted third overall by the 49ers in 2021, Lance has since logged time with both Dallas and San Francisco before landing with the Chargers. At 25, he is on his third NFL team, but maybe the third time’s a charm? He looked razor-sharp during this glorified preseason affair, going 13-for-20 with 2 touchdowns and no interceptions.

Early Dominance

From the get-go, the Lions looked like they didn’t fully realize this game counted. Detroit fumbled the opening kickoff, letting Lance and the Chargers’ offense saunter into scoring territory. By the time the Lions blinked, the quarterback had thrown Will Dissly a 5-yard touchdown pass, and Nikko Reed, an undrafted rookie snagged a pick that set up a Kimani Vidal touchdown. It was 14-0.

Meanwhile, the Lions’ Kyle Allen took his “turnovers-per-quarter” challenge a little too literally and gave L.A. yet another interception. Lance’s second TD came courtesy of rookie KeAndre Lambert-Smith, making the Lions look all kinds of lost heading into halftime.

Why His Performance Matters

Sure, winning a preseason game doesn’t mean squat for the standings, but it does a world of good for players looking to prove their worth. Lance is battling for the QB2 slot behind Herbert, and nights like this only bolster his case. Head Coach Jim Harbaugh left the quarterback in for three quarters to see what he’s got. The guy didn’t just “check boxes” with dump-offs and easy completions; he looked decisive, ambitious, and like someone out to prove he is more than just a high draft pick bust.

After all, this is a quarterback who led the NFL in preseason passing and rushing yards just last year. He has shown he has talent, even if consistency remains elusive. For the Chargers, a revitalized Lance could be one of the league’s best insurance policies should Herbert need to miss time. Or, at the very least, he could fetch some trade value if he keeps stacking performances like this.

Detroit’s Negatives

Detroit deserves a roast session for this one with five turnovers. Even the factory floor at Ford doesn’t deliver that many handoffs. Plus, Hendon Hooker seemed overwhelmed, as he ended the night with just 18 passing yards and an interception to his name. It will be a long season if this is what the Lions call a backup plan.

What’s Next For Lance?

With his solid outing in the Hall of Fame Game, Lance is starting to quiet the doubters, at least for now. The dynamic QB remains a perfect symbol of what preseason football really is. Not a statement of “arrival,” but a sign of possibility. There is still time for Lance to script his comeback story.

Here’s the thing about Lance, though. Performances like this give teams pause. You can’t call him a franchise savior just yet, but you can’t call him irrelevant either. If the Chargers play their cards right, Lance might be the perfect “just-in-case” quarterback behind Herbert while also being a potential trade chip.

Final Thoughts

Whether you are a Lance fan still clutching your 49ers jersey or someone who bounces between teams like a Twitter user finding “the next big thing,” he proves he’s still got some spark left in the tank. For now, L.A. gets to enjoy the fruits of its investment in a QB trying to rebuild his once-top prospect image. If you tuned in expecting him to stumble, guess what? Lance flipped the script.