Chargers News: On Sunday, Lions starting running back returns from injured reserve to take on the Bolts
Running back David Montgomery of the Detroit Lions has been taken off of both his team’s injured reserve list and injury report ahead of your Los Angeles Chargers’ highly anticipated matchup with the 6-2 Lions on Sunday, according to Tom Pelissero of The NFL Network:
In Week 5, Montgomery sustained a rib injury against the Buccaneers. As a result of his injury, the Lions had to modify their offensive strategy, which primarily relied on inside runs and clock-chewing playmaking, which Montgomery helped to establish.
This is especially significant for the Lions’ game against the Chargers, since their best chance of winning is probably to run the ball more, manage the clock, and wear down the Bolts’ defense.
The Chargers’ chances of pulling off an offensive miracle are diminished by Detroit’s ability to keep their defense off the field and Justin Herbert off the ball, especially given how poorly Kellen Moore’s team has been playing lately.
Given that Montgomery is one of the NFL’s top short-yardage backs, this also gives Detroit, who thrive at play action, more opportunities to score points along the goal line.
The Chargers’ situation will likely worsen as explosive running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who has been shouldering Montgomery’s workload in his absence, is expected to return to his change-of-pace role. This will lessen Montgomery’s fatigue on the field and, as a result, increase his propensity to break off a big play.
Even without Montgomery’s injury, the Chargers are going to have a difficult game, but now that he is expected to play again, it will be even more difficult.
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With one more day until the Sunday finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip, Matt Hagan, the leader in Funny Car points, and Steve Torrence, the leader in Top Fuel points, lead their respective divisions.
POMONA: Form was held on Friday during the first of two qualifying days for the Nitro-powered Funny Car and Top Fuel competition at the In-N-Out NHRA Finals. The competition ends on Sunday with the announcement of the national champions at the In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip.
Leading Funny Car points earner Matt Hagan and leading Top Fuel points earner Steve Torrence both set the fastest times in their respective classes.
Actually, Doug Kalitta and Leah Pruett, the Top Fuel drivers in second and third position in the standings, had the second- and third-fastest qualifying times on Friday. Billy Torrence, the father of Steve Torrence, set the fourth-fastest time.
A 66-year-old Orange resident named Paul Lee, who is more famous for skydiving than drag racing, caused chaos during the Funny Car qualifying. While Bob Tasca III and Robert Hight, who are currently ranked 2-3, ran 3–4 in Friday’s qualifying, he had the second-fastest time.
Lee achieved a top speed of 322.51 mph and completed the 1,000-foot course in 3.875 seconds. However, don’t believe that those figures made him nervous. This man has jumped out of an airplane over 1,500 times. Apparently, despite his lack of career victories and final-round appearances in the top division of Funny Cars, diving headfirst into the NHRA Finals is no big deal.
Gaige Herrera, a 30-year-old professional stock motorcycle racer who currently resides in De Motte, Indiana, but was raised in La Mirada, was another Southern Californian who made an impression on Friday. A fourth-generation motorcycle racer, Herrera will win the national championship on Saturday thanks to ten victories in a record-breaking season that marked just his second at this level. With a run of 6.721 seconds and a maximum speed of 200.59 mph on his Suzuki, he set the Friday best qualifying time.
When Herrera was just 3 years old, his father Augustine—who also serves as his crew chief—bought him a child’s motorcycle. Herrera responded, “I have no idea,” when asked how quickly that one went.
Hagan, an enthusiastic weightlifter and seasoned NHRA competitor at 40 years old, resembles an NFL linebacker rather than a drag racer. People who are unfamiliar with Hagan frequently inquire about his football career.
He said, “I get that a lot.” The 6-foot-1 player first smiled and said, “I weigh 195 pounds,” in response to a question about his weight on Friday. “Well, about 250,” he hurriedly said.
He remarked, “People wonder how I am a drag racer, but in the cars we drive, weight doesn’t matter—11,000 horsepower dragsters, to be exact.
On Saturday, the Pro Stock cars and motorcycles will start qualifying at noon, and the Nitro Top Fuel and Funny Car drivers will follow an hour or so later.
