The 1965 San Diego Chargers season was their sixth as a professional
AFL
AFL may refer to:
Sports
* American Football League (AFL), a name shared by several separate and unrelated professional American football leagues:
** American Football League (1926) (a.k.a. "AFL I"), first rival of the National Football Leagu ...
franchise
Franchise may refer to:
Business and law
* Franchising, a business method that involves licensing of trademarks and methods of doing business to franchisees
* Franchise, a privilege to operate a type of business such as a cable television p ...
; the team improved on their 8–5–1 record in
1964. Head Coach
Sid Gillman
Sidney Gillman (October 26, 1911 – January 3, 2003) was an American football player, coach and executive. Gillman's insistence on stretching the football field by throwing deep downfield passes, instead of short passes to running backs or w ...
led the Chargers to their fifth AFL West title, with a 9–2–3 record, before losing the AFL Championship Game to the
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
for the second consecutive season. It would prove to be the Chargers' last post-season appearance until (
1979).
San Diego took the lead in the AFL Western division early in the season, as they won five of their first seven games and tied the other two. They maintained first place despite two midseason defeats and finished with three wins in a row, clinching their division with a game to spare. During the regular season, they led the league in several key statistical categories, ranking first for both rushing yardage and passing yards on both offense and defense. They entered the AFL Championship game as point favorites on their own home field, but were shut out by the Bills 23–0.
Several individual Chargers had strong seasons, with the offense featuring the top passer, runner and receiver, ranked by yardage. Quarterback
John Hadl
John Willard Hadl (February 15, 1940 – November 30, 2022) was an American football quarterback who played in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) for 16 years. He won an AFL championship with the San Diego Cha ...
, in his first season as the full time starter, threw for 2,798 yards, running back
Paul Lowe
Paul may refer to:
*Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name)
* Paul (surname), a list of people
People
Christianity
*Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...
set both team and league records with 1,121 yards, and led the league with 5 yards per carry, and flanker
Lance Alworth
Lance Dwight Alworth (born August 3, 1940), nicknamed “Bambi”, is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers of the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) an ...
's 1,602 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns are yet to be surpassed as Charger records. The defense featured strong performances by safety
Bud Whitehead, cornerback
Speedy Duncan
Leslie Herbert "Speedy" Duncan (August 10, 1942 – December 9, 2021) was an American professional football player who was a cornerback and return specialist in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). He played ...
(also the AFL's leading punt returner), and defensive linemen
Earl Faison
Earl Faison (January 31, 1939 – June 12, 2016) was an American professional football player who was a defensive end in the American Football League (AFL) between 1960 and 1966. He spent most of his career with the San Diego Chargers.
Career
D ...
and
Ernie Ladd
Ernest Ladd (November 28, 1938 – March 10, 2007), nicknamed "The Big Cat", was an American professional football player and professional wrestler. A standout athlete in high school, Ladd attended Grambling State University on a basketball sc ...
. The latter two players fell out with Gillman, and left at the end of the season.
Offseason
AFL draft
Regular draft
The 1965 AFL Draft took place on November 28, 1964, late in the previous season. The rival
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL) conducted its draft on the same day. Where the same player was drafted by both AFL and NFL franchises, the two would compete to sign him. The Chargers were able to sign their 1st-round pick, defensive lineman
Steve DeLong
Steven Cyril DeLong (July 3, 1943 – August 18, 2010) was an American football defensive lineman who played professionally in the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL). He played collegiately for the Universi ...
, who had also been drafted by the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
. DeLong stated that he preferred the city of San Diego, and that the Chargers had made him a better offer. While DeLong was used as a backup during his
rookie
A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year).
In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...
season, he went on to start in 75 games during seven seasons in San Diego, making one
AFL All-Star game
The American Football League All-Star game was the annual game which featured each year's best performers in the American Football League (AFL). The game was first played in 1961 and the final AFL All-Star game occurred in 1969, prior to the leagu ...
. Other successful signings included linebacker
Rick Redman
Richard Clark Redman (March 7, 1943 – September 30, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a linebacker with the San Diego Chargers for nine seasons, including five in the American Football League (AFL) and four in the N ...
, who started 81 games over nine years in San Diego and made one All-Star game, and running back
Gene Foster, who scored twice in 1965 and gained over 2,500 yards during a six-year career with the Chargers.
Other Charger draftees opted to sign with NFL clubs, including 2nd-round pick
Roy Jefferson, who joined the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
. He went on to earn three
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players.
The format has changed thro ...
appearances, two
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...
All-Pro
All-Pro is an honor bestowed upon professional American football players that designates the best player at each position during a given season. All-Pro players are typically selected by press organizations, who select an "All-Pro team," a list t ...
nominations (once on the 1st team, once on the 2nd team), and a
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the team members of the winning team of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl. Since only one Vince Lombardi Trophy is awarded to the team (ownership) itsel ...
with the
1970 Baltimore Colts. In total, five of the Chargers' selections chose the NFL, including four of their top eight picks, while five signed with San Diego.
Redshirt draft
As well as their regular collegiate draft, the AFL also held a separate
redshirt
Redshirt, Red Shirt, or Redshirts may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Red Shirts'' (film), a 1952 film about Anita Garibaldi by Franco Rossi
* Redshirt (stock character), originally derived from ''Star Trek'', a stock character who dies soon after ...
draft. This covered players whose graduation had been delayed by taking a redshirt year, meaning that they still had a further year of
college football eligibility. With their first pick in this draft, the Chargers chose
San Diego State Aztecs
The San Diego State Aztecs are the athletic teams that represent San Diego State University (SDSU). San Diego State currently sponsors six men's and eleven women's sports at the varsity level.
The Aztecs compete in NCAA Division I ( FBS for foo ...
wide receiver
Gary Garrison
Gary Lynn Garrison (born January 21, 1944 in Amarillo, Texas) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL). He attended San Diego St ...
