ALLEN PARK – The Detroit Lions (0-0-1) kicked off the season with a tie that left fans, coaches and players frustrated.

After surrendering an 18-point lead on the road against the Arizona Cardinals, the Lions look to rebound this Sunday in their home opener at Ford Field. Like the Lions, the Los Angeles Chargers (1-0) took their own season opener into overtime but clinched a 30-24 victory over the Indianapolis Colts with a touchdown from running back Austin Ekeler.

Here are five things to watch as the Lions look to bounce back against the Chargers.

1. No Melvin Gordon, no problem

Any concerns the Chargers would miss veteran running back Melvin Gordon during his contract holdout were pushed aside when his replacement, Ekeler, caught three touchdown passes.

Ekeler and Justin Jackson combined for 115 rushing yards but Ekeler could be the real thorn in the Lions defense’s side with his ability to break tackles and use that momentum to find the end zone. After catching a screen pass from QB Philip Rivers at the Chargers 40-yard-line, Ekeler ran it for a 55-yard touchdown while breaking multiple tackles.

With Ekeler barreling through defenders and seventh-year receiver Keenan Allen also winning his own battles with defenses, the Chargers have a few weapons on offense that can outrun, and in some instances out-leap their coverage.

2. The pass rush, oh the pass rush

After Matthew Stafford got sacked three times on Sunday -- once by Chandler Jones and twice by Terrell Suggs -- the offensive line will again have to prep for another dangerous duo. Chargers defensive ends Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa each recorded a sack against the Colts. Together, they create a ton of pressure but are so quick off the snap that the Colts offensive line really felt it.

Bosa and Ingram also racked up five quarterback hits between them and will likely keep pressure on Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, especially if left tackle Taylor Decker struggles again.

3. Rivers is no Kyler, in more ways than one

A week after facing a rookie QB making his first start, the Lions must contend with a 13-year veteran who is far more accurate when he lets the ball fly.

On Sunday, rookie Kyler Murray didn’t seem to find his groove until the final quarter of the game. Rivers, on the other hand, fell into rhythm by the end of the first quarter, with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Ekeler.

Sunday was Rivers’ 209th consecutive start for the Chargers, placing him behind only Eli Manning and Brett Favre on the all-time list for most starts in a row. (Stafford is 6th on that list with 129 starts.)

4. Will Detroit have fewer penalties this time around?

The Lions racked up nine penalties against them last Sunday, careless play that cost them 59 yards. Making matters worse, many of the penalties came at times when the Lions couldn’t afford mistakes, such as the 15-yard face mask penalty by Trey Flowers on the Cardinals’ game-tying drive.

Three of those penalties came from Decker, and he added another that was declined. He struggled to contain Suggs and Jones and allowed two sacks.

Free yards for a Chargers team that put up 458 yards of offense last week will make getting a victory that much harder for the Lions.

5. Will T.J. Hockenson repeat his amazing debut?

A week after breaking the record for a rookie tight end debut, T.J. Hockenson gets the chance to show hometown fans why the Lions used a top 10 pick on him.

The Chargers held ex-Lions tight end Eric Ebron to 8 yards on one catch last weekend, a far cry from the 131 yards and one touchdown that Hockenson put up on six catches in the opener.

With Hockenson’s ability to break tackles and get open, he should be able to put up bigger numbers against a Chargers defense that had trouble stopping the rest of the Colts receiving corps.