2007 San Diego Chargers season
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The 2007 season was the
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 ...
' 38th in the
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) and their 48th overall. The team failed to equal their 14–2
2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
regular season record, As they went 5–5 under new head coach
Norv Turner Norval Turner (born May 17, 1952) is an American football coach in the National Football League (NFL). An offensive assistant for the majority of his coaching career, he came to prominence as the Dallas Cowboys' offensive coordinator during the ...
. However, they finished the regular season strongly, with six straight wins, an overall record of 11–5, and the AFC West title. The Chargers went further in the playoffs than the previous year, but fell again to the
New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
, this time in the AFC Championship game. For the second consecutive season, star
running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offen ...
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 ...
led the NFL in rushing with 1,474 yards. In the offseason, the Chargers introduced a new logo, with the lightning bolt changing to yellow with bright blue and regular blue outlines. It would be their logo for 10 years.


Offseason

After a postseason loss to the New England Patriots, offensive and defensive coordinators
Cam Cameron Malcolm "Cam" Cameron (born February 6, 1961) is an American football coach. He is the former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach of the LSU Tigers football program. Cameron attended Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana and playe ...
and
Wade Phillips Harold Wade Phillips (born June 21, 1947) is an American football coach who is currently the head coach of the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL. He has served as head coach of the Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, and Dallas Cowboys. He has also ser ...
left for new coaching jobs with the Miami Dolphins and
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
respectively.
Marty Schottenheimer Martin Edward Schottenheimer (; September 23, 1943 – February 8, 2021) was an American football linebacker and coach who served as a head coach in the National Football League (NFL) from 1984 to 2006. He was the head coach of the Kansas City ...
, after originally being told he would stay as head coach, was fired in February. Replacing Schottenheimer was
Norv Turner Norval Turner (born May 17, 1952) is an American football coach in the National Football League (NFL). An offensive assistant for the majority of his coaching career, he came to prominence as the Dallas Cowboys' offensive coordinator during the ...
, who was signed to take over the helm later in the month. Turner, who installed the Chargers offensive set when he was their offensive coordinator in
2001 The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a Participants in ...
, was selected to be the head coach largely because he was expected to maintain the offensive game plan that led the team to its best regular season record in team history. Turner also agreed with general manager
A.J. Smith Albert J. Smith (born February 28, 1949) is a former American football player, coach, scout, and executive. He served as a part-time scout for several NFL and USFL teams before joining the Buffalo Bills in 1986, serving as a scout and executive ...
on the hiring of defensive coordinator
Ted Cottrell Theodore John Cottrell (born June 13, 1947) is an American football coach and former player. He was formerly the defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings, and the San Diego Chargers in the National Football Le ...
, who had worked with Phillips when both were with 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. ...
and later was the defensive coordinator with the Bills.
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 ...
defensive coordinator
Ron Rivera Ronald Eugene Rivera (born January 7, 1962), nicknamed "Riverboat Ron", is an American football head coach for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He attended the University of California, Berkeley in the early 198 ...
, who interviewed for the Chargers' head coaching job, was hired to coach the Chargers' linebackers instead. Smith also re-signed Charger free agent
offensive guard Offensive may refer to: * Offensive, the former name of the Dutch political party Socialist Alternative * Offensive (military), an attack * Offensive language ** Fighting words or insulting language, words that by their very utterance inflict inj ...
Kris Dielman Kristopher M. Dielman (born February 3, 1981) is an American former professional football player who was a guard for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He played college football for Indiana Univers ...
to a six-year contract that will virtually guarantee him almost $17 million and put him around $40 million over the life of the deal.
Linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, p ...
Donnie Edwards Donnie Edwards (born April 6, 1973) is a former American football linebacker from San Diego, California. He played for thirteen seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Diego Chargers. He began his ca ...
was not offered a contract and signed with his former team, the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chargers released veteran wide receiver Keenan McCardell during the offseason along with
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 ...
Terrence Kiel Terrence Dewayne Kiel (November 24, 1980 – July 4, 2008) was an American safety in the National Football League. He played his entire career for the San Diego Chargers (2003–2006) after being drafted by them in the second round of the 2003 NF ...
.


Draft

The Chargers started out by making the 30th overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft due to their 14–2 season in 2006. They selected Craig Davis out of
Louisiana State University Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 nea ...
. In the second round, the Chargers made a trade with the Bears in order to move up and select
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 ...
Eric Weddle Eric Steven Weddle (born January 4, 1985) is an American former American football, football Safety (gridiron football position), safety who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. He played college football at University of ...
at slot 37#. He was selected as a possible replacement to
Terrence Kiel Terrence Dewayne Kiel (November 24, 1980 – July 4, 2008) was an American safety in the National Football League. He played his entire career for the San Diego Chargers (2003–2006) after being drafted by them in the second round of the 2003 NF ...
, who was released earlier in the off-season following his arrest on drug charges during the 2006 season. The Chargers exchanged their second round selection in 2007 as well as third round, fifth round and 2008 third round selection. The Chargers also selected linebacker
Anthony Waters Anthony Devonne Waters (born July 25, 1985) is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Clemson. He is also the older brother of Ind ...
from
Clemson University Clemson University () is a public land-grant research university in Clemson, South Carolina. Founded in 1889, Clemson is the second-largest university in the student population in South Carolina. For the fall 2019 semester, the university enro ...
, who missed his senior season due to a leg injury.


