Wikipedia

1963 San Diego Chargers season

The1963 San Diego Chargers seasonwas the team's fourth in theAmerican Football League.The team had gone 4–10 in1962but rebounded with an 11–3 record, winning the AFL West by one game over theOakland Raiders,who were coached by former Chargers assistantAl Davis.San Diego scored the most points in the league and conceded the fewest.[1]Their offense, led by veteran quarterbackTobin Rote,and featuring futureHall of FamereceiverLance Alworth,gained more yards than any other team; Rote and Alworth were each named theleague MVP,by theAssociated PressandUPI,respectively.

1963San Diego Chargersseason
OwnerBarron Hilton
General managerSid Gillman
Head coachSid Gillman
Home fieldBalboa Stadium
Results
Record11–3
Division place1stWestern Division
Playoff finishWonAFL Championship
(vs.Patriots) 51–10
All-AFL
11
AFL All-Stars
11
Refer to caption
Tobin Rotehad spent 13 seasons in the NFL and CFL before becoming the Chargers' starting quarterback.

On January 5, 1964, the team won their onlyAFL Championshipwith a 51–10 win over theBoston PatriotsinBalboa Stadium.[2]To date, this is the Chargers' only league championship season in theAFLorNFL.This is also the only world championship won by a major league sports team in the city and county ofSan Diegoto date.[3]In 2003, the team was inducted into theChargers Ring of Honor.[4]The emphatic title game victory led to some speculation on whether San Diego might be able to beat the NFL championChicago Bears.

The 1963 Chargers earned a degree of lasting notoriety due to their program ofanabolic steroidusage, the first such in professional football. Head coachSid Gillmanand strength coach Alvin Roy made daily doses ofDianabolcompulsory for a five-week period during training camp before players became aware of potential side effects, and the program was relaxed to a voluntary one.

Offseason

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AFL draft

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Main article:1963 American Football League draft

The 1963 AFL draft took place on December 1, 1962, late in the previous season.[5]The Chargers had 30 picks across 29 rounds.[6]

With the second overall pick in the draft, San Diego selected SyracuseendWalt Sweeney.TheCleveland Brownsalso selected Sweeney in the rivalNFL draft.Representatives of both teams approached the player with contracts in the moments after his final college game on December 8, looking to claim his signature.[7]Sweeney chose the Chargers; he had actually met with head coachSid Gillmanand assistantAl Davisthe previous day and signed a contract while still a college player. The team converted him to a guard, about which Sweeney was not initially enthusiastic,[8]but he went on to excel at that position through an 11-year stay in San Diego, appearing in sixAFL All-Star gamesand three NFLPro Bowls,as well as being named to theAFL All-League Teamtwice.[9]

The Chargers also signed their 2nd-round pick, seeing off competition from theLos Angeles RamsforAll-AmericanguardRufus Guthrie.[10]However, Guthrie was injured in the opening exhibition game of the season with tornknee ligaments.[11]The injury persisted,[12]and Guthrie never played a regular season game for the Chargers or any other pro team.[13]3rd-round selectionKeith Kinderman,a defensive back who Gillman converted to running back, was also troubled by injuries. He played in 11 games over two seasons in San Diego, carrying the ball only 24 times.[14]There was one futureHall of Fameplayer in the Chargers' draft class (linebackerDave Robinson), but he signed for theGreen Bay Packers,[15]where he won twoSuper Bowls.[16]

In the later rounds, San Diego picked upBob Petrich,a defensive end who played in every game for the next four seasons,[17]andErnie Park,an occasional starter at guard.[18]Only five of the draft class ever played a game for the Chargers (including Guthrie's exhibition appearance), while eleven went to NFL teams.[6]

1963 San Diego Chargers draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
1 2 Walt Sweeney* Guard Syracuse 107th pick inNFL draft
2 10 Rufus Guthrie Guard Georgia Tech 10th pick in NFL draft
3 17 Dave Robinson† Linebacker Penn State 14th pick in NFL draft; signed byGreen Bay Packers
3 18 Keith Kinderman Fullback Florida State 104th pick in NFL draft
4 26 Roy Williams Defensive tackle Pacific 27th pick in NFL draft; signed bySan Francisco 49ers
5 34 Larry Glueck Defensive back Villanova 38th pick in NFL draft; signed byChicago Bears
6 42 Pat Emerick Linebacker Western Michigan 77th pick in NFL draft; signed by Grand Rapids Blazers (UFL)
8 58 Gene Heeter Tight end West Virginia Traded toNew York Jets
9 66 Steve Barnett Tackle Oregon 20th pick in NFL draft; signed by Chicago Bears
10 74 Don Scott Tackle Tampa
11 82 Bob Petrich Defensive end West Texas A&M 82nd pick in NFL draft
12 90 Terry Baker Quarterback Oregon State 1st pick in NFL draft; signed byLos Angeles Rams
13 98 Chuck Walton Guard Iowa State 55th pick in NFL draft; signed byDetroit Lions
14 106 Frank Lasky Tackle Florida 26th pick in NFL draft; signed byNew York Giants
14 107 Hatch Rosdahl Defensive end Penn State 46th pick in NFL draft; traded toBuffalo Bills
14 109 Jack Cvercko Guard Northwestern 63rd pick in NFL draft
15 114 Mike Fracchia Halfback Alabama 33rd pick in NFL draft
16 122 Gene Breen Linebacker Virginia Tech 210th pick in NFL draft; signed by Green Bay Packers
17 130 Dick Drummond Halfback George Washington 165th pick in NFL draft
19 146 Ernie Park Guard McMurry 230th pick in NFL draft
20 154 Buddy Soefker Linebacker LSU 239th pick in NFL draft
21 162 Dan Points Tackle Cincinnati
22 170 Roger Gill Wide receiver Texas Tech 158th pick in NFL draft; signed byPhiladelphia Eagles
23 178 Paul Watters Tackle Miami 173rd pick in NFL draft
24 186 Bill Frank Tackle Colorado 244th pick in NFL draft; signed byBritish Columbia Lions
25 194 Jerry Mazzanti Defensive end Arkansas 223rd pick in NFL draft; signed by Philadelphia Eagles
26 202 Ken Dill Center Mississippi 124th pick in NFL draft
27 210 Harry Butsko Linebacker Maryland 203rd pick in NFL draft; signed byWashington Redskins
28 218 Steve Berzansky Fullback West Virginia 257th pick in NFL draft; signed byCharleston Rockets(UFL)
29 226 Herman Hamp Halfback Fresno State 266th pick in NFL draft
Made roster†Pro Football Hall of Fame*Made at least oneAFL All-Star gameorNFL Pro Bowlduring careerPlayed in the NFL in 1963

Departures and arrivals

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San Diego lost a key staff member on January 19 when Davis signed with the Raiders in the dual role of head coach andgeneral manager.He had served as the Chargers' offensive ends coach, but had also earned a reputation as a good recruiter of new talent, an important role in the ongoing bidding war with the NFL.[19]Oakland had finishedthe previous seasonat a league-worst 1–13 but emerged as serious rivals to the Chargers in the AFL West duringDavis's first season there.[20]

Davis soon brought defensive backClaude "Hoot" Gibsonto join him in Oakland, as part of an equalization draft aimed at helping the league's weakest teams. Gibson had intercepted 13 passes during two seasons in San Diego.[21]Other players to exit included tackleSherman Plunkettand defensive tackleBill Hudson.The pair, who had featured in every game the previous year, were traded away for future draft picks.[22]Ron Nery,who had accumulated15+1⁄2sacks during three seasons with the Chargers, was cut shortly before the regular season began.[23]