. They eventually signed him on December 5, 1965, after outbidding the NFL's
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
. Garrison went on to spend eleven seasons with the Chargers, accumulating over 7,500 receiving yards while being nominated to one AFL All-Star game and three Pro Bowls. He was also inducted into the
Chargers Hall of Fame in 1985.
Unless noted otherwise, these players began their professional careers in 1966.
Departures and arrivals
Tobin Rote
Tobin Cornelius Rote (January 18, 1928 – June 27, 2000) was an American football player who played quarterback for the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL), the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football Le ...
, who had started for the Chargers in the past two
AFL Championship Game
For its first nine seasons, 1960 through 1968, the American Football League determined its champion via a single playoff game between the winners of its two divisions (although ties in the standings in 1963 (Eastern) and 1968 (Western) necessitat ...
s, retired after the 1964 season.
John Hadl
John Willard Hadl (February 15, 1940 – November 30, 2022) was an American football quarterback who played in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) for 16 years. He won an AFL championship with the San Diego Cha ...
took over as the starter, having split time with Rote the previous year. There was also a change on the offensive line.
Don Rogers had started every game at
center
Center or centre may refer to:
Mathematics
*Center (geometry), the middle of an object
* Center (algebra), used in various contexts
** Center (group theory)
** Center (ring theory)
* Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentrici ...
over the past two seasons, and featured in all but two Charger games over the first five years of the franchise. He lost his starting job to
Sam Gruneisen
Samuel Kenneth Gruneisen (January 16, 1941 – September 28, 2012) was an American football player and coach. He played professionally as a center in the American Football League (AFL) for the San Diego Chargers and in the National Football Leagu ...
during the offseason, and did not play professionally again. Defensive lineman
Hank Schmidt, who had featured in every game for San Diego over the previous four seasons, switched to the
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
midseason and beat the Chargers with his new team in the AFL title game at season's end. New players included
Dick Degen, an undrafted rookie who missed time through injury but still started seven games, specialist kicker
Herb Travenio, who had briefly featured for the Chargers in 1964 before being dropped and working for the postal service, and safety
Bob Zeman
Edward Robert Zeman (February 22, 1937 – May 3, 2019) was an American football defensive back who played six seasons in the American Football League from 1960 to 1966.
Playing career
Early years
Zeman attended Wheaton Warrenville South Hi ...
, back for a second stint with the team after starting 23 games from 1960-1961; he would start 7 more from 1965-1966.
San Diego stadium vote
The future of the Chargers franchise was uncertain entering the 1965 season, with owner
Barron Hilton indicating that he would choose to move his team to another venue unless the city of San Diego approved a new stadium.
Anaheim
Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the 10th-most p ...
was suggested as a possible alternative for the team, as was
Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium is a baseball stadium in the Elysian Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It is the home stadium of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers. Opened in 1962, it was constructed in less than three years at a cost of ( ...
in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
. On November 2, over 130,000 citizens of San Diego voted by a majority of roughly 72% to 28% to allocated $27 million for the construction of a 50,000-seat stadium in
Mission Valley
Mission Valley is a wide river valley trending east–west in San Diego, California, United States, through which the San Diego River flows to the Pacific Ocean. For planning purposes the city of San Diego divides it into two neighborhoods: Miss ...
. Hilton signed a 10-year lease, beginning in 1967.
Jack Murphy, sports editor of the
San Diego Union
''The San Diego Union-Tribune'' is a metropolitan daily newspaper published in San Diego, California, that has run since 1868.
Its name derives from a 1992 merger between the two major daily newspapers at the time, ''The San Diego Union'' and ...
, was credited with getting the stadium project approved.
Initially known as
San Diego Stadium
San Diego Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium on the West Coast of the United States, west coast of the United States, in San Diego, California. The stadium opened in 1967 as San Diego Stadium and was known as Jack Murphy Stadium from 1981 to 199 ...
, this would be the Chargers' home until their return to Los Angeles in
2017.
Personnel
Staff
Roster
Preseason
San Diego lost their exhibition opener despite outgaining the Raiders by 293 yards to 116. An
interception
In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team b ...
thrown by
John Hadl
John Willard Hadl (February 15, 1940 – November 30, 2022) was an American football quarterback who played in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) for 16 years. He won an AFL championship with the San Diego Cha ...
was run back 42 yards for a touchdown, and rookie kicker Les Murdock made only one of three field goal attempts. Hadl improved in the second game, running for one touchdown against the Chiefs and throwing another to
Jacque MacKinnon. Rookies Foster (with a run) and DeLong (on a
fumble
A fumble in gridiron football occurs when a player who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed (tackled), scoring, or going out of bounds. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking, punting, or successful ...
return) also scored. Three 3rd-quarter touchdowns were enough to beat Denver in the next game: running back
Keith Lincoln
Keith Payson Lincoln (May 8, 1939 – July 27, 2019) was an American professional football player who was a running back for eight seasons in the American Football League (AFL). He played college football for the Washington State Cougars bef ...
threw a 62-yard touchdown pass to
Lance Alworth
Lance Dwight Alworth (born August 3, 1940), nicknamed “Bambi”, is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers of the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) an ...
on a
trick play
A trick play, also known as a gadget play, gimmick play or trickeration, is a play in gridiron football that uses deception and unorthodox tactics to fool the opposing team. A trick play is often risky, offering the potential for a large gain or ...
, and Hadl and
Dave Kocourek
David Allen Kocourek (August 20, 1937 – April 24, 2013) was an American gridiron football player. He played college football at Wisconsin.
Career
As a professional, he played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL ...
combined for two more.
The last two Chargers exhibition games were played in neutral venues. They faced the Raiders again in
Portland, Oregon
Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous co ...
, scoring 37 unanswered points from 10–3 behind. MacKinnon, Hadl and Alworth all scored again, and the defense contributed with a
safety
Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to risk management, the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk.