Roster


Preseason


Schedule


Regular season


Schedule


Standings


Regular season results


Week 1: vs. Chicago Bears

The Chargers began their 2007 campaign at home as they matched up their offensive firepower against
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 ...
and their rock-hard defense. In this defensive slugfest, the Bears held RB
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 ...
, the previous year's league MVP, to just 12 yards rushing on 11 attempts, while getting a 27-yard field goal by kicker
Robbie Gould Robert Paul Gould III (; born December 6, 1982) is an American football placekicker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played with the Chicago Bears from 2005 to 2015, during which he became the franchise's all ...
in the second quarter. This game also marked the first time since 2001 that the Chargers were shut out in the first half. In the third quarter, San Diego started to bounce back as Tomlinson threw his 7th career touchdown pass to TE Antonio Gates from 17 yards out. In the fourth, Tomlinson delivered the final blow with a 7-yard TD run. With the win, the Chargers began their season at 1–0. Scoring summary *Q2 – CHI – 14:13 –
Robbie Gould Robert Paul Gould III (; born December 6, 1982) is an American football placekicker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played with the Chicago Bears from 2005 to 2015, during which he became the franchise's all ...
27-yard FG (CHI 3–0) *Q3 – SD – 0:45 – 17-yard TD pass from
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 ...
to Antonio Gates (
Nate Kaeding Nathaniel James Kaeding (born March 26, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played the majority of his career with the San Diego Chargers and retired after the ...
kick) (SD 7–3) *Q4 – SD – 9:09 – LaDainian Tomlinson 7-yard TD run (Kaeding kick) (SD 14–3)


Week 2: at New England Patriots

Following their low-scoring home win over the Bears, the Chargers flew to
Gillette Stadium Gillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts, which is southwest of downtown Boston. It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for both the New England Patriots of the National Footb ...
for a Week 2 Sunday night fight against the New England Patriots, in a rematch of last year's AFC Divisional game. In the first quarter, San Diego trailed early as the Patriots took their opening drive and ended it with QB
Tom Brady Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots organization, with which ...
completing a 7-yard TD pass to TE
Benjamin Watson Benjamin Seth Watson (born December 18, 1980) is a former American football tight end. He was drafted by the New England Patriots 32nd overall in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft and won Super Bowl XXXIX with the Patriots over the Philadel ...
. Afterwards, New England continued its opening assault as Brady completed a 23-yard TD pass to WR
Randy Moss Randy Gene Moss (born February 13, 1977) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Tennessee ...
. In the second quarter, the Chargers continued to show last week's first half struggles as Patriots kicker
Stephen Gostkowski Stephen Carroll Gostkowski ( ; born January 28, 1984) is an American football former placekicker who played for 15 years in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the New England Patriots. He was selected in the fourth round of th ...
getting a 24-yard field goal, while LB
Adalius Thomas Adalius Donquail Thomas (; born July 18, 1977) is a former American football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. He played college football for the University of Southern Mississippi. He was drafte ...
intercepted one of QB
Philip Rivers Philip Michael Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Chargers franchise. He played college football at NC State and was sele ...
' passes and returned it 65 yards for a touchdown. In the third quarter, the Chargers finally managed to score as Rivers completed a 1-yard TD pass to FB
Lorenzo Neal Lorenzo LaVonne Neal (born December 27, 1970) is an American former professional football player who was a fullback in the National Football League (NFL) for sixteen seasons. Neal played college football for the Fresno State Bulldogs. He w ...
, but New England responded with Brady and Moss hooking up with each other again on a 24-yard TD pass. In the fourth quarter, San Diego tried to fight back with Rivers completing a 12-yard TD pass to TE Antonio Gates, but the Patriots ended the game with RB
Sammy Morris Samuel Morris III (born March 23, 1977) is a former American football running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fif ...
getting a 3-yard TD run. RB
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 ...
was a non-factor, as he was only able to muster 43 yards on 18 carries. At this point, he was off to a rough start, totalling only 68 rushing yards in the first two games. With the loss, the Chargers fell to 1–1.


Week 3: at Green Bay Packers

Trying to rebound from their primetime road loss to the Patriots, the Chargers flew to
Lambeau Field Lambeau Field is an outdoor athletic stadium in the north central United States, located in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The home field of the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL), it opened in 1957 as City Stadium, replacing ...
for Week 3, as they played an interconference game with the Green Bay Packers. In the first quarter, San Diego struck first with QB
Philip Rivers Philip Michael Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Chargers franchise. He played college football at NC State and was sele ...
completing a 27-yard TD pass to WR
Vincent Jackson Vincent Terrell Jackson (January 14, 1983 – February 15, 2021) was an American professional football player who played as a wide receiver for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Northern Colorad ...
. The Packers responded with kicker
Mason Crosby Mason Walker Crosby (born September 3, 1984) is an American football placekicker for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Colorado, and earned unanimous All-American honors. The Packers chos ...
getting a 28-yard field goal. In the second quarter, Green Bay took the lead with QB
Brett Favre Brett Lorenzo Favre ( ; born October 10, 1969) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons, primarily with the Green Bay Packers. Favre had 321 consecutive starts from 1992 to 20 ...
completing a pair of 5-yard TD passes, one to WR
Donald Driver Donald Jerome Driver (born February 2, 1975) is a former American football wide receiver. After playing college football for Alcorn State University, Driver was picked by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He ...
and one to TE
Bubba Franks Daniel Lamont "Bubba" Franks (born January 6, 1978) is a former American football tight end who played nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Miami. He was drafted by the Green Bay ...
. The Chargers responded with Rivers completing a 9-yard TD pass to WR Craig Davis. In the third quarter, the Chargers took the lead with Rivers completing a 21-yard TD pass to RB
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 ...
for the only score of the period. However, in the fourth quarter, the Packers retook the lead with Favre's record-tying 57-yard TD pass to WR
Greg Jennings Gregory Jennings Jr. (born September 21, 1983) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons, primarily with the Green Bay Packers. He played college football at Western Michigan an ...
, along with RB Brandon Jackson getting a 1-yard TD run. San Diego tried to come back, as kicker
Nate Kaeding Nathaniel James Kaeding (born March 26, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played the majority of his career with the San Diego Chargers and retired after the ...
got a 44-yard field goal. However, the onside kick failed with Green Bay holding on to win. Notable:
Philip Rivers Philip Michael Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Chargers franchise. He played college football at NC State and was sele ...
broke a Chargers record completing 15 consecutive passes in the first half. With the loss, the Chargers fell to 1–2.