After losingJack Kempto theBuffalo Billsthe previous year,[24]San Diego were looking for a veteran quarterback who could both lead the team and mentor second-year passerJohn Hadl.Running backGerry McDougall,who joined the team from the CFL'sToronto Argonautslate in the 1962 season, informed Gillman thatTobin Rote,a 13-year veteran and former NFL champion (with the1957 Lions) was contemplating retirement after three seasons with the Argonauts.[25]The Bills had the territorial rights to sign Rote but had no need for another quarterback. Both the Chargers and the Denver Broncos expressed an interest in signing Rote; AFL CommissionerJoe Fossconducted a coin flip to decide which team would have the right to claim the player. San Diego won and gave Buffalo tackleDick Hudsonand two future draft picks in exchange for Rote's signing rights.[26]The 35-year-old was soon signed, with Gillman describing him as "one of the finest quarterbacks in football."[27]He started every game throughout the season.[28]

San Diego also gainedGeorge Gross,a 16th-round pick in the1962 draftwho had stayed on atAuburnas aredshirtthat year. In 1963, he started every game for the Chargers at defensive tackle.[29]Another guard,Sam DeLuca,re-signed with the team after a one-year retirement; he played in every game while starting half of them.[30]Dick Westmoreland,an undrafted defensive back fromNorth Carolina A&T,was signed by Chargers scout Al LoCasale and made the team.[31]He ended the 1963 season as the only rookie selected for theNEAAll-AFL 1st team,[32]and was a 2nd-team choice for theAssociated Press,UPIand theNew York Daily News.[33]

Personnel

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Staff

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1963 San Diego Chargers staff

Front office

Head coaches

  • Head coach – Sid Gillman

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches


Strength and conditioning

  • Strength coach - Alvin Roy

[34][35][36]


Roster

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1963 San Diego Chargers roster
Quarterbacks(QB)

Running backs(RB)

Wide receivers(WR)

Tight ends(TE)

Offensive linemen(OL)

Defensive linemen(DL)

Linebackers(LB)

Defensive backs(DB)

Special teams

Rookies in italics

[38]

Training camp

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Rough Acres Ranch

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For the previous two seasons, the Chargers had trained at theUniversity of San Diego.Gillman, seeking both to instil both toughness and a sense of unity in his team, opted to switch to Rough Acres Ranch, located inBoulevard,an isolated town 66 miles (106 km) from San Diego. The ranch had only basic amenities and was overrun with insects and other wildlife, including bats, spiders and poisonousrattlesnakes.The players had to conducttwo-a-daysin temperatures close to 100 °F (38 °C), on sawdust that had been laid on the barren earth to approximate the consistency of grass. There was little to distract the players from their practice and little to do in the evenings but spend time together, either at the ranch itself or a small gas station 3 miles (4.8 km) down the road.[39][40]

Opinion among the players was divided as to the efficacy of using the ranch. Team captainRon Mixbelieved that the 1963 Chargers were successful in spite of, not because of, the experience.[41]Others were more positive.Ernie Ladddescribed Rough Acres as a great training facility, noting the isolated location as a positive, whileLance Alworthstated the team had "one of the greatest years as a result of it. I still don't understand why more teams don't do that and why we didn't do it more often after that."[42]The Chargers did not have the option to return to Rough Acres, as the owners brought a lawsuit worth over a million dollars against them, alleging both property damage and non-payment of rental fees.[43]

Steroid usage

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Gillman hired a strength coach, Alvin Roy, to work with the team during training camp. Roy was a proponent of weightlifting, at a time when that form of exercise was not regarded as beneficial to a pro footballer. Roy also instructed the players to take pink pills each day at dinnertime, which would help their bodies assimilate protein. These pills were Dianabol, the commercial name ofMetandienone,ananabolic steroid.The Chargers were the first professional football team to prescribe steroids to their players.[44]The use of steroids was permitted in professional football at the time; they would eventually be banned in 1983 by then-NFL commissionerPete Rozelle.[45]

At first, taking the pills was compulsory. WhenDick Harrisopenly refused to do so, he was fined his $60 pay for the Chargers' opening exhibition game by Gillman. Others who were suspicious of the pills disposed of them subtly, hiding them under the table at meal times, or keeping them in their mouths until they had exited the dining room. Many players did accept the Dianabol without question, however. Rookie defensive back Westmoreland took the pills and soon noticed that he, in his words, "got bigger and stronger but didn't lose speed."[46]

After five weeks of the compulsory program, tight endDave Kocourekbegan to feel ill and went to his personal physician. When the physician learned that his patient was taking Dianabol, he showed him a list of side effects, including "liver damage, muscle damage, bone damage and testicle shrinkage". Kocourek took the list to Mix, who raised the issue with Gillman. The pills became voluntary after that, and the majority of the team completely stopped taking them, while others reduced their intake.[47]

Preseason

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San Diego entered their 1963 preseason schedule having accumulated a perfect 12–0 record in exhibition games over the past three years. They suffered a setback in the opening minutes of their first match when their newly acquired starting quarterback Rote was knocked out of the game with a chest injury. Backup Hadl played well in relief, throwing touchdowns toJacque MacKinnonand Alworth. Earlier,Paul Lowehad scored the Chargers' first two touchdowns with runs of 3 and 65 yards; the running back was playing for the first time since the broken arm he had sustained during the1962 preseason.[48]The Chargers followed this with their 14th consecutive preseason win, beating the Patriots for the first of four times that season. Hadl started the game, completing 14 of 26 passes for 269 yards, with touchdowns to Alworth andDon Norton,while running for a score himself. Lowe again ran for two touchdowns,Charlie McNeilscored on a 44-yard interception return, and San Diego found the end zone seven times in total in a 50–17 win.[49]

The Chargers' string of preseason victories came to an end a week later when they lost in Denver. The Broncos jumped out to a 28–3 lead in the 3rd quarter before the Chargers closed the gap with three touchdown passes: Hadl threw two, either side of one from halfbackKeith Lincoln.Hadl also threw atwo-point conversionpass to Kocourek; that pulled the Chargers back within six points in the final quarter, but they got no closer.[50]

Two strong defensive performances followed. Against the Oilers, they had five interceptions, recovered a fumble and made a successful goal line stand as Houston mustered only three points despite gaining 27 first downs to the Chargers' 9. Hadl threw two touchdowns, and Lowe scored for the fifth time in the preseason.[51]Rote returned for the preseason finale but struggled and threw four interceptions. Raider quarterbacks were also intercepted four times, andBob Jacksonscored the game's only touchdown as the Chargers beat Oakland for the tenth time in ten meetings (exhibition and regular season combined).[52]

1963 San Diego Chargers preseason schedule
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance
1 August 3 Kansas City Chiefs W26–14 1–0 Balboa Stadium 25,862
2 August 10 Boston Patriots W50–17 2–0 Balboa Stadium 16,427
3 August 17 atDenver Broncos L25–31 2–1 DU Stadium 11,135
4 August 22 atHouston Oilers W21–3 3–1 Jeppesen Stadium 23,635
5 August 31 Oakland Raiders W13–3 4–1 Balboa Stadium 17,517

[53]

Regular season

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Summary

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Lance Alworthwas voted theAFL's Most Valuable PlayerbyUPI.

