Game story
In Week 14 of the 2003 NFL season on 2003-12-07, the Los Angeles Chargers took care of business against the Detroit Lions, pulling away with a 14–7 final that stayed a one-score game deep into the second half.
The highest-scoring period was Q1 with 7 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
J. Harrington (Detroit Lions) paced the passing game, with -4.80 total EPA.
On the individual side, L. Tomlinson (Los Angeles Chargers) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +10.49 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (+14.1% win probability) landed in the second quarter when Los Angeles Chargers changed the game: (2:05) (Shotgun) 7-D.Flutie pass to 21-L.Tomlinson for 73 yards, TOUCHDOWN. DET #25-Harris injured on play.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q4 | — | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Chargers | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Detroit Lions | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 L. Tomlinson · Los Angeles Chargers · Receiving · +10.49 total EPA · 9 snaps · +1.17 EPA/play
- 2 D. Flutie · Los Angeles Chargers · Passing · +6.77 total EPA · 26 snaps · +0.26 EPA/play
- 3 D. Boston · Los Angeles Chargers · Receiving · +5.50 total EPA · 4 snaps · +1.38 EPA/play
- 4 R. Swinton · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +4.39 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.88 EPA/play
- 5 M. Ricks · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +2.39 total EPA · 2 snaps · +1.20 EPA/play
- 6 D. Kircus · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +1.97 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.97 EPA/play
- 7 A. Gates · Los Angeles Chargers · Receiving · +1.92 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.96 EPA/play
- 8 K. Osgood · Los Angeles Chargers · Receiving · +1.72 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.72 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
L. Tomlinson — LAC · Receiving
L. Tomlinson posted the highest total EPA (+10.49) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Los Angeles Chargers's efficiency. Across 9 counted snaps, they averaged +1.17 EPA per play.
The signature play (+6.87 EPA) came from Los Angeles Chargers: (2:05) (Shotgun) 7-D.Flutie pass to 21-L.Tomlinson for 73 yards, TOUCHDOWN. DET #25-Harris injured on play.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Los Angeles Chargers — L. Tomlinson (D. Flutie pass)
- Los Angeles Chargers — L. Tomlinson (D. Flutie pass)
- Detroit Lions — C. Fitzsimmons (J. Harrington pass)
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: Los Angeles Chargers won the period 7–0. Los Angeles Chargers found the end zone from the DET 16 (Q1 49:25) — (4:25) 7-D.Flutie pass to 21-L.Tomlinson for 16 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Los Angeles Chargers added 1 points from the DET 2 (Q1 49:14) — 8-S.Christie extra point is GOOD, Center-50-D.Binn, Holder-2-D.Bennett..
The second quarter: Los Angeles Chargers won the period 7–0. Los Angeles Chargers found the end zone from the DET 73 (Q2 32:05) — (2:05) (Shotgun) 7-D.Flutie pass to 21-L.Tomlinson for 73 yards, TOUCHDOWN. DET #25-Harris injured on play.; Los Angeles Chargers added 1 points from the DET 2 (Q2 31:54) — 8-S.Christie extra point is GOOD, Center-50-D.Binn, Holder-2-D.Bennett..
The fourth quarter: Detroit Lions won the period 7–0. Detroit Lions found the end zone from the LAC 4 (Q4 7:28) — (7:28) 3-J.Harrington pass to 82-C.Fitzsimmons for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Detroit Lions added 1 points from the LAC 2 (Q4 7:22) — 4-J.Hanson extra point is GOOD, Center-51-D.Raiola, Holder-2-N.Harris..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Los Angeles Chargers (Q2 32:05) — (2:05) (Shotgun) 7-D.Flutie pass to 21-L.Tomlinson for 73 yards, TOUCHDOWN. DET #25-Harris injured on play.
- Los Angeles Chargers (Q2 41:12) — (11:12) 7-D.Flutie pass intended for 82-R.Caldwell INTERCEPTED by 42-T.Holt at DET 11. 42-T.Holt to DET 23 for 12 yards (41-L.Neal). FUMBLES (41-L.Neal), touched at DET 31, recovered by DET-32-D.Bly a
- Los Angeles Chargers (Q2 31:08) — (1:08) (Shotgun) 7-D.Flutie right end to DET 34 for 13 yards (96-J.Hall). FUMBLES (96-J.Hall), touched at DET 31, RECOVERED by DET-59-J.Gooch at DET 31. 59-J.Gooch ran ob at DET 41 for 10 yards.
- Detroit Lions (Q4 0:37) — (:37) (Shotgun) 3-J.Harrington pass to 86-M.Ricks to LAC 33 for 21 yards (20-J.Wilson; 59-D.Edwards).
- Los Angeles Chargers (Q2 38:20) — (8:20) 7-D.Flutie pass to 89-D.Boston to DET 38 for 33 yards (25-C.Harris). Double Reverse Pass. Flutie to Tomlinson to Flutie prior to pass.
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Los Angeles Chargers (Q2 32:05) — (2:05) (Shotgun) 7-D.Flutie pass to 21-L.Tomlinson for 73 yards, TOUCHDOWN. DET #25-Harris injured on play.