Meanings
There are ...
from
Earl Faison
Earl Faison (January 31, 1939 – June 12, 2016) was an American professional football player who was a defensive end in the American Football League (AFL) between 1960 and 1966. He spent most of his career with the San Diego Chargers.
Career
D ...
and a fumble return touchdown for
Jimmy Warren
James Davis Warren (born July 20, 1939 in Ferriday, Louisiana, died August 9, 2006) was a collegiate and professional American football, football cornerback who played twelve seasons of professional football, with the American Football League's S ...
. Finally, they lost in
Little Rock, Arkansas
(The Little Rock, The "Little Rock")
, government_type = council-manager government, Council-manager
, leader_title = List of mayors of Little Rock, Arkansas, Mayor
, leader_name = Frank Scott Jr.
, leader_ ...
to a
George Blanda
George Frederick Blanda (September 17, 1927 – September 27, 2010) was an American football placekicker and quarterback who played professionally in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). Blanda played 26 seasons ...
field goal with 8 seconds to play. Rookie
Jim Allison scored the lone San Diego touchdown on a 12-yard reception from Hadl.
Regular season
Summary
San Diego were unbeaten over the first half of the season, with five wins and two ties. This included an easy victory at Buffalo, who had beaten them in
the previous season's AFL Championship Game. They lost two of their next three games, but maintained first place in the AFL West. After tying the return match with Buffalo, they won their final three games, clinching their division with a game to spare and setting up a rematch with the Bills.
The Charger offense led the league in points scored, total yards gained, passing yards, rushing yards and
first downs gained.
Hadl started every game, completing exactly half of his passes while accumulating 2,798 yards, with 20 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. His
passer rating
Passer rating (also known as passing efficiency in college football) is a measure of the performance of passers, primarily quarterbacks, in gridiron football. There are two formulas currently in use: one used by both the National Football Leag ...
of 71.3 was down on the previous season,
but still the second best in the AFL, behind only
Len Dawson
Leonard Ray Dawson (June 20, 1935 – August 24, 2022) was an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) and American Football League (AFL) for 19 seasons, primarily with the Kansas City Chiefs franchise. Aft ...
. He led the league in passing yardage, yards per attempt (8.0) and yards per completion (16.1); the latter two statistics would stand as career highs.
His most prolific receiver was Alworth, who accounted for nearly half the team's receiving yards and over half the receiving touchdowns.
He ranked second in the league with 69 receptions, joint first with 14 touchdown catches, and top with 1,602 receiving yards, 384 clear of any other player. , Alworth still holds the franchise record for receiving yards in a season, despite playing in only a 14-game season; his touchdown tally was tied by
Tony Martin in
1995
File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is O. J. Simpson murder case, acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the 1994, year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The ...
, but has yet to be surpassed by any Charger. San Diego's second-ranked receiver
Don Norton
Donald Farris Norton (March 3, 1938 – June 23, 1997) was an American Football League end. He played college football at the University of Iowa
The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public research university in I ...
added 485 yards.
With his fellow running back
Keith Lincoln
Keith Payson Lincoln (May 8, 1939 – July 27, 2019) was an American professional football player who was a running back for eight seasons in the American Football League (AFL). He played college football for the Washington State Cougars bef ...
struggling with injuries throughout the season,
Paul Lowe
Paul may refer to:
*Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name)
* Paul (surname), a list of people
People
Christianity
*Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...
had a career-high 222 carries. He gained a new AFL record 1,121 yards at a league-high 5.0 yards per carry; 6 of his 8 touchdowns were runs, tied for most in the league. Like Alworth, Lowe set a franchise single-season yardage record, surpassing his own tally from
1963; this record was broken by
Don Woods Donald Woods (1933–2001) was a South African journalist and activist.
Donald or Don Woods may also refer to:
* Donald Woods (actor) (1906–1998), Canadian-born American film and television actor
* Donald Devereux Woods (1912–1964), British m ...
in
1974. He was supported by the rookie Foster, with 469 yards. Lincoln only played in ten games, but added 302 yards and 3 touchdowns rushing, plus 376 yards and 4 touchdowns receiving.
San Diego were also statistically dominant on defense, topping the league with the fewest total yards, passing yards, rushing yards and first downs conceded.
They were also second in points against, a single points behind the Bills.
Defensive end
Bob Petrich
Robert Earl "Bob" Petrich (born March 15, 1941) is a former professional American football defensive end in the American Football League.
Petrich played college football for West Texas State University, and then played four seasons for the S ...
unofficially led the team with
sacks, third most in the AFL.
Faison and
Ernie Ladd
Ernest Ladd (November 28, 1938 – March 10, 2007), nicknamed "The Big Cat", was an American professional football player and professional wrestler. A standout athlete in high school, Ladd attended Grambling State University on a basketball sc ...
added and 6 respectively, despite both men expressing dissatisfaction with head coach/general manager
Sid Gillman
Sidney Gillman (October 26, 1911 – January 3, 2003) was an American football player, coach and executive. Gillman's insistence on stretching the football field by throwing deep downfield passes, instead of short passes to running backs or w ...
's contract negotiations in August. They expressed intentions to leave at the end of the season, which they ultimately did. Safety
Bud Whitehead led the team in interceptions with 7, tied for second most in the league.
Cornerback
Speedy Duncan
Leslie Herbert "Speedy" Duncan (August 10, 1942 – December 9, 2021) was an American professional football player who was a cornerback and return specialist in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). He played ...
had 4 interceptions, and also served as the team's
kickoff and punt returner. His average of 15.5 yards per punt return led the AFL, and included a league-high two touchdowns. Travenio converted 18 of his 30 field goal attempts, his 60% success rate ranking joint-third in the league. He also converted every one of his 40
extra point
The conversion, try (American football, also known as a point(s) after touchdown, PAT, or (depending on the number of points) extra point/2-point conversion), or convert (Canadian football) occurs immediately after a touchdown during which the sc ...
attempts, but missing every field goal try of over 40 yards. Four players attempts at least one punt during the season; Hadl and Redman split the bulk of the duties between them, but both posted a worse average than any of the seven regular punters in the league.