Rote excelled at quarterback, winning the Associated PressAFL MVP award.[54]His completion percentage of 59.4 was comfortably better than his nearest rival (Len Dawsonwith 54.0), while his passer rating of 86.7 was also an AFL best. He was also one of only three starting quarterbacks in the league to throw more touchdowns than interceptions (20 against 17).[55]Gillman praised Rote's ability to call his own plays in the huddle,[56]and Alworth later stated, "Tobin Rote's the reason why we won."[57]Hadl also saw frequent action, as Gillman would frequently insert him into the game if Rote was struggling; Hadl threw at least one pass in 12 regular season games, complementing Rote's 2,510 yards with 502 of his own.[58]

Alworth was the primary target for the two quarterbacks. The second-yearflankerset new club receiving records for catches (61), yards (1,205) and touchdowns (11),[59]ranking second in the league for the latter two categories;[60]he also posted a pair of 200-yard games, the first in Charger history.[61]Alworth was voted the league MVP byUPI.[62]Of the other receivers, tight end Kocourek added 359 yards and five touchdowns. Norton, the club's leading receiver in 1962,[63]was injured while lifting weights and missed the first seven games; he finished with 281 yards from limited action.[47][64]Paul Lowereturned to the backfield after missing the entire 1962 season through injury.[48]He formed a successful partnership with Lincoln, running behind a line anchored by unanimous 1st teamAll-AFLtackle Mix.[65]Lowe rushed for 1,010 yards (2nd in the league), while Lincoln, who missed most of one game and all of another, finished with 826 yards (4th in the league).[66]The pair combined for 18 touchdowns, contributing to San Diego's league-high tally of 399 points scored.[1]The Chargers comfortably led the league in yards per pass and yards per rush (6.7 and 5.6 respectively - the Raiders were second in both categories with 5.3 and 4.5 respectively).[67]

On defense, cornerback Harris led the team with eight interceptions (third most in the league),[68]while linebackerChuck Allenadded five more. With All-Pro defensive endEarl Faisonunofficially[a]credited with a team-leading five sacks, the Charger defense was a balanced unit: they were the best in the league for touchdowns conceded against the pass (17) and joint-best against the run (10) while conceding the fewest points overall (255).[1]George Blairdid not repeat his excellent kicking performance from the previous season,[63]but his stat line of 17 successes from 28 attempts still gave him the best percentage in the league.Paul Maguireaveraged 38.6 yards per punt, the lowest of the league's eight punters.[70]

Schedule

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1963 San Diego Chargers regular season schedule
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap
1 September 8 Buffalo Bills W14–10 1–0 Balboa Stadium 22,344 Recap
2 September 14 Boston Patriots W17–13 2–0 Balboa Stadium 26,097 Recap
3
Bye
4 September 29 Kansas City Chiefs W24–10 3–0 Balboa Stadium 22,654 Recap
5 October 6 atDenver Broncos L34–50 3–1 Bears Stadium 18,428 Recap
6 October 13 New York Jets W24–20 4–1 Balboa Stadium 27,189 Recap
7 October 20 atKansas City Chiefs W38–17 5–1 Municipal Stadium 30,107 Recap
8 October 27 Oakland Raiders L33–34 5–2 Balboa Stadium 30,182 Recap
9 November 2 at New York Jets W53–7 6–2 Polo Grounds 18,336 Recap
10 November 10 at Boston Patriots W7–6 7–2 Fenway Park 28,402 Recap
11 November 17 at Buffalo Bills W23–13 8–2 War Memorial Stadium 38,592 Recap
Scheduled AFL gamespostponedto December 22
12 December 1 Houston Oilers W27–0 9–2 Balboa Stadium 31,713 Recap
13 December 8 atOakland Raiders L27–41 9–3 Frank Youell Field 20,249 Recap
14 December 15 at Houston Oilers W20–14 10–3 Jeppesen Stadium 18,540 Recap
15 December 22 Denver Broncos W58–20 11–3 Balboa Stadium 31,312 Recap
Note:Intra-division opponents are inboldtext.

Game summaries

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Week 1: vs. Buffalo Bills

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Week One: Buffalo Bills at San Diego Chargers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Bills 0 3 0710
Chargers 0 7 7014

atBalboa Stadium,San Diego,California

  • Date:September 8
  • Game weather:74 °F (23.3 °C), relative humidity 64%, wind 11 mph
  • Game attendance:22,344
  • Box score
Game information

San Diego opened the 1963 season with a victory, intercepting their former quarterbackJack Kempthree times.[71]After an early Buffalo punt, Lincoln took a swing pass from Rote 32 yards down the right sideline, but Blair missed a short field goal soon afterwards.Bud WhiteheadandBob Mitingerintercepted Kemp on the next two Bills drives. After the second of these, Rote hit Kocourek for 31 yards over the middle, moving the ball to the Buffalo 1. Bobby Jackson scored the first Charger touchdown of the season on the next play, fighting through tacklers and narrowly crossing the goal line. Charger indiscipline aided Buffalo on their response, with three flags resulting from a single play: Ladd made a late hit on Kemp,Henry Schmidtwas ejected for fighting, and Gillman was penalized for his protestations. These infractions moved the ball from San Diego's 44 to their 12, but the defense stiffened and restricted Buffalo to a field goal. Alworth's 27-yard reception opened the next drive, but Blair missed another field goal; after the Bills also missed a kick, it was 7–3 at halftime.[72]

The Chargers were forced to punt at the start of the 3rd quarter, and Buffalo progressed to a 4th and 1 at the San Diego 40. The Bills went for the first down, but Ladd forced a fumble that McNeil recovered.Jerry Robinsonwrestled a 41-yard pass from the grasp of a defender on the next play, but Jackson was eventually stuffed for no gain on4th and 1from the 2. Faison sacked Kemp to force a punt; six plays later, Paul Lowe cut upfield and wove through tacklers on his way to a 48-yard touchdown run. Paul Maguire's interception and 38-yard return gave the Chargers a chance to put the game away, starting only eight yards from the Buffalo end zone, but Rote was sacked and intercepted on consecutive plays. Buffalo then drove 90 yards in 11 plays, scoring with 6:33 left on the clock. The Bills declined a two-point conversion attempt, instead kicking an extra point to trail by four. Buffalo had two more possessions: the first ended in a punt after Petrich sacked Kemp; the second saw them reach their own 47 yard line before time expired.[72]

Rote had a solid debut, going 18 of 29 for 260 yards, with one interception. Lowe, on his first game back after missing the entire 1962 season through injury, rushed 10 times for 96 yards and a touchdown.[72]

Week 2: vs. Boston Patriots

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Week Two: Boston Patriots at San Diego Chargers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Patriots 3 7 0313
Chargers 0 14 0317

atBalboa Stadium,San Diego,California

  • Date:September 14
  • Game weather:71 °F (21.7 °C), relative humidity 76%, wind 8 mph
  • Game attendance:26,097
  • Box score
Game information

This was the first night game played in San Diego.[73][74]After a Patriots field goal opened the scoring, San Diego struck twice in the 2nd quarter. Lincoln's 47-yard punt return was immediately followed by Alworth's 43-yard touchdown reception; the Chargers then blocked a field goal, and fooled the Patriots defense when Lowe threw a 71-yard touchdown to Robinson. Boston pulled back seven points after a 13-play, 75-yard drive, and it was 14–10 at halftime.[75]