Week 4: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Trying to snap a two-game skid, the Chargers went home for an AFC West duel with the Kansas City Chiefs. In the first quarter, San Diego's struggling offense found some life with kicker
Nate Kaeding Nathaniel James Kaeding (born March 26, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played the majority of his career with the San Diego Chargers and retired after the ...
getting a 24-yard field goal, while RB
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 ...
got a 5-yard TD run. In the second quarter, the Chargers increased its lead with Kaeding kicking a 51-yard field goal. The Chiefs answered with a 25-yard field goal by
Dave Rayner David Michael Rayner (born October 26, 1982) is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League. He was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan ...
. Afterwards, San Diego ended the half with Kaeding getting a 38-yard field goal. In the third quarter, the Chargers lost their lead, with Kansas City getting a 41-yard field goal from Rayner and QB
Damon Huard Damon Paul Huard (born July 9, 1973) is a former American football quarterback. He is the director of community relations and fundraising for the University of Washington football program, his alma mater. Huard was signed by the Cincinnati Ben ...
completing a 22-yard TD pass to TE
Tony Gonzalez Anthony David Gonzalez (born February 27, 1976) is an American former football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. Regarded as one of the greatest tight ends of all time, he is the NFL's all-time leader ...
. Even worse, San Diego ended up losing in the fourth quarter with Huard completing a 51-yard TD pass to WR
Dwayne Bowe Dwayne Lorenzo Bowe (born September 21, 1984) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Louisiana State University, and was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played ...
, along with CB
Tyron Brackenridge Tyron Lyle Brackenridge (born June 30, 1984) is a former Canadian football defensive backs coach for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. He is a former gridiron football cornerback who played the majority of his career with the ...
returning a fumble 50 yards for a touchdown. With their third-straight loss, the Chargers fell to 1–3. One of the few positives from the game, Tomlinson finally got his first 100-yard game of the year, with 132 rushing yards on 20 carries.


Week 5: at Denver Broncos

Hoping to rebound from their embarrassing divisional home loss to the Chiefs, the Chargers flew to
Invesco Field at Mile High Empower Field at Mile High (previously known as Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Invesco Field at Mile High and Sports Authority Field at Mile High, and commonly known as Mile High, New Mile High or Mile High Stadium) is an American football stadium ...
for a Week 5 divisional duel with the Denver Broncos. In the first quarter, San Diego got off to a fast start with QB
Philip Rivers Philip Michael Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Chargers franchise. He played college football at NC State and was sele ...
getting a 2-yard TD run. Immediately afterwards on the ensuing kickoff, rookie LB
Brandon Siler Brandon T. Siler (born December 5, 1985) is an American former college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons. He played college football for the University of Florida, wher ...
returned a fumble 23 yards for a touchdown. In the second quarter, the Chargers increased its lead with kicker
Nate Kaeding Nathaniel James Kaeding (born March 26, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played the majority of his career with the San Diego Chargers and retired after the ...
getting a 26-yard field goal. Afterwards, the Broncos got their only score of the game with kicker
Jason Elam Jason Elam (born March 8, 1970) is a former American football placekicker. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft and played 15 seasons with the Broncos and two with the Atlanta Falcons. A three-time Pro B ...
getting a 30-yard field goal. San Diego ended the half with Kaeding nailing a 45-yard field goal. In the third quarter, the Chargers continued their offensive revival with Rivers completing a 9-yard TD pass to TE Antonio Gates and a 15-yard TD pass to WR
Vincent Jackson Vincent Terrell Jackson (January 14, 1983 – February 15, 2021) was an American professional football player who played as a wide receiver for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Northern Colorad ...
. In the fourth quarter, RB Michael Turner helped San Diego seal their easy victory with a 74-yard TD run. With the win, the Chargers improved to 2–3. The win also marked San Diego's first back-to-back wins in Denver since
1967 Events January * January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair. * January 5 ** Spain and Romania sign an agreement in Paris, establishing full consular and ...
and 1968.


Week 6: vs. Oakland Raiders

Coming off of their blowout divisional road win over the Broncos, the Chargers went home for a Week 6 divisional duel with the Oakland Raiders. In the first quarter, the Chargers came out striking with RB
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 ...
got a 3-yard and a 27-yard TD run. In the second quarter, the Raiders managed to get on the board with LB Thomas Howard returning an interception 66 yards for a touchdown, along with the only score of the period. In the third quarter, San Diego went back to work with Tomlinson getting a 13-yard TD run for the only score of the period. In the fourth quarter, Oakland tried to salvage a comeback as QB
Daunte Culpepper Daunte Rachard Culpepper (born January 28, 1977) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, primarily with the Minnesota Vikings. He played college football at UCF and was selected ...
threw a 1-yard TD pass to TE
Zach Miller Zach Miller may refer to: *Zach Miller (tight end, born 1984), NFL tight end for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Chicago Bears *Zach Miller (tight end, born 1985) Zachary Joseph Miller (born December 11, 1985) is a former ...
. However, the Chargers sealed the victory a 41-yard TD run by Tomlinson. With the win, the Chargers entered their bye week at 3–3.


