National Football League
San Diego Chargers
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Chargers History
After beginning their initial season in 1961 and opening on the road with a 26-10 defeat of the Dallas Texans. Their home debut would result in the 44-0 crushing of the Oakland Raiders. The Chargers would go on an 11-game winning streak that shot them into the AFL Championship game against the Houston Oilers. The Oilers brought the upstart franchise back to earth with a 10-3 beating in front of 29,556 home fans.
The 1963 season saw Hall of Fame QB Tobin Rote have an outstanding season in which he passed for 2,510 yards as WR Lance Alworth scores 11-touchdowns earning the AFL Player of the Year Award. In the AFL Championship game, the Chargers blitz the Boston Patriots 51-10. RB Keith Lincoln racks up 349 total yards of offense. For the next two seasons, the Chargers would get into the AFL Championship game but would not be able to win losing to the Buffalo Bills 20-7 in ’64 and 23-0 in ’65.
The Chargers would not make it into the playoffs again until 14 seasons later in the 1980 season as they post an 11-5 record. QB Dan Fouts passes for 4,715 yards and 30 touchdowns and they soared into the playoffs. In the first round they dispatched the Buffalo Bills 20-14. However, the Oakland Raiders would end the phenomenal season with a 20-14 victory in the AFC Championship Game.
The 1981 season would again see the Chargers QB Dan Fouts surpass his prior season record with 4,802 yards and 33 touchdowns. RB Chuck Muncie also had a great season as he rushed for 1, 144 yards and 19 touchdowns as the team racked up a 10-6 record. In the playoffs, the Chargers battled Miami in a game that will forever be known as The Epic in Miami. The game saw San Diego jump out to a 24-0 lead in the first quarter. The Miami defense would stiffen as the offense got on track. The Dolphins scored 17 unanswered points in the 2nd quarter and managed the score to 24-17. In the 3rd quarter, the Chargers score once and the dolphins post 14 points bringing the score to 31-all by the end of the 3rd. The 4th quarter would see both teams manage a touchdown and by the end of the game it was tied at 38. In the overtime period, the players were dead tired and dehydrated and everyone hoped for a quick end to the game. That was not to be however as the Bolts win the toss, they march down the field to the Miami 10-yard line. PK Rolf Benirschke attempts a 27-yard FG but due to a poor snap and a bad hold, the kick sails wide left. Miami then takes the ball and marches down to the San Diego 34-yard line where PK Von Schamann attempts a 34-yard FG attempt that is partially blocked by DL Leroy Jones. The Chargers take control of the ball again and drive from their own 16-yard line. QB Dan Fouts leads his team 74-yards to the Miami 10 where PK Benirschke attempts his second kick of the OT. This time the 29-yard kick splits the uprights and the Chargers take a 41-38 victory. The next week, the Cincinnati Bengals, aided by a -59 degree wind chill, blow out the Chargers 27-7 eliminating them from the playoffs for the 2nd year in a row.
In 1994, the Chargers again found themselves in a race for the title as they finished with a strong 11-5 record. In the Playoffs, the Chargers would take on the Miami Dolphins and after falling behind early manage to take a 22-21 lead in the 4th quarter and win. In the
AFC Championship game, the Bolts would go up against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh. The Steelers come out and take control early and lead the entire game up until the middle of the 4th quarter when the Bolts take a 17-13 lead on a Stan Humphries to Tony Martin hook up. Pittsburgh would respond and Neil O’Donnell marched his team to the Chargers end one but the San Diego Defense would stiffen and not allow Pittsburgh to score. In the final play of Pittsburgh possession, O’Donnell’s 4th down pass is knocked down by Dennis Gibson and the Charges took over possession and ran the clock down for their first Super Bowl.
Super Bowl XXIX Matched the first time Chargers against the San Francisco 49er’s in Miami. The All California Super Bowl proved less than the hype as the 49er’s took control of the game blitzing the Chargers 49-26.
In 2007 with Head Coach Norv Turner, the Chargers returned to their original white helmets in a hope to erase prior playoff disappointment. The team posts an 11-5 record and marched into the playoffs with full confidence in Phillip Rivers and LaDainian Tomlinson. In the Division playoffs, the team matched up against the Tennessee Titans and dispatched them 13-6 winning their 1st playoff game in 13-years. In the Divisional playoffs, the Chargers meet Indianapolis Colts who were the defending Super Bowl Champions. Both QB Rivers and RB Tomlinson would be knocked out of the game with injuries and backup QB Billy Volek led the team to a victory with a 1-yard QB sneak to give the Chargers 28-24 lead to reach the AFC Championship game against the unbeaten New England Patriots. With both Rivers and Tomlinson banged up, there was little hope for the Bolts to win. While LT couldn’t suit up for the game, QB Phil Rivers did and gave the Patriots all they could handle but they could not overcome the juggernaut that New England had become and fell to the Patriots 21-12.
The Chargers have made the playoffs 15imes in 48seasons. They have won their Division 13 times (1691, ,1963, 1964, 1965, 1979, 1980, 1891, 1982, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008). They have won the Conference Championship 4 times (1980, 1981, 1994 and 2007). The team has won the AFL Championship Game (prior to 1966) 4 Times (1961, 1963, 1964, and 1965) and they have not won the Super Bowl.
The Chargers have 11 Hall of Famers on their Rosters: Lance Alworth (1965-1970), Fred Dean (1975-1981), Dan Fouts (1973-1987), Coach Sid Gillman (1961-69, 1971), Charlie Joiner (1976-1986), Deacon Jones (1972-1973), Larry Little (1967-1968), John Mackey (1972), Ron Mix (1961-1969), Johnny Unitas (1973) and Kellen Winslow (1979-1987)
Team Awards for the Chargers include 1 Coach of the Year Award (2004 Marty Schottenheimer), 1 AFL Rookie of the Year Award (1961 Earl Faison), 1 Defensive Rookie of the Year Award (2005 Shawne Merriman), 1 Offensive Rookie of the Year (1974 Don Woods), 2 AFL Player of the Year Awards (1963 Lance Alworth and 1965 Paul Lowe) and 2 Offensive Player of the Year Awards (1982 Dan Fouts and 2006 LaDainian Tomlinson) and 1 NFL MVP Award (2006 LaDainian Tomlinson)
The Chargers have retired two jerseys; # 14 Dan Fouts and # 19 Lance Alworth.
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