Interceptions by McNeil and Maguire ended Patriot drives in the second half, and Alworth's 61-yard punt return gave the Chargers a chance to extend their lead, only for Blair to miss from 30 yards out early in the final quarter. Both kickers then had successful kicks, leaving the Chargers still up by four points entering the final minutes. Boston reached a 4th and 1 on the San Diego 40, but turned the ball over on downs after a botched handoff. Following a Charger punt, the Patriots had one final chance, but an incompletion on 4th and 4 from their own 48 let San Diego run the clock out.[75]

The Chargers gained what would prove a season-low 240 yards on offense, nearly half the total coming on the two touchdown plays.[1][75]

Week 4: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

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Week Four: Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Chiefs 0 3 0710
Chargers 7 14 0324

atBalboa Stadium,San Diego,California

  • Date:September 29
  • Game weather:77 °F (25.0 °C), relative humidity 61%, wind 10 mph
  • Game attendance:22,654
  • Box score
Game information

Three early touchdown passes by Rote set the Chargers on their way to a comfortable win over the team who, while known as the Dallas Texans, had won the previous season'sAFL Championship game.[76]Faison's fumble recovery on the Kansas City 25 set up the first Rote touchdown, a 20-yard connection with Kocourek. In the 2nd quarter, McNeil interceptedLen Dawson,and the Chargers again capitalized, Kocourek jumping to gather in a Rote pass at the 10, and completing a 35-yard touchdown without breaking stride. The third touchdown drive was longer, covering 91 yards in 11 plays. Lowe broke off a 25-yard run, and Lincoln took a pass in the leftflatbefore cutting inside to elude a tackler and complete a 15-yard touchdown. The Chiefs pulled three points back before the break, but Blair made one of two field goal attempts in the second half, and Kansas City didn't reach the end zone until the final two minutes of the match.[77]

Rote finished 10 of 16 for 127 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Lowe and Lincoln split the carries in the backfield, with Lowe rushing 17 times for 91 yards and Lincoln 14 times for 59 yards.[77]

Week 5: at Denver Broncos

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Week Five: San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Chargers 13 7 01434
Broncos 3 14 92450

atBears Stadium,Denver,Colorado

  • Date:October 6
  • Game weather:64 °F (17.8 °C), relative humidity 28%, wind 6 mph
  • Game attendance:18,428
  • Box score
Game information

San Diego conceded 50 points in a game for the first time,[78]as Denver scored three times in barely a minute in the final quarter.[79]Lincoln's fumble set up Denver for the game's first points, a 37-yard field goal fromGene Mingo.Lincoln made amends only three plays later, taking ascreen passin for a 39-yard touchdown. McNeil's interception soon gave San Diego the ball back, and it was Lowe's turn to score, taking a Rote pass 31 yards on the next play. The Broncos responded with a 79-yard drive to aJohn McCormicktouchdown pass, before Mingo missed kicks from 37 and 44 yards. Two plays after the second of these, Rote dropped back from his own 15 and found Alworth at midfield, the receiver completing an 85-yard touchdown. McCormick came back with another scoring throw, and Rote was intercepted shortly before halftime.[80]

Denver's momentum continued into the 3rd quarter. After tying the scores at 20–20 with a Mingo field goal, they executed a surprise onside kick, and another Mingo success put them in front. Rote was intercepted and lost a fumble, with the latter turnover leading to a further field goal. Hadl came on for Rote in the 4th quarter, and threw a touchdown on his very first pass attempt, a 19-yarder to Lincoln. That put San Diego back on top, 27–26, but McCormick soon responded with his third touchdown pass of the game. Lincoln's eventful day was complete when he fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and Denver scored again. When Hadl threw an interception a few plays later,Goose Gonsoulinran the ball back for another touchdown, and Denver had scored 21 points in the space of 63 seconds. Hadl threw a deflected 54-yard touchdown pass to MacKinnon, but Denver recovered Blair's onside kick attempt, and Mingo added his fifth field goal with 20 seconds to play.[80]

Rote and Hadl threw for 317 yards and a new club-record five touchdowns between them.[81]Alworth caught 4 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown, while Lincoln had 62 yards on the ground and 73 through the air, including two scores.[80]

Week 6: vs. New York Jets

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Week Six: New York Jets at San Diego Chargers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Jets 7 3 10020
Chargers 3 0 14724

atBalboa Stadium,San Diego,California

  • Date:October 13
  • Game weather:66 °F (18.9 °C), relative humidity 69%, wind 6 mph
  • Game attendance:27,189
  • Box score
Game information

San Diego bounced back with a hard-fought win over the Jets.[82]After Lowe lost a fumble, former Chargers QBDick Woodproduced a touchdown pass on the Jets' first play from scrimmage, covering 51 yards. Lowe was then intercepted on a halfback pass, but New York missed a field goal on the resulting drive. Lowe bounced back with a 40-yard gain on a sweep, and Blair was successful from 28 yards out. Rote was later picked off, leading to a Jets field goal and a 10–3 scoreline at halftime.[83]

Hadl entered the game in the third quarter for his most substantial playing time of the season.[58]He made an immediate impact with run of 9 and 33 yards, before rounding out an 87-yard drive with an 8-yard touchdown to Kocourek, who leaped to make the catch with defenders on either side of him. The Chargers were in trouble at the start of their next drive, facing 3rd and 13 at their own 18 yard line, but Lincoln took a short pass and broke two tackles en route to a 37-yard gain. Five plays later, it was 2nd and 7 at the Jet 11, and San Diego again called a pass from an unexpected source. This time thetrick playworked, fullback Gerry MacDougall lofting the ball to the back of the end zone where Alworth jumped to pull it in.Dick Christyreturned the ensuing kickoff 71 yards to the Charger 18 before Westmoreland made a touchdown-saving tackle. That ultimately caused the Jets to settle for a field goal, as Hank Schmidt sacked Wood on third down. San Diego converted a 4th and 1 on the next drive, MacDougall's 26-yard catch moving the ball into field goal range, but the drive ended with a miss by Blair. New York then used a 54-yard pass interference penalty as the springboard for an 80-yard touchdown drive and a 20–17 lead as the 3rd quarter ended. Maguire pinned the Jets at their own 1 with a punt, and the defense forced athree-and-out,though an excellent punt in return set San Diego back on their own 39. Lowe accounted for most of the yardage on the next drive, with runs of 6 and 30 yards to start it off and a 7-yard touchdown up the middle to finish it with 9:06 to play. Wood led the Jets to the Charger 13, but his pass was deflected and incomplete on 4th and 8. New York's final chance ended on their own 40, whenFrank Buncomknocked away another 4th down pass.[83]

Rote was 10 of 13 for 78 yards and an interception, while Hadl was 8 of 12 for 134 yards and a touchdown. Lowe carried 16 times for 161 yards and one touchdown.[83]San Diego's defense had zero takeaways. It was the first time in a regular season game that they failed to make at least one interception (they also had none in the1960 AFL title game), ending a 46-game streak that remains anAFL/NFL record.[84]

Week 7: at Kansas City Chiefs

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Week Seven: San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Chargers 0 3 142138
Chiefs 0 7 3717

atMunicipal Stadium,Kansas City, Missouri

  • Date:October 20
  • Game weather:73 °F (22.8 °C), relative humidity 56%, wind 7 mph
  • Game attendance:30,107
  • Box score
Game information