Schedule
Game summaries
Week 1: vs. Denver Broncos
San Diego overcame an early 11-point deficit to win their opener. Hadl's second pass of the game was intercepted and run back to the Charger 4 yard line, setting up a Denver touchdown. Alworth's 48-yard catch on 3rd and 25 set up a Travenio field goal on the next drive, before the Broncos drove for a second touchdown and a 14–3 lead. San Diego responded with a run of 24 unanswered points, beginning with an 8-play, 78-yard touchdown drive – Foster converted a 3rd and 7 with a 23-yard catch, and eventually scored on a 2-yard run. Ladd recovered a
Cookie Gilchrist
Carlton Chester "Cookie" Gilchrist (May 25, 1935 – January 10, 2011) was an American football player who played professionally in the American Football League (AFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL).
Career
A star player at Har-Brack High S ...
fumble three plays later, setting up another Travenio field goal. The Broncos went
three-and-out
A down is a period in which a play transpires in gridiron football. The down is a distinguishing characteristic of the game compared to other codes of football, but is synonymous with a "tackle" in rugby league. The team in possession of the ...
on their next possession, and a 22-yard punt set the Chargers up at the Denver 41 yard line. Lowe followed a
Walt Sweeney
Walter Francis Sweeney (April 18, 1941 – February 2, 2013) was an American professional football player who was an offensive lineman in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). He played college football ...
block to the right on the next play before breaking clear for the go-ahead touchdown. Following a Trevenio miss and a Denver punt, Lowe took a pitch to the right before throwing downfield for Alworth, who was
double covered but nonetheless made the catch for a 42-yard gain; Foster scored with a 17-yard run two plays later. Denver managed a field goal with a second to play in the half, but still trailed 27–17 at the break.
Denver missed two field goals in the 3rd quarter, but Lowe fumbled near midfield to set up a Gilchrist touchdown early in the final period. The Chargers responded quickly, with Foster's 36-yard kickoff return soon followed by Alworth's first scoring catch of the season; Hadl found him in stride in the end zone for a 38-yard touchdown. The Broncos needed only five plays to score again, pulling within 34–31 with ten minutes to play. After forcing a three-and-out, Denver reached a 2nd and 10 at the Charger 40, but Ladd forced another Gilchrist fumble, with Faison recovering. San Diego were soon faced with a 3rd and 19, which Hadl converted with a 45-yard pass to Alworth. Lowe converted another 3rd down, and the Chargers ran the clock out.
Alworth caught 7 passes for 211 yards and a touchdown. Lowe rushed 18 times for 124 yards and a touchdown.
Week 2: at Oakland Raiders
A strong defensive performance propelled San Diego to their second win. The Chargers took the opening kickoff and drove 72 yards in 10 plays without facing a 3rd down, going ahead to stay on Lowe's 4-yard run. Oakland missed a field goal on their next drive, but were soon given another scoring chance after Hadl's 25-yard punt, this time converting a field goal. The Raiders fumbled a punt return soon afterwards, setting up a 29-yard field goal by Travenio. Further field goal attempts followed, with a success for Oakland and a 22-yard try by Travenio blocked. Degen stopped a Raiders drive with an interception shortly before halftime, leaving San Diego 10–6 up.
There were few scoring threats for either team in the second half, with Oakland failing to cross midfield in six possessions, and San Diego punting on six out of seven possessions. Former Charger
Dick Wood
Malcolm Richard Wood (February 29, 1936 – April 4, 2015) was an American football quarterback and coach who played college football at Auburn and professionally in the American Football League (AFL). After his player career ended, Wood served ...
replaced
Tom Flores
Thomas Raymond Flores (born March 21, 1937) is a former American football coach and quarterback. After his retirement as a coach, he was a radio announcer for more than twenty years.
Flores won a total of four Super Bowls in his playing and c ...
as the Raiders' quarterback, but was intercepted by Duncan and
Kenny Graham, with the latter running the ball back 29 yards to the Oakland 18. The offense moved back to a 3rd and 16 from the 24, from where Hadl found Alworth over the middle for a decisive touchdown with five minutes to play.
Foster rushed 21 times for 104 yards. Wood completed 4 of 14 passes for 31 yards, with 2 interceptions. This gave him
a passer rating of 0.0, , the first such rating posted against the Chargers.
Week 3: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Two punt returns were key in a defensive tie. A missed 41-yard field goal attempt by Travenio was the closest either side came to scoring in the opening period. Hadl was intercepted on the first play of the 2nd quarter, but Whitehead intercepted
Len Dawson
Leonard Ray Dawson (June 20, 1935 – August 24, 2022) was an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) and American Football League (AFL) for 19 seasons, primarily with the Kansas City Chiefs franchise. Aft ...
on the ensuing drive. A 22-yard pass from Lowe to Foster then helped the Chargers move into field goal range, and Travenio opened the scoring from 19 yards out. The score remained 3–0 at halftime.
Hadl's first two passes of the second half were both intercepted, though neither turnover led to any points. Later in the quarter, though, a Hadl punt was run back 28 yards to the Charger 25, and a penalty moved the ball to the 12. Dawson immediately threw a go-ahead touchdown pass. The next six drives ended in punts – Duncan fielded the last of these at his own 34 and angled diagonally left through blocker before breaking free for a 66-yard touchdown return. The Chiefs faced a 4th and 7 from the Charger 48 in response, which they converted when Dawson
scrambled
Scrambled eggs is a dish made from eggs (usually chicken eggs) stirred, whipped or beaten together while being gently heated, typically with salt, butter, oil and sometimes other ingredients.
