2014 San Diego Chargers Season
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The 2014 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 ...
' 45th 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 majo ...
(NFL), their 55th overall and their second under
head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in asso ...
Mike McCoy. After former Chargers'
offensive coordinator An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of an American football or Canadian football team who is in charge of the team's offense. Generally, along with the defensive coordinator and the special teams coordinator, this coach r ...
Ken Whisenhunt was hired by the
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 hom ...
to become their new
head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in asso ...
, the Chargers promoted
Frank Reich Frank Michael Reich Jr. (; ; born December 4, 1961) is an American football coach and former quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons, primarily with the Buffalo Bills. He played college football at Maryland a ...
to replace him. Reich spent the 2013 season as the Chargers' quarterbacks coach. The Chargers began the season 5–1, winning five straight after losing their season opener. It was followed by a three-game losing streak, and they finished 4–4 in the second half. They won just two of their final five games, coming back from double-digit fourth quarter deficits twice to remain in playoff contention. They lost the final game of the season when a win would have secured a playoff berth. In three of their last four games, and five of their last eight, the Chargers did not score more than one
touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Amer ...
(TD). Compared to
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, the offense dropped in points (from 12th in the league to 17th), yards (5th to 18th),
first down 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 ...
s (3rd to 15th), net yards per pass (2nd to 8th),
rushing yards Rushing means a sudden forward motion, or a surge or onslaught. Rushing may refer to: Tactics * Rush (gridiron football), advancing the ball by running on offense. On defense, charging the quarterback or kicker is a pass rush. * Human wave atta ...
(13th to 30) and yards per rush (21st to 31st). It was the second time in three years the team finished second-to-last in yards per carry. San Diego was just 2–4 against teams in their division in the
AFC West The American Football Conference – Western Division or AFC West is one of the four divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The division comprises the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, ...
, and were swept by both the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
and the
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The t ...
. It was their worst intradivision record since they were 1–5 in
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. The Chargers were only 3–6 against teams with winning records. They matched their 9–7 record from 2013, but missed the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons.
Safety Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk. Meanings There are two slightly di ...
Eric Weddle was the team's lone selection to the
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 ...
.
Quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Am ...
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 se ...
was voted by the Chargers as their
most valuable player In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a partic ...
after finishing the season with 4,286 yards passing, 31 TDs and 18
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 ...
s. During weeks 2–6, he became the first NFL player ever to have a
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 Lea ...
over 120 for five consecutive games. Later in the season, Rivers suffered from sore ribs and a back injury, but he denied that they affected his performance. The team lost center Nick Hardwick and
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 handoffs from the quarterback to rush the ball, to line up as a receiver to catch the ball, and block. Th ...
Danny Woodhead early in the season when they were placed on
injured reserve The injured reserve list ( IR list) is a designation used in North American professional sports leagues for athletes who suffer injuries and become unable to play. The exact name of the list varies by league; it is known as "injured reserve" in th ...
. Running back Ryan Mathews also missed seven games early in the season. He and wide receiver Keenan Allen were sidelined during the final games of the season. For the season, the Chargers started five different players at center.


Offseason


Signings


Departures


NFL Draft


Draft notes


Staff


Final roster


Schedule


Preseason


Regular season

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.