Alworth had the most receiving yardage of any game in his Hall of Fame career,[85]and the Chargers won on their first-ever trip to Kansas City.[86]The first four San Diego possessions resulted in punts, before Allen intercepted Len Dawson, setting up Blair's field goal to open the scoring. However, Dawson foundAbner Hayneswith a deep pass over the middle only two plays after the kickoff; Haynes slipped McNeil's diving tackle and completed a 73-yard touchdown, and Kansas City led 7–3 at halftime.[87]

Hadl had been in at quarterback on the final two Charger drives of the first half, but Rote returned after the break, and led his team to touchdowns on five of their first six-second half possessions. Rote was 5 for 5 on the first drive, finishing with a 44-yard pass to Alworth, who had got open behind thesafeties.Following a Chiefs field goal, Alworth's 28-yard catch was the biggest gain on an 11-play, 86-yard drive, which Lowe finished by cutting up the middle for a 7-yard touchdown on 3rd and 5. Blair then recovered a fumble, but missed a 40-yard field goal five plays later. After that, Dawson led his team from their own 20 to a 4th and 5 at the Charger 13. With only eight minutes remaining, Kansas City opted to go for it, but Dawson's pass was incomplete. Lincoln's 15-yard run on the next play was immediately followed by another Alworth touchdown. The flanker got a step behind cornerbackDuane Wood,giving him position to outwrestle Wood for the ball at the Chief 35 and complete a 72-yard touchdown. Dawson threw a touchdown on 4th and goal from the 7 on the next drive, and Kansas City were back within 24–17 with 5:24 still on the clock. Lincoln put the game away on the next play from scrimmage. Taking a pitchout to the left, he cut upfield and worked his way back towards the right sideline to avoid tacklers, ultimately outracing the defense and going in untouched for a 76-yard touchdown. Blair then made a juggling interception of Dawson, and Lowe shrugged off a tackler at theline of scrimmagebefore completing the scoring with a 21-yard run.[87]

Rote was 16 of 22 for 266 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Lincoln rushed 10 times for 127 yards and a touchdown. Alworth caught 9 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns; he had 183 receiving yards in the second half alone.[87]

Week 8: vs. Oakland Raiders

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Week Eight: Oakland Raiders at San Diego Chargers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Raiders 7 7 71334
Chargers 10 7 9733

atBalboa Stadium,San Diego,California

  • Date:October 27
  • Game weather:68 °F (20.0 °C), relative humidity 65%, wind 6 mph
  • Game attendance:30,182
  • Box score
Game information

Oakland pulled within one and a half games of San Diego, after an eventful game in which four quarterbacks combined for seven touchdowns and eight interceptions.[88]Rote was intercepted on the game's first possession, andTom FloresfoundArt Powellfor the opening points. San Diego responded with a Blair field goal, before Alworth maintained his good form with a 32-yard touchdown catch. Rote threw interceptions toFred Williamsonon the next two Charger drives; after the first of these, Harris picked off Flores to win the ball straight back, but Flores took his second chance with a 30-yard drive and another touchdown pass. Hadl entered the game and hit MacKinnon for a 69-yard touchdown on only his second throw. Flores was then intercepted by McNeil, but Hadl was intercepted himself before the half ended with San Diego 17–14 up.[89]

Rote returned for the 3rd quarter, while the Raiders went with backupCotton Davidson,Flores having sustained a head injury. The latter switch seemed to have backfired when Davidson's first pass was intercepted and run back for a touchdown by Harris, but he came back with a touchdown pass two plays after Lincoln had fumbled while attempting a lateral. A 29-yard catch by MacKinnon got San Diego moving, and Blair put the Chargers ahead 26–21 after three quarters with a 36-yard kick. Davidson's second touchdown pass was also Powell's second touchdown catch - the 46-yard connection put Oakland ahead one play into the final quarter. San Diego responded through Lincoln, the running back goingoff tackleand breaking through for a 51-yard score. After a punt each, the Raiders went 63 yards for the winning score, another pass by Davidson. The Chargers managed to sack Davidson on the ensuing two-point attempt, leaving them needing only a field goal to win with 1:52 still remaining. Their final drive started from their own 27 and quickly went wrong. Rote threw incomplete before being sacked for an 18-yard loss; he then threw his fourth interception of the game, and Oakland ran out the clock.[89]

Oakland's quarterbacks completed only eight passes between them, but five of those went for touchdowns. For the Chargers, Lincoln rushed 15 times for 130 yards and a touchdown, while MacKinnon caught 3 passes for 111 yards and a score.[89]

Week 9: at New York Jets

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Week Nine: San Diego Chargers at New York Jets – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Chargers 7 17 141553
Jets 0 0 077

atPolo Grounds,New York, New York

  • Date:November 2
  • Game weather:48 °F (8.9 °C), relative humidity 73%, wind 16 mph
  • Game attendance:18,336
  • Box score
Game information

The Chargers kicked off a three-game trip to the east coast by thrashing the Jets.[90]On their second play from scrimmage, Alworth hauled in a deep pass and gained 62 yards, though a Lincoln fumble prevented San Diego from capitalising with any points. They made no mistake on their next possession, Lowe easily scoring on an 11-yard screen pass. Gross caused Dick Wood to fumble shortly afterwards, withEmil Karasrecovering - five plays later, Kocourek scored from 14 yards out. Another turnover soon followed, Harris intercepting an underthrow by Wood. Alworth made a leaping grab on the next play, covering 49 yards; three plays later, Lowe swept right from the 11 behind strong blocking and went in untouched for a 21–0 lead, and Blair added a short field goal before halftime.[91]

More points followed in the second half. Alworth again outjumped his marker on a 28-yard touchdown reception, Rote and MacDougall scored on short runs up the middle, and, after the Jets averted a shutout, Hadl threw an 8-yard touchdown to Robinson with no time on the clock. The Chargers faked a conversion kick after this final score, and Hadl hit Kocourek for two more points.[91]

Rote completed 21 of 29 passes for a club-record 369 yards,[92]with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Hispasser ratingof 149.0 would be the best any Charger achieved in the AFL while making at least 20 attempts in a game.[93]Alworth caught 5 passes for 180 yards and a touchdown. Harris had two interceptions and a fumble recovery, while Karas had two fumble recoveries. San Diego set club records for most points (this would be broken six games later),[94]and margin of victory (still to be surpassed).[95]The game featured three ejections, including two for the Chargers; Ladd and Joe Schmidt were both thrown out for their role in a fist fight.[90]

Week 10: at Boston Patriots

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Week Ten: San Diego Chargers at Boston Patriots – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Chargers 7 0 007
Patriots 0 0 606

atFenway Park,Boston,Massachusetts

  • Date:November 10
  • Game weather:45 °F (7.2 °C), relative humidity 83%, wind 15 mph
  • Game attendance:28,402
  • Box score
Game information

