# 1979 San Diego Chargers season

The 1979 San Diego Chargers season was the team's twentieth season, and tenth in the National Football League. The 1979 Chargers finished in first place in the AFC West after having finished 9–7 in 1978. The Chargers made the playoffs for the first time in fourteen years. At 12–4 the Chargers shared the best record in the AFC with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and were awarded the top AFC seed because they beat the Steelers in the regular season. This would remain their best record during the Coryell era.
Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts threw for 4,082 yards to break Joe Namath's professional record of 4,007 in 1967 (albeit with the benefit of two extra regular season games). Wide receivers Charlie Joiner and John Jefferson both gained more than 1,000 yards receiving, the first NFL teammates to accomplish the feat since the Namath-led New York Jets' duo of George Sauer and Don Maynard. The Chargers became the first AFC West champion to run more passing plays (541) then rushing (481). Clarence Williams was the leading rusher with 752 yards and a club-record 12 touchdowns.
In contrast to much of the "Air Coryell" period, the Charger defense was as strong as the offense, ranking 2nd in the league in yards allowed. Eight players combined to snag 28 interceptions, with linebackers Woodrow Lowe and Ray Preston finishing with five each. Wilbur Young led the team with 12 sacks. Kicker Rolf Benirschke began the year well, making all four of his kicks, but collapsed on the plane home from the Week 4 game at New England. He was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and missed the rest of the season. Three-time Super Bowl winner Roy Gerela was brought in as replacement, but made only one kick from seven before making way for Mike Wood, who finished 11 of 14, with all three misses coming from 50+ yards.
The season ended with a playoff loss to the Houston Oilers. It was the Chargers' first playoff game since the 1965 AFL Championship game loss to the Buffalo Bills.
As part of a marketing campaign, the Chargers created their fight song, "San Diego Super Chargers".
The 2006 edition of Pro Football Prospectus, listed the 1979 Chargers as one of their "Heartbreak Seasons", in which teams "dominated the entire regular season only to falter in the playoffs, unable to close the deal." Said Pro Football Prospectus of the team, "the creative [head coach] Don Coryell always designed potent offenses, but the San Diego defense didn't catch up until 1979. ... In their first playoff game, the Chargers hosted a Houston Oilers team missing running back Earl Campbell and quarterback Dan Pastorini and fell on their faces. Fouts threw five interceptions and no touchdowns, and the Chargers blew a third quarter lead and lost 17–14. The Chargers would not have the best record in the NFL again until the 2006 season. They would not have another top ten defense in points allowed until 1989. They would not win 12 games in a season until 2004. Their best shot at glory went horribly awry, thanks to the worst game in the illustrious career of Dan Fouts."

## Offseason
### NFL draft

1979 San Diego Chargers draft :
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
| 1 | 13 | Kellen Winslow * $^†$ | Tight end | Missouri | From Cleveland |
| 3 | 73 | Cliff Thrift | Linebacker | East Central | |
| 4 | 104 | John Floyd | Wide receiver | Northeast Louisiana | |
| 8 | 210 | Wilbert Haslip | Running back | Hawaii | |
| 9 | 237 | Alvin Garrett | Wide receiver | Angelo State | |
| 10 | 265 | Tony Petruccio | Defensive tackle | Penn State | |
| 10 | 269 | Al Green | Defensive back | Louisiana State University | Joined the NBA's Phoenix Suns |
| 11 | 295 | David Rader | Quarterback | Tulsa | |
| 12 | 321 | Frank Duncan | Defensive back | San Francisco State | |
| Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career ||||||

## Preseason

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance |
| 1 | August 4 | at San Francisco 49ers | L 10–13 | 0–1 | Candlestick Park | 32,275 |
| 2 | August 11 | Minnesota Vikings | W 19–0 | 1–1 | San Diego Stadium | 49,037 |
| 3 | August 18 | at New York Giants | W 7–3 | 2–1 | Giants Stadium | 22,341 |
| 4 | August 25 | at Los Angeles Rams | L 7–23 | 2–2 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 50,089 |

## Regular season
### Schedule

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
| 1 | September 2 | at Seattle Seahawks | W 33–16 | 1–0 | Kingdome | 62,887 | Recap |
| 2 | September 9 | Oakland Raiders | W 30–10 | 2–0 | San Diego Stadium | 50,255 | Recap |
| 3 | September 16 | Buffalo Bills | W 27–19 | 3–0 | San Diego Stadium | 50,709 | Recap |
| 4 | September 23 | at New England Patriots | L 21–27 | 3–1 | Schaefer Stadium | 60,916 | Recap |
| 5 | September 30 | San Francisco 49ers | W 31–9 | 4–1 | San Diego Stadium | 50,893 | Recap |
| 6 | October 7 | at Denver Broncos | L 0–7 | 4–2 | Mile High Stadium | 74,997 | Recap |
| 7 | October 14 | Seattle Seahawks | W 20–10 | 5–2 | San Diego Stadium | 50,077 | Recap |
| 8 | October 21 | at Los Angeles Rams | W 40–16 | 6–2 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 64,245 | Recap |
| 9 | October 25 | at Oakland Raiders | L 22–45 | 6–3 | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum | 53,709 | Recap |
| 10 | November 4 | at Kansas City Chiefs | W 20–14 | 7–3 | Arrowhead Stadium | 59,353 | Recap |
| 11 | November 11 | at Cincinnati Bengals | W 26–24 | 8–3 | Riverfront Stadium | 40,782 | Recap |
| 12 | November 18 | Pittsburgh Steelers | W 35–7 | 9–3 | San Diego Stadium | 51,910 | Recap |
| 13 | November 25 | Kansas City Chiefs | W 28–7 | 10–3 | San Diego Stadium | 50,078 | Recap |
| 14 | December 2 | Atlanta Falcons | L 26–28 | 10–4 | San Diego Stadium | 50,198 | Recap |
| 15 | December 9 | at New Orleans Saints | W 35–0 | 11–4 | Louisiana Superdome | 61,059 | Recap |
| 16 | December 17 | Denver Broncos | W 17–7 | 12–4 | San Diego Stadium | 51,906 | Recap |
| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. ||||||||