Game summaries


Week 1: at Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play th ...
rookie receiver John Brown scored on a 13-yard pass from Carson Palmer with 2:25 left in the game to defeat San Diego 18–17 on Monday night. The Chargers led 17–6 after three periods, but did not convert on multiple opportunities throughout the game. It was the fifth loss for San Diego over the prior three seasons in which they led by a touchdown or more in the fourth quarter, tied for the most in the NFL. Rookie
Jeremiah Attaochu Jeremiah Ojimaojo Attaochu (born January 17, 1993) is a Nigerian born American football outside linebacker for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2 ...
set up the Chargers only first-half score with a blocked punt off
Drew Butler Andrew Joseph "Drew" Butler (born May 10, 1989) is a former American football punter. He played college football for the University of Georgia and was recognized as a unanimous All-American punter. The Pittsburgh Steelers signed him as an und ...
. San Diego trailed 6–3 at halftime when Chargers quarterback
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 se ...
went 6-for-6 for 82 yards and threw a 6-yard touchdown to
Malcom Floyd Malcom Maiuu Floyd (born September 8, 1981) is a former American professional football player who was a wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers in the National Football League (NFL). He played his entire NFL career with San Diego after signin ...
for a 10–6 lead. Attaochu forced a Palmer fumble on a strip sack to set up a 20-yard touchdown run by Ryan Mathews for a 17–6 Charger advantage. The Cardinals pulled to 17–12 after a 10-play, 64-yard touchdown drive with 12:30 remaining; their
two-point conversion In gridiron football, a two-point conversion or two-point convert is a play a team attempts instead of kicking a one-point conversion immediately after it scores a touchdown. In a two-point conversion attempt, the team that just scored must run ...
failed. On San Diego's following drive, they were in field-goal range at the Arizona 29-yard line when a mishandled snap from backup center
Rich Ohrnberger Richard Paul Ohrnberger (born February 14, 1986) is a sports news satirist and former American football offensive guard. He was drafted by the New England Patriots 123rd overall in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college footba ...
—replacing an injured Nick Hardwick who left the game—to Rivers pushed the Chargers back to the 43 and forced a punt. Arizona then went on their 11-play, 91-yard game-winning drive, which was extended by a slow-footed Palmer scrambling 12 yards on a third-and-10 play. The Chargers offense, which ranked fifth in the NFL in yards in
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...
, suffered from uncharacteristic dropped passes. Arizona's late field goal in the second quarter came after a Chargers interception set up by Eddie Royal stopping on his route as a Rivers pass went to the Chiefs Jerraud Powers. The Chargers'
Marcus Gilchrist Marcus Tyler Gilchrist (born December 8, 1988) is a former American football safety. He played college football at Clemson. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft and also had stints with the New Yor ...
dropped an apparent sure interception in the third quarter.


Week 2: vs. Seattle Seahawks

Antonio Gates Antonio Ethan Gates Sr. (born June 18, 1980) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for the San Diego / Los Angeles Chargers during his entire career in the National Football League (NFL). He was named to the P ...
caught three touchdowns from Rivers to lead the Chargers to a 30–21 win over the defending
Super Bowl The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the gam ...
champion
Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 a ...
. San Diego held a 42:15 to 17:45 advantage in time of possession under hot weather conditions. The official game-time temperature was , while readings at field level read closer to . The Chargers had six drives of eight plays or more—including possessions of 14, 12, and 10 plays—while the Seahawks had one eight-play drive. San Diego's first possession was a 14-play drive that led to a 50-yard field goal by
Nick Novak Nicholas Ryan Novak (born August 21, 1981) is a former American football placekicker. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Maryland. Novak has played for the Washington Redskins, ...
, ending the Seahawks' 20-game streak without allowing a score on the opening possession. Following a 10-play field goal drive by the Chargers in the second quarter, linebacker
Kavell Conner Kavell Conner (born February 23, 1987) is a former gridiron football linebacker and current college football coach. He is the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the University of West Florida, a position he has held since 2023. He wa ...
forced a fumble on the kickoff, which led to a six-play touchdown drive; the two drives combined to keep the Seahawks offense off the field for almost nine minutes. Gates' third touchdown came after he split two defenders and made a spectacular one-handed grab to give the Chargers a 27–14 lead late in the third quarter. Rivers was 28-of-37 for 284 yards. He had thrown 65 touchdowns to Gates, the most between a quarterback and tight end in NFL history. The Chargers were 10-for-17 on third-down conversions, while the Seahawks were 3-for-8.


Week 3: at Buffalo Bills

Rivers threw two touchdowns to Royal and spread the ball to multiple receivers to lead San Diego to a 22–10 victory over 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 ...
. The Chargers' defense held the Bills to just 19 yards and forced a
safety Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk. Meanings There are two slightly di ...
in their first four series in the fourth quarter, denying Buffalo their third 3–0 start since 1993. The Chargers led throughout the game after a 3-yard TD pass from Rivers to Royal with 9:45 left in the first quarter. They took control of the game after a 37-yard Novak field goal 21 seconds before the half, and a 5-yard TD catch by Royal to cap a 14-play, 80-yard drive to start the third quarter for a 20–3 lead, their largest of the game. San Diego held on for their third 2–1 start in five years. They did not have a
first down 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 ...
in their final five drives after 20 in their first five. After losing running back Mathews to a sprained ankle the previous week, the Chargers' Danny Woodhead did not return after his first carry of the game minutes into the contest. Donald Brown filled in with 89 yards offense (62 rushing and 27 receiving). Rivers completed 18 of 25 passes for 256 yards, including two 49-yard catches by Floyd. Royal had four receptions for 42 yards, and backup tight end Ladarius Green finished with four catches for 64 yards. Novak extended his streak of consecutive successful field goal attempts to 23, passing Nate Kaeding for second in team history.