Alworth and the defense lifted San Diego to a narrow victory in the rain and mud of Fenway Park.[96][97]Alworth had catches of 6, 37 and 17 yards on three consecutive plays in the game's opening drive, but Blair missed a 12-yard chip shot field goal, and the Chargers came up empty-handed. Westmoreland's fumble recovery then stopped a dangerous Patriot drive, and San Diego worked their way to the Boston 18, from where Alworth caught Rote's pass in the end zone and appeared to have opened the scoring. A penalty wiped those points off the board, but Rote went straight back to Alworth with a screen, good for 23 yards and a touchdown. Boston looked the more threatening team throughout the 2nd quarter, butGino Cappellettimissed a 38-yard kick and lost a fumble thatGary Glickrecovered. Allen outwrestled the intended receiver for an interception ofBabe Parilli,and it was still 7–0 at the break.[98]

Cappelletti made a 36-yard field goal early in the second half. Rote converted a 4th and 1 with aquarterback sneakon the next possession, but the drive ended when Blair missed from 48 yards. Boston drove into field goal range once more, and when Cappelletti was good from 25 yards, the lead was cut to a single point. Following a Rote interception, Cappelletti had a chance to put his team ahead, but was short from 37 yards out. Allen continued to make significant plays as the final quarter wore on, stopping Patriot drives with an interception and a fumble recovery. Boston's last chance came after Lowe lost a fumble at his own 42. The Charger defense knocked the Patriots back six yards on three running plays, and Cappelletti's final kick fell well short from 55 yards. Alworth's 50-yard reception helped San Diego run the clock out.[98]

Alworth had 13 of his team's 18 pass receptions and gained 210 of their 271 total yards on offense while scoring the game's only touchdown.[98]His 13 receptions were a new club record[99]and would remain his career high.[85]San Diego's total of 7 points remained the fewest they had scored in a victory until another meeting with the Patriots60 years later.[100]

Week 11: at Buffalo Bills

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Week Eleven: San Diego Chargers at Buffalo Bills – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Chargers 10 0 7623
Bills 7 3 3013

atWar Memorial Stadium,Buffalo, New York

  • Date:November 17
  • Game weather:53 °F (11.7 °C), relative humidity 58%, wind 16 mph
  • Game attendance:38,592
  • Box score
Game information

San Diego completed a three-game east coast sweep with a hard-fought win in Buffalo.[101]The Bills took the opening kickoff and drove 75 yards forCookie Gilchristto score from a yard out. The Chargers responded quickly, Lowe's 23-yard gain on adrawbeing immediately followed by Lincoln's 54-yard scoringtrap runthrough the middle. The next time San Diego had the ball, Lincoln opened the drive with a 24-yard reception, and Blair finished it with a 39-yard field goal. Jack Kemp led his offense inside the Charger 10 late in the first half, but Maguire's third down sack had the Bills settling for a field goal and a 10–10 tie at the intermission.[102]

In the 3rd quarter, Sweeney blocked a punt byDaryle Lamonica,and San Diego took over at the Buffalo 20. Lincoln appeared to have scored on a 9-yard run a few plays later, but Mix was penalized for a push. The Chargers scored anyway, Alworth gathering Rote's pass under theposts.Buffalo almost tied the game on their next drive, but last defender Westmoreland pulledElbert Dubeniondown at the Charger 5 yard line after a gain of 34, and the defense held Buffalo to a field goal. Lowe's 27-yard run had the Chargers threatening on their next drive, but they were thwarted when Rote was intercepted. Harris intercepted Kemp on the next two Buffalo drives; after the second of these, Rote's 54-yard completion to Alworth set up a short Blair field goal. After forcing a punt, the Chargers drove from their own 20 to Buffalo's 34, and Blair hit the clinching kick from 41 yards out with 1:37 to play.[102]

Harris added a third interception on the game's final play, his seventh in a four-game span.[103]Lincoln rushed 10 times for 101 yards and a touchdown, while adding 31 yards on 3 receptions.[102]With Oakland idle, the Chargers stretched their lead in the AFL West to two full games. The attendance figure set a new AFL record.[101]

Week 12: vs. Houston Oilers

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Week Twelve: Houston Oilers at San Diego Chargers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Oilers 0 0 000
Chargers 7 13 0727

atBalboa Stadium,San Diego,California

  • Date:December 1
  • Game weather:60 °F (15.6 °C), relative humidity 63%, wind 5 mph
  • Game attendance:31,713
  • Box score
Game information

In a matchup of division leaders, San Diego shut out the Oilers.[104]Houston had the game's first scoring chance, but Maguire blockedGeorge Blanda's 48-yard field goal attempt. Lincoln opened the scoring only five plays later, taking a draw up the middle from 15 yards out. Houston fumbled away ared zonechance on their next drive, and the Chargers soon pulled away. A Lincoln run set up Blair's 42-yard field goal, and Maguire recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff. After three straight incompletions, San Diego faked a field goal, Rote passing to Kocourek in the left flat, from where the tight end fought his way for 14 yards and a first down. Four plays later, Kocourek drew pass interference on a 3rd and 13 play, and Lowe went in from the 2. A Karas interception and 30-yard return was then wasted as Rote, too, was intercepted. Late in the half, Houston failed on a fourth down conversion attempt, and San Diego had three big runs in a row (Lowe 14 yards, Lincoln 16 yards, Lincoln 13 yards), setting up Blair's second field goal.[105]

Mitinger's interception two plays into the second half maintained the Chargers' dominance. They later put together an 11-play, 80-yard drive that bridged the 3rd and 4th quarters and ended with Alworth's 22-yard catch from Rote. Houston's threatened to avoid the shutout on their last two possessions, but backup quarterbackJacky Leewas sacked on 4th down, and later intercepted by Glick.[105]

Westmoreland was credited with 15 solo tackles and 1 assist, plus 6 passes defensed. Lincoln (13 carries for 102 yards and a touchdown, 1 reception for 5 yards) and Lowe (21 carries for 80 yards and a touchdown, 3 receptions for 25 yards) provided two strong performances in the backfield.[105]

Week 13: at Oakland Raiders

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Week Thirteen: San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Chargers 7 13 7027
Raiders 3 7 03141

atFrank Youell Field,Oakland, California

  • Date:December 8
  • Game weather:48 °F (8.9 °C), relative humidity 66%, wind 6 mph
  • Game attendance:20,249
  • Box score
Game information

Up by two games over the Raiders with only three to play, the Chargers could end the AFL West race with a win, but a collapse in the 4th quarter cost them the chance to clinch their division.[106]They began the game with a successful opening drive. Lincoln had a 36-yard reception and, after the Chargers lost six yards on the next two plays, Rote threw a deep pass to Norton for a 32-yard touchdown. For Norton, who had missed seven games through a back injury,[107]it was his only touchdown of the regular season.[108]

After a Raider field goal, San Diego suffered a setback when Lincoln was knocked out of the game through injury, with Bobby Jackson taking his place in the backfield. The switch appeared not to have disrupted the offense during a 6-play, 89-yard drive that opened with Alworth's 54-yard reception and ended with Jackson going 14 yards off-tackle to the end zone. Oakland responded with a 44-yard touchdown pass from Tom Flores to Art Powell on 4th and 2, but failed to convert on 4th and 10 from the Charger 39 on their next drive. Norton then had 22- and 36-yard receptions, and MacKinnon's short catch made it 20–10 at halftime.[109]