### Game summaries
#### Week 1: at Seattle Seahawks

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chargers | 0 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 33 |
| Seahawks | 3 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 16 |
at Kingdome, Seattle, Washington
* Date: September 2
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
* Game weather: Dome
* Game attendance: 62,887
* Referee: Ben Dreith
* TV announcers (NBC): Sam Nover and Mike Haffner
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
SEA – Efren Herrera 34-yard field goal, 8:26. Seahawks 3–0. Drive: 10 plays, 50 yards, 3:46.
Second quarter
SDG – Clarence Williams 1-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 14:56. Chargers 7–3. Drive: 7 plays, 63 yards, 3:20.
SDG – Rolf Benirschke 31-yard field goal, 11:16. Chargers 10–3. Drive: 4 plays, 0 yards, 1:52.
SEA – Sherman Smith 4-yard run (Efren Herrera kick), 4:51. Tied 10–10. Drive: 11 plays, 72 yards, 6:25.
SDG – Rolf Benirschke 42-yard field goal, 0:28. Chargers 13–10. Drive: 10 plays, 36 yards, 4:23.
Third quarter
SDG – Rolf Benirschke 22-yard field goal, 3:41. Chargers 16–10. Drive: 5 plays, 29 yards, 1:36.
SDG – Clarence Williams 13-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 0:00. Chargers 23–10. Drive: 7 plays, 35 yards, 3:25.
Fourth quarter
SDG – Mike Thomas 8-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 5:09. Chargers 30–10. Drive: 3 plays, 34 yards, 1:34.
SDG – Rolf Benirschke 23-yard field goal, 1:56. Chargers 33–10. Drive: 4 plays, 4 yards, 1:57.
SEA – Sherman Smith 6-yard run (kick blocked), 0:24. Chargers 33–16. Drive: 7 plays, 70 yards, 1:24.
Top passers
SDG – Dan Fouts – 21/30, 224 yards, INT
SEA – Jim Zorn – 16/28, 153 yards, 3 INT
Top rushers
SDG – Clarence Williams – 14 rushes, 73 yards, 2 TD
SEA – Sherman Smith – 18 rushes, 95 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
SDG – Artie Owens – 4 receptions, 42 yards
SEA – Steve Largent – 2 receptions, 45 yards :
Seattle led through an early field goal when John Jefferson caught a 25-yard pass to the Seahawks 1-yard line on the final play of the opening quarter. He fumbled the ball into the end zone but was ruled down by contact before losing possession. San Diego kept the ball, and Williams opened the second quarter with his first touchdown run. Three plays later, Fred Dean recovered a fumble by Seattle quarterback Jim Zorn at the Seahawks 12-yard line. San Diego's offense were unable to advance the ball, but Rolf Benirschke's first field goal extended their lead. Seattle tied the score with a 72-yard touchdown drive, then Winslow's 20-yard reception was the longest play as San Diego moved in range for Benirschke's 42-yard kick shortly before halftime, putting them 13–10 up.
Starting from midway through the 3rd quarter, the Seahawks had a string of five consecutive possessions that ended in turnovers. Firstly, Dean's second fumble recovery set up San Diego at the Seattle 32. Fouts threw a 24-yard pass to Joiner on the next play, and Benirschke soon added a third field goal. Zorn was intercepted by Ray Preston on the following play from scrimmage and Williams had carries of 17 and 13 yards, the latter for another touchdown. Seattle drove from their own 26-yard line to a 4th and 3 at the Chargers 9, but a Pete Shaw interception ended the threat. A fumble recovery by Wilbur Young at the Seattle 34-yard line was followed by runs of 4, 22 and 8 yards by Williams, Bo Matthews and Mike Thomas respectively, the latter for a touchdown. Preston's second interception led to Benirschke's final field goal.
San Diego barely outgained Seattle (356 yards to 334) and gave up more penalty yardage (110 to 40), but forced six of the game's seven turnovers.

#### Week 2: vs. Oakland Raiders

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Raiders | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| Chargers | 14 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 30 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
* Date: September 9
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
* Game weather: 73 °F (22.8 °C) relative humidity 82%, wind 9 miles per hour (14 km/h; 7.8 kn)
* Game attendance: 50,255
* Referee: Bob Frederic
* TV announcers (NBC): Jim Simpson and John Brodie
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
SDG – John Jefferson 24-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 9:22. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 65 yards, 4:01.
SDG – Bob Klein 54-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 1:51. Chargers 14–0. Drive: 3 plays, 61 yards, 0:52.
Second quarter
OAK – Jim Breech 35-yard field goal, 14:14. Chargers 14–3. Drive: 5 plays, 22 yards, 2:24.
SDG – Woodrow Lowe 32-yard interception return (Rolf Benirschke kick), 7:17. Chargers 21–3.
Third quarter
OAK – Rich Martini 22-yard pass from Ken Stabler (Jim Breech kick), 11:07. Chargers 21–10. Drive: 6 plays, 60 yards, 2:13.
SDG – Safety, Greg McCrary blocked punt out of end zone, 2:19. Chargers 23–10.
Fourth quarter
SDG – Kellen Winslow 5-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Cliff Olander kick), 11:00. Chargers 30–10. Drive: 7 plays, 36 yards, 3:50.
Top passers
OAK – Ken Stabler – 17/34, 183 yards, TD, 2 INT
SDG – Dan Fouts – 15/30, 216 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
OAK – Arthur Whittington – 10 rushes, 40 yards
SDG – Mike Thomas – 7 rushes, 49 yards
Top receivers
OAK – Raymond Chester – 7 receptions, 91 yards
SDG – John Jefferson – 5 receptions, 76 yards, TD :
The first time they had the ball, San Diego drove 65 yards to Jefferson's touchdown catch without facing a third down. Later in the 1st quarter, Mike Fuller's 17-yard punt return started San Diego off at their own 39-yard line. Two plays later they faced a 3rd and 3; Fouts found Bob Klein open at the Oakland 30 and he completed a 54-yard touchdown. Oakland responded with a field goal, then the Chargers missed a scoring opportunity Fouts fumbled the snap on a 1st and 10 from the Oakland 19-yard line. Woodrow Lowe intercepted a Ken Stabler pass three plays later and ran it back 32 yards for another touchdown. Glen Edwards stopped a Raiders drive with another interception. In the final minutes of the half, Oakland moved from their own 17-yard line to a 4th and 1 from the San Diego 3. They kept their offense on the field, but Preston and Ray Buchanan stuffed Stabler for no gain as time expired, leaving the Chargers 21–3 ahead.
Oakland scored a touchdown on their first possession of the second half, then Fouts lost another snap near midfield. Later, Jeff West pinned the Raiders at their own 2-yard line with a 33-yard punt, and the San Diego defense forced Oakland to go three-and-out. That led to a Chargers safety when Greg McCrary blocked a Ray Guy punt out of the end zone. On Oaklands next drive, Charles DeJurnett sacked Stabler at his own 1-yard line; the Raiders punted from there and San Diego only had to drive 36 yards to Winslow's touchdown on 3rd and 5 from the 6-yard line. Oakland were inside San Diego territory, on their final three drives, but turned the ball over on downs each time.
There were again numerous turnovers, with three by each team. The game featured the first career touchdowns of both Lowe and Winslow.

#### Week 3: vs. Buffalo Bills

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bills | 6 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 19 |
| Chargers | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 27 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
* Date: September 16
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
* Game weather: 79 °F (26.1 °C) relative humidity 64%, wind 8 miles per hour (13 km/h; 7.0 kn)
* Game attendance: 50,709
* Referee: Fred Silva
* TV announcers (NBC): Merle Harmon and George Kunz
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
BUF – Frank Lewis 21-yard pass from Joe Ferguson (kick failed), 9:44. Bills 6–0. Drive: 5 plays, 40 yards, 2:20.
SDG – Clarence Williams 5-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 4:46. Chargers 7–6. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 4:58.
Second quarter
SDG – Clarence Williams 1-yard run (kick blocked), 13:26. Chargers 13–6. Drive: 9 plays, 73 yards, 4:35.
BUF – Joe Ferguson 10-yard run (kick failed), 0:04. Chargers 13–12. Drive: 15 plays, 80 yards, 9:14.
Third quarter
BUF – Curtis Brown 84-yard pass from Joe Ferguson (Tom Dempsey kick), 9:27. Bills 19–13. Drive: 2 plays, 85 yards, 1:04.
SDG – Clarence Williams 55-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 8:25. Chargers 20–19. Drive: 2 plays, 64 yards, 1:02.
Fourth quarter
SDG – Clarence Williams 2-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 11:14. Chargers 27–19. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 4:52.
Top passers
BUF – Joe Ferguson – 16/29, 257 yards, 2 TD
SDG – Dan Fouts – 8/13, 100 yards
Top rushers
BUF – Terry Miller – 8 rushes, 26 yards
SDG – Clarence Williams – 18 rushes, 157 yards, 4 TD
Top receivers
BUF – Curtis Brown – 8 receptions, 157 yards, TD
SDG – Mike Thomas – 2 receptions, 53 yards :
Buffalo scored the game's opening touchdown five plays after Mike Fuller fumbled a punt return in his own territory. San Diego ran on seven out of eight plays on the ensuing possession; Thomas began the drive with a 21-yard gain, while Williams had carries of 17 and 5 yards, the latter for the touchdown. After forcing a three-and-out, they ran the ball nine times in a row, with Williams having two 14-yard runs to set up his 1-yard touchdown. The Bills converted four 3rd downs on a drive that took 9:14 off the clock and culminated in a touchdown 4 seconds before halftime. With Benirschke having had one of his extra point attempts blocked and the Bills having missed both of theirs, San Diego were 13–12 ahead at the interval.
Buffalo briefly took the lead in the 3rd quarter when running back Curtis Brown took a short pass 84 yards for a touchdown. Williams responded two plays later, breaking up the left sideline for a 55-yard touchdown. The Bills drove to the San Diego 35-yard line, but were pushed back by a penalty and a Johnson sack, eventually punting. San Diego took over on their own 20, and Fouts combined Thomas for gains of 26 and 27 yards on the drive to Williams' 2-yard touchdown. Buffalo failed to cross the Chargers 40-yard line in the final quarter.
Williams was the first Charger to rush for four touchdowns in a game; as of 2025, it remains tied for the most in franchise history. As a team, the Chargers had 245 rushing yards and only 94 passing yards; it was the only time all season that they rushed for more yardage than they passed.

