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1978 San Diego Chargers

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Record: 9-7-0, Finished 2nd in AFC West Division
NFL Season Summary

Scored 355 points (22.2/g), 6th of 28 in the NFL.
 Allowed 309 points (19.3/g), 21st.
 Differential of 46 points (2.9/g), 7th.
 Expected W-L: 9.3-6.7.

 Takeaway/Giveaway Differential -13 (-0.8/g), 27th.

Simple Rating System: Total 3.6, Offense: 4.6, Defense: -0.9, SoS: 0.7, versus averages of 0.0.

Coached by Tommy Prothro and Don Coryell

 Offensive Coordinator: Ray Perkins

Training Camp: UC San Diego (San Diego, California)

Team Stats and Rankings

Tot Yds & TO Passing Rushing
Pts Yds Ply Y/P 1stD Cmp Att Yds TD Int NY/A 1stD Att Yds TD Y/A 1stD TO FL 1stPy
Team Offense 355 5471 1099 5.0 315 271 477 3375 26 30 6.6 171 590 2096 16 3.6 116 51 21 28
Team Defense 309 4559 1005 4.5 273 237 441 2351 23 22 4.7 141 510 2208 12 4.3 114 38 16 18
Lg Rank Offense 6 4 5 4 1 2 23 3 9 20 12 25 26 21
Lg Rank Defense 21 8 10 18 7 27 13 3 4 15 5 24 19 18

Team Games & Schedule

Score Offense Defense
Week Day Date OT Rec Opp Tm Opp 1stD TotYd PassY RushY TO 1stD TotYd PassY RushY TO
1 Sun September 3 boxscore W 1-0 @ Seattle Seahawks 24 20 16 275 186 89 2 22 446 308 138 2
2 Sun September 10 boxscore L 1-1 Oakland Raiders 20 21 24 372 175 197 18 364 280 84 4
3 Sun September 17 boxscore L 1-2 @ Denver Broncos 14 27 18 315 214 101 2 21 314 177 137
4 Sun September 24 boxscore L 1-3 Green Bay Packers 3 24 20 245 154 91 11 9 127 9 118 2
5 Sun October 1 boxscore L 1-4 @ New England Patriots 23 28 18 322 162 160 3 19 299 198 101 1
6 Sun October 8 boxscore W 2-4 Denver Broncos 23 0 19 298 170 128 2 11 156 80 76 5
7 Sun October 15 boxscore L 2-5 Miami Dolphins 21 28 20 404 287 117 5 17 261 122 139 1
8 Sun October 22 boxscore L 2-6 @ Detroit Lions 14 31 16 304 215 89 6 29 461 188 273 2
9 Sun October 29 boxscore W 3-6 @ Oakland Raiders 27 23 22 324 163 161 2 15 234 87 147 1
10 Sun November 5 boxscore W 4-6 Cincinnati Bengals 22 13 20 322 149 173 12 248 92 156 3
11 Sun November 12 boxscore W OT 5-6 Kansas City Chiefs 29 23 24 385 188 197 2 26 403 198 205 1
12 Sun November 19 boxscore W 6-6 @ Minnesota Vikings 13 7 19 287 163 124 3 17 272 209 63 4
13 Sun November 26 boxscore L 6-7 @ Kansas City Chiefs 0 23 11 239 164 75 6 19 353 115 238 3
14 Mon December 4 boxscore W 7-7 Chicago Bears 40 7 24 481 331 150 3 7 112 32 80 3
15 Sun December 10 boxscore W 8-7 Seattle Seahawks 37 10 20 381 286 95 1 17 239 103 136 3
16 Sun December 17 boxscore W 9-7 @ Houston Oilers 45 24 24 517 368 149 3 14 270 153 117 3

Passing

ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+),
No. Age Pos G GS QBrec Cmp Att Cmp% Yds TD TD% Int Int% Lng Y/A AY/A Y/C Y/G Rate QBR Sk Yds NY/A ANY/A Sk% 4QC GWD
14 Dan Fouts 27 QB 15 14 9-5-0 224 381 58.8 2999 24 6.3 20 5.2 55 7.9 6.8 13.4 199.9 83.0 22 130 7.12 6.08 5.5 1 2
12 James Harris 31 qb 9 2 0-2-0 42 88 47.7 518 2 2.3 9 10.2 34 5.9 1.7 12.3 57.6 34.4 8 43 4.95 1.15 8.3
10 Cliff Olander 23 9 0 5 8 62.5 49 0 0.0 1 12.5 22 6.1 0.5 9.8 5.4 40.1 2 18 3.10 -1.40 20.0
Team Total 26.2 16 9-7-0 271 477 56.8 3566 26 5.5 30 6.3 55 7.5 5.7 13.2 222.9 72.5 32 191 6.63 5.00 6.3 1 2
Opp Total 16 237 441 53.7 2825 23 5.2 22 5.0 6.4 5.20 11.9 176.6 70.2 54 474 4.7 3.7 10.9