Week 8: vs. Houston Texans

After speculation about the games location because of the ongoing California wildfires, it was confirmed on October 26, 2007, that Qualcomm Stadium would no longer be an evacuation site for San Diego residents, with most of the evacuees moved to
Del Mar Del Mar is Spanish for "of the sea" or "from the sea". It may refer to: Places in the United States * Del Mar, California * Del Mar High School, located in San Jose, California * Del Mar racetrack, located in Del Mar, California * Del Mar Fai ...
. Before, sites in the
Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
area were being considered to host the game, as well as Houston's
Reliant Stadium NRG Stadium, formerly Reliant Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium in Houston, Texas, United States. Construction was completed in 2002, at a cost of $352 million and has a seating capacity of 72,220. It was the first NFL facility to have a retrac ...
, and also the Dallas Cowboys
Texas Stadium Texas Stadium was an American football stadium located in Irving, Texas, a suburb west of Dallas. Opened on October 24, 1971, it was known for its distinctive hole in the roof, the result of abandoned plans to construct a retractable roof (Cowboy ...
. Before the game a special tribute was paid to at the stadium for the fire fighters, National Guard, and volunteers who assisted in fighting the fires and helping the evacuees. Governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July 30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, film producer, businessman, retired professional bodybuilder and politician who served as the 38th governor of California between 2003 and 2011. ''Time'' ...
attended the game and flipped the coin, which the Chargers won. With an emotional charge from both the players and fans, as well as some victims, the Chargers played one of the best games of their season. Philip Rivers threw 3 touchdown passes despite only throwing 11 passes. Two TDs went to tight end Antonio Gates, and the remainder went to newly acquired wideout
Chris Chambers Christopher J. Chambers (born August 12, 1978) is a former American football wide receiver who played 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers football, University of Wisconsin. He ...
, who was just traded from the Miami Dolphins a two weeks earlier and played his first game as a Charger (due to San Diego's bye week). However, that performance was second to second-year corner
Antonio Cromartie Antonio Cromartie (born April 15, 1984) is a former American football cornerback and current cornerback coach for the Texas A&M Aggies football team. He played college football at Florida State and was drafted in the first round by the San Diego ...
, who performance included two interceptions, and two defensive touchdowns. He had a 70-yard INT return for a score, and the other was a complicated snap where the Texans snapped the ball over punter
Matt Turk Matthew Edward Turk (born June 16, 1968) is a former American football punter. He was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 1993. He played college football at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater. A three- ...
’s head, and the ball fell into the end zone. Quickly having to recover, Turk missed grabbing the ball and it fell into the hands of Cromartie, easily scoring. The Chargers won, 35–10 in a home blowout, which was, in the quote of
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 ...
, "one for the fans.” With this win, the Chargers improved to 4–3.


Week 9: at Minnesota Vikings

After an emotional home win over the Texans, the Chargers flew to the
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (commonly called the Metrodome) was a domed sports stadium located in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It opened in 1982 as a replacement for Metropolitan Stadium, the former home of the National Football League ...
for a Week 9 interconference duel with the Minnesota Vikings. In the first quarter, San Diego struck first with RB
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 ...
getting a 1-yard TD run. The Vikings responded with RB
Adrian Peterson Adrian Lewis Peterson (born March 21, 1985) is an American football running back who is a free agent. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest running backs in football history. He played college football at Oklahoma, where he set the ...
getting a 1-yard TD run. In the second quarter, there was no scoring until the final play of the half, as CB
Antonio Cromartie Antonio Cromartie (born April 15, 1984) is a former American football cornerback and current cornerback coach for the Texas A&M Aggies football team. He played college football at Florida State and was drafted in the first round by the San Diego ...
returned a missed field goal 109 yards for a touchdown, the longest play in NFL history. In the third quarter, things started to get grim for San Diego as Minnesota took the lead with Peterson getting a 64-yard TD run and QB
Brooks Bollinger Brooks Michael Bollinger (born November 15, 1979) is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions. He also was a member of the Florida Tusk ...
completing a 40-yard TD pass to WR
Sidney Rice Sidney R. Rice (born September 1, 1986) is a former American football wide receiver who played seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Rice played college football at South Carolina. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the s ...
. In the fourth quarter, the Chargers tried to come back as kicker
Nate Kaeding Nathaniel James Kaeding (born March 26, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played the majority of his career with the San Diego Chargers and retired after the ...
nailed a 36-yard field goal. The Vikings sealed the win with Peterson getting a 46-yard TD run, along with RB
Chester Taylor Chester Lamar Taylor (born September 22, 1979) also known as Che Tay is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. In 2006, he signed ...
getting a 2-yard TD run. LaDainian Tomlinson, despite getting only 1 rushing touchdown, managed to surpass
Jim Brown James Nathaniel Brown (born February 17, 1936) is a former American football player, sports analyst and actor. He played as a fullback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL) from 1957 through 1965. Considered to be one ...
for most career rushing touchdowns with his 107th TD. With the loss, San Diego fell to 4–4. During the game, Minnesota rookie running back
Adrian Peterson Adrian Lewis Peterson (born March 21, 1985) is an American football running back who is a free agent. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest running backs in football history. He played college football at Oklahoma, where he set the ...
broke the NFL single-game rushing record with 296 yards rushing on 30 carries.


