1979 San Diego Chargers season

1979 San Diego Chargers season
OwnerEugene V. Klein
General managerJohnny Sanders
Head coachDon Coryell
Home fieldSan Diego Stadium
Results
Record12–4
Division place1st AFC West
Playoff finishLost Divisional Playoffs
(vs. Oilers) 14–17
Pro Bowlers
AP All-Pros
The Chargers attempting to rush the ball through the Oilers' defensive line during the 1979 AFC Divisional Playoff Game.

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.[3] 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.[3] The Chargers became the first AFC West champion to run more passing plays (541) then rushing (481).[4] 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.[5] He was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and missed the rest of the season.[6] 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".[7]

The 2006 edition of Pro Football Prospectus,[8] 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."

  1. ^ "1979 NFL Pro Bowlers". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on September 28, 2009.
  2. ^ "1979 NFL All-Pros". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  3. ^ a b "QB Fouts Now Among History's Greatest Passers". The Sacramento Bee. AP. December 19, 1979. p. D3. Retrieved January 30, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Elderkin, Phil (September 16, 1980). "Chargers, in passing, write a book". Christian Science Monitor. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014.
  5. ^ "Rolf Benirschke wants to thank those who helped him survive illness through the 'Grateful Patient Project'".
  6. ^ "The 52: Rolf's return lifted everyone". July 24, 2016.
  7. ^ Stetz, Michael (January 13, 2007). "Still a superstar after 27 seasons". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved September 9, 2011. Or a little song written back in 1979.
  8. ^ "Pro Football Prospectus 2006" (ISBN 0761142177), p.73-75