Rushing & Receiving

ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+),
Rushing Receiving
No. Age Pos G GS Att Yds TD Lng Y/A Y/G A/G Rec Yds Y/R TD Lng R/G Y/G YScm RRTD Fmb
26 Lydell Mitchell 29 RB 16 11 214 820 3 25 3.8 51.3 13.4 57 500 8.8 2 55 3.6 31.3 1320 5 2
33 Don Woods 27 FB 16 7 151 514 3 27 3.4 32.1 9.4 34 295 8.7 0 29 2.1 18.4 809 3 5
37 Hank Bauer 24 rb 16 4 85 304 8 37 3.6 19.0 5.3 10 78 7.8 1 14 0.6 4.9 382 9 2
41 Bo Matthews 27 fb 11 9 71 286 0 28 4.0 26.0 6.5 11 78 7.1 0 13 1.0 7.1 364 0 5
40 Clarence Williams 23 rb 10 1 27 76 0 12 2.8 7.6 2.7 1 17 17.0 0 17 0.1 1.7 93 0 0
14 Dan Fouts 27 QB 15 14 20 43 2 22 2.2 2.9 1.3 43 2 10
12 James Harris 31 qb 9 2 10 7 0 9 0.7 0.8 1.1 7 0 5
35 Larry Barnes 24 4 0 3 8 0 4 2.7 2.0 0.8 2 13 6.5 0 7 0.5 3.3 21 0 0
43 Rickey Anderson 25 16 0 3 11 0 6 3.7 0.7 0.2 1 -3 -3.0 0 -3 0.1 -0.2 8 0 0
88 Greg McCrary 26 te 8 1 2 18 0 16 9.0 2.3 0.3 1 29 29.0 1 29 0.1 3.6 47 1 0
83 John Jefferson* 22 WR 14 14 1 7 0 7 7.0 0.5 0.1 56 1001 17.9 13 46 4.0 71.5 1008 13 0
20 Johnny Rodgers 27 6 0 1 5 0 5 5.0 0.8 0.2 5 47 9.4 0 12 0.8 7.8 52 0 1
10 Cliff Olander 23 9 0 1 -3 0 -3 -3.0 -0.3 0.1 -3 0 0
80 Jeff West 25 P 16 0 1 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0 0 1
84 Bob Klein 31 TE 16 16 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 34 413 12.1 2 24 2.1 25.8 413 2 0
18 Charlie Joiner 31 WR 16 15 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 33 607 18.4 1 46 2.1 37.9 607 1 2
82 Pat Curran 33 14 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 9 92 10.2 2 20 0.6 6.6 92 2 0
85 Artie Owens 25 KR 13 2 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 9 188 20.9 0 41 0.7 14.5 188 0 0
87 Larry Burton 27 3 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 5 127 25.4 3 55 1.7 42.3 127 3 1
89 Dwight McDonald 27 12 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 3 84 28.0 1 37 0.3 7.0 84 1 0
Team Total 26.2 16 590 2096 16 37 3.6 131.0 36.9 271 3566 13.2 26 55 16.9 222.9 5662 42 37
Opp Total 16 510 2208 12 4.3 138.0 31.9 237 2351 9.9 23 14.8 146.9 4559 35 32

Kick & Punt Returns

ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+),
Punt Returns Kick Returns
No. Age Pos G GS Ret Yds TD Lng Y/R Rt Yds TD Lng Y/Rt APYd
42 Mike Fuller 25 PR/SS 16 16 39 436 0 34 11.2 5 109 0 32 21.8 545
20 Johnny Rodgers 27 6 0 11 88 0 15 8.0 11 287 0 36 26.1 427
85 Artie Owens 25 KR 13 2 1 20 0 20 20.0 20 524 0 77 26.2 732
43 Rickey Anderson 25 16 0 6 83 0 21 13.8 91
40 Clarence Williams 23 rb 10 1 6 143 0 33 23.8 236
44 Pete Shaw 24 FS 16 14 4 46 0 16 11.5 46
55 Bob Horn 24 MLB 16 16 2 27 0 16 13.5 27
33 Don Woods 27 FB 16 7 2 37 0 19 18.5 846
50 Don Goode 27 LLB 14 14 1 0 0 0 0.0 0
84 Bob Klein 31 TE 16 16 1 13 0 13 13.0 426
62 Don Macek 24 C 14 9 1 6 0 6 6.0 6
57 Rick Middleton 27 lb 12 2 1 5 0 5 5.0 5
52 Ray Preston 24 lb 16 1 1 15 0 15 15.0 15
58 Mark Slater 23 9 0 1 3 0 3 3.0 3
45 Hal Stringert 26 LCB 13 10 1 0 0 0 0.0 0
29 Mike H. Williams 25 RCB 16 15 1 0 0 0 0.0 0
Team Total 26.2 16 57 590 0 34 10.4 58 1252 0 77 21.6 7504
Opp Total 16 37 1 69 1457 0 21.1