Preparation
Only eggs are necessary to make scrambled ...
for 40 yards. A penalty pushed Kansas City backwards, and they settled for a game-tying field goal with 49 seconds to play. San Diego reached the Chiefs 38 as time expired.
The Chargers' offense produced a season-low 186 yards.
Hadl completed 11 of 27 pass attempts, for 82 yards and 3 interceptions.
Week 4: vs. Houston Oilers
San Diego dominated the bulk of the game, then held off a late Houston rally to win. The Chargers drove 79 yards in 13 plays to take the lead early in the 2nd quarter – Foster carried 6 times for 38 yards, Lowe carried 4 times for 32 yards, and Travenio kicked a 14-yard field goal. On their next possession, Hadl found Alworth in stride for a 69-yard touchdown pass, and San Diego led 10–0 at halftime.
On the first possession of the second half, Lowe carried 3 times for 10 yards, and Hadl threw a 15-yard touchdown to Kocourek on 3rd and 11. Late in the 3rd quarter backup quarterback
Don Trull
Donald Dean Trull (born October 20, 1941) is a former American football quarterback in the American Football League. Trull played football collegiately at Baylor University, where he was an All-American and twice won the Sammy Baugh Trophy as t ...
entered the game for Blanda. His first attempt was a
swing pass
A route is a pattern or path that a receiver in gridiron football runs to get open for a forward pass. Routes are usually run by wide receivers, running backs and tight ends, but other positions can act as a receiver given the play.
One popular ...
intercepted by Faison and returned 24 yards for a touchdown. At this point Houston had failed to cross midfield in any of their nine possessions. They improved on their next two possessions with a pair of 5-play touchdown drive, Trull passing for one score and running for the other. With their lead cut to 24–14 midway through the final quarter, San Diego soon reached a 3rd and 11 at their own 43, whereupon Hadl and Alworth combined again, this time for a decisive 57-yard touchdown.
Hadl completed 14 of 26 passes for 242 yards, 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. Alworth caught 4 passes for 145 yards and 2 touchdowns. San Diego outrushed Houston by 271 yards to 47, with Lowe carrying 20 times for 157 yards and Foster carrying 10 times for 73 yards.
Week 5: at Buffalo Bills
San Diego dealt the defending AFL champions their first defeat of the season with a one-sided win in Buffalo. The Bills scored their only points of the day with a field goal from the game's first drive. Travenio had a 22-ayrd field goal attempt blocked soon afterwards, but San Diego took the lead early in the 2nd quarter after a 5-play, 67-yard drive, with Lincoln's 31-yard pass to Norton the longest play. They finished the drive with Lowe improvising a
lateral
Lateral is a geometric term of location which may refer to:
Healthcare
*Lateral (anatomy), an anatomical direction
* Lateral cricoarytenoid muscle
* Lateral release (surgery), a surgical procedure on the side of a kneecap
Phonetics
*Lateral co ...
to Hadl on a planned running play, allowing the quarterback to find Alworth for a 14-yard touchdown. The Bills went three-and-out, and Duncan's 26-yard punt return started his offense off at the Buffalo 44. They needed only four plays to score from there, with Hadl completing a 35-yard pass to Alworth and an 8-yard touchdown to Lincoln. Buffalo later reached a 2nd and 10 at the Charger 15, but Duncan intercepted
Jack Kemp in the end zone, leaving the score at 14–3 going into the interval.
The Chargers quickly pulled away in the second half, scoring a field goal on their first drive and a touchdown on their second (a 52-yard pass from Hadl to Alworth). On the next play from scrimmage, Whitehead intercepted Kemp and returned the ball 35 yards for a touchdown. Later,
George Gross recovered a fumble and Travenio added another field goal to complete the scoring. Whitehead also intercepted a pair of passes by Buffalo backup
Daryle Lamonica
Daryle Pasquale Lamonica (July 17, 1941 – April 21, 2022) was an American football quarterback who played in the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the Oakland Raiders. He spent ...
as the game wore on.
Hadl completed 18 of 29 attempts for 314 yards, with 3 touchdowns and 1 interception. Alworth caught 8 passes for 168 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Norton caught 6 for 107 yards. San Diego outgained Buffalo by over 300 yards (458–150).
Week 6: at Boston Patriots
San Diego were unable to score in the second half as they tied the winless Patriots. In the 1st quarter, Warren stopped a Boston drive with an interception. Later, Lowe's 23-yard run set up a Travenio field goal.
Babe Parilli responded with a 73-yard touchdown pass early in the 2nd quarter. The Patriots threatened to go further in front on their next drive, but Warren intercepted Parilli in the end zone. Later in the quarter, San Diego faced a 2nd and 15 from their own 15 after Hadl was sacked. Hadl found Alworth in stride at the Boston 40 en route to an 85-yard touchdown. Travenio was short on a field goal attempt late in the half, but the Patriots went three-and-out, Whitehead blocked a punt and DeLong recovered at the Boston 2. Travenio came straight back in to convert a 10-yard kick with 5 seconds left in the half.
Trailing 13–7 entering the second half, Boston soon halved the deficit with a
Gino Cappelletti field goal, after Duncan fumbled on a punt return. The Patriots had a chance to score again later in the quarter after another
special teams
In American football, the specific role that a player takes on the field is referred to as their "position". Under the modern rules of American football, both teams are allowed 11 players on the field at one time and have "unlimited free substitu ...
error, the
long snap on a punt going over Redman's head and setting Boston up at the 6. A Patriots touchdown was negated by a penalty, and Duncan blocked another Cappelletti field goal attempt. Hadl was intercepted on the next play, but Boston again came away with no points after the Charger defense stuffed a run for no gain on 4th and goal from the 1. San Diego went three-and-out, Boston drove from the Charger 42 to the 15 and Cappelletti tied the score with a 22-yard kick midway through the final quarter. San Diego then reached a 4th and 4 at the Boston 34, but another bad snap prevented Travenio from attempting a go-ahead field goal. From there, both sides punted once, and the game ended with the Patriots at their own 39.
