1976 San Diego Chargers season
Future Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh spent this season as the Chargers' offensive coordinator, before moving on to Stanford University at the end of the year.
He was aided by the acquisition of veteran wide receiver Charlie Joiner, who joined the team in a trade for defensive lineman Coy Bacon.
With Bacon having departed, the Chargers brought in Leroy Jones to join 2nd-year players Louie Kelcher, Gary "Big Hands" Johnson and Fred Dean on the defensive line.
San Diego were involved in a significant trade in April, sending defensive end Coy Bacon to Cincinnati in exchange for wide receiver Charlie Joiner.
Joiner eventually retired with the NFL career records for receptions and receiving yards,[8] and was later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
[13][14] At running back, the Chargers added two-time Super Bowl winner Mercury Morris,[15] though he retired after only one season in San Diego.
[18] Jones went on to start 90 games and post 45 sacks during an eight-year career in San Diego,[19] playing on the defensive line unit that would become known as the “Bruise Brothers”.
[25] San Diego also gained a new offensive coordinator in Bill Walsh, who had built a reputation as a strong coach of the passing game during eight seasons in Cincinnati.
[26] Walsh, who would go on to earn a place in the Hall of Fame through his work in San Francisco,[27] stayed with the Chargers for less than a year,[28] but was instrumental in quarterback Fouts' development during that period.
He later shifted back to center, and went on to start a total of 150 games while spending his entire career in San Diego, later being voted to the Chargers 50th Anniversary Team.
[50] Against the Patriots, Woods again scored twice and Washington once, before Chris Fletcher sealed the win with an interception return touchdown on the game's final play.
[52] While head coach Tommy Prothro initially reported the injury not to be too serious, Washington eventually needed surgery and missed the entire season.
However, kicker John Delaney missed the extra point, eventually allowing Seattle to win the game with a touchdown and successful conversion with 13 seconds to play.
Charlie Joiner caught touchdown passes from both Fouts and Jeffrey as the Chargers overcame a 13–0 1st quarter deficit, winning 14–13 after New York's kicker missed a late field goal attempt.
The Buccaneers threatened to respond when Parnell Dickinson, the third quarterback they'd used throughout the game, broke away on a 46-yard run, but the drive ended with another missed field goal.
Young ran the ball in on the following play, Rick Middleton recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, and Fouts immediately hit Joiner for a 30-yard touchdown, giving the Chargers two scores in the opening 17 seconds of the 2nd quarter.
Graham set up two further Charger scores with a fumble recovery and an interception; both times, Fouts combined with MacDonald on touchdown passes, covering 44 and 18 yards.
San Diego played a close game against the eventual Super Bowl champions, but Oakland pulled away in the final quarter.
[87] The Chargers took the lead on their opening drive, Young converting a pair of 3rd downs with runs, then fumbling the ball into the end zone on 3rd and goal from the 2; Matthews recovered for a touchdown.
Each team then missed a field goal, before San Diego began their comeback with a 70-yard drive featuring catches of 29 and 16 yards by Joiner, the latter for a touchdown.
Leroy Jones intercepted Brian Sipe on the following drive, setting the Chargers up on Cleveland's 39 yard line with 51 seconds remaining in the half.
[94] After receiving the second half kickoff, San Diego took the lead with their third consecutive scoring drive, though they settled for a field goal after Scarber was stopped a yard short on 3rd and 2 from the 6.
San Diego were shut out by the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers for the second consecutive season, though they kept the game close until the 4th quarter.
[96] The Charger defense continued to keep them in the game in the 3rd quarter, with Hal Stringert intercepting Terry Bradshaw, and Preston recovering a fumble at his own 21.
They stretched the advantage to 30 points midway through the final quarter before Clint Longley came in for Fouts and threw late touchdowns to Owens and McDonald.
[107] In the second half, Stenerud made a pair of short field goals, the latter putting Kansas City ahead early in the final quarter.
The 49ers, in the meantime, went three-and-out three times in a row, before making some progress on their fourth drive – they got in range for a 45-yard field goal, but Steve Mike-Mayer missed wide to the right.
The 49ers received the opening kickoff of the second half, and drove in range for another Mike-Mayer field goal attempt – this one struck the right upright from 29 yards out.
[109] San Diego won the coin toss, and elected to receive; a clipping penalty on Scarber caused them to start out at their own 7 yard line.
Further carries of 4 and 15 yards from Young helped the Chargers reach a 2nd and 8 from the 49er 13, from where Morris broke around left end and raced in for the winning touchdown, benefitting from a key block by Billy Shields along the way.