#### Week 4: at New England Patriots

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chargers | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
| Patriots | 17 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 27 |
at Schaefer Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
* Date: September 23
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 55 °F (12.8 °C) relative humidity 72%, wind 14 miles per hour (23 km/h; 12 kn)
* Game attendance: 60,916
* Referee: Fred Wyant
* TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
NE – Sam Cunningham 1-yard run (John Smith kick), 11:01. Patriots 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 34 yards, 2:46.
NE – Don Calhoun 10-yard run (John Smith kick), 4:48. Patriots 14–0. Drive: 9 plays, 47 yards, 4:52.
NE – John Smith 31-yard field goal, 0:30. Patriots 17–0. Drive: 6 plays, 22 yards, 2:43.
Second quarter
NE – John Smith 31-yard field goal, 6:45. Patriots 20–0. Drive: 8 plays, 56 yards, 3:46.
SDG – John Jefferson 19-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 4:19. Patriots 20–7. Drive: 4 plays, 65 yards, 2:26.
SDG – Clarence Williams 1-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 0:06. Patriots 20–14. Drive: 6 plays, 38 yards, 2:12.
Third quarter
No scoring plays.
Fourth quarter
NE – Russ Francis 5-yard pass from Steve Grogan (John Smith kick), 14:07. Patriots 27–14. Drive: 10 plays, 64 yards, 3:47.
SDG – Clarence Williams 1-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 4:09. Patriots 27–21. Drive: 6 plays, 36 yards, 2:16.
Top passers
SDG – Dan Fouts – 20/34, 200 yards, TD, 2 INT
NE – Steve Grogan – 13/23, 157 yards, TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
SDG – Clarence Williams – 13 rushes, 34 yards, 2 TD
NE – Sam Cunningham – 22 rushes, 75 yards, TD
Top receivers
SDG – John Jefferson – 4 receptions, 59 yards, TD
NE – Russ Francis – 4 receptions, 85 yards, TD :
San Diego went three-and-out on all three of their 1st quarter possessions. Punting into a strong wind, West had kicks of 21, 28 and 30 yards, setting up New England in Chargers territory on three consecutive drives; they converted these opportunities into seventeen points. New England added a further field goal in the 2nd quarter and led 20–0 before the Chargers began their comeback. Fouts finished the following drive by hitting Jefferson for gains of 33 and 19 yards on successive plays, the latter for a touchdown. New England faced the wind in the 2nd quarter, and they shanked a punt for only 18 yards to set San Diego up at the Patriots 38-yard line. Fouts and Joiner combined for 8 yards on a 3rd and 5, and Williams scored six seconds before halftime to cut the deficit to 20–14.
San Diego had the wind at their backs again in the 3rd quarter, but ran only seven plays from scrimmage during a scoreless period. Early in the 4th quarter, Steve Grogan's touchdown pass made it 27–14. With seven minutes to play, Glen Edwards intercepted Grogan in Patriots territory. Williams ran for 13 yards on a 3rd and 2 and again scored from a yard out to draw the Chargers back within six points. Facing a 3rd and 12 on the first play after the two-minute warning, Grogan threw the ball directly to Bob Horn, who returned it 30 yards to the New England 10-yard line. Two plays netted only a single yard, and Fouts was intercepted at the goal line on 3rd down with 1:28 to play; he had Jefferson open, but misread the defense. New England gained a first down and were able to run the clock out.
Despite Williams' two scores, the Chargers' rushing attack could muster only 39 yards total, their worst tally of the season. Thomas gained no yards on his two carries but caught two passes for 46 yards and also threw an 18-yard completion.

#### Week 5: vs. San Francisco 49ers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| 49ers | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 9 |
| Chargers | 0 | 17 | 0 | 14 | 31 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
* Date: September 30
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
* Game weather: 72 °F (22.2 °C) relative humidity 69%, wind 11 miles per hour (18 km/h; 9.6 kn)
* Game attendance: 50,893
* Referee: Gene Barth
* TV announcers (CBS): Dick Stockton and George Allen
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring plays.
Second quarter
SF – Ray Wersching 32-yard field goal, 11:39. 49ers 3–0. Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 6:33.
SDG – Clarence Williams 3-yard run (Roy Gerela kick), 5:04. Chargers 7–3. Drive: 11 plays, 68 yards, 6:35.
SDG – Roy Gerela 26-yard field goal, 0:42. Chargers 10–3. Drive: 11 plays, 41 yards, 3:18.
SDG – Charlie Joiner 24-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Roy Gerela kick), 0:05. Chargers 17–3. Drive: 1 play, 24 yards, 0:06.
Third quarter
SF – O. J. Simpson 1-yard run (kick blocked), 9:06. Chargers 17–9. Drive: 6 plays, 71 yards, 2:39.
Fourth quarter
SDG – Kellen Winslow 24-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Roy Gerela kick), 9:58. Chargers 24–9. Drive: 10 plays, 69 yards, 5:32.
SDG – Hank Bauer 1-yard run (Roy Gerela kick), 0:08. Chargers 31–9. Drive: 3 plays, 4 yards, 1:27.
Top passers
SF – Steve DeBerg – 13/23, 147 yards, 2 INT
SDG – Dan Fouts – 26/34, 251 yards, 2 TD, INT
Top rushers
SF – O. J. Simpson – 16 rushes, 89 yards, TD
SDG – Clarence Williams – 14 rushes, 37 yards, TD
Top receivers
SF – Paul Hofer – 3 receptions, 57 yards
SDG – Kellen Winslow – 7 receptions, 72 yards, TD :
Roy Gerela had a chance to put the Chargers ahead on the game's opening possession, but his 43-yard field goal try was blocked. San Francisco reached the Chargers' 41-yard line before being stopped by Lowe's interception; San Diego drove to the 49ers 25-yard line before Fouts was also intercepted. The 49ers opened the scoring with a field goal early in the 2nd quarter. In response, Fouts converted 3rd downs with passes to Thomas and Williams, the latter of whom put the Chargers ahead with his 3-yard touchdown run. San Diego added a field goal on their next drive, and the 49ers were at their own 29-yard line with 21 seconds to play in the half. Horn then intercepted Steve DeBerg and ran the ball back to the 24. Fouts found Joiner for a touchdown on the next play for a 17–3 lead.
When San Francisco scored a touchdown in the 3rd quarter, Johnson blocked the extra point to keep the Chargers two scores ahead. San Diego were at the 49ers 9-yard line later in the quarter, but Fouts lost a fumble. Artie Owens' 24-yard catch moved the Chargers across midfield on their next possession; the drive appeared to have ended with a missed 41-yard kick by Gerela, but a 49ers offside penalty gave San Diego a first down. Two plays later, Winslow took a short pass in for a 24-yard touchdown. Johnson recovered a late fumble and returned it 36 yards to the San Francisco 4, allowing Hank Bauer to score from close range with 8 seconds on the clock.
Williams' rushing touchdown was his ninth of the season, already tying Paul Lowe's club record after only five games. Owens had 6 rushes for 21 yards, 3 catches for 31 yards, and 3 kickoff returns for 87 yards.