Cotton Davidson, who had played a major role in the Raiders' victory in San Diego earlier in the season, was brought on for the second half. The switch had no immediate impact, with the only score of the 3rd quarter going to the Chargers - Kocourek's 40-yard reception paving the way for Alworth's 15-yard touchdown. When the Raiders went three-and-out in response, San Diego took over on their own 20 early in the final quarter, 17 points ahead. Lowe appeared to have gained 38 yards on first down, but the run was nullified by penalty. Jackson took a screen pass to the Chargers 39 on the next play, but fumbled and Oakland recovered. Davidson's touchdown to Powell began the comeback four plays later. Next, Lowe lost a fumble and Oakland capitalized with a field goal. Following a Charger punt, Davidson led his team 57 yards and scored the game-tying touchdown himself with 7:54 to play.[109]

San Diego were unable to respond, failing to pick up a first down and punting again. Three plays later, Powell was in the end zone once more, with a 41-yard touchdown. Lowe returned the ensuing kickoff 41 yards, and Hadl came out to try and spark the offense. He found Norton for an 18-yard gain to the Oakland 38, but followed that with three incompletions and an interception. The Raiders added a further touchdown in the final minutes, and pulled to within a game at the top of the division.[109]

Rote was 17 of 25 for 284 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, while Norton caught six passes for 119 yards and a touchdown.[109]Art Powell scored 5 touchdowns from only 9 catches over the two games with San Diego.[110]It was only the third time in AFL/NFL history that a team was outscored by 30+ points in the 4th quarter.[111]

Week 14: at Houston Oilers

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Week Fourteen: San Diego Chargers at Houston Oilers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Chargers 0 17 3020
Oilers 0 7 0714

atJeppesen Stadium,Houston,Texas

  • Date:December 15
  • Game weather:38 °F (3.3 °C), relative humidity 53%, wind 10 mph, wind chill 31
  • Game attendance:18,540
  • Box score
Game information

The stakes were high for both teams - San Diego were looking to maintain their one-game lead over Oakland, while Houston would be eliminated from the AFL East race with a loss.[112]San Diego had the first drive that crossed into opposition territory, but Lowe lost a fumble - Houston then drove into field goal range, but George Blanda was wide right. In the 2nd quarter, three interceptions by Charger linebackers led to points. Firstly, Karas intercepted a Jacky Lee pass; Lowe immediately broke off a 59-yard run, and Rote sneaked into the end zone two plays later. Next, Allen picked off a Blanda pass at the Houston 30, and Jackson scored from close range six plays later. Blanda came straight back with a touchdown pass toWillard Dewveall,and Rote's deep pass was intercepted on the next play. Maguire then took back the momentum with an interception of his own, at the Houston 24-yard line. Blair capitalized with a 22-yard field goal, and it was 17–7 at halftime.[113]

Blair missed wide left from 43 yards in the 3rd quarter, but Allen's fumble recovery at the Oiler 30 soon gave him another chance, and he converted a chip shot 10-yarder. The Oilers' next drive saw them reach 4th and goal at the 9. They elected to go for the touchdown, but Allen and Glick combined to stop Dewveall one yard short. San Diego gained one first down before being forced to punt, and Blanda converted a 3rd and 28 with a 68-yard completion. The Oilers made no mistake this time, finding the end zone with 6:30 to play in the game. The next three drives were three-and-outs. Houston's final drive started on their own 21-yard line with under two minutes to play. Blanda managed to converted a 4th and 1, but found progress to be slow going. The game's final snap was from the Charger 44 - Houston gained only 9 yards, and time expired.[113]

Houston had four turnovers on the day, each of which San Diego converted into points. With Lincoln missing due to injury, Gerry MacDougall rushed 15 times for 56 yards, a complement to Lowe's 19 carries for 96 yards. These gains, plus the four crucial turnovers, were enough to compensate for a weak pass attack that managed only 85 yards total.[113]Oakland also won, leaving the Raiders still one game back and able to force a playoff for the division crown if San Diego lost in Week 15.[112]

Week 15: vs. Denver Broncos

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Week Fifteen: Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Broncos 7 10 3020
Chargers 10 16 102258

atBalboa Stadium,San Diego,California

  • Date:December 22
  • Game weather:56 °F (13.3 °C), relative humidity 53%, wind 5 mph
  • Game attendance:31,312
  • Box score
Game information

San Diego clinched their third AFL West title in four seasons while setting a club record for points that still stands.[114][115]Gross gave his team an excellent start, recovering a Broncos fumble forced by Karas. Lowe ran in the opening touchdown two plays later. After Denver answered with a touchdown on the ensuing drive, Alworth drew a 39-yard pass interference penalty and Blair kicked a field goal to put San Diego back in front. On the next drive, Mitinger made a one-handed interception after twice bobbling the ball. Norton's 29-yard reception on the following play set up Jackson's 2-yard touchdown dive. Denver again responded to a Charger touchdown with one of their own, aDon Breauxpass reducing their deficit to 17–14. Lincoln was back in the starting line-up for San Diego - his tackle-breaking 11-yard run got the Chargers moving on their next possession. Rote finished the drive by hitting Kocourek for a 26-yard touchdown; the tight end caught the ball in stride at the nine, and outran his marker to the corner of the end zone. A Rote interception let Denver pull three points closer with 1:04 remaining in the 2nd quarter, but back-to-back runs of 22 yards by Lowe and 14 yards by Lincoln set up Blair to respond in kind before the half ended.[116]

After both sides punted to start the 3rd quarter, Lowesweptto the right and went 66 yards untouched to make it 33–17. Denver responded with a field goal. With Oakland having achieved victory intheir final gameat about this time, San Diego still had work to do to reach the AFL title game. They responded with 25 unanswered points. Harris had an interception the next time Denver had the ball, and Blair knocked through his third field goal late in the 3rd quarter. On the first play of the final quarter, Ladd sacked Breaux, forcing a fumble that Faison recovered. Lincoln swept to the right on the next play, and scored without difficulty from 29 yards out. The defense registered the next score themselves, a fumble bouncing up for Allen to field and return 42 yards for a touchdown. Hadl came into the game and eventually threw the final touchdown to MacKinnon in the back of the end zone. San Diego added a two-point conversion on a trick play, with Faison's catch giving them their final points of the regular season.[116]

Paul Lowe ran for 183 yards on 17 carries, with two touchdowns. As a team, San Diego had 270 rushing yards and outgained Denver 451–231 in total offense.[116]

Standings

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AFL Western Division
W L T PCT DIV PF PA STK
San Diego Chargers 11 3 0 .786 3–3 399 255 W2
Oakland Raiders 10 4 0 .714 6–0 363 282 W8
Kansas City Chiefs 5 7 2 .417 2–4 347 263 W3
Denver Broncos 2 11 1 .154 1–5 301 473 L7

Note:Tie games were not officially counted in the standings in the AFL.

Playoffs

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1963 San Diego Chargers playoff schedule
Round Date Opponent Result Venue Attendance Recap
Championship January 5, 1964 Boston Patriots W51–10 Balboa Stadium 30,127 Recap

Game summary

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AFL championship game: vs. Boston Patriots

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Further information:1963 American Football League Championship Game
AFL championship game: Boston Patriots at San Diego Chargers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Patriots 7 3 0010
Chargers 21 10 71351

atBalboa Stadium,San Diego,California

Game information
The 1963 Chargers won the only major sports championship to date for the city ofSan Diego.