Week 4: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Chargers defeated the winless
Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team pla ...
33–14 as Rivers threw for 377 yards and three touchdowns. Royal caught two of the scoring passes for his second straight two-touchdown game. San Diego extended its winning streak to three. After Jacksonville took a 7–3 lead on a
Toby Gerhart Tobin Bo Gunnar Gerhart (born March 28, 1987) is a former American football running back. He was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football for Stanford University, and was a unanimous ...
1-yard TD run early in the second quarter, Rivers spotted Royal—guarded by linebacker Geno Hayes—who got open for a 47-yard touchdown reception. Jaguars rookie
Blake Bortles Robby Blake Bortles (born April 28, 1992) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons, primarily with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played college football at UCF, where he received ...
, making his first start, followed with a scoring pass to Nic Jacobs. Before halftime, Rivers found Royal on third-and-10 as the receiver outran defenders for 43-yard TD pass, staking San Diego to a 17–14 lead. Rivers connected with Floyd on a 24-yard TD pass to open the third quarter, and the Chargers' defense held the Jaguars scoreless in the second half. Cornerback Brandon Flowers and safety Eric Weddle each intercepted Bortles in the second half after the Jacksonville quarterback began the game 13-for-15 with 144 yards. Rivers completed 29 of his 37 passes and had a 130.0
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 Lea ...
, his highest ever in a game in which he threw over 31 passes. Keenan Allen established career-highs of 10 catches for 135 yards, and Royal had five receptions for 105 yards, his first 100-yard game with the Chargers. Novak made four field goals. Earlier in the week on Tuesday, the Chargers had made 10 player transactions largely due to injuries. Playing without Mathews and Woodhead, San Diego ran for just 42 yards on 20 carries; the team entered the game averaging a league-low 2.4 yards per carry. "We've got to work on the running game. We'll get better," Chargers head coach Mike McCoy said.


Week 5: vs. New York Jets

Mike McCoy's desire to improve the run game came to fruition against the New York Jets. The Chargers ran for 162 yards against the Jets, who came into the game ranked number one in the NFL in rush defense. Donald Brown was knocked out of the game with a concussion in the first half and
Branden Oliver Branden Oliver (born May 7, 1991) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Buffalo and signed with the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League (NFL) as an undrafted free agent in 2014. He played i ...
, their fourth-string running back, played. Oliver ran 19 times for 114 yards and a touchdown. He also caught 4 passes for 68 yards and a touchdown. These were the first two NFL touchdowns for the rookie. Philip Rivers completed 20 throws on 28 attempts for 288 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Two of his touchdown throws were to
Antonio Gates Antonio Ethan Gates Sr. (born June 18, 1980) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for the San Diego / Los Angeles Chargers during his entire career in the National Football League (NFL). He was named to the P ...
. With 65 touchdowns, Rivers and Gates set the NFL record for most between a quarterback and tight end duo. It was Gates' 91 and 92 career TD catches, moving him into 10th place all-time. After the game, Rivers stressed this year's toughness of the team as its success. The offense of the Jets on the other hand, crossed the 50-yard line for the first time with 7:35 left in the fourth quarter.
Geno Smith Eugene Cyril "Geno" Smith III (born October 10, 1990) is an American football quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at West Virginia, leading the Mountaineers to multiple bowl game ...
threw only four completions on 12 attempts for 27 yards and an interception. In the first offensive possession for the Jets in the second half, he was benched for Michael Vick. Vick did only a little better by throwing 8 completions on 19 attempts for 27 yards and ran twice for 14 yards. The Chargers were the first team to win by a
shutout In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball. Shutouts are usuall ...
in the 2014 season (week five). The Chargers' last shutout victory was 31-0 against Kansas City on December 12, 2010. The Jets were shut out for the first time since losing 34-0 against San Francisco on September 30, 2012. With the day's loss, the Jets had lost four straight games.