- Los Angeles Chargers (Q2 41:12) — (11:12) 7-D.Flutie pass intended for 82-R.Caldwell INTERCEPTED by 42-T.Holt at DET 11. 42-T.Holt to DET 23 for 12 yards (41-L.Neal). FUMBLES (41-L.Neal), touched at DET 31, recovered by DET-32-D.Bly a
- Los Angeles Chargers (Q2 31:08) — (1:08) (Shotgun) 7-D.Flutie right end to DET 34 for 13 yards (96-J.Hall). FUMBLES (96-J.Hall), touched at DET 31, RECOVERED by DET-59-J.Gooch at DET 31. 59-J.Gooch ran ob at DET 41 for 10 yards.
- Los Angeles Chargers (Q2 38:20) — (8:20) 7-D.Flutie pass to 89-D.Boston to DET 38 for 33 yards (25-C.Harris). Double Reverse Pass. Flutie to Tomlinson to Flutie prior to pass.
Quarterback report card
J.Harrington led all passers in efficiency for Detroit Lions, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- J.Harrington (Detroit Lions) · 45 dropbacks · 57.8% completion · -0.11 EPA/play · -4.80 total EPA
- D.Flutie (Los Angeles Chargers) · 26 dropbacks · 65.4% completion · +0.26 EPA/play · +6.77 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Los Angeles Chargers | Detroit Lions |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.023 | -0.132 |
| Offensive success rate | 35.0% | 32.5% |
| Pass EPA/play | +0.141 | -0.087 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.232 | -0.265 |
| Defensive EPA/play | +0.132 | +0.023 |
| Defensive success rate | 67.5% | 65.0% |
By the numbers
Despite the final score, Los Angeles Chargers generated the better offensive EPA per play (-0.02 vs -0.13), suggesting they moved the ball more efficiently.
- Detroit Lions: 12 drives, -10.94 total EPA, 1 scoring drives
- Los Angeles Chargers: 12 drives, -1.85 total EPA, 2 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Los Angeles Chargers leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- One-score margin — fantasy managers should double-check garbage-time stats before drawing conclusions.
- L. Tomlinson (Los Angeles Chargers) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Los Angeles Chargers TD (+6) — Q1 49:25 · DET 16 · Score 6-0
(4:25) 7-D.Flutie pass to 21-L.Tomlinson for 16 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Los Angeles Chargers XP (+1) — Q1 49:14 · DET 2 · Score 7-0
8-S.Christie extra point is GOOD, Center-50-D.Binn, Holder-2-D.Bennett. - Los Angeles Chargers TD (+6) — Q2 32:05 · DET 73 · Score 13-0
(2:05) (Shotgun) 7-D.Flutie pass to 21-L.Tomlinson for 73 yards, TOUCHDOWN. DET #25-Harris injured on play. - Los Angeles Chargers XP (+1) — Q2 31:54 · DET 2 · Score 14-0
8-S.Christie extra point is GOOD, Center-50-D.Binn, Holder-2-D.Bennett. - Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q4 7:28 · LAC 4 · Score 14-6
(7:28) 3-J.Harrington pass to 82-C.Fitzsimmons for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Detroit Lions XP (+1) — Q4 7:22 · LAC 2 · Score 14-7
4-J.Hanson extra point is GOOD, Center-51-D.Raiola, Holder-2-N.Harris.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Los Angeles Chargers vs Detroit Lions?
The Los Angeles Chargers beat the Detroit Lions 14-7 in Week 14, 2003 on 2003-12-07.
What was the final score of Los Angeles Chargers vs Detroit Lions?
The final score was Los Angeles Chargers 14, Detroit Lions 7 (LAC 14-7 DET) in Week 14, 2003 on 2003-12-07.
What was the score by quarter in Los Angeles Chargers vs Detroit Lions?
Q1: Los Angeles Chargers 7, Detroit Lions 0; Q2: Los Angeles Chargers 7, Detroit Lions 0; Q4: Los Angeles Chargers 0, Detroit Lions 7; Final: Los Angeles Chargers 14, Detroit Lions 7.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Los Angeles Chargers vs Detroit Lions?
Los Angeles Chargers touchdown — L. Tomlinson (D. Flutie pass) (Q1 49:25) Los Angeles Chargers touchdown — L. Tomlinson (D. Flutie pass) (Q2 32:05) Detroit Lions touchdown — C. Fitzsimmons (J. Harrington pass) (Q4 7:28) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Los Angeles Chargers vs Detroit Lions?
J. Harrington (Detroit Lions), 57.8% completion, -0.11 EPA per dropback, -4.80 total passing EPA. D. Flutie (Los Angeles Chargers), 65.4% completion, +0.26 EPA per dropback, +6.77 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Los Angeles Chargers vs Detroit Lions?
L. Tomlinson (Los Angeles Chargers) led the game in total EPA with +10.49 on receiving plays. across 9 snaps. The top single-play swing was (+6.87 EPA): (2:05) (Shotgun) 7-D.Flutie pass to 21-L.Tomlinson for 73 yards, TOUCHDOWN. DET #25-Harris injured on play.. The biggest win-probability swing was +14.1%.
Was Los Angeles Chargers vs Detroit Lions a close game?
Yes — the margin was 7 points. Los Angeles Chargers won 14-7 in a game that stayed a one-score game deep into the second half.
Season records after this game
Los Angeles Chargers
Entered 2-10 Now 3-10 W
Detroit Lions
Entered 4-8 Now 4-9 L
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