With veteran first-string quarterback Stan Humphries missing half the season, the Chargers struggled and failed to improve on their 8–8 record from 1996.
Humphries posted a QB rating of 70.8, his worst as a Charger; none of the other three quarterbacks who saw action managed better than 60.6, and the number of sacks given up leapt from 33 to 51.
Rookie tight end Freddie Jones made a fine one-handed grab for a 44-yard touchdown, but that was the lone Charger highlight.
When Stan Humphries dislocated his shoulder trying to chase down a fumble, Jim Everett came in and threw a pick six to complete the scoring.
Six takeaways by the Charger defense helped back-up QB Jim Everett beat the team who'd cut him during the offseason.
[4] In an error-filled game, San Diego went ahead when an errant pitch was missed by several players and chased back 30 yards into the Saints end zone, where Rodney Harrison recovered.
Leading 13-6, Everett wasted an opportunity with a red zone interception, but found Freddie Jones with 2:10 to play for the clincher.
Humphries returned to the starting line-up, and began well, hitting Tony Martin deep for 59 yards to set up a touchdown for Erric Pegram.
The Chargers paid for an inability to score on offense, three times settling for field goals after driving inside the Seattle ten.
Rodney Harrison scored the lone San Diego touchdown, jumping the route on a Warren Moon pass and going 75 yards untouched for a 10-3 lead.
San Diego should have doubled that lead, but officials incorrectly ruled an Eric Metcalf touchdown as an incomplete pass, and they had to settle for the second of John Carney's five field goals.
Daryll Williams picked off Humphries three times, the most crucial coming in the third quarter, with San Diego in position to extend a 16-13 lead.
A Terrence Shaw interception later led to a field goal, but Moon found Joey Galloway for a 51-yard touchdown to put Seattle ahead.
Another Moon turnover, this time a fumble recovered by Harrison, set up Carney's fifth field goal, edging the Chargers ahead 22-20 with 5:21 to play.
However, Seattle then drove 80 yards for the winning touchdown with 1:22 on the clock, San Diego failing to make a first down on their final possession.
John Carney was out for the season with a knee injury; his replacement Greg Davis missed from 49 yards out midway through the second quarter, and the tide began to turn.
Gary Brown and Greg Davis propelled San Diego to their 6th win in the past 7 road games against the Raiders.
Seau later ended a threat by sacking George, forcing a fumble that John Parrella recovered, setting up the fifth of Davis' six field goals.
The result appeared more significant at the end of the season, as San Diego finished 4-12, while the Colts were 3-13, giving them the first pick in the 1998 NFL draft.
A pair of Humphries errors turned the game in the 2nd quarter, an interception setting up one touchdown and a fumble being directly returned for another.
Seattle responded with touchdown drives either side of halftime, then recovered a Whelihan fumble in the end zone for a 24-17 lead.
Late in the third quarter, the tide turned again, when Paul Bradford picked off a Warren Moon pass and returned it 56 yards for a game-tying score.
San Diego moved the ball well on their next two drives, but both times had to settle for field goals, while the Raiders added another touchdown.
The Chargers failed to cross midfield in the first half, but the defense managed to keep a 49ers attack featuring future Hall of Famers Steve Young and Terrell Owens largely in check, and the score was only 10-0 at the break.
Early in the second half, a fumbled punt return set the Chargers up in the red zone, but they could muster only a field goal.
Recently-acquired veteran Todd Philcox came on for this first action since 1993, and promptly led the Chargers on their only substantial drive of the game, moving from their own 20 to San Francisco territory, and seeming to have scored on a Bryan Still reception.
Terrell Davis had 178 yards on the ground and 36 more through the air; he was the star performer as Denver moved serenely to a 35-14 lead early in the second half.
On the game's first drive, they had a 2nd and 11 at the Atlanta 16, but Terrell Fletcher couldn't handle a Whelihan pass, deflected off his hands and was intercepted.