Week 6: at Oakland Raiders

Rookie
cornerback A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such offensive running plays as sweeps and reverses. They create tur ...
Jason Verrett Jason Verrett (born June 18, 1991) is an American football cornerback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He played college football ...
intercepted
Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Ra ...
rookie quarterback Derek Carr at the San Diego 5 with 1:13 remaining in the game to seal a 31–28 Chargers win on the road. San Diego had gone ahead with 1:56 to play on a 1-yard touchdown run by Oliver. Verrett's first career interception helped the Chargers extend their winning streak to five, while Oakland suffered its 11th straight defeat. The Chargers 5–1 start to begin the season was their best since
2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
. Carr threw a 77-yard TD pass to
Andre Holmes Andre Holmes (born June 16, 1988) is a former American football wide receiver. Originally signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2011, Holmes also played for the Oakland Raiders, Buffalo Bills, and Denver Broncos. Holmes pl ...
in the opening minute of the game, and he and Rivers both threw two touchdowns in the first half for a 14-14 tie at halftime. In the third quarter, a 54-yard Novak field goal was nullified by a Chargers holding penalty. On fourth-and-35, Weddle threw an incomplete pass on a fake punt, giving the Raiders excellent field position; Oakland then scored on a 47-yard TD pass from Carr to
Brice Butler Brice Christian Butler (born January 29, 1990) is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the seventh round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He played college football at USC and San Diego State. Early years ...
. The Chargers responded with a Gates score on a 1-yard pass from Rivers, and the game was tied at 21 to begin the fourth quarter. Oakland took the lead again after Carr found Holmes for a 6-yard TD with 10 minutes left. On the following possession, Rivers completed the first four passes for 70 yards, which led to a 30-yard field goal by Novak. The Chargers defense forced a
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 f ...
, when Allen—filling in for an injured Royal—returned the punt 29 yards to the Oakland 39. With 4:49 remaining, Rivers led the six-play game-winning TD drive which culminated with four straight runs by Oliver for 29 yards. The Raiders had the ball on the Chargers 45 on second-and-one, when Carr threw deep for Butler, but Verrett leaped for an acrobatic sideline interception. Verrett had left the game earlier in the third quarter after tearing his left labrum in three places while diving for a pass. Oliver ran for 101 yards in the game, and Rivers threw for 313 yards and three touchdowns. For Rivers, it was an NFL-record fifth straight game with at least a 120 passer rating. Verrett grew up a Raiders fan in nearby
Fairfield, California Fairfield is a city in and the county seat of Solano County, California, in the North Bay (San Francisco Bay Area), North Bay sub-region of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is generally considered the midpoint between the cities of San Francisco ...
. About 100 of his friends and family attended the game, including his brother, who works for the Raiders.


Week 7: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

A late field goal of 48 yards by rookie
Cairo Santos Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metrop ...
gave the
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The t ...
a 23–20 win over the Chargers. The Chiefs ran 70 plays to the Chargers' 49, and controlled the ball for 39 minutes during the game to San Diego's 21. San Diego was just 3-for-10 on third down conversions after entering the game with a 53.8% success rate, the highest in the league. The loss ended the team's six-game home winning streak over the Chiefs. The Chargers got out to a 7–0 lead after tight end John Phillips' first catch of the season, a 1-yard TD from Rivers. They regained the lead, 14–10, after Gates' 27-yard TD off a tipped pass 14 seconds before halftime. San Diego was limited to just one offensive drive in the third quarter, a three-and-out series that lasted just 1:02, and Kansas City led 20–14 after an
Alex Smith Alexander Douglas Smith (born May 7, 1984) is an American former quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. He played college football at Utah, where he received first-team All-American honors and won the ...
11-yard TD pass to
Anthony Sherman Anthony Michael Sherman (born December 11, 1988) is a former American football fullback. He spent the majority of his career with the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fifth ...
with 14:50 left in the fourth. The Chargers responded with a 12-play drive, driving all the way to the Chiefs 6, but settled for a Novak 24-yard field goal. After a defensive stop, Novak kicked a 48-yarder to tied the game at 20 with 1:57 remaining. It was his 31st straight field goal, breaking Carney's team record of 29 set from
1992 File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment building in Amsterdam after two of its engin ...
to 1993. However, the Chiefs drove 62 yards on nine plays on their game-winning drive. Rivers was 17 of 31 for 205 yards and two touchdowns with an 83.4 rating, breaking his streak of games with 120 or higher. The Chargers' offense had season lows of 205 passing yards and 251 total yards. Smith, the first established quarterback the Chargers had faced in four games, was 19 of 28 passes for 221 yards. Chiefs coach
Andy Reid Andrew Walter Reid (born March 19, 1958) is an American football coach who is the head coach for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). Reid was previously head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles from 1999 to 2012. From 200 ...
, in his second year with the team, improved his career record to 14–2 coming off a bye week. Retired defensive end
Leslie O'Neal Leslie Claudis O'Neal (born May 7, 1964) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end and outside linebacker for 13 years in the National Football League (NFL). He spent the majority of his career with the San Diego ...
was inducted into the Chargers Hall of Fame at halftime. This was the first of two games in which the Chargers wore their alternate powder blue jerseys – the other was against 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 ...
on December 7.