Lowe rushed 21 times for 91 yards, and added 4 catches for 31 yards. Alworth caught 3 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown. San Diego outgained Boston by 284 yards to 178, with over a third of the game's total offensive yards coming on the two long touchdown passes.
Week 7: at New York Jets
San Diego pulled away in the second half to reach the halfway point of the season unbeaten. In the opening quarter, New York made one field goal and had another scoring chance after Duncan fumbled the ensuing kickoff. However, Ladd blocked a second field goal attempt, and the Chargers drove 64 yards in 8 plays to take the lead on Lowe's 8-yard run around
right end. A threatening Jets drive was halted when Zeman forced a fumble that Buncom recovered at his own 31, but Redman shanked a punt for only 11 yards soon afterwards, setting up another New York field goal. Alworth's 39-yard catch helped set up a 20-yard Travenio field goal, and the Chargers led 10–6 at halftime.
Gross recovered a fumble at the New York 11 three plays into the second half, setting up a Hadl-to-Kocourek touchdown on 3rd and goal from the 2. Duncan's 51-yard punt return gave them another scoring chance soon afterwards, but Travenio missed a 41-yard kick. On the following Chargers drive, they moved from their own 19 to their own 41, from where Lowe again went around right end, following blocks from Sweeney and
Ron Mix
Ronald Jack Mix (born March 10, 1938) is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle. He is a member of the American Football League (AFL) All-Time Team, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 19 ...
en route to a 59-yard touchdown. The teams exchanged field goal sin the final quarter, and Chargers' backup quarterback
Don Breaux
Donald Carl Breaux (born August 3, 1940) is a former American football player and coach. He played college football at McNeese State College and in the American Football League (AFL). He served two stints as an assistant coach under head coa ...
completed the scoring with a 57-yard touchdown to Alworth.
Lowe rushed 16 times for 110 yards and 2 touchdowns, while Alworth had 7 catches for 142 yards and a touchdown. New York fumbled six times, with the Chargers recovering four of them.
Week 8: vs. Boston Patriots
San Diego again struggled with the Patriots, sustaining their first defeat of the season while Boston got their first win. Gross (with a fumble recovery) and Whitehead (with an interception) both stopped drives in Charger territory, but Hadl was intercepted on the ensuing possession both times. Boston took the lead when Duncan fielded a punt at his own 2 and circling back into the end zone, where he was tackled for a safety. After a Chargers
free kick
A free kick is an action used in several codes of football to restart play with the kicking of a ball into the field of play.
Association football
In association football, the free kick is a method of restarting the game following an offe ...
, the Patriots drove 49 yards for a touchdown pass from Parilli to Cappelletti. Boston had further scoring chances in the first half, but
Dick Harris
Richard M. Harris (born September 6, 1944) is a Canadian politician. He was a Member of Parliament from 1993 to 2015 and sat as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada. He was previously member of the Reform Party of Canada and the Canadi ...
intercepted a Parilli pass, and Cappelletti missed a field goal, leaving the score at 9–0.
The Chargers got into field goal range on their first drive of the 3rd quarter, but Travenio was short from 49 yards out. Three further errors (a Hadl interception, a blocked Travenio field goal and a Breaux interception) set up a further 13 points for Boston. Finally, Norton's 61-yard catch and run set up Lincoln's 1-yard touchdown run, preventing a shutout with seven minutes to play, but San Diego failed to cross midfield on their one possession after that.
Hadl and Breaux threw no touchdowns and four interceptions between them. Norton caught 5 passes for 106 yards.
Week 9: at Denver Broncos
Keith Lincoln scored three touchdowns and passed for another, and San Diego pulled away from a tied game in the final quarter. Graham intercepted a pass late in a scoreless 1st quarter, and the Chargers reached a 3rd and 3 at the Denver 39. On the first play of the 2nd quarter, Alworth bobbled a Hadl pass, which was intercepted and returned 65 yards for a touchdown. San Diego came back with an 8-play, 74-yard drive; Lowe broke off a 33-yard run and Hadl combined with Lincoln for a game-tying 7-yard touchdown. After three punts, the Chargers took over on their own 34 and scored on the next play, Hadl finding Lincoln wide open over the middle for a 66-yard score. Denver came back with a touchdown 22 second before halftime, tying the score at 14–14.
San Diego restored their lead early in the second half with a trick play, Lincoln passing to Alworth for a 34-yard touchdown, but Gilchrist tied the game again. Early in the final period, Travenio had a 38-yard field goal blocked, and Denver missed one from 10 yards out. San Diego then moved from their own 20 to the Denver 45, from where Lowe took a
screen pass
A screen pass is a play in gridiron football consisting of a short pass to a receiver who is protected by a screen of blockers. During a screen pass, a number of things happen concurrently in order to fool the defense into thinking a long pass is b ...
in for a touchdown. Redman intercepted a pass on the next play from scrimmage and returned the ball 11 yards to the Denver 15; four plays later, Lincoln ran it in from the 1. A late Graham interception clinched the win.
Hadl completed 13 of 23 passes for 256 yards, with 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Lowe rushed 17 times for 112 yards and caught 4 passes for 57 yards and a touchdown. As well as his 34-yard touchdown pass, Lincoln rushed 8 times for 24 yards and a touchdown, and caught 2 passes for 73 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was the first Charger to score three touchdowns in a game. He became the fifth player and first Charger to have at least one touchdown passing, running and receiving in the same game (
LaDainian Tomlinson
LaDainian Tarshane Tomlinson (born June 23, 1979) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. After a successful college career with the TCU Horned Frogs, the San Diego Chargers se ...
repeated the feat in
2005
File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
).
Week 10: at Kansas City Chiefs
San Diego turned the ball over seven times in their second defeat of the season.