#### Week 6: at Denver Broncos

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chargers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Broncos | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado
* Date: October 7
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. MDT
* Game weather: 67 °F (19.4 °C) relative humidity 26%, wind 11 miles per hour (18 km/h; 9.6 kn)
* Game attendance: 74,997
* Referee: Red Cashion
* TV announcers (NBC): Sam Nover and Bob Trumpy
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
No scoring plays.
Second quarter
No scoring plays.
Third quarter
DEN – Norris Weese 3-yard run (Jim Turner kick), 11:01. Broncos 7–0. Drive: 2 plays, 11 yards, 0:51.
Fourth quarter
No scoring plays.
Top passers
SDG – Dan Fouts – 27/45, 305 yards, 3 INT
DEN – Norris Weese – 6/11, 35 yards
Top rushers
SDG – Clarence Williams – 13 rushes, 29 yards
DEN – Otis Armstrong – 9 rushes, 78 yards
Top receivers
SDG – Charlie Joiner – 7 receptions, 115 yards
DEN – Riley Odoms – 2 receptions, 29 yards :
Neither side crossed midfield until early in the 2nd quarter, when Fouts' 30-yard pass to Winslow converted a 3rd and 3 and brought the Chargers to Denver's 22-yard line. The drive stalled near the goal line, and Gerela had a field goal blocked. A Denver offsides penalty let him try again, but he missed from 20 yards out. He had a longer chance on the next drive and struck the left upright from 45 yards out. Lowe recovered a fumble on the Denver 45-yard line, but the Chargers gained only seven yards before punting. Denver reached the San Diego 35 late in the half before Wilbur Young sacked Norris Weese to push them out of field goal range, and the half finished scoreless.
Winslow fumbled early in the 3rd quarter; Denver recovered and returned the ball to the Chargers 11-yard line. Their touchdown came two plays later. San Diego drove to around midfield on their next two drives, which ended with a punt and an interception. Joiner's 39-yard catch set up a 34-yard Gerela field goal, which struck the right upright for his third miss. In the final minutes, Joiner's 20-yard catch on 4th and 5 gave the Chargers a first down at the Denver 44, but Fouts was intercepted again on the following play. Young's fumble recovery gave San Diego's offense a last chance from their own 33-yard line, but Fouts threw his third interception two plays later.
Despite being shut out, the Chargers outgained Denver by 374 yards to 193, including a 305–33 advantage in passing yards. The result produced a three-way tie at the top of the AFC West, with the Chargers, Broncos and Chiefs all at 4–2.

#### Week 7: vs. Seattle Seahawks

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Seahawks | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| Chargers | 7 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 20 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
* Date: October 14
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
* Game weather: 72 °F (22.2 °C) relative humidity 78%, wind 9 miles per hour (14 km/h; 7.8 kn)
* Game attendance: 50,077
* Referee: Chuck Heberling
* TV announcers (NBC): Merle Harmon and George Kunz
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
SDG – Lydell Mitchell 20-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Roy Gerela kick), 6:56. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 13 plays, 77 yards, 4:49.
Second quarter
SEA – Efren Herrera 19-yard field goal, 0:26. Chargers 7–3. Drive: 12 plays, 70 yards, 3:26.
Third quarter
SDG – John Jefferson 9-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Roy Gerela kick), 3:11. Chargers 14–3. Drive: 8 plays, 67 yards, 3:57.
Fourth quarter
SEA – Sherman Smith 8-yard run (Efren Herrera kick), 14:13. Chargers 14–10. Drive: 9 plays, 70 yards, 3:58.
SDG – John Jefferson 9-yard pass from Dan Fouts (kick failed), 4:34. Chargers 20–10. Drive: 3 plays, 54 yards, 1:26.
Top passers
SEA – Jim Zorn – 19/43, 192 yards, INT
SDG – Dan Fouts – 28/35, 315 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
SEA – Sherman Smith – 13 rushes, 78 yards, TD
SDG – Clarence Williams – 17 rushes, 45 yards
Top receivers
SEA – Steve Largent – 2 receptions, 45 yards
SDG – Dan Doornink – 8 receptions, 81 yards :
San Diego went ahead to stay on their first drive of the game: Joiner had a 16-yard catch on 3rd and 2, Williams a 2-yard run on 4th and 1, and Fouts opened the scoring with his first touchdown pass. In the 2nd quarter, Owens' 20-yard run moved the Chargers into position for a field goal, missed by Gerela from 40 yards out. San Diego's defense kept the Seahawks out of the end zone after they had driven to a 1st and goal at the Chargers 5-yard line, leading to a 7–3 halftime lead.
A 65-yard Chargers drive to open the 3rd quarter led to no points after Gerela missed from 38 yards out. Seattle went three-and-out, and San Diego drove 67 yards for a touchdown: Fouts began the drive with a 26-yard pass to Bob Klein, and end it with a 9-yard touchdown to Jefferson on a 3rd and 5. Seattle answered with a touchdown early in the 4th quarter, then executed an onside kick but went three-and-out. The Seahawks gained a first down at the San Diego 27-yard line on their next drive, but Edwards intercepted Jim Zorn in the end zone. With six minutes left, Seattle tried a fake punt on 4th and 8 from the Chargers 45-yard line, but Shaw tackled the ball carrier for no gain. Two plays gained five yards, then Fouts found Jefferson for the clinching touchdown.
Jefferson had 137 receiving yards after gaining only 273 yards in the first six games combined. San Diego fumbled five times and the Seahawks twice: each time, the fumbling team retained possession.

#### Week 8: at Los Angeles Rams

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chargers | 7 | 7 | 17 | 9 | 40 |
| Rams | 7 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 16 |
at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
* Date: October 21
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
* Game weather: 63 °F (17.2 °C) relative humidity 55%, wind 14 miles per hour (23 km/h; 12 kn)
* Game attendance: 64,245
* Referee: Gordon McCarter
* TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
SDG – Hank Bauer 1-yard run (Mike Wood kick), 7:59. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 48 yards, 4:08.
RAM – Wendell Tyler 3-yard run (Frank Corral kick), 1:00. Tied 7–7. Drive: 5 plays, 80 yards, 2:28.
Second quarter
SDG – John Jefferson 65-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Mike Wood kick), 0:56. Chargers 14–7. Drive: 3 plays, 70 yards, 0:46.
Third quarter
SDG – Wilbur Young 3-yard defensive fumble return (Mike Wood kick), 13:41. Chargers 21–7.
SDG – Mike Wood 37-yard field goal, 6:26. Chargers 24–7. Drive: 7 plays, 11 yards, 2:19.
SDG – Bob Klein 6-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Mike Wood kick), 1:42. Chargers 31–7. Drive: 5 plays, 55 yards, 2:32.
Fourth quarter
RAM – Preston Dennard 31-yard pass from Pat Haden (Frank Corral kick, 14:45. Chargers 31–14. Drive: 7 plays, 69 yards, 1:57.
SDG – Mike Wood 31-yard field goal, 11:36. Chargers 34–14. Drive: 5 plays, 47 yards, 3:02.
SDG – Hank Bauer 1-yard run, 4:33. Chargers 40–14. Drive: 1 play, 1 yard, 0:03.
RAM – Safety, Jeff West stepped out of end zone, 0:53. Chargers 40–16.
Top passers
SDG – Dan Fouts – 17/32, 326 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
RAM – Pat Haden – 17/30, 248 yards, TD, 3 INT
Top rushers
SDG – Lydell Mitchell – 12 rushes, 48 yards
RAM – Wendell Tyler – 20 rushes, 79 yards, TD
Top receivers
SDG – Charlie Joiner – 7 receptions, 168 yards
RAM – Elvis Peacock – 5 receptions, 97 yards :
The Chargers scored on their second possession: Joiner's 26-yard catch on 3rd and 3 moved the ball to the Rams 15-yard line, Jefferson drew pass interference in the end zone on 3rd and 2, and Bauer scored from a yard out. Joiner added a 35-yard catch on San Diego's next drive, but Fouts was intercepted on a 2nd and 12 from the Los Angeles 21-yard line. Mike Williams was flagged for a 37-yard pass interference penalty soon afterwards, and the Rams tied the score two plays later. They were poised to take the lead in the 2nd quarter, but Lowe blocked a 42-yard field goal attempt. The Chargers went ahead to stay with 56 seconds to play in the half: Fouts found Jefferson at the Rams 36 and he went in for a 65-yard touchdown and 14–7 half time lead.
Shortly after half time, Dean's sack caused the ball to pop into the air for Young to gather as he stepped into the end zone. A Shaw interception and 30-yard return set up a field goal for [[Mike Wood (American football)|Mike Wood. Soon afterwards, Shaw forced a fumble which Jerome Dove recovered at the San Diego 45. Fouts connected with Joiner for 33-yards on the following drive, and found Klein for a touchdown on the next play. After a Rams touchdown, Jefferson had a 40-yard catch to set up another field goal. The Rams reached the San Diego 2-yard line, Lowe ended that threat by forcing a fumble which went through the end zone. Williams later set up a second Bauer touchdown when he ran an interception back 50 yards to the 1-yard line.
A loss by Denver the next day left the Chargers a game clear in the division. The Chargers had two 100-yard receivers: Joiner caught 7 passes for 168 yards, while Jefferson added 3 catches for 112 yards and a touchdown. Fuller had two of the Chargers' four interceptions; they forced eight of the game's ten takeaways.