Week 8: at Denver Broncos

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 ...
connected with Emmanuel Sanders for three touchdowns to lead the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
to a 35–21 win over San Diego. Rookie Juwan Thompson also ran for two TDs to help the Broncos (6–1) expand their lead over the Chargers (5–3) in the
AFC West The American Football Conference – Western Division or AFC West is one of the four divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The division comprises the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, ...
. A year earlier, San Diego had handed Denver their only home loss of the season. The game was tied 7–7 in the second quarter after Rivers capped a 13-play, 84-yard drive with a 2-yard TD to Allen. On the following
kickoff Kickoff or kick-off may refer to * Kick-off (association football) * Kickoff (gridiron football) * ''Kick Off'' (series), a series of computer association football games * ''Kick Off'' (album), a 1985 album by Onyanko Club * ''Kick Off'' (mag ...
, the Chargers appeared to recover a fumble by Denver, but the play was overturned. Manning then drove his team eight plays for a 31-yard TD to Sanders past cornerback Richard Marshall. The Chargers were trailing 28–14 in the fourth quarter with the Broncos on the San Diego 2, when Weddle intercepted Manning; however, the play was nullified by a holding penalty against Gilchrist, and Thompson scored on a 1-yard run the next play. The Chargers followed with an eight-play, 80-yard TD drive in less than two minutes, with Gates scoring for the second time for a 35–21 game with minutes left. Weddle forced a Denver fumble on the first play of the following drive, but San Diego was unable to recover the ball. Denver kicker
Brandon McManus Brandon Tyler McManus (born July 25, 1991) is an American football placekicker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He was a member of their Super Bowl 50 championship team, beating the Carolina Panthers, and as of 2022, ...
missed a 53-yard attempt with six minutes remaining, and the Chargers received the ball with excellent field position. San Diego's drive ended with a Rahim Moore interception of a Rivers pass intended for Floyd at the Denver 4. Rivers ended the game 30 of 41 for 252 yards with three TDs and two interceptions. Gates become the team leader in career yards receiving after passing
Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coa ...
receiver
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 ...
(9,584). Manning finished 25 of 35 for 286 yards with three TDs and no interceptions. The Chargers were playing without injured cornerbacks Flowers (concussion) and Steve Williams (groin); Verrett played despite a hurt shoulder injured during the Raiders game, but was unable to play after a few series in the second quarter.


Week 9: at Miami Dolphins

The Chargers committed four turnovers and lost 37–0 to the
Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team p ...
for their most lopsided defeat since
1996 File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 800, causing the plane to crash and killing everyone o ...
. The Dolphins front four dominated the Chargers' offensive line, forcing three interceptions and a lost fumble by Rivers. It was San Diego's third straight loss, and the first time they had been shut out since
1999 File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shoot ...
. On the opening possession of the game, San Diego gambled on fourth and 1 from the Miami 22, but Oliver was stopped for a 1-yard loss. It was the only time the Chargers crossed midfield during the game. Miami led 17–0 after the first 21 minutes. They scored on all but one of their seven possessions in the first half, the exception being Caleb Sturgis' miss on a 45-yard field goal attempt to end the half. Rivers was limited to 138 yards passing in the game, and was twice intercepted by
Brent Grimes Brent Omar Grimes (born July 19, 1983) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at Shippensburg University and signed with the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2006. Grimes was allocated to the Hamburg ...
. His quarterback rating of 31.0 was his lowest since
2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple Inc., Apple's first iPhone (1st generation), iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakis ...
. San Diego remained winless in South Florida since the Epic in Miami in January 1982, a string of eight straight losses to the Dolphins. Running back Donald Brown returned from his concussion in Week 5, and ran four times for 23 yards.