The Chiefs led through an early field goal before they recovered a Hadl fumble at the Charger 7, setting up a quick touchdown. The Chargers had to start their following drive at their own 1 after Foster had trouble fielding the kickoff. A 52-yard catch by Alworth moved the ball away from their own goal line, and they reached the Kansas City 4 before Hadl was intercepted, ending a 95-yard drive with no points. Another Hadl interception set the Chiefs up in San Diego territory; they reached a 1st and 10 at the 14 yard line before being driven back by penalties and negative plays, eventually punting on 4th and 60. The Chargers then drove from their own 20 to a 4th and 1 from their own 49. They went for the first down, and Alworth took a pass in
the flat before outrunning the defense up the right sideline for a touchdown. Graham intercepted Dawson two plays later, but Hadl was intercepted again on the next play, setting up a Dawson touchdown pass and a 17–7 Kansas City halftime lead.
Breaux came in at quarterback for the second half, but was intercepted on his first drive. Lowe's 33-yard run on the next Charger drive moved them into Kansas City territory, and they reached a 1st and 10 at the 15. Like the Chiefs in the first half, they were then knocked back out of scoring range by penalties and negative plays, and punted on 4th and 52. Dawson then broke the game open with touchdown passes on consecutive possessions to put the game away.
Hadl completed 7 of 18 passes for 152 yards, with a touchdown and 4 interceptions; Breaux was intercepted twice. Alworth had 6 catches for 181 yards and a touchdown.
Week 12: vs. Buffalo Bills
San Diego and Buffalo traded leads as a battle of division leaders ended in a tie. Foster lost a fumble on the fourth play of the game, and Kemp threw a touchdown five plays later. The next three Charger drives ended with a missed 37-yard field goal attempt by Travenio and two Hadl interceptions, while Buffalo punted three times. San Diego then drove 80 yards in 10 plays without facing a 3rd down, tying the scores on a 6-yard run by Lowe. On their next possession, they drove 79 yards to the Buffalo 1 before Foster dropped a pass in the end zone; they settled for a 9-yard Travenio field goal, and a 10–7 half time lead.
Buffalo took the second half kickoff and drove 79 yards in 9 plays to take the lead; Lamonica scored from a yard out while Kemp was temporarily out injured. Three plays later, Alworth broke away for a 65-yard reception, but fumbled while being tackled at the 3 yard line, and Buffalo recovered. On their next possession, San Diego were set to punt from their own 48 yard line, but a wild snap sailed over Hadl's head, setting the Bills up at the San Diego 6. The Charger defense kept Buffalo out of the end zone, and
Pete Gogolak
Peter Kornel Gogolak (; hu, Gogolák Péter Kornél; born April 18, 1942) is a former American football placekicker in the American Football League (AFL) for the Buffalo Bills, and in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants.
...
kicked a field goal for a seven-point lead. Gogolak missed a further field goal in the final quarter, and Lincoln took a swing pass 66 yards to the Bills 10, setting up a successful Travenio kick. Three plays later, Westmoreland intercepted Kemp at the Buffalo 43 and returned the ball 28 yards. On 3rd and 6, Hadl ran the ball as far as the 2 before fumbling into the end zone. This time the Lowe recovered the loose ball in the end zone for a 20–17 lead. The next two Bills drives ended with a fumble recovery and a punt, but they had one more chance, starting at their own 25. Kemp had completions of 35 and 16 yards, as well as a 9-yard run that positioned Gogolak for a game-tying 22-yard field goal with 6 seconds to play.
Hadl completed 18 of 37 passes for 315 yards, with no touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Alworth caught 7 passes for 127 yards.
Week 13: vs. New York Jets
San Diego forced four turnovers by Jets quarterback
Joe Namath in an easy victory. The Chargers' first two drives ended with interceptions thrown by Hadl and Lincoln, but the Jets could only answer with two field goal tries, one missed and one blocked. After the latter of these, San Diego drove 61 yards in 10 plays to take the lead on Lincoln's 1-yard run. Graham intercepted Namath on the Charger 42 on the following possession, and San Diego drove to another Lincoln touchdown, this time a tackle-breaking 25-yard catch and run on 3rd and 7. Petrich and Gross sacked Namath on the next play from scrimmage, forcing a sack that Faison recovered at the New York 15. That led to a Travenio field goal and, after a Degen interception, a 17–0 halftime lead.
On the first play of the second half, Graham intercepted a Namath pass near the right sideline, and returned it 51 yards for a touchdown. Namath was able to get the Jets on the scoreboard with a touchdown pass on their next drive, but San Diego restored their 24-point advantage only four plays later, with Hadl finding Alworth open at the 5 for a 46-yard touchdown. After stopping the Jets on downs, the Chargers ended the scoring early in the final quarter with another long Hadl-to-Alworth connection, this time of 36 yards.
Lincoln rushed 13 times for 57 yards and a touchdown, while catching 2 passes for 46 yards and another touchdown. Alworth caught 7 passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns. The result left San Diego at 7–2–3, leading the Raiders (7–4–1) and Chiefs (6–4–2), and able to clinch the AFL West title with a win the following week.
Week 14: at Houston Oilers
The Chargers clinched their division after scoring the game's final 17 points. Duncan opened the scoring in the 1st quarter, taking a punt and eluding several tacklers on a 63-yard touchdown return. On their next possession, the Chargers faced a 3rd and 22 from their own 8, and Hadl was brought down in the end zone for a safety. After forcing a punt, they extended their lead with an 11-play, 85-yard drive: Lowe had a 23-yard run, Norton converted a 3rd and 10 with a 27-yard catch, and Alworth scored on a 5-yard touchdown reception. The Chargers soon had another scoring chance, but Hadl was intercepted in Houston territory, and the Oilers fought back with a field goal and a Blanda touchdown pass, pulling the score back to 14–12 at halftime.