#### Week 9: at Oakland Raiders

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chargers | 0 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 22 |
| Raiders | 14 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 45 |
at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California
* Date: October 25
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. PDT
* Game weather: 66 °F (18.9 °C) relative humidity 79%, wind 17 miles per hour (27 km/h; 15 kn)
* Game attendance: 53,709
* Referee: Ben Dreith
* TV announcers (ABC): Frank Gifford, Fran Tarkenton and Howard Cosell
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
OAK – Raymond Chester 34-yard pass from Ken Stabler (Jim Breech kick), 9:28. Raiders 7–0. Drive: 4 plays, 41 yards, 2:03.
OAK – Booker Russell 1-yard run (Jim Breech kick), 6:28. Raiders 14–0. Drive: 4 plays, 40 yards, 1:20.
Second quarter
OAK – Mark van Eeghen 4-yard run (Jim Breech kick), 6:54. Raiders 21–0. Drive: 12 plays, 80 yards, 6:32.
SDG – John Jefferson 57-yard pass from Dan Fouts (kick blocked), 1:46. Raiders 21–6. Drive: 4 plays, 86 yards, 0:47.
OAK – Jim Breech 38-yard field goal, 0:23. Raiders 24–6. Drive: 7 plays, 46 yards, 1:16.
Third quarter
SDG – Mike Wood 28-yard field goal, 10:15. Raiders 24–9. Drive: 9 plays, 46 yards, 4:45.
SDG – Dan Fouts 1-yard run (kick failed), 7:24. Raiders 24–15. Drive: 10 plays, 65 yards, 4:45.
OAK – Ira Matthews 104-yard kickoff return (Jim Breech kick), 7:04. Raiders 31–15.
SDG – Bob Klein 7-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Mike Wood kick), 0:48. Raiders 31–22. Drive: 6 plays, 37 yards, 2:11.
Fourth quarter
OAK – Booker Russell 1-yard run (Jim Breech kick), 8:40. Raiders 38–22. Drive: 5 plays, 62 yards, 3:13.
OAK – Booker Russell 1-yard run (Jim Breech kick), 11:23. Raiders 45–22. Drive: 5 plays, 19 yards, 2:57.
Top passers
SDG – Dan Fouts – 21/37, 303 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
OAK – Ken Stabler – 13/17, 212 yards, TD
Top rushers
SDG – Clarence Williams – 7 rushes, 40 yards
OAK – Mark van Eeghen – 22 rushes, 95 yards, TD
Top receivers
SDG – John Jefferson – 4 receptions, 109 yards, TD
OAK – Dave Casper – 3 receptions, 88 yards :
Oakland scored touchdowns on their second and third possessions, while the Chargers opened with a pair of three-and-outs. They reached 1st and 5 at the 11-yard line in response, but Fouts was intercepted by Lester Hayes. An 80-yard touchdown increased the Raiders' lead to twenty-one points before San Diego scored on Jefferson's 57-yard touchdown reception. The extra point was blocked, and Oakland increased their lead to 24–6 with a field goal shortly before halftime.
Wood made a short field goal on the opening possession of the 3rd quarter, then followed up with a surprise onside kick, which San Diego recovered. On the ensuing possession, Joiner had a 25-yard catch, Jefferson converted a 4th and 4, and Fouts ran the ball in himself with a quarterback sneak from a yard out. Wood missed the exter point, and Ira Matthews returned the ensuing kickoff 104 yards for a touchdown. Klein pulled San Diego back within nine points with a quarter still to play, but they didn't cross midfield again until the final minutes, by which time Oakland had safely padded their lead with two touchdowns either side of a Fouts interception. Chargers backup quarterback James Harris was also intercepted, his coming in the end zone in the final minute.
Denver won later in the week to move back into a first-placed tie with the Chargers. Fouts fourth consecutive 300-yard game set an NFL record at the time. For the second consecutive game, both starting wide receivers crossed the 100-yard mark: Joiner caught 9 passes for 107 yards while Jefferson had 4 for 109 and a touchdown.

#### Week 10: at Kansas City Chiefs

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chargers | 10 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 20 |
| Chiefs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
* Date: November 4
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: 47 °F (8.3 °C) relative humidity 45%, wind 16 miles per hour (26 km/h; 14 kn)
* Game attendance: 59,353
* Referee: Jim Tunney
* TV announcers (NBC): Jay Randolph and Paul Maguire
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
SDG – John Jefferson 13-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Mike Wood kick), 11:21. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 54 yards, 2:34.
SDG – Mike Wood 31-yard field goal, 2:59. Chargers 10–0. Drive: 12 plays, 71 yards, 6:37.
Second quarter
No scoring plays.
Third quarter
SDG – Mike Wood 26-yard field goal, 3:03. Chargers 13–0. Drive: 14 plays, 58 yards, 7:32.
Fourth quarter
KAN – Steve Fuller 18-yard run (Jan Stenerud kick), 14:06. Chargers 13–7. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:57.
SDG – Clarence Williams 5-yard run (Mike Wood kick), 5:45. Chargers 20–7. Drive: 14 plays, 73 yards, 8:21.
KAN – J. T. Smith 24-yard pass from Steve Fuller (Jan Stenerud kick), 3:05. Chargers 20–14. Drive: 7 plays, 73 yards, 2:40.
Top passers
SDG – Dan Fouts – 28/44, 236 yards, TD, 2 INT
KAN – Steve Fuller – 15/26, 170 yards, TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
SDG – Lydell Mitchell – 13 rushes, 43 yards
KAN – Tony Reed – 11 rushes, 47 yards
Top receivers
SDG – John Jefferson – 6 receptions, 56 yards, TD
KAN – J. T. Smith – 4 receptions, 56 yards, TD :
There were three turnovers in the opening 65 seconds of the game: Edwards recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff, Fouts was intercepted two plays later, and Edwards recovered a second fumble on Kansas City's first play from scrimmage. The ensuing Chargers drive was extended when the Chiefs were flagged for running into the punter, and ended with Jefferson's 13-yard touchdown on 3rd and 7. On the next two drives, Wood made a 31-yard field goal and Kansas City kicker Jan Stenerud missed a 44-yarder. The next five drives resulted in punts, and San Diego led 10–0 at halftime.
Fouts threw another interception two plays into the 3rd quarter; Kansas City drove to the San Diego 17-yard line before Preston made an interception of his own to end the threat. The Chargers then embarked on a field goal drive: Wood missed from 21 yards out, but was given a second chance because the Chargers had been flagged for delay of game, and converted from 26 yards. Kansas City scored their first touchdown on the next drive. San Diego responded by driving 73 yards in 14 plays; Joiner had a 6-yard catch on 3rd and 3, and Williams scored on 3rd and 2 from the 5-yard line. The Chiefs produced their second consecutive touchdown drive, then forced a punt. Taking over on their own 30-yard line with 90 seconds left, Kansas City were at midfield when Edwards produced his third turnover of the game, this one a clinching interception with 41 seconds left.
Kansas City's late touchdown drives of 80 and 73 yards accounted for more than half of their 283 total yards. San Diego ran 75 total plays to the Chiefs' 53.