Week 11: vs. Oakland Raiders

Floyd caught a 22-yard touchdown from Rivers on the game's third play from scrimmage, and San Diego held on for a lackluster 13–6 win over Oakland. Both teams punted nine times, with Chargers punter Mike Scifres pinning the Raiders inside the 20 on five of his kicks. ''
U-T San Diego ''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 ...
'' lauded Scifres' performance, stating that he "arguably was the team MVP." San Diego was a season low 27% (4-for-15) on third-down conversions, after entering the game fourth best in the league (48%). Gates made a difficult catch late in the fourth quarter to extend a drive and help seal the game. San Diego linebacker Donald Butler recovered a fumble on the opening play of the game after Carr mishandled the snap from the shotgun formation. Two plays later, River lobbed a pass to Floyd, who leaped over T. J. Carrie for the score. The Chargers went up 10–3 after Novak kicked a 23-yard field goal to extend his team record to 32 consecutive field goals; however, he was wide left on a 48-yard attempt as the half ended. Rivers was injured after completing a 28-yard pass to Floyd in the third quarter, but the play was called back on a holding call against tackle King Dunlap. The Chargers settled on a 52-yard field goal by Novak for a 13–3 lead. The Raiders knocked the wind out of Rivers in the fourth, but he remained in the game after Oakland pulled with a touchdown with a 25-yard field goal from Sebastian Janikowski with four minutes remaining. On the following drive, Gates converted a key third-and-3 with a 15-yard catch at the Oakland 45 after tipping the pass to himself between safeties Charles Woodson and Brandian Ross. An incompletion would have forced a punt with 2:32 left; instead, Oakland need to use their remaining timeouts before receiving the ball back with 65 seconds to go. Carr threw a desperation pass that was incomplete short of the end zone as the game clock expired. Scifres' nine punts, which were the second most of his career, included ones that pinned the Raiders at their 2-, 4-, 6- and 8-, and 12-yard line. Oakland crossed midfield just twice in the game. San Diego started four drives on their 41-yard line or better, which netted only three punts and a field goal. Rivers was 22 of 34 for 193 yards. After saying that Rivers had been suffering a "very severe rib injury" for weeks, Gates later said he was "taken out of context". According to McCoy, Rivers had not missed any practice time nor received any treatment from the team trainer. After being out since September, Ryan Mathews, Manti Te'o and Melvin Ingram played for the Chargers. After missing seven games, Mathews ran 16 times for 70 yards, bolstering a running game that was averaging a league-low 3.1 yards per carry.


Week 12: vs. St. Louis Rams

Gilchrist intercepted 2014 St. Louis Rams season, St. Louis Rams quarterback Shaun Hill's pass at the Chargers' goal line with a minute left in the game to secure a 27–24 win for San Diego.


Week 13: at Baltimore Ravens

Rivers passed to Royal for the go-ahead touchdown with 38 seconds left in the game to defeat the 2014 Baltimore Ravens season, Baltimore Ravens on the road, 34–33, for their third straight win. The Chargers had trailed the entire game, including 30–20 with 6:13 left and 33–27 with 2:22 to go. Rivers completed 34 of 45 passes for 383 yards and three touchdowns, including two scores to Allen. Rivers was intercepted on the Chargers' first drive of the game, and Baltimore led 10–0 almost eight minutes into the contest. On their next possession, San Diego went 80 yards on 13 plays for their first TD, a 12-yard pass from Rivers to Allen. The Chargers pulled to 16–13 early in the third quarter after a 59-yard pass by Rivers to Floyd set up a 26-yard Novak field goal. On the following drive, a roughing the passer penalty by Weddle led to a TD pass by the Ravens' Joe Flacco for a 23–20 lead. Flacco later scored on a quarterback sneak after a pass interference penalty on Shareece Wright. The Chargers responded with a 77-yard drive, culminating in a 23-yard TD from Rivers to Allen with 3:40 remaining. Jacoby Jones returned the ensuing kickoff 72 yards to the San Diego 30, setting up Justin Tucker's fourth field goal of the game for the Ravens. Rivers then led the 80-yard game-winning drive. After an interference call against Anthony Levine in the end zone, Rivers connected with Royal for a TD. Rivers moved to 20th among List of National Football League passing yards leaders, NFL leaders in career passing yards, passing Carson Palmer (35,365) and Jim Kelly (35,467). The Chargers had four players—Gates, Allen, Royal, and Floyd—with over 80 yards receiving in the game for the first time in team history. Each team punted only once in the game. It was the Ravens first loss in November since 2009. They had also been 11–0 at home against West Coast teams. The Chargers used their fifth different center of the season, Trevor Robinson (American football), Trevor Robinson, after their fourth center, Chris Watt, left the game with an injury.