Houston's momentum continued into the second half, recovering a Norton fumble and driving to another Blanda touchdown pass. The Chargers responded with field goals on consecutive drives, the first set up by a 41-yard Lincoln catch and the second by three consecutive runs that covered 16, 14 and 17 yards (the first by Lincoln, the next two by Lowe). Blanda threw his third touchdown only three plays later, putting Houston up 26–20 with 11 minutes to play. Hadl made several key plays on an answering 13-play, 76-yard touchdown drive. He converted a 3rd and 10 with a 22-yard pass to Lincoln, and had runs of 9, 23 and 14 yards. Finally, he scored on 4th and goal with a 1-yard
quarterback sneak. Warren intercepted Blanda three plays later, leading to a third Travenio field goal. The Oilers then turned the ball over on downs at their own 15, and Lowe went around right end for a touchdown on the next play. Duncan added a late interception near to his own goal line.
Both Charger running backs gained over 100 yards of offense. Lowe rushed 19 times for 99 yards and a touchdown, while adding a single catch for 6 yards; Lincoln rushed 1 times for 62 yards and caught 5 passes for 87 yards.
Week 15: vs. Oakland Raiders
San Diego recovered from a 14–0 deficit to close out their regular season with a win. The Chargers had an early scoring chance, but Hadl was intercepted in the end zone. Oakland then drove 65 yards in 11 plays for a touchdown, maintaining possession with a
fake field goal A fake field goal is a trick play in American football. Simply, it involves a running or passing play done out of a kick formation. Usually the holder (often the punter or backup quarterback on most teams) will throw or run. Less frequently, the pl ...
. San Diego were soon threatening to score again, reaching a 4th and goal from the 1, but MacKinnon came down with Hadl's pass narrowly out of bounds; the Raiders then drove 80 yards in 11 plays to double their lead. Hadl responded with a 37-yard completion to Allison, soon followed by a 22-yard touchdown to Norton, pulling the score back to 14–7 at halftime.
Travenio was short on a 50-yard kick in the 3rd quarter, before Petrich blocked a Raiders field goal try. The Chargers then tied the game with a 5-play, 71-yard drive; Alworth had a 44-yard reception and Norton caught a 10-yard touchdown pass despite being in tight coverage. With the divisional title decided, Breaux came in to replace Hadl. He soon lost a fumble, but Allen intercepted Flores two plays later. San Diego then reached a 3rd and 15 at their own 34, from where Breaux found Alworth on a
slant route at the Raider 45, and he outran the Raider defense for the go-ahead touchdown. Whitehead intercepted Flores twice in the final ten minutes; Hadl was himself intercepted at the goal line after the first of these, but the second led to a Travenio field goal with a minute to play.
Alworth caught 5 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown. As well as Hadl, Lowe also left the game early – he carried 3 times for 32 yards, enough to break the AFL's single-season rushing yardage record.
Standings
Playoffs
Game summaries
AFL Championship Game: Buffalo Bills at San Diego Chargers
San Diego faced the Eastern division champion Bills (10–3–1) in a rematch of
the previous AFL championship game. Having achieved a win and tie against Buffalo during the regular season, having Alworth fit for the game (he had been injured the previous year), and having dominated the league in several major statistical categories, the Chargers were expected to improve on their 20–7 defeat in 1964. Oddsmakers had them as -point favorites before the game.
In the event, Buffalo won the 1965 game more easily, though San Diego had early chances to take the lead. Warren intercepted Kemp at the Charger 33 early in the game, and Alworth 20-yard catch moved the ball across midfield, but the Chargers were forced to punt. After a Bills punt pinned San Diego at their own 9, Lowe went around right end for 47 yards on the next play, but they were pushed back when Hadl was sacked and had to punt again. After another Bills punt, Norton's 35-yard catch helped the Chargers drive from their own 11 to the Buffalo 28 early in the 2nd quarter, but Travenio's 35-yard field goal attempt was short after being partially blocked. The Bills scored two touchdowns in quick succession later in the quarter, via a Kemp touchdown pass and a 74-yard punt return from
Butch Byrd. Hadl was intercepted on the next play, but Duncan partially blocked a Gogolak field goal attempt. The Chargers then drove from their own 20 to the Buffalo 24, with Hadl completing a 22-yard pass to Alworth and scrambling for 13 yards on consecutive plays. It was their best field position of the entire game, but led to no points as Travenio missed a 31-yard kick, leaving the halftime score at 14–0.
San Diego went three-and-out on the first possession of the second half, and Buffalo soon added a Gogolak field goal. Duncan returned the ensuing kickoff 49 yards, and the Chargers reached a 4th and 1 at the Buffalo 29. Hadl was then stopped for a loss of 5 yards. Further Gogolak field goals were set up by a Hadl interception and another failed 4th down conversion attempt.
Hadl completed 11 of 23 passes for 140 yards, while throwing 2 interceptions and being sacked 3 times for losses of 30 yards. Lowe carried 12 times for 57 yards, although 47 of those came on a single carry. Buffalo narrowly outgained the Chargers (260 yards to 223), but had a larger advantage in first downs (23 to 12).
Awards
Twelve Chargers were in the squad who faced the Bills in the
AFL All-Star game
The American Football League All-Star game was the annual game which featured each year's best performers in the American Football League (AFL). The game was first played in 1961 and the final AFL All-Star game occurred in 1969, prior to the leagu ...
, including five who were named to the
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...
All-AFL 1st team; there were also six Chargers in the 2nd team. Also, Alworth received eight votes as the AP
AFL player of the year, while Lowe received four; for the equivalent
UPI
United Press International (UPI) is an American international news agency whose newswires, photo, news film, and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations for most of the 20th c ...
award, they received four votes each. Gillman received two votes for coach of the year from both AP and UPI.
Notes
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:1965 San Diego Chargers Season
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
San Diego Chargers seasons
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...