#### Week 11: at Cincinnati Bengals

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chargers | 0 | 13 | 3 | 10 | 26 |
| Bengals | 14 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 24 |
at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
* Date: November 11
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 35 °F (1.7 °C) relative humidity 78%, wind 11 miles per hour (18 km/h; 9.6 kn), wind chill 27 °F (−2.8 °C)
* Game attendance: 40,782
* Referee: Jerry Seeman
* TV announcers (NBC): Phil Stone and Paul Maguire
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
CIN – Pete Johnson 1-yard run (Chris Bahr kick), 10:39. Bengals 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 67 yards, 4:21.
CIN – Ray Griffin 96-yard interception return (Chris Bahr kick), 3:43. Bengals 14–0.
Second quarter
SDG – Mike Wood 22-yard field goal, 11:14. Bengals 14–3. Drive: 7 plays, 51 yards, 3:41.
SDG – Charlie Joiner 4-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Mike Wood kick), 7:17. Bengals 14–10. Drive: 7 plays, 28 yards, 2:31.
SDG – Mike Wood 42-yard field goal, 0:47. Bengals 14–13. Drive: 6 plays, 37 yards, 1:18.
Third quarter
SDG – Mike Wood 34-yard field goal, 11:06. Chargers 16–14. Drive: 7 plays, 38 yards, 1:20.
Fourth quarter
CIN – Pete Johnson 2-yard run (Chris Bahr kick), 14:57. Bengals 21–16. Drive: 11 plays, 48 yards, 4:21.
CIN – Chris Bahr 28-yard field goal, 4:34. Bengals 24–16. Drive: 13 plays, 57 yards, 7:44.
SDG – Artie Owens 32-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Mike Wood kick), 3:13. Bengals 24–23. Drive: 7 plays, 77 yards, 1:21.
SDG – Mike Wood 32-yard field goal, 0:19. Chargers 26–24. Drive: 8 plays, 37 yards, 1:31.
Top passers
SDG – Dan Fouts – 21/40, 295 yards, 2 TD, 4 INT
CIN – Ken Anderson – 9/22, 91 yards
Top rushers
SDG – Lydell Mitchell – 6 rushes, 22 yards
CIN – Archie Griffin – 15 rushes, 85 yards
Top receivers
SDG – Charlie Joiner – 5 receptions, 99 yards, TD
CIN – Don Bass – 4 receptions, 48 yards :
Cincinnati took the opening kickoff and drove 67 yards on 8 plays for the opening touchdown. San Diego appeared poised to tie the scores later in the quarter after Cliff Thrift blocked a punt and set up the offense on the Bengals 8-yard line. Two plays later, Ray Griffin intercepted a Fouts throw and ran 96 yards untouched to double the lead. San Diego's first points came early in the 2nd quarter when a 32-yard Thomas catch set up Wood's first field goal. The Bengals were quickly forced to punt, and San Diego had to drive only 28 for Joiner's touchdown catch on 3rd and goal from the 4. John Floyd's 40-yard catch set up a second field goal late in the half, reducing the deficit to 14–13.
Joiner's 29-yard catch moved the Chargers into position for Wood's third field goal, which put them ahead for the first time. Later, the Bengals drove for a touchdown and a field goal either side of a Fouts interception, putting them eight points clear with only 4:32 on the clock. Fouts passed seven times in a row, completing on a 77-yard drive that culminated in a 32-yard touchdown for Owens with 3:13 still to play. After holding the Bengals to a three-and-out and benefitting from a 19-yard punt, the Chargers began the winning drive on their own 49 with 1:50 left. Following two incompletions and a sack, Fouts converted a 4th and 18 with a 31-yard completion to the uncovered Joiner, then found the same receiver for 13 yards on the next play. Three plays later, Wood kicked the winner from 32 yards out.
San Diego won despite committing all four of the game's turnovers. They gave up a season-high 194 yards on the ground, but allowed only 60 through the air.

#### Week 12: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Steelers | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Chargers | 7 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
* Date: November 18
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
* Game weather: 63 °F (17.2 °C) relative humidity 78%, wind 9 miles per hour (14 km/h; 7.8 kn)
* Game attendance: 51,910
* Referee: Red Cashion
* TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
SDG – John Jefferson 16-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Mike Wood kick), 8:33. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 3 plays, 37 yards, 0:52.
Second quarter
SDG – Bob Klein 6-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Mike Wood kick), 6:29. Chargers 14–0. Drive: 9 plays, 72 yards, 4:48.
SDG – Bo Matthews 2-yard run (Mike Wood kick), 4:37. Chargers 21–0. Drive: 1 play, 2 yards, 0:04.
Third quarter
PIT – Rocky Bleier 2-yard run (Matt Bahr kick), 8:30. Chargers 21–7. Drive: 8 plays, 30 yards, 3:29.
SDG – Woodrow Lowe 77-yard interception return (Mike Wood kick), 1:19. Chargers 28–7.
Fourth quarter
SDG – Hank Bauer 2-yard run (Mike Wood kick), 5:53. Chargers 35–7. Drive: 3 plays, 8 yards, 1:38.
Top passers
PIT – Terry Bradshaw – 18/36, 153 yards, 5 INT
SDG – Dan Fouts – 11/24, 137 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
PIT – Franco Harris – 20 rushes, 44 yards
SDG – Mike Thomas – 13 rushes, 53 yards
Top receivers
PIT – John Stallworth – 4 receptions, 55 yards
SDG – John Jefferson – 5 receptions, 106 yards, TD :
The Chargers defense intercepted Terry Bradshaw five times as the defending Super Bowl champions were well beaten. Seven of the game's 12 turnovers happened in an extraordinary 1st quarter. Ray Preston set the ball rolling, with an interception the Chargers converted into a Fouts-to-Jefferson touchdown. Pittsburgh fumbled the ensuing kickoff, but Fouts was picked off in the end zone when he looked for Jefferson again. Following a Steeler punt, both sides lost fumbles in quick succession; Pittsburgh then touched a Charger punt, allowing San Diego to recover inside the ten. Three plays later, Fouts was again intercepted, with 44 seconds still remaining in the opening quarter.
Normality returned somewhat in the 2nd quarter, and Klein caught a 6-yard score at the end of a 72-yard drive. Bradshaw was then intercepted by Preston again, and Williams scored from the 2 a play later.
Down 21-0, the champions tried to rally in the third quarter, Rocky Bleier rushing for a score and converting on 4th and 4 with a 7-yard reception. However, when Pittsburgh went for it again on 4th and 10, Woodrow Lowe intercepted a tipped pass and returned it 77 yards for the clinching touchdown. Mike Williams later set up a Bauer touchdown with an interception, and Lowe had his second before the game was over.
Gary Johnson had two sacks on a day of defensive dominance; Bradshaw finished with no touchdowns and five interceptions for the only time in his Hall of Fame career. Jefferson was the standout offensive play, with 5 catches for 106 yards and a touchdown (his teammates only had 31 receiving yards between them). Pittsburgh's 28-point margin of defeat was their worst throughout the 1970s. Coupled with their Week 8 win over the Rams, San Diego beat the eventual Super Bowl contestants by a combined 75-23.