Week 10: vs. Indianapolis Colts

After an upset loss to the Vikings, the Chargers faced the defending Super Bowl champions in San Diego following their first loss of the season to the
New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
. Darren Sproles return the opening kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown. After a Nate Kaeding field goal, Sproles returned a punt 45 yards for his second special teams touchdown of the game with less than 6 minutes left in the first quarter. The PAT snap wasn't held and the PAT failed.
Peyton Manning Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
threw four interceptions in the first quarter alone. In the second quarter the Chargers put together a 45-yard drive resulting in a 4-yard touchdown run by LaDainian Tomlinson. Manning was able to score a touchdown to Reggie Wayne leaving the score 23–7 at halftime. After a scoreless third quarter Manning threw a touchdown to
Kenton Keith Kenton Jermaine Keith (born July 14, 1980) is a former American football running back. He was signed by the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) in 2003 Then the National Football League Colts (NFL) in 2007. He played ...
and the Colts were able to complete the two-point conversion. On third and 10 from the Chargers 8-yard line, Philip Rivers went back to pass and the ball slipped out of his hand and into the end zone. Colts linebacker
Gary Brackett Gary Lawrence Brackett (born May 23, 1980) is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Rutgers, and signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2003. Brackett ...
picked up the ball for a touchdown with 14:28 to play. The Colts failed the two-point conversion. With six minutes left in the game Rivers threw an interception to rookie Clint Session. In the red zone the Colts picked up the first down, but the booth reviewed the play and it was determined to be fourth and inches. The Colts intended to go for the first down, but a false start penalty by
Ben Utecht Benjamin Jeffrey Utecht (born June 30, 1981) is a former American football player and current singer.Adam Vinatieri Adam Matthew Vinatieri (born December 28, 1972) is an American former football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 24 seasons with the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts. Considered one of the greatest ...
’s 29-yard kick was wide right. The Chargers ran down the clock and the Colts had 22 seconds to score, but the game ended with Clinton Hart intercepting the ball with time expiring for the Chargers win. Manning set a franchise record by throwing six interceptions in one game (3 to Antonio Cromartie and one apiece to Clinton Hart, Matt Wilhelm, and Shaun Philips). Both team had significant injuries coming into the game. For the Chargers CB
Quentin Jammer Quentin Tremaine Jammer (born June 19, 1979) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Texas, and earned All-American honors ...
and DE Luis Castillo were out of the game. The Colts had 10 players out of the gameIndianapolis Colts Injuries
/ref> including TE
Dallas Clark Dallas Dean Clark (born June 12, 1979) is a former American football tight end who played 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Iowa, earned unanimous All-American honors, and was reco ...
, WR
Marvin Harrison Marvin Darnell Harrison Sr. (born August 25, 1972) is an American Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver who played 13 seasons for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL), much of it with Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton ...
, and OT Tony Ugoh.
Dwight Freeney Dwight Jason Freeney (born February 19, 1980) is an American former football player who played as a defensive end and outside linebacker for 16 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Syracuse University, whe ...
left the game with an injured foot. With the win, the Chargers improved to 5–4. With Kansas City losing to Denver, San Diego retained first place in the AFC West.


Week 11 at Jacksonville Jaguars

Coming off their win over the Colts, the Chargers flew to
Jacksonville Municipal Stadium TIAA Bank Field is an American football stadium located in Jacksonville, Florida, that primarily serves as the home facility of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL) and the headquarters of the professional wrestling prom ...
for a Week 11 intraconference duel with the Jacksonville Jaguars. In the first quarter, San Diego trailed early as Jaguars kicker
Josh Scobee Joshua Taylor Scobee (born June 23, 1982) is a former American football placekicker. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL draft. He also played for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football at L ...
managed to get a 48-yard field goal, along with RB
Maurice Jones-Drew Maurice Christopher Jones-Drew (born March 23, 1985), often called "MJD", is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He played college football for the UCLA Bruins and earned unan ...
getting a 1-yard TD run. In the second quarter, the Chargers got on the board with kicker
Nate Kaeding Nathaniel James Kaeding (born March 26, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played the majority of his career with the San Diego Chargers and retired after the ...
getting a 23-yard field goal. However, Jacksonville responded with QB
David Garrard David Douglas Garrard (born February 14, 1978) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons, primarily with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played college football at East Carolina and wa ...
completing a 36-yard TD pass to WR Reggie Williams. In the third quarter, San Diego responded with RB
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 ...
getting a 6-yard TD run, yet the Jaguars answered with Garrard completing a 1-yard TD pass to TE Marcedes Lewis. In the fourth quarter, the Chargers tried to make a comeback as QB
Philip Rivers Philip Michael Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Chargers franchise. He played college football at NC State and was sele ...
completed a 24-yard TD pass to TE Antonio Gates. But it was too-little too-late, as Jacksonville's defense held on to win. With the loss, San Diego fell to 5–5.


Week 12: vs. Baltimore Ravens

Hoping to rebound from their road loss to the Jaguars, the Chargers went home for a Week 12 duel with the Baltimore Ravens. After a scoreless first quarter, San Diego struck first with kicker
Nate Kaeding Nathaniel James Kaeding (born March 26, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played the majority of his career with the San Diego Chargers and retired after the ...
getting a 27-yard field goal. Afterwards, the Ravens took the lead with RB
Willis McGahee Willis Andrew McGahee III (born October 21, 1981) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Miami, where he was recognized as a consensus All-American, and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of t ...
getting a 1-yard TD run. The Chargers regained the lead with QB
Philip Rivers Philip Michael Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Chargers franchise. He played college football at NC State and was sele ...
completing a 35-yard TD pass to TE Antonio Gates (with a failed PAT), Kaeding kicking a 46-yard field goal, Rivers completing a 5-yard TD pass to WR
Chris Chambers Christopher J. Chambers (born August 12, 1978) is a former American football wide receiver who played 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers football, University of Wisconsin. He ...
, and Kaeding kicking a 41-yard field goal. In the third quarter, San Diego increased its lead with Rivers and Gates hooking up with each other again on a 25-yard TD pass. Baltimore managed one final score as Ravens QB
Kyle Boller Kyle Bryan Boller (born June 17, 1981) is a former American football quarterback. After playing college football for California, he was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round (19th overall) of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played for the Rav ...
completed a 13-yard TD pass to FB
Le'Ron McClain Le'Ron De'Mar McClain (born December 27, 1984) is a former American football Fullback (American football), fullback who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Alabama, and was drafted by the ...
. In the fourth quarter, the Chargers sealed the win with Kaeding nailing a 41-yard field goal. With the win, the Chargers improved to 6–5. RB
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 ...
(24 carries for 77 yards) became the fourth-fastest player and the 23rd player in NFL history to get 10,000 career rushing yards.


