This wasn’t new.

“It doesn’t surprise me,” Chargers head coach Mike McCoy said. “That’s Keenan Allen.”

It was more like renewed.

Allen had a career game Sunday in the Chargers season-opening 33-28 victory over the Detroit Lions. His 15 receptions tied Kellen Winslow for most in franchise history. Allen’s 166 yards were the most in his young career. He caught all but two of the passes thrown his way. He made one-handed grabs, leaped for balls, turned back across his body.


It was, really, what we had come to expect. Not every game, of course. But not seldom, either.

Chargers over Lions: Complete coverage

Allen in 2013 became the 12th rookie in the modern era (since 1970) to have 1,000 receiving yards. That doesn’t happen by accident. He followed that season of 77 catches for 1,046 yards and eight touchdowns with 77 receptions for 783 yards and four TDs in 2014.

“You can say it was a disappointment compared to my first year,” Allen said Sunday evening. “But I still led the team in receptions.”

Yes, his dip season remains a sore spot for Allen. He is, by virtually all accounts, matured. But he is still not entirely comfortable acknowledging he took a step back in the season after he’d served notice he deserved every defense’s best.


So whether he’s back is up for debate.

“I don’t think I ever left,” Allen said.

1 / 54 Chargers Melvin Gordon runs in the 1st quarter against the Lions. (K.C. Alfred) 2 / 54 San Diego Chargers vs Detroit Lions at Qualcomm Stadium. running back Melvin Gordon (28) of the San Diego Chargers breaks free for in the first quarter. (Sean M. Haffey) 3 / 54 Chargers Stevie Johnson dives in for a 3rd quarter touchdown against the Lions. (K.C. Alfred) 4 / 54 Chargers Stevie Johnson celebrates a 3rd quarter touchdown against the Lions. (K.C. Alfred) 5 / 54 San Diego Chargers vs Detroit Lions at Qualcomm Stadium. Philip Rivers is sacked in the first quarter. (Sean M. Haffey) 6 / 54 Detroit Lions running back Ameer Abdullah scores a touchdown against the San Diego Chargers during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 13, 2015, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo) ( / The Associated Press) 7 / 54 Lions Glover Quin runs in a touchdown after intercepting Chargers Philip Rivers in the 2nd quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 8 / 54 Philip Rivers reacts as Detroit Lions safety Glover Quin runs in a touchdown after an interception in Sunday’s second quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 9 / 54 Chargers Melvin Gordon was called down on this first quarter run which he ran to the end zone against the Lions in the 1st quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 10 / 54 Chargers Josh Lambo kicks a field goal in the 1st quarter against the Lions. (K.C. Alfred) 11 / 54 Chargers Philip Rivers gets sacked by Lions Ezekiel Ansah in the 2nd quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 12 / 54 Chargers Ladarius Green makes a catch by Lions Stephen Tulloch. (K.C. Alfred) 13 / 54 Chargers Danny Woodhead dives in for a touchdown against the Lions in the 2nd quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 14 / 54 Chargers Malcom Floyd makes a catch in front of Lions Darius Slay in the 2nd quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 15 / 54 Chargers Philip Rivers throws to Keenan Allen against the Lions in the 3rd quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 16 / 54 Chargers Keenan Allen make a catch over Lions Rashean Mathis in the 3rd quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 17 / 54 Chargers Patrick Robinson intercepts a pass in the 3rd quarter against the Lions. (K.C. Alfred) 18 / 54 Chargers coach Mike McCoy celebrates during a win over the Lions at Qualcomm Stadium. (K.C. Alfred) 19 / 54 Chargers Ladarius Green scores a touchdown in the 4th quarter against the Lions. (K.C. Alfred) 20 / 54 Chargers Stevie Johnson makes a catch for a 34-yard play against in the 4th quarter against the Lions. (K.C. Alfred) 21 / 54 Chargers Stevie Johnson makes a catch for a 34-yard play against in the 4th quarter against the Lions. (K.C. Alfred) 22 / 54 Chargers Danny Woodhead, right, celebrates his second touchdown of the game with Chris Watt against the Lions. (K.C. Alfred) 23 / 54 Chargers Keenan Allen makes a catch against the Lions in the 4th quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 24 / 54 San Diego Chargers vs Detroit Lions at Qualcomm Stadium.running back Ameer Abdullah (21) of the Detroit Lions busts free for a first quarter Detroit touchdown. (Sean M. Haffey) 25 / 54 San Diego Chargers vs Detroit Lions at Qualcomm Stadium. running back Melvin Gordon (28) of the San Diego Chargers breaks free for in the first quarter. (Sean M. Haffey) 26 / 54 San Diego Chargers vs Detroit Lions at Qualcomm Stadium. Danny Woodhead lunges into the end