#### Week 13: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chiefs | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Chargers | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
* Date: November 25
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
* Game weather: 60 °F (15.6 °C) relative humidity 70%, wind 5 miles per hour (8.0 km/h; 4.3 kn)
* Game attendance: 50,078
* Referee: Bob Frederic
* TV announcers (NBC): Sam Nover and Bob Trumpy
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
KAN – Mike Williams 8-yard pass from Steve Fuller (Jan Stenerud kick), 8:58. Chiefs 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 72 yards, 6:02.
SDG – Charlie Joiner 29-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Mike Wood kick), 4:20. Tied 7–7. Drive: 8 plays, 65 yards, 4:38.
Second quarter
SDG – John Jefferson 42-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Mike Wood kick), 2:29. Chargers 14–7. Drive: 8 plays, 91 yards, 3:48.
Third quarter
SDG – Bob Klein 8-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Mike Wood kick), 5:05. Chargers 21–7. Drive: 14 plays, 82 yards, 6:26.
Fourth quarter
SDG – Artie Owens 8-yard run (Mike Wood kick), 8:11. Chargers 28–7. Drive: 14 plays, 87 yards, 6:37.
Top passers
KAN – Steve Fuller – 14/22, 144 yards, TD, INT
SDG – Dan Fouts – 27/43, 350 yards, 3 TD, INT
Top rushers
KAN – Ted McKnight – 9 rushes, 24 yards
SDG – Clarence Williams – 13 rushes, 63 yards
Top receivers
KAN – Henry Marshall – 2 receptions, 43 yards
SDG – Charlie Joiner – 9 receptions, 123 yards, TD :
Dan Fouts was back on song as the Chargers earned a straightforward win. The Chiefs led 7-0 after the game's opening possession, but San Diego responded in kind: Fouts twice converted on 3rd and long, with 29-yard completions to Artie Owens and Joiner, the latter for a touchdown. The next seven Chiefs' possessions all ended in punts, allowing San Diego to steadily build a lead with long touchdown drives. In the 2nd quarter they went 91 yards on 8 plays, with Jefferson scoring from 42 yards out; in the 3rd, they covered 82 yards in 14 plays, and Klein scored the final touchdown of his 11-season career. Finally, Owens capped an 87-yard, 14-play drive with his second touchdown in as many weeks (he only scored three through his whole career).
Fouts was 27 of 43 for a season-high 350 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception; Joiner caught 9 for 123 and a touchdown. On defense, Mike Williams snagged a late interception and Wilbur Young had a pair of sacks. Denver lost to Oakland the same day, leaving San Diego a game clear in the AFC West once more.

#### Week 14: vs. Atlanta Falcons

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Falcons | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
| Chargers | 7 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 26 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
* Date: December 2
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
* Game weather: 64 °F (17.8 °C) relative humidity 32%, wind 6 miles per hour (9.7 km/h; 5.2 kn)
* Game attendance: 50,198
* Referee: Gordon McCarter
* TV announcers (CBS): Frank Glieber and John Madden
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
ATL – Haskel Stanback 1-yard run (Tim Mazzetti kick), 6:18. Falcons 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 43 yards, 3:35.
SDG – Hank Bauer 1-yard run (Mike Wood kick), 1:20. Tied 7–7. Drive: 9 plays, 69 yards, 4:58.
Second quarter
SDG – Mike Wood 35-yard field goal, 13:01. Chargers 10–7. Drive: 5 plays, 40 yards, 1:48.
ATL – William Andrews 11-yard pass from Steve Bartkowski (Tim Mazzetti kick), 1:52. Falcons 14–10. Drive: 4 plays, 56 yards, 2:22.
Third quarter
SDG – John Floyd 19-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Mike Wood kick), 8:30. Chargers 17–14. Drive: 6 plays, 50 yards, 2:24.
ATL – Wallace Francis 31-yard pass from Steve Bartkowski (Tim Mazzetti kick), 4:40. Falcons 21–17. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:50.
Fourth quarter
SDG – Clarence Williams 2-yard run (Mike Wood kick), 7:35. Chargers 24–21. Drive: 5 plays, 64 yards, 3:14.
SDG – Safety, Wilbur Young sacked Steve Bartkowski in end zone, 4:39. Chargers 26–21.
ATL – Wallace Francis 6-yard pass from Steve Bartkowski (Tim Mazzetti kick), 0:21. Falcons 28–26. Drive: 9 plays, 51 yards, 1:44.
Top passers
ATL – Steve Bartkowski – 17/30, 225 yards, 3 TD, INT
SDG – Dan Fouts – 28/37, 338 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
ATL – William Andrews – 21 rushes, 131 yards
SDG – Dan Fouts – 5 rushes, 42 yards
Top receivers
ATL – Wallace Francis – 6 receptions, 90 yards, 2 TD
SDG – John Jefferson – 5 receptions, 103 yards :
Atlanta, who had won only two of their previous 11 games, shocked the Chargers in front of their home fans. Down 7-0 early, Fouts found Joiner for 28 yards to the Atlanta 1, from where Bauer scored two plays later. Jefferson's 43-yard reception set up a Wood field goal the next time San Diego had the ball. However, Falcons QB Steve Bartkowski moved his team 56 yards in only four plays shortly before halftime, and an interception with 11 seconds on the clock foiled the Chargers after they had driven into the red zone.
In the second half, Willian Buchanan ripped the ball from the hands of a Falcons receiver, and Fouts found rookie John Floyd for a 17-14 lead. Bartkowski responded immediately, leading an 80-yard drive to put Atlanta back in front. Following an exchange of punts, Fouts scrambled for 26 yards and Clarence Williams scored from close range with 7:35 to play. Lowe came up with an interception shortly afterwards, and Jeff West pinned Atlanta at their own 3-yard line, setting up a sack and safety for Young. However, San Diego then went three-and-out, and West shanked a 10-yard punt to the Atlanta 49. Bartkowski made the most of the excellent field position, throwing his third touchdown of the game with 21 seconds left. That still left time for a 27-yard reception by Jefferson, but the Chargers were pushed back five yards by an illegal motion penalty, and Wood's 53-yard field goal attempt fell short as time expired.
Fouts was 28 of 37 for 338 yards, a touchdown and an interception; Jefferson and Joiner had 103 and 99 yards respectively. While San Diego outgained Atlanta 410-375, it was still the most yards they conceded all season, and Young's safety was their only sack of the game. Denver won to edge back ahead on the tiebreaker. However, the final-game matchup between the two would decide the divisional title, regardless of what happened in Week 15.