Kicking & Punting

ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+),
0-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50+ Tot PAT Punting
No. Age Pos G GS FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FG% XPA XPM XP% Pnt Yds Lng Blck Y/P
80 Jeff West 25 P 16 0 73 2720 59 2 37.3
6 Rolf Benirschke 23 K 15 0 2 2 10 9 6 4 4 3 22 18 81.8% 43 37 86.0%
Team Total 26.2 16 2 2 10 9 6 4 4 3 22 18 81.8% 43 37 86.0% 73 2720 59 2 37.3
Opp Total 16 22 11 50.0% 40 36 90.0% 99 3812 38.5

Defense & Fumbles

ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+),
Def Interceptions Fumbles Tackles
No. Age Pos G GS Sk Int Yds TD Lng PD FF Fmb FR Yds TD Tkl Ast Sfty
14 Dan Fouts 27 QB 15 14 0 10 3 -4 0
12 James Harris 31 qb 9 2 0 5 2 -17 0
42 Mike Fuller 25 PR/SS 16 16 4 44 1 23 0 0 1 1 0 0
29 Mike H. Williams 25 RCB 16 15 3 23 0 23 0 0 1 2 19 0
33 Don Woods 27 FB 16 7 0 5 1 -15 0
48 Jerome Dove 25 lcb 14 7 1 4 0 4 0 0 0 4 2 0
41 Bo Matthews 27 fb 11 9 0 5 0 0 0
45 Hal Stringert 26 LCB 13 10 2 4 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 0
27 Glen Edwards 31 db 14 2 3 43 0 24 0
55 Bob Horn 24 MLB 16 16 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0
26 Lydell Mitchell 29 RB 16 11 0 2 1 0 0
44 Pete Shaw 24 FS 16 14 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
37 Hank Bauer 24 rb 16 4 0 2 0 0 0
87 Larry Burton 27 3 0 0 1 1 0 0
18 Charlie Joiner 31 WR 16 15 0 2 0 0 0
74 Louie Kelcher*+ 25 LDT 15 15 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
31 Linden King 23 14 0 1 3 0 3 0 0 0 1 14 0
51 Woodrow Lowe 24 RLB 16 16 1 16 0 16 0 0 0 1 0 0
57 Rick Middleton 27 lb 12 2 1 2 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0
20 Johnny Rodgers 27 6 0 0 1 1 0 0
43 Rickey Anderson 25 16 0 0 0 1 0 0
71 Fred Dean 26 RDE 15 14 0 0 1 0 0
50 Don Goode 27 LLB 14 14 1 0 0 0 0
83 John Jefferson* 22 WR 14 14 0 0 1 0 0
79 Gary Johnson 26 RDT 15 14 1 52 1 52 0
68 Leroy Jones 28 LDE 16 15 0 0 1 32 0
62 Don Macek 24 C 14 9 0 1 0 0 0
53 Ralph Perretta 25 c 15 8 0 0 1 0 0
66 Billy Shields 25 LT 16 16 0 0 1 0 0
80 Jeff West 25 P 16 0 0 1 0 0 0
Team Total 26.2 16 22 191 2 52 0 0 37 31 31 0
Opp Total 16 32 32 16

Scoring Summary

ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+),
No. Age Pos G GS RshTD RecTD PR TD KR TD FblTD IntTD OthTD AllTD 2PM XPM FGM Sfty Pts
6 Rolf Benirschke 23 K 15 0 37 18 91
83 John Jefferson* 22 WR 14 14 13 13 78
37 Hank Bauer 24 rb 16 4 8 1 9 54
26 Lydell Mitchell 29 RB 16 11 3 2 5 30
87 Larry Burton 27 3 0 3 3 18
33 Don Woods 27 FB 16 7 3 3 18
82 Pat Curran 33 14 0 2 2 12
14 Dan Fouts 27 QB 15 14 2 2 12
84 Bob Klein 31 TE 16 16 2 2 12
42 Mike Fuller 25 PR/SS 16 16 1 1 6
79 Gary Johnson 26 RDT 15 14 1 1 6
18 Charlie Joiner 31 WR 16 15 1 1 6
88 Greg McCrary 26 te 8 1 1 1 6
89 Dwight McDonald 27 12 0 1 1 6
Team Total 26.2 16 16 26 2 44 37 18 355
Opp Total 16 12 23 1 36 11 309