zone in the second quarter for a touchdown. (Sean M. Haffey) 27 / 54 San Diego Chargers vs Detroit Lions at Qualcomm Stadium. Danny Woodhead reacts to lunging into the end zone in the second quarter for a touchdown. (Sean M. Haffey) 28 / 54 San Diego Chargers vs Detroit Lions at Qualcomm Stadium. Quarterback Philip Rivers (17) of the San Diego Chargers under pressure in the first half. (Sean M. Haffey) 29 / 54 San Diego Chargers vs Detroit Lions at Qualcomm Stadium.Cornerback Darius Slay (23) of the Detroit Lions beats wide receiver Malcom Floyd (80) of the San Diego Chargers and picks off this pass in the second quarter. (Sean M. Haffey) 30 / 54 San Diego Chargers vs Detroit Lions at Qualcomm Stadium. Running back Melvin Gordon (28) of the San Diego Chargers breaks free for extra yards in the first half. (Sean M. Haffey) 31 / 54 San Diego Chargers vs Detroit Lions at Qualcomm Stadium.Linebacker Kyle Emanuel (51) of the San Diego Chargers chases down and then sacks quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) of the Detroit Lions in the second half. (Sean M. Haffey) 32 / 54 San Diego Chargers vs Detroit Lions at Qualcomm Stadium.Linebacker Kyle Emanuel (51) of the San Diego Chargers chases down and then sacks quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) of the Detroit Lions in the second half. (Sean M. Haffey) 33 / 54 San Diego Chargers vs Detroit Lions at Qualcomm Stadium. tight end Ladarius Green (89) of the San Diego Chargers busts in on a TD in the second half. (Sean M. Haffey) 34 / 54 San Diego Chargers vs Detroit Lions at Qualcomm Stadium. tight end Ladarius Green (89) of the San Diego Chargers and wide receiver Steve Johnson (11) of the San Diego Chargers jump to celebrate a TD by Green in the second half. (Sean M. Haffey) 35 / 54 San Diego Chargers vs Detroit Lions at Qualcomm Stadium. Nose tackle Sean Lissemore (98) of the San Diego Chargers chases down quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) of the Detroit Lions in the second half. (Sean M. Haffey) 36 / 54 San Diego Chargers vs Detroit Lions at Qualcomm Stadium. Linebacker Kyle Emanuel (51) of the San Diego Chargers intercepts this pass in the second half. (Sean M. Haffey) 37 / 54 San Diego Chargers vs Detroit Lions at Qualcomm Stadium.Inside linebacker Manti Te’o (50) of the San Diego Chargers and linebacker Kyle Emanuel (51) of the San Diego Chargers react to intercepting a pass from quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) of the Detroit Lions in the second half. (Sean M. Haffey) 38 / 54 San Diego Chargers vs Detroit Lions at Qualcomm Stadium. Kicker Josh Lambo (2) of the San Diego Chargers puts it through on this extra point in the second half. (Sean M. Haffey) 39 / 54 Quarterback Philip Rivers (17) of the San Diego Chargers under pressure in the second half. (Sean M. Haffey) 40 / 54 San Diego Chargers vs Detroit Lions at Qualcomm Stadium. Fullback Zach Zenner (34) of the Detroit Lions is stacked up and brought down in the first half by the San Diego Chargers. (Sean M. Haffey) 41 / 54 San Diego Chargers vs Detroit Lions at Qualcomm Stadium. linebacker Kyle Emanuel (51) of the San Diego Chargers and defensive end Ricardo Mathews (90) of the San Diego Chargers react to a sack by Emanuel. (Sean M. Haffey) 42 / 54 San Diego Chargers vs Detroit Lions at Qualcomm Stadium. Running back Melvin Gordon (28) of the San Diego Chargers breaks free in the first half. (Sean M. Haffey) 43 / 54 San Diego Chargers vs Detroit Lions at Qualcomm Stadium. Philip Rivers under pressure in the first half. (Sean M. Haffey) 44 / 54 Chargers Stevie Johnson dives in for a 3rd quarter touchdown against the Lions. (K.C. Alfred) 45 / 54 Chargers fans express their feelings against the Chargers staying in San Diego at Qualcomm Stadium. (K.C. Alfred) 46 / 54 Chargers coach Mike McCoy celebrates during a win over the Lions at Qualcomm Stadium. (K.C. Alfred) 47 / 54 Chargers coach Mike McCoy celebrates during a win over the Lions at Qualcomm Stadium. (K.C. Alfred) 48 / 54 Chargers coach Mike McCoy celebrates during a win over the Lions at Qualcomm Stadium. (K.C. Alfred) 49 / 54 Chargers Philip Rivers throws to Danny Woodhead in the 1st quarter against the Lions. (K.C. Alfred) 50 / 54 Chargers D.J. Fluker is treated for an injury against the Lions. (K.C. Alfred) 51 / 54 San Diego Chargers vs Detroit Lions at Qualcomm Stadium.running back Ameer Abdullah (21) of the Detroit Lions busts free for a first quarter Detroit touchdown. (Sean M. Haffey) 52 / 54 Chargers Philip Rivers gets sacked by Lions Ezekiel Ansah in the 2nd quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 53 / 54 Lions Glover Quin runs in a touchdown after intercepting Chargers Philip Rivers in the 2nd quarter. (K.C. Alfred) 54 / 54 Chargers Keenan Allen celebrates a first down in the 4th quarter against the Lions. (K.C. Alfred)