Week 13: at Kansas City Chiefs

Coming off their home win over the Ravens, the Chargers flew to
Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium is an American football stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. It primarily serves as the home venue of the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). The stadium has been officially named GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stad ...
for a Week 13 AFC West rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs. In the first quarter, San Diego trailed early as Chiefs kicker John Carney managed to get a 38-yard field goal. Afterwards, the Chargers got on the board with kicker
Nate Kaeding Nathaniel James Kaeding (born March 26, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played the majority of his career with the San Diego Chargers and retired after the ...
nailing a 25-yard field goal. In the second quarter, Kansas City regained the lead as QB
Damon Huard Damon Paul Huard (born July 9, 1973) is a former American football quarterback. He is the director of community relations and fundraising for the University of Washington football program, his alma mater. Huard was signed by the Cincinnati Ben ...
completed a 2-yard TD pass to DE
Jared Allen Jared Scot Allen (born April 3, 1982) is a former American football defensive end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. He played college football at Idaho State and was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth ...
. Afterwards, San Diego tied the game again as QB
Philip Rivers Philip Michael Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Chargers franchise. He played college football at NC State and was sele ...
completed a 38-yard TD pass to WR
Vincent Jackson Vincent Terrell Jackson (January 14, 1983 – February 15, 2021) was an American professional football player who played as a wide receiver for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Northern Colorad ...
. In the second quarter, the Chargers pulled away as RB
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 ...
got a 31-yard TD run in the third quarter and a 28-yard TD run in the fourth quarter. His two rushing touchdowns helped him surpass
Walter Payton Walter Jerry Payton (July 25, 1953Although most sources at the time of his death gave Payton's birth year as 1954, reliable sources subsequently state he was born in 1953. – November 1, 1999) was an American football running back who played ...
for third place on the NFL's all-time rushing touchdowns list. The game also gave him his 3rd-straight 100-yard game against the Chiefs. Also, CB
Antonio Cromartie Antonio Cromartie (born April 15, 1984) is a former American football cornerback and current cornerback coach for the Texas A&M Aggies football team. He played college football at Florida State and was drafted in the first round by the San Diego ...
recorded 2 INT to bring his league leading total to 8. With this win, San Diego improved to 7–5.


Week 14: at Tennessee Titans

Coming off their divisional road win over the Chiefs, the Chargers flew to
LP Field Nissan Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Owned by the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, it is primarily used for football and is the home field of the Tennessee Titans of the Natio ...
for a Week 14 intraconference duel with the Tennessee Titans. In the first quarter, San Diego trailed early as Titans kicker
Rob Bironas James Robert Douglas Bironas (January 29, 1978 – September 20, 2014) was an American football placekicker who played the majority of his professional career with the Tennessee Titans. He played college football for Auburn University and Georgia ...
managed to get a 44-yard field goal for the only score of the half. In the third quarter, the Chargers got on the board as kicker
Nate Kaeding Nathaniel James Kaeding (born March 26, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played the majority of his career with the San Diego Chargers and retired after the ...
nailed a 20-yard field goal, yet Tennessee responded with RB
Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to '' Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempo ...
getting a 7-yard TD run. In the fourth quarter, the Titans increased their lead with RB
LenDale White LenDale Anthony White (born December 20, 1984) is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the second round (45th overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft. He has also been a member of the Seattle Seahawks and Den ...
getting a 7-yard TD run. San Diego tied the game with QB
Philip Rivers Philip Michael Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Chargers franchise. He played college football at NC State and was sele ...
completing a 7-yard TD pass to RB
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 ...
and a 2-yard TD pass to TE Antonio Gates. In overtime, the Chargers got the win with Tomlinson getting the game-winning 16-yard TD run. With the win, the Chargers improved to 8–5. For Tomlinson, it was his 3rd overtime touchdown (the most in NFL history). For CB
Antonio Cromartie Antonio Cromartie (born April 15, 1984) is a former American football cornerback and current cornerback coach for the Texas A&M Aggies football team. He played college football at Florida State and was drafted in the first round by the San Diego ...
, his lone interception gave him 9 on the year, tying the franchise single-season record set by Charlie McNeil in 1961.


Week 15: vs. Detroit Lions

Coming off their overtime road win over the Titans, the Chargers went home for a Week 15 interconference duel with the Detroit Lions. The Chargers struck first with RB
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 ...
getting a 6-yard TD run, Kicker
Nate Kaeding Nathaniel James Kaeding (born March 26, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played the majority of his career with the San Diego Chargers and retired after the ...
getting a 22-yard field goal, and Tomlinson getting a 2-yard TD run. In the second quarter, San Diego continued its domination with Kaeding getting a 22-yard field goal and LB
Shaun Phillips Shaun Jamal Phillips (born May 13, 1981) is a former American football linebacker. He played college football for Purdue and was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft. Phillips has also been a member of the ...
returning an interception 18 yards for a touchdown. The Lions got on the board with QB
Jon Kitna Jon Kelly Kitna (born September 21, 1972) is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Seattle Seahawks, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Central Washington ...
completing a 9-yard TD pass to WR
Brandon Middleton Brandon Anthony Middleton (born January 2, 1981) is a former American football wide receiver and currently is the offensive coordinator at Royal High School in Brookshire, Texas. Middleton was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free ...
. The Chargers ended the scoring for the half with QB
Philip Rivers Philip Michael Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Chargers franchise. He played college football at NC State and was sele ...
completing a 1-yard TD run to TE
Brandon Manumaleuna Brandon Michael Manumaleuna (; born January 4, 1980) is a former American football tight end. He played college football at Arizona and was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft. Manumaleuna has also been a mem ...
. In the third quarter, San Diego continued its annihilation with RB
Darren Sproles Darren Lee Sproles (born June 20, 1983) is an American football executive and former running back and return specialist who is a personnel consultant for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football a ...
getting a 1-yard TD run and Kaeding nailing a 45-yard field goal. Detroit got its final points of the game as Kitna completed a 17-yard TD pass to WR
Shaun McDonald Shaun Terrance McDonald (born June 30, 1981) is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona State. McDonald has also played fo ...
. In the fourth quarter, the Chargers ended their day with Sproles getting an 11-yard TD run. With this win, not only did the Chargers improve to 9–5, but they also clinched their second-straight AFC West title. For Darren Sproles (25 attempts for 122 yards and 2 touchdowns) and LaDainian Tomlinson (15 attempts for 116 yards and 2 touchdowns), they became the first RB duo in franchise history to both get 100 rushing yards in the same game. Also, Tomlinson ended this part of his career with 127 career touchdowns, surpassing
Jim Brown James Nathaniel Brown (born February 17, 1936) is a former American football player, sports analyst and actor. He played as a fullback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL) from 1957 through 1965. Considered to be one ...
for 7th All-Time. Also, CB
Antonio Cromartie Antonio Cromartie (born April 15, 1984) is a former American football cornerback and current cornerback coach for the Texas A&M Aggies football team. He played college football at Florida State and was drafted in the first round by the San Diego ...
received his 10th interception.