#### Week 15: at New Orleans Saints

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chargers | 14 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
| Saints | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
* Date: December 9
* Game time: 3:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Dome
* Game attendance: 61,059
* Referee: Ben Dreith
* TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones and Len Dawson
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
SDG – Hank Bauer 1-yard run (Mike Wood kick), 8:34. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 12 plays, 69 yards, 6:26.
SDG – Clarence Williams 5-yard run (Mike Wood kick), 3:09. Chargers 14–0. Drive: 9 plays, 71 yards, 3:44.
Second quarter
SDG – John Jefferson 26-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Mike Wood kick), 10:58. Chargers 21–0. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 5:20.
SDG – Hank Bauer 1-yard run (Mike Wood kick), 1:18. Chargers 28–0. Drive: 8 plays, 48 yards, 3:35.
SDG – Hank Bauer 1-yard run (Mike Wood kick), 0:00. Chargers 35–0. Drive: 5 plays, 37 yards, 1:10.
Third quarter
No scoring plays.
Fourth quarter
No scoring plays.
Top passers
SDG – Dan Fouts – 17/23, 253 yards, TD
NO – Archie Manning – 20/32, 185 yards
Top rushers
SDG – Clarence Williams – 17 rushes, 88 yards, TD
NO – Chuck Muncie – 10 rushes, 39 yards
Top receivers
SDG – John Jefferson – 5 receptions, 104 yards, TD
NO – Wes Chandler – 4 receptions, 51 yards :
San Diego clinched at least a wildcard with a blowout win in New Orleans. Their first three drives ended in touchdowns for Bauer, Williams and Jefferson, while the Saints could muster only a single first down in response. When New Orleans finally managed to force a punt, Mike Fuller won the ball straight back with an interception, setting up another Bauer score. The Saints promptly fumbled the ensuing kickoff, with Jerome Dove recovering. The Chargers then reached 1st and goal at the 1, with four seconds on the clock. They elected to run another play, and Bauer completed the rout as the half ended. The Saints improved in the second half, but turned the ball over on downs four times as they failed to prevent the shutout.
During the first half, San Diego compiled a 27–1 advantage in first downs while outgaining the Saints 323–45. It was their biggest shutout win since a pair of games from the 1961 season, and remains their biggest road shutout win. While Jefferson caught 5 passes for 104 yards and a touchdown, the nature of the game saw the Chargers rush a season-high 42 times, covering 166 yards on the ground with four touchdowns. Bauer scored three times from a yard out, and lost two yards on his only other carry, giving him an unusual stat line: 4 carries, 1 yard, 3 touchdowns.

#### Week 16: vs. Denver Broncos

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Broncos | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Chargers | 0 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 17 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
* Date: December 17
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
* Game weather: 61 °F (16.1 °C) relative humidity 28%, wind 7 miles per hour (11 km/h; 6.1 kn)
* Game attendance: 51,906
* Referee: Chuck Heberling
* TV announcers (ABC): Howard Cosell, Don Meredith and Frank Gifford
* Box score
Game information :
First quarter
DEN – Otis Armstrong 3-yard run (Jim Turner kick), 7:19. Broncos 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 59 yards, 2:25.
Second quarter
SDG – Dan Fouts 4-yard run (Mike Wood kick), 11:07. Tied 7–7. Drive: 5 plays, 41 yards, 2:54.
Third quarter
SDG – Charlie Joiner 32-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Mike Wood kick), 12:02. Chargers 10–7. Drive: 3 plays, 52 yards, 0:50.
Fourth quarter
SDG – Mike Wood 24-yard field goal, 5:58. Chargers 17–7. Drive: 6 plays, 19 yards, 3:14.
Top passers
DEN – Craig Morton – 27/41, 236 yards, 4 INT
SDG – Dan Fouts – 17/29, 230 yards, TD, 3 INT
Top rushers
DEN – Otis Armstrong – 13 rushes, 45 yards, TD
SDG – Clarence Williams – 16 rushes, 50 yards
Top receivers
DEN – Jim Jensen – 8 receptions, 65 yards
SDG – Bob Klein – 4 receptions, 69 yards :
Buoyed by a defense which forced five turnovers from Denver quarterback Craig Morton, the Chargers clinched the AFC West on the final Monday night of the season. Hampered by a Fouts interception and a missed field goal, San Diego trailed 7-0 early in the 2nd quarter when Morton was sacked by Fred Dean, forcing a fumble which Leroy Jones recovered. Fouts then led a 41-yard drive to tie the scores, rushing the final 4 yards himself. The Chargers threatened to take the lead on their next possession, but Fouts was picked off at the Denver 10. Next it was the Broncos’ turn to miss an opportunity — they drove 81 yards, reaching 2nd and 4 at the 9 before Pete Shaw came up with a goal line interception to keep the game tied.
The Charger offense came to life in the opening minutes of the second half, going 52 yards in three plays, with Joiner scoring from 32 yards out. They had the chance to extend their lead shortly afterwards, but a botched hold prevented Wood from taking a 35-yard kick. Early in the 4th, Denver breached the red zone, but Don Goode came up with an interception. Fouts then went deep, but was himself picked off; Morton responded with a bomb of his own, but Mike Williams came up with the third interception in as many plays at the Charger 7-yard line. Following a punt, Mike Fuller came up with yet another interception, this time setting up Wood for an insurance field goal. Denver reached the Charger 20 in response, but turned the ball over on downs with 2 minutes to play.

## Standings

AFC West :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| San Diego Chargers$^{(1)}$ | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 6–2 | 9–3 | 411 | 246 | W2 |
| Denver Broncos$^{(5)}$ | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 4–4 | 7–5 | 289 | 262 | L2 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3–5 | 6–6 | 378 | 372 | W2 |
| Oakland Raiders | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3–5 | 5–7 | 365 | 337 | L1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 4–4 | 7–7 | 238 | 262 | L1 |

## Postseason

| Round | Date | Opponent (seed) | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
| Divisional | December 29 | Houston Oilers (4) | L 14–17 | 0–1 | San Diego Stadium | 51,192 | Recap |

### Game summary
#### AFC Divisional Playoffs: Oilers at Chargers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Oilers | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| Chargers | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
* Date: December 29
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
* Game weather: 60 °F (15.6 °C), relative humidity 37%, wind 8 miles per hour (13 km/h; 7.0 kn)
* Game attendance: 51,192
* Referee: Ben Dreith
* TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg (play-by-play) and Merlin Olsen (color commentator)
Game information :
First quarter
SDG – Clarence Williams 1-yard run (Mike Wood kick), 4:49. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 81 yards, 4:08.
Second quarter
HOU – Toni Fritsch 26-yard field goal, 4:02. Chargers 7–3. Drive: 6 plays, 20 yards, 2:08.
HOU – Boobie Clark 1-yard run (Toni Fritsch kick), 0:19. Oilers 10–7. Drive: 8 plays, 38 yards, 2:40.
Third quarter
SDG – Lydell Mitchell 8-yard pass run (Mike Wood kick), 13:08. Chargers 14–10. Drive: 8 plays, 65 yards, 1:52.
Fourth quarter
HOU – Mike Renfro 47-yard pass from Gifford Nielsen (Toni Fritsch kick), 2:05. Oilers 17–14. Drive: 3 plays, 46 yards, 0:57.
Top passers
HOU – Gifford Nielsen – 10/19, 111 yards, TD, INT
SDG – Dan Fouts – 25/47, 333 yards, 5 INT
Top rushers
HOU – Rob Carpenter – 18 rushes, 67 yards
SDG – Lydell Mitchell – 8 rushes, 33 yards, TD
Top receivers
HOU – Mike Renfro – 1 reception, 47 yards
SDG – Charlie Joiner – 4 receptions, 81 yards :
Dan Fouts threw five interceptions as the injury-ravaged Oilers pulled off a shock win.
A week after the game, Sports Illustrated published an article entitled "The Stolen Signals Caper." For the season, San Diego's standard game method was for offensive coordinator Joe Gibbs to stay upstairs in the booth and phone plays down to Head Coach Don Coryell and Jim Hanifan on the sidelines. The two of them would confer, and then Hanifan would signal in the plays using hand signals much like baseball teams use. Houston Defense Coordinator Eddie Biles broke the code and the Oilers did not overplay their hand. Biles merely signaled the play to Oiler middle linebacker Gregg Bingham who called the Houston defense on the field. Bingham stated, "My job was to put us into the right defense — I guess you'd say the perfect defense." One result is that Houston strong safety Vernon Perry intercepted four of Fouts' passes, three of them while playing double coverage. Oiler J.C. Wilson also had one interception. The article stated, "People who have been around the Chargers for years said they had never seen him [Fouts] throw into so much double coverage."

## Awards and honors

* Sporting News Executive of the Year: Johnny Sanders
* UPI Player of the Year: Dan Fouts