1966 San Diego Chargers season
The Chargers' offense shifted its focus towards the pass, with running back Paul Lowe, the AFL's rushing champion the previous season, seeing far fewer carries in 1966.
On defense, the Chargers lost assistant coach Chuck Noll and tackle Ernie Ladd during the offseason, while end Earl Faison left during the regular season.
They were strong against the pass, with cornerback Speedy Duncan and safety Kenny Graham making twelve interceptions between them, but became the AFL's worst team against the run.
[2][3] One of these, running back Russ Smith, was cut by the Atlanta Falcons on 6 July 1966,[4] and joined the Chargers afterwards, spending a year on the taxi squad before scoring 10 touchdowns over the following four seasons.
[5][6] 7th-round pick Jim Tolbert stayed with the team for six seasons, and returned briefly at the end of his 11-year NFL career; he played in over 100 games in the Chargers' defensive backfield, starting over 50 of them.
A regular starter during two of his four seasons in San Diego, Ridge would later sue the Chargers, winning $300,000 after successfully arguing that the organization's drug culture had caused the injury that ended his career.
[14][15] They had played out the final year of their contracts in 1965, making clear their intention to leave afterwards, and were traded to the Houston Oilers on January 15 in exchange for three defensive players.
[a] Four days later, AFL commissioner Joe Foss nullified the trade after finding the Oilers guilty of tampering with the players, whose Chargers contracts would not expire until May 1.
[21] Other defensive departures included Dick Westmoreland, a cornerback who had finished runner-up for the AFL's rookie of the year award in 1963 and led the team in interceptions in 1964, being voted a 2nd-team All-Pro both times.
[25] Tight end Dave Kocourek was another original Charger to depart; he was allowed to go to Miami in the expansion draft after making four All-Pro 2nd teams and four AFL All-Star games with San Diego.
[26][27] The Chargers gained a replacement tight end when new AFL commissioner Al Davis awarded them Houston's Willie Frazier as compensation for the loss of Ladd.
[30] San Diego made a change of specialist kickers, releasing Herb Travenio and giving the job to Dick Van Raaphorst.
[34] The Chargers had their first change of majority ownership on August 25 when hotel chain heir Barron Hilton, who had owned the franchise since their formation in 1959,[35] sold controlling shares to a consortium led by National General Corporation chairman Gene Klein.
[45] The Chargers next faced Kansas City in Anaheim; it was the second part of the first professional football double-header, directly following a Raiders-Patriots exhibition in the same stadium.
[50] San Diego opened by winning a rematch of the previous year's title game with the Buffalo Bills and reached a record of 4–0 while outscoring their opponents by a combined 124–37.
[56] He was supported by the rookie Garrison (642 yards, 4 touchdowns),[54] and six-year veteran tight end MacKinnon who saw increased usage with Kocourek having been traded, scoring six times.
[57] Running back Paul Lowe had won the league rushing title the previous year,[58] but was used far more sporadically and ranked only seventh with 643 yards.
In a rematch of the 1964 and 1965 AFL title games, Buffalo drove into Charger territory on their first two drives, but were foiled by a deflected field goal attempt and a Graham interception.
[65] San Diego opened the 3rd quarter with a nine-minute drive that featured a 4th and inches conversion by Foster and culminated in Van Raaphorst's first field goal.
That left enough time for the Chargers to score again, as their defense forced a three-and-out before three Hadl completions covered 56 yards, with Alworth catching the last of these to make it 17–0 at halftime.
Gino Cappelletti missed a 45-yard field goal attempt, then four consecutive drive penetrated the Chargers 30; Chuck Allen, Farr and Whitehead stopped the first three with interceptions, while the fourth ended with an incompletion on 4th and 1.
The Raiders tied the score on the following drive, then put San Diego back ahead with a special teams error; on 4th and 8 from their own 11, their center snapped the ball over the punter's head and out of the end zone for a safety.
[72] On the first drive of the second half, Whitehead was flagged for a 35-yard defensive pass interference penalty that moved the ball to the 2-yard line and led to a Raiders touchdown on the following play.
Instead, their defense scored; Miami had a 2nd and 3 at the Chargers 35 when Steve DeLong forced a fumble that Redman caught in mid-air before racing clear to cut the deficit to 10–6 at halftime.
He failed to complete any of his five passes on the next drive, finishing with an interception that set up the Jets at the San Diego 42; they scored five plays later, and Hadl came in for the rest of the game.
Facing 2nd and 41, Hadl threw a screen pass to Lincoln, who benefitted from blocks by Walt Sweeney, Ron Mix, Allison and Garrison en route to a 67-yard touchdown.
Gross gave the Chargers a chance to extend their lead when he recovered a second fumble at the Boston 37, but Van Raaphorst eventually missed a 25-yard kick.
Alworth's 36-yard catch on the next play from scrimmage set up a success from 43 yards for Van Raaphorst, and a Dick Degen interception in Chargers territory kept the deficit at 14–10 entering halftime.
[96] Trailing 28–10, Tensi replaced Hadl in the second half and opened up with a field goal drive, but Van Raaphorst had another attempt blocked late in the 3rd quarter.
After a holding penalty, the Chargers faced a 3rd and 13 at their own 22; Alworth made a fingertip catch at the Houston 40 and continued into the end zone for the game's first touchdown.