Whether he’s back must also wait.


This is the kid who lined up in the wrong spot, ran the wrong route, slipped or otherwise goofed up on a regular basis last season. He had some stellar games but was so inconsistent that veterans would often roll their eyes when asked about him, some of them showing an open disdain for the talent that seemed to be in danger of drowning in a sea of inconsistency and bogged down by the occasional lack of focus in practices and games.

That what Allen did Sunday was not beyond the realm of what we had imagined for him could be as frustrating as it appears promising – if not for the fact that the consensus has been for months that Allen is a new man. Still just 23 years old, we might actually only now be able to consider him a man.

“He’s doing a great job – better than before, a lot of extra this year compared to last year,” Malcom Floyd said.

That concurs with what so many reported during the summer and what was evident day after day in training camp. Allen might not have had a bad practice and had to be forced to rest. He is engaged in meetings and a regular in the sauna, the hot rub and cold tub.


“His daily commitment,” Rivers said of the difference. “… He was learning how to do it every day. It’s just been evident … He just seems focused and all in.”

Allen is at least five pounds lighter this season, and it shows in a lightning-strike break off the line of scrimmage and his ability to separate. It looks like 2013, when he was at times all but uncoverable.

He doesn’t like the comparison, as it leads to talk of what ensued in ’14. But he doesn’t deny he has approached the offseason and, thus far, the season with a refined focus.

“Just committing and buying in,” he explained. “Just knowing what can happen for me if I go out and do what I’m supposed to do.”

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