Halftime analysis: Lions running all over L.A., but key mistakes keep game tight

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Detroit Lions have both running backs for the first time in a month. They also happen to have their vaunted offensive line intact for the first time since the season opener.

It shows.

Jahmyr Gibbs ran for two early touchdowns, David Montgomery added a 75-yarder just before halftime and Detroit has piled up 177 yards on the ground overall, the biggest reason it holds a 24-17 halftime lead despite more issues in the red zone, and some late defensive breakdowns too.

Montgomery earned the start in his return from a rib injury that cost him two games, although Gibbs played really well in his place — his 315 yards from scrimmage led all players, actually — and outshined the veteran early in this one too. After the Lions were forced to settle for a field goal to open the game because of a Taylor Decker illegal block that wiped out a Jameson Williams touchdown, Gibbs took over by carrying the ball four times for 52 yards on the subsequent series. He nearly pounded a 35-yard run into the end zone, then finished things off by turning on the burners around the left end.

He wasn’t done.

After the Lions stalled on fourth down at the goal line, Gibbs scored another touchdown when he exploded through a right-side hole on fourth-and-goal. That gave Detroit a 17-3 lead, and it could have been up by so much more if Decker hadn’t illegally blocked on a Jameson Williams touchdown catch, or if Jared Goff hadn’t thrown errantly through the back of the end zone on fourth-and-goal.

Detroit was this close to a blowout, and that was before Montgomery tippy-toe’d down the left sideline for a 75-yard touchdown, thanks to two more great blocks from Williams. The speedy receiver took out his first man, then raced downfield to take out the final defender standing between Williams and the end zone.

The Chargers have no answers for what the Lions want to do on the ground.

Problem is, the Lions don’t have answers for Kennan Allen.

The L.A. wideout caught one touchdown pass to pull the Chargers back into the game, then added a 29-yarder to help them answer the Montgomery TD with another of their own with just 23 seconds left before halftime. Allen has eight catches for 113 yards overall, much of which has been accrued when he’s motioned away from the blanket coverage of Cam Sutton.

It’s been an entertaining half of football, but it would behoove the Lions to solve their breakdowns against Allen and in the red zone. Because truth be told, this game should already be out of hand.