Week 16: vs. Denver Broncos

Trying to make it 5 straight wins and stay in contention for the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs, the Chargers continued their domination over the Denver Broncos on Christmas Eve. Not only did they stop them from scoring a touchdown for the second time this season they also made it 4 straight victories over Denver. The game started off inauspiciously for the Broncos when Denver QB
Jay Cutler Jay Christopher Cutler (born April 29, 1983) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the Chicago Bears. He played college football for the Van ...
fumbled the ball leading to a 40-yard K
Nate Kaeding Nathaniel James Kaeding (born March 26, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played the majority of his career with the San Diego Chargers and retired after the ...
field goal for San Diego, and after a 3 and out, the Chargers gave the ball to RB
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 ...
for a 17-yard TD run. The second quarter was relatively quiet as 2 Kaeding Field goals (23-yards & 29-yards) gave the Chargers a 16-point lead going into halftime. In the third quarter San Diego QB
Philip Rivers Philip Michael Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Chargers franchise. He played college football at NC State and was sele ...
and WR
Chris Chambers Christopher J. Chambers (born August 12, 1978) is a former American football wide receiver who played 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers football, University of Wisconsin. He ...
hooked up on a 14-yard pass and catch to make the score 23–0. Denver finally began to move offensively until a tipped pass was intercepted by San Diego SS
Clinton Hart Clinton Glenn Hart (born July 20, 1977) is a former American football safety in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, San Diego Chargers, and St. Louis Rams. He also was a member of the Tallahassee Thunder, Tampa Bay Storm, ...
, but some defensive miscues including a San Diego QB
Billy Volek John William Volek (born April 28, 1976) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League. He was signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2000 and also played for the San Diego Chargers ...
fumble led to a 23-yard field goal by Denver K
Jason Elam Jason Elam (born March 8, 1970) is a former American football placekicker. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft and played 15 seasons with the Broncos and two with the Atlanta Falcons. A three-time Pro B ...
. In the fourth quarter the defense stepped up for the Chargers on two fourth down plays and a San Diego CB
Quentin Jammer Quentin Tremaine Jammer (born June 19, 1979) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Texas, and earned All-American honors ...
interception sealed the victory for San Diego. The result guaranteed that a San Diego win at Oakland would secure the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs. The win in Denver at home made San Diego only the second team in NFL history to shut out every opponent at home in the first quarter, outscoring opponents 81–0. With the win, the Chargers improved to 10–5.


Week 17: at Oakland Raiders

Coming off their Christmas Eve victory of the Broncos, the Chargers ended the regular season at
McAfee Coliseum Oakland Coliseum, currently branded as RingCentral Coliseum, is a stadium in Oakland, California. It is part of the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Complex, with the adjacent Oakland Arena, near Interstate 880. The Coliseum is the home ba ...
for a Week 17 AFC West rematch with the Oakland Raiders. In the first quarter, San Diego struck first as QB
Philip Rivers Philip Michael Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Chargers franchise. He played college football at NC State and was sele ...
completing a 7-yard TD pass to RB
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 ...
. The Raiders responded with RB
Dominic Rhodes Dominic Dondrell Rhodes (born January 17, 1979) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Midwestern State and was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2001. Rhodes was also a member ...
getting a 1-yard TD run. In the second quarter, the Chargers regained the lead with Rivers completing a 19-yard TD pass to WR
Chris Chambers Christopher J. Chambers (born August 12, 1978) is a former American football wide receiver who played 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers football, University of Wisconsin. He ...
. Oakland ended the half with kicker
Sebastian Janikowski Sebastian Paweł Janikowski (; born March 2, 1978) is a Polish former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Oakland Raiders. He played college football at Florida State ...
getting a 53-yard field goal. In the third quarter, the Chargers increased their lead with kicker
Nate Kaeding Nathaniel James Kaeding (born March 26, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played the majority of his career with the San Diego Chargers and retired after the ...
getting a 36-yard field goal, along with rookie LB
Jyles Tucker Jyles Christopher Tucker (born September 18, 1983) is a former American football linebacker. He was originally signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Wake Forest. Tucker was also a memb ...
recovering a Raider fumble in the endzone for a touchdown. Oakland responded with QB
JaMarcus Russell JaMarcus Trenell Russell (born August 9, 1985) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons with the Oakland Raiders. Highly successful at LSU, where he was MVP of the 2007 Sugar ...
completing a 32-yard TD pass to WR Jerry Porter. In the fourth quarter, San Diego sealed the win with Kaeding nailing a 31-yard and a 24-yard field goal. With the win, not only did the Chargers close out their regular season at 11–5, but they also secured the AFC's No. 3 seed.