Favored by six points heading into the game, San Diego thrashed the Patriots 51–10 to gain their only league title to date.[117]

On the game's second play, Lincoln broke through a large hole in the middle of the line and gained 56 yards before being tackled at the Boston 4; two plays later, Rote ran the ball up the middle himself and scored a 2-yard touchdown. The Patriots went three-and-out, and Lincoln broke free again two plays later, this time taking apitchto the left and racing along the sideline for an easy 67-yard touchdown. Boston was able to get on the scoreboard with a touchdown drive of their own, but San Diego scored again four plays into their response, with Lowe taking a pitch to the right, threading through would-be tacklers near the sideline and cutting back inside to complete a 58-yard touchdown run. Having run only ten offensive plays, San Diego had three rushes of 50-plus yards and a 21–7 lead. In the 2nd quarter, back-to-back sacks by Ladd and Faison forced a Patriots punt, Lincoln broke off a 44-yard run, and Blair extended the lead with a field goal. Boston managed a field goal of their own, but San Diego came back with another touchdown drive, Lincoln's receptions of 11 and 24 yards helping to set up Norton's 14-yard touchdown from a pass in the left flat. Mitinger intercepted Parilli a play later, and San Diego led 31–10 at halftime.[118]

Lowe fumbled on the first Charger play of the second half, but the San Diego defense forced a punt. Lincoln had a 32-yard gain on aswing passon the following drive, setting up an Alworth touchdown; the flanker leaped and outfought a defensive back to pull in a long pass from Rote before completing a 48-yard touchdown. Hadl replaced Rote later in the game and was involved in the final two Charger touchdowns, finding Lincoln wide open over the middle on a 25-yard pass on 4th and 2, then scoring himself on a 1-yard run.[118]

Lincoln gained 329 yards from scrimmage, setting an AFL/NFL playoff record that still stands.[119]He won the game's MVP award after receiving 38 of the 39 available votes. In total, San Diego gained 610 yards and scored seven touchdown against a defense that had been highly respected coming into the game.[120]Gillman had drawn up an offensive game plan he dubbed 'Feast or Famine', usingmotionto confuse Boston'sblitzersand spring his running backs for several large gains.[121]Post-match, he described his team as having the greatest balance of any team he had coached.[122]

Potential match with NFL champions

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On December 29, 1963, theChicago Bearswere crowned NFL champions for the eighth time, their top-ranked defense pressuringY. A. Tittleinto five interceptions as they beat the New York Giants14–10.[123]San Diego's one-sided victory in the AFL title game a week later led to some speculation as to whether they might be a match for the Bears.[124]Gillman declared that his team wouldn't disgrace themselves in such an encounter,[125]though theLos Angeles Timesnoted that Chicago would represent a substantial step up in difficulty from the Patriots.[126]

AFL commissioner Joe Foss had proposed a title game between the two leagues in a letter to his opposite numberPete Rozelle,published bySports Illustratedin December 1963, while Gillman wrote to Bears head coachGeorge Halaswith a similar offer after the two title games had been played. Both proposals were politely declined.[127][128]The first game between the two leagues,Super Bowl I,occurred three years later.[129]

Awards

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Internal

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On December 12, the Chargers held their annual awards banquet. The Most Inspirational Player award was conferred by teammates, while the others were decided by a fan vote.[130]

1963 San Diego Chargers club awards
Award Winner
Team MVP Tobin Rote
Most Inspirational Player Chuck Allen
Rookie of the Year Dick Westmoreland
Most Valuable Offensive Back Keith Lincoln
Most Valuable Offensive End Lance Alworth
Most Valuable Offensive Lineman Ron Mix
Most Valuable Defensive Back Chuck Allen
Most Valuable Defensive Lineman Earl Faison

External

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Eleven Chargers were in the West division squad for theAFL All-Star game,[131]while five were named to theAssociated PressAll-AFL 1st teamand six to the 2nd team.[132]

Player Position All-Star AP 1st-team All-Pro AP 2nd-team All-Pro
Chuck Allen Linebacker
Lance Alworth Flanker
George Blair Safety/Kicker
Earl Faison Defensive end
Dick Harris Cornerback
Emil Karas Linebacker
Dave Kocourek Tight end
Ernie Ladd Defensive tackle
Keith Lincoln Running back
Paul Lowe Running back
Ron Mix Tackle
Don Rogers Center
Tobin Rote Center
Dick Westmoreland Guard
Ernie Wright Tackle

Notes

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  1. ^The NFL did not keep sack statistics officially until 1982. Members of theProfessional Football Researchers Associationhave largely reconstructed sack data from 1960 onwards based on official gamebooks, but the NFL does not acknowledge pre-1982 sack numbers.[69]

References

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  5. ^"Dallas drafts huge tackle".Fresno Bee. December 1, 1962.Archivedfrom the original on August 20, 2021.RetrievedAugust 20,2021.
  6. ^ab"1963 San Diego Chargers Draftees".pro-football-reference.com.Archivedfrom the original on August 20, 2021.RetrievedAugust 20,2021.
  7. ^"Chargers nip Browns, sign Orange end".Long Beach Independent.December 9, 1962. p. C-2.Archivedfrom the original on August 20, 2021.RetrievedAugust 20,2021.
  8. ^Tobias 2004,p. 92-93.
  9. ^"Walt Sweeney Stats".pro-football-reference.com.Archivedfrom the original on August 20, 2021.RetrievedAugust 20,2021.
  10. ^"Chargers sign Guthrie, Rams' first-round pick".Los Angeles Times.UPI. December 23, 1962. p. B-2.Archivedfrom the original on July 31, 2022.RetrievedAugust 20,2021.
  11. ^Cordry, George (August 6, 1963)."A sour note".Escondido Times-Advocate.p. 10.Archivedfrom the original on August 20, 2021.RetrievedAugust 20,2021.
  12. ^Cordry, George (July 16, 1964)."Guthrie still out".Escondido Times-Advocate. p. 18.Archivedfrom the original on July 31, 2022.RetrievedAugust 20,2021.
  13. ^"Rufus Guthrie Stats".Pro Football Archives.Archivedfrom the original on August 20, 2021.RetrievedAugust 20,2021.
  14. ^Tobias 2004,p. 88.
  15. ^"Green Bay signs Dave Robinson, Penn State End".Fresno Bee.UPI. December 31, 1963. p. 9-A.Archivedfrom the original on July 31, 2022.RetrievedAugust 20,2021.
  16. ^"Dave Robinson Stats".pro-football-reference.com.Archivedfrom the original on August 20, 2021.RetrievedAugust 20,2021.
  17. ^"Bob Petrich Stats".pro-football-reference.com.Archivedfrom the original on August 20, 2021.RetrievedAugust 20,2021.
  18. ^"Ernie Park Stats".pro-football-reference.com.Archivedfrom the original on June 18, 2018.RetrievedAugust 20,2021.
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  21. ^Stirling, Scotty (May 12, 1963)."AFL draft to aid Jet, Raider clubs".Oakland Tribune. p. 41.Archivedfrom the original on August 22, 2021.RetrievedAugust 22,2021.
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  30. ^"Sam DeLuca, Pat Shea ink San Diego pacts".Chico Enterprise-Record.UPI. May 21, 1963. p. 8A.Archivedfrom the original on July 31, 2022.RetrievedAugust 22,2021.
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Bibliography

edit
  • Steidel, Dave (2015).The Uncrowned Champs: How the 1963 San Diego Chargers Would Have Won the Super Bowl.Carrel.ISBN9781631440465.
  • Tobias, Todd (2004).Charging Through the AFL: Los Angeles and San Diego Chargers' Football in the 1960s.Turner.ISBN9781596520127.
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