Week 14: vs. New England Patriots

The Chargers contained 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 ...
offense for a 1-point lead through three-quarters before losing 23–14. After being held without a first down in the third quarter, the Patriots went ahead with a field goal in the fourth quarter, and capped the scoring with Tom Brady connecting with Julian Edelman for a 69-yard TD. San Diego was shut out in the second half. The win gave New England their 12th straight 10-win season, the second-longest such streak in NFL history. The Chargers led 14–3 after scoring twice within 2 minutes, 33 seconds in the second quarter. Floyd made a diving catch for a 15-yard TD, and safety Darrell Stuckey returned a fumble for a 53-yard score. After Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski's second field goal, Brandon Bolden blocked a punt by Scifres, and New England recovered the ball at the San Diego 28. Scifres was carted off the field after injuring his left shoulder on the play. Four plays later, Brady hit Rob Gronkowski on a 14-yard TD pass to trail 14–13. Before halftime, Te'o leaped for his first career interception on a pass intended for Gronkowski, preserving the Chargers' lead. In the third quarter, Devin McCourty returned a Rivers interception for a touchdown, but the play was wiped out by a personal foul on Brandon Browner for San Diego's Ladarius Green in the head. The Chargers' offense crossed midfield just once in the second half, getting as far as the Patriots 42. Their defense held New England to just 35 yards in the third quarter, forcing a three-and-out on four consecutive drives, before Brady engineered the 32nd fourth-quarter comeback of his career. Rivers completed 20 of his 33 passes for 189 yards. He fell to 0–6 against Brady, who was 28-of-44 for 317 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. The Patriots entered the game scoring an average of 31.5 points, the third highest in the league. Novak took over as punter after Scifres' injury; he filled in after starting with a couple of short kicks. Scifres required season-ending surgery for a broken collarbone. Mathews entered the locker room early before halftime after limping following a tripping penalty by New England. After rushing nine times for 52 yards in the first half, he had just two carries for minus 8 yards the rest of the game. The ankle sprain sidelined Mathews for the remainder of the season.


Week 15: vs. Denver Broncos

San Diego lost 22–10 to the Broncos after struggling offensively for the second consecutive week. After entering the game with the 6th best record in the AFC, the loss was a blow to the Chargers' (8–6) playoff chances. It was their second consecutive home loss to the two teams tied for the best record in their conference. Denver's Manning threw a scoring pass to Demaryius Thomas at the end of the third quarter for their only touchdown of the game. The Chargers pulled to within six points at 16–10 after a TD catch by Gates with 10 minutes left. The Chargers trailed only 9–3 at the half after holding the Broncos to a field goal each time they entered the red zone. Manning was sick coming into the game, and left late in the second quarter with a thigh injury. Set up by a 58-yard punt return by Royal, Novak kicked a 30-yard field goal before the half ended for the Chargers' first score. Manning began the third quarter, and finished the game completing 14 of 20 passes for 233 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. Novak missed two field goals in the game: a 46-yard attempt that was tipped by Derek Wolfe in the second quarter, and a 37-yard attempt that hit the left upright in the third. The Chargers were using a new holder (American football), holder with punter Mat McBriar, who was replacing the injured Scifres, but Novak refused to use it as an excuse. Novak placed the blame of the loss on himself, whose missed kicks would have tied the score and kept the game in reach. Rivers completed 24 of 41 attempts for 232 yards with two interceptions. Gates' touchdown was his 10th of the season, tying him with Gronkowski for most seasons with at least 10 touchdown catches by a tight end. Allen exited the game in the third quarter after suffering both a broken right collarbone and an injured right ankle in the second quarter; the collarbone sidelined him for the final two games of the season. The Chargers' defense limited Denver to 111 yards on 39 carries, an average of 2.8 yards per rush. They also held the Broncos to 3-for-12 on third-down conversions.