Postseason


AFC Wild Card Playoff (Sunday January 6, 2008): vs. Tennessee Titans

Entering the playoffs as the AFC's No. 3 seed, the Chargers began their playoff run at home against the sixth-seeded
Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their h ...
, in a rematch of Week 14, which saw San Diego trail early, then rally to tie the game in the fourth quarter and win in overtime. In the first half, the Chargers trailed early as Titans kicker
Rob Bironas James Robert Douglas Bironas (January 29, 1978 – September 20, 2014) was an American football placekicker who played the majority of his professional career with the Tennessee Titans. He played college football for Auburn University and Georgia ...
managed to get a 30-yard field goal in the first quarter and a 44-yard field goal in the second quarter. In the third quarter, the Chargers rallied to take the lead with kicker
Nate Kaeding Nathaniel James Kaeding (born March 26, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played the majority of his career with the San Diego Chargers and retired after the ...
nailing a 20-yard field goal, along with QB
Philip Rivers Philip Michael Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Chargers franchise. He played college football at NC State and was sele ...
completing a 25-yard TD pass to WR
Vincent Jackson Vincent Terrell Jackson (January 14, 1983 – February 15, 2021) was an American professional football player who played as a wide receiver for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Northern Colorad ...
. In the fourth quarter, San Diego pulled away with RB
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 ...
getting a 1-yard TD run. However, San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates had to leave the game with a right toe injury earlier in the game, and never returned. With the win, not only did the Chargers improve their overall record to 12–5, but they also gave the franchise its very first playoff win since the 1994–95 AFC Championship Game which led them to
Super Bowl XXIX Super Bowl XXIX was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion San Diego Chargers and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champio ...
. The team advanced to the AFC Divisional Playoff.


AFC Divisional Playoff (Sunday, January 13, 2008): at Indianapolis Colts

Coming off their wild card home win over the Titans, the Chargers flew to the
RCA Dome The RCA Dome (originally Hoosier Dome) was a domed stadium in Indianapolis. It was the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons (1984– 2007). It was completed at a cost of $77.5 million, as part of the Indiana Convention Ce ...
for their AFC Divisional duel with the second-seeded/defending Super Bowl champion
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
, in a rematch of Week 10. In the first scoring play,
Peyton Manning Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
threw a TD to
Dallas Clark Dallas Dean Clark (born June 12, 1979) is a former American football tight end who played 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Iowa, earned unanimous All-American honors, and was reco ...
for 25 yards.
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 ...
was injured on a running play and despite an attempt to return to action later in the first half, he did not return to the game.
Philip Rivers Philip Michael Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Chargers franchise. He played college football at NC State and was sele ...
then threw a pass to
Vincent Jackson Vincent Terrell Jackson (January 14, 1983 – February 15, 2021) was an American professional football player who played as a wide receiver for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Northern Colorad ...
for San Diego's first TD of the game.
Adam Vinatieri Adam Matthew Vinatieri (born December 28, 1972) is an American former football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 24 seasons with the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts. Considered one of the greatest ...
made a 46-yard FG to put the Colts up 10–7.
Antonio Cromartie Antonio Cromartie (born April 15, 1984) is a former American football cornerback and current cornerback coach for the Texas A&M Aggies football team. He played college football at Florida State and was drafted in the first round by the San Diego ...
intercepted
Peyton Manning Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
at the end of the first half and ran it 89 yards for a touchdown; however, the play was called back on a dubious holding call by
Phil Luckett Phil Luckett is a retired official in the National Football League (NFL), having served from 1991 to 2005, and again in 2007. His officiating uniform number was 59. He entered the NFL as a field judge in 1991 and officiated Super Bowl XXXI, his la ...
. The second half began with Rivers tossing a pass to
Chris Chambers Christopher J. Chambers (born August 12, 1978) is a former American football wide receiver who played 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers football, University of Wisconsin. He ...
for 30 yards. At 3:19 of the third quarter, Manning completed a pass for
Reggie Wayne Reginald Wayne (born November 17, 1978) is a former American football wide receiver who played 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Miami, and was drafted ...
for 9 yards. Rivers managed to complete a 56-yard pass to
Darren Sproles Darren Lee Sproles (born June 20, 1983) is an American football executive and former running back and return specialist who is a personnel consultant for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football a ...
for a touchdown. On that play, Rivers injured his leg and did not return to the game.
Billy Volek John William Volek (born April 28, 1976) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League. He was signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2000 and also played for the San Diego Chargers ...
replaced Rivers at quarterback. Starting the fourth quarter, Manning threw a TD pass to Anthony Gonzalez for 55 yards. Volek engineered a long drive culminating in a 1-yard sneak for a TD putting the Chargers up for good. The Colts had two late opportunities to score on separate drives. On the first drive, the Colts faced a 4th down from inside the Charger 20-yard line. They decided against a field goal which still would have left them down by 1 point. Trying for the touchdown,
Peyton Manning Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
was hurried by a blitzing
Shawne Merriman Shawne DeAndre Merriman (born May 25, 1984), nicknamed "Lights Out", is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Maryland Terrapins and was sel ...
as his throw came up short. The Chargers took over on downs but failed to get a first down. After a long punt by
Mike Scifres Michael T. Scifres (born October 8, 1980) is an American former professional football player who was a punter in the National Football League (NFL). He played the majority of his career with the San Diego Chargers and is included on the Cha ...
, the Colts had less than 2 minutes to try to win the game. Once again, the Chargers defense stifled the Colts, taking over on downs with seconds to play. With the win, the team improved their overall record to 13–5. The team advanced to the AFC Championship Game. There were a total of 7 lead changes throughout the game.


AFC Championship Game (Sunday, January 20, 2008) at New England Patriots

After squeaking out their victory over Indianapolis, San Diego then traveled to Foxborough, Massachusetts to take on the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game in a rematch of Week 2. The Patriots were undefeated going into this game, at 17–0. Despite the Patriots being heavily favored to win by a large margin and advance to
Super Bowl XLII Super Bowl XLII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion ...
, the game remained tight throughout, as the Chargers kept the score a 14–12 through the third quarter. Philip Rivers played through a torn ACL. LaDainian Tomlinson left early in the 1st quarter with another injury, never to return. Hampered by these key players' absences, the Chargers were unable to find the end zone the entire game. All twelve of their points were field goals.


Notes and references

{{DEFAULTSORT:2007 San Diego Chargers Season
San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...
San Diego Chargers seasons AFC West championship seasons
San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...