Week 16: at San Francisco 49ers

The Chargers rallied from a 21-point deficit, and Novak kicked the game-winning 40-yard field goal in overtime (sports), overtime to defeat the 2014 San Francisco 49ers season, San Francisco 49ers 38–35. Rivers, who sat out practice earlier in the week with back and chest injuries, overcame three interceptions to throw for 356 yards and four TDs. The Chargers, who played the game without injured offensive stars Allen and Mathews, outscored the 49ers 31–7 after halftime. The win kept San Diego's slim playoff chances alive. The 49ers led 28–7 at halftime, aided by a 49-yard TD return of a Rivers interception by Antoine Bethea. San Francisco rushed for 365 yards, the most the Chargers had surrendered since Adrian Peterson set a single-game record of 296 in
2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple Inc., Apple's first iPhone (1st generation), iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakis ...
. Running back Frank Gore had 158, and quarterback Colin Kaepernick added 151, including a 90-yard TD run in the third quarter. In the fourth, Gates caught one of his two touchdowns in the second half, and Rivers connected with Floyd with 29 seconds remaining for the game-tying score, set up by two long fourth-down conversions earlier in the drive. The game went into overtime after 49ers kicker Phil Dawson missed a 60-yard field goal attempt at the end of regulation. On the opening drive in overtime, Weddle forced a fumble by receiver Quinton Patton, which was recovered by San Diego's Sean Lissemore. The Chargers drove, and Novak hit the game-winner nearly five minutes into the extra period. Rivers completed 33 of 54 passes in the game. The Chargers were playing with their fifth-string center, and rookie right guard Jeremiah Sirles was making his NFL debut. The offense converted all three of their fourth-down conversions after entering the game with the worst conversions rate at 20% (1-of-5). It was the 49ers fourth consecutive loss. It was only the second time ever that San Francisco had lost after leading by 21 or more at the half.


Week 17: at Kansas City Chiefs

Needing a win to secure a playoff spot, San Diego lost 19–7 to Kansas City, who started backup quarterback Chase Daniel in place of an injured
Alex Smith Alexander Douglas Smith (born May 7, 1984) is an American former quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. He played college football at Utah, where he received first-team All-American honors and won the ...
. Justin Houston had four of the Chiefs' seven sacks against Rivers. The Chargers were shut out in the final 41 minutes of the game, which included three trips inside the Chiefs red zone in the fourth quarter. Kansas City swept the season series against San Diego. The Chiefs went ahead 10–0 two minutes into the second quarter before the Chargers quickly pulled to 10–7, their only score of the game. During one stretch, from the first through third quarter, Rivers was sacked six times while dropping back to pass 13 times, which also included a lost fumble and an interception. The Chargers' offensive line included Robinson, their fifth starting center of the season, and undrafted rookie Sirles, making his first start at right guard. The Chargers seemingly closed the deficit to 19–14 with eight minutes remaining in the fourth when Rivers found Royal for a 3-yard TD, but the play was overturned after a Instant replay in American and Canadian football, replay ruled that the ball touched the ground while Royal was securing the catch. The Chargers then turned the ball over on downs after two incompletions. Later, with roughly four minutes left, another drive was stalled when Donald Brown was stopped on fourth-and-1 at the Kansas City 20. Rivers threw his second interception of the day on the game's final play. With the loss, the Bolts had finished 9-7 and were swept by the Chiefs for the first time since 2003. Rivers was 20-of-34 passing for 291 yards, and finished the season with over 4,000 yards for the sixth time. The seven sacks against him were a career-high. Oliver ran for 71 yards and a touchdown. The Chargers lost right tackle D. J. Fluker, safety Michael Gilchrist , cornerback Shareece Wright, and receiver Royal to injuries during the game.


Standings


Division


Conference


Honors and awards

Safety Eric Weddle was the Chargers' only selection to the
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 ...
. It was the second straight year he was picked, and the third time in four seasons. Voted as first alternates were tight end
Antonio Gates Antonio Ethan Gates Sr. (born June 18, 1980) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for the San Diego / Los Angeles Chargers during his entire career in the National Football League (NFL). He was named to the P ...
and special teams player Darrell Stuckey, while
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 se ...
was selected as a second alternate. Following are the winners of team awards, which are based on voting by Chargers players: *MVP: Philip Rivers *Lineman of the Year: King Dunlap *Offensive Player of the Year: Antonio Gates *Defensive Player of the Year: Eric Weddle * Special Teams Player of the Year: Seyi Ajirotutu *Most Inspirational:
Malcom Floyd Malcom Maiuu Floyd (born September 8, 1981) is a former American professional football player who was a wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers in the National Football League (NFL). He played his entire NFL career with San Diego after signin ...
and Jarret Johnson


Notes


References


External links

*
2014 San Diego Chargers
at pro-football-reference.com {{2014 NFL season by team 2014 National Football League season by team, San Diego San Diego Chargers seasons 2014 in sports in California, San Diego