The 1970 San Diego Chargers season was the franchise's eleventh overall season and first season in the National Football League (NFL). As a result of the NFL-AFL Merger, where the league was broken into two conferences, each member of the American Football League was moved into the American Football Conference.
1970 San Diego Chargers season | |
---|---|
Owner | Eugene V. Klein |
General manager | Sid Gillman |
Head coach | Charlie Waller |
Home field | San Diego Stadium |
Results | |
Record | 5–6–3 |
Division place | 3rd AFC West |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Pro Bowlers | 2[1] |
AP All-Pros | None[2] |
San Diego's 5–6–3 record was the first of seven consecutive losing seasons for the franchise. The 1970 Chargers are the last NFL team to record three ties in a single season, a record which will likely stand, as since the NFL adopted overtime for regular season games in 1974 no team has recorded more than one tie in a season.
Offseason
editNFL draft
edit1970 San Diego Chargers draft | |||||
Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 15 | Walker Gillette | Wide receiver | Richmond | |
2 | 42 | Tom Williams | Defensive end | UC Davis | |
4 | 94 | Bill Maddox | Tight end | Syracuse | |
5 | 119 | Pettus Farrar | Running back | Norfolk State | |
6 | 146 | Billy Parks | Wide receiver | Long Beach State 49ers | |
7 | 171 | Jim Fabish | Running back | Texas-El Paso | |
8 | 198 | Wayne Clark | Quarterback | U. S. International | |
9 | 223 | Chris Fletcher | Cornerback | Temple | |
10 | 250 | Mac Steen | Guard | Florida | |
11 | 275 | Jack Protz | Linebacker | Syracuse | |
12 | 302 | Howard Gravelle | Tight end | UC Davis | |
13 | 327 | Bernard Bradley | Defensive back | Utah State | |
14 | 354 | Tyrone Caldwell | Defensive tackle | South Carolina State | |
15 | 379 | Eugene Childs | Running back | Texas-El Paso | |
16 | 406 | Mike Green | Running back | Nebraska | |
17 | 431 | Dave Sanks | Guard | Louisville | |
Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career |
Undrafted free agents
editPlayer | Position | College |
---|---|---|
Ed Roseborough | Quarterback | Arizona State |
Reg Sharley | Linebacker | Memphis State |
Karl Sneider | Wide receiver | Augsburg |
James Snow | Linebacker | USC |
LeeVone Spencer | Linebacker | Prairie View A&M |
Bill Stansfield | Defensive tackle | Penn State |
Ben Stephens | Defensive back | Grambling |
Dan Thatcher | Kicker | Occidental |
Lee Thomas | Defensive end | Jackson State |
Paul Tollefson | Tackle | UC Santa Barbara |
Roster
editQuarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
|
Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
|
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
|
Reserve lists
Rookies in italics |
Regular season
editSchedule
editWeek | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 20 | Baltimore Colts | L 14–16 | 0–1 | San Diego Stadium | 47,782 | Recap |
2 | September 27 | Oakland Raiders | T 27–27 | 0–1–1 | San Diego Stadium | 42,109 | Recap |
3 | October 4 | at Los Angeles Rams | L 10–37 | 0–2–1 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 69,564 | Recap |
4 | October 12 | Green Bay Packers | L 20–22 | 0–3–1 | San Diego Stadium | 53,064 | Recap |
5 | October 18 | at Chicago Bears | W 20–7 | 1–3–1 | Wrigley Field | 45,278 | Recap |
6 | October 25 | Houston Oilers | T 31–31 | 1–3–2 | San Diego Stadium | 41,427 | Recap |
7 | November 1 | at Cleveland Browns | W 27–10 | 2–3–2 | Cleveland Municipal Stadium | 80,047 | Recap |
8 | November 8 | Denver Broncos | W 24–21 | 3–3–2 | San Diego Stadium | 48,327 | Recap |
9 | November 15 | at Boston Patriots | W 16–14 | 4–3–2 | Harvard Stadium | 30,597 | Recap |
10 | November 22 | at Oakland Raiders | L 17–20 | 4–4–2 | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum | 54,594 | Recap |
11 | November 29 | at Kansas City Chiefs | L 14–26 | 4–5–2 | Municipal Stadium | 50,315 | Recap |
12 | December 6 | Cincinnati Bengals | L 14–17 | 4–6–2 | San Diego Stadium | 41,461 | Recap |
13 | December 13 | at Denver Broncos | T 17–17 | 4–6–3 | Mile High Stadium | 50,959 | Recap |
14 | December 20 | Kansas City Chiefs | W 31–13 | 5–6–3 | San Diego Stadium | 41,379 | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
editWeek 1: vs. Baltimore Colts
editPeriod | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Colts | 0 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 16 |
Chargers | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 2: vs. Oakland Raiders
editPeriod | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Raiders | 3 | 17 | 0 | 7 | 27 |
Chargers | 3 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 27 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: September 27
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 81 °F (27.2 °C), relative humidity 17%, wind 9 mph
- Game attendance: 42,109
- Referee: Ben Dreith
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 3: at Los Angeles Rams
editPeriod | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
Rams | 10 | 20 | 0 | 7 | 37 |
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 4: vs. Green Bay Packers
editPeriod | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Packers | 3 | 3 | 13 | 3 | 22 |
Chargers | 0 | 6 | 0 | 14 | 20 |
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 5: at Chicago Bears
editPeriod | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 0 | 7 | 13 | 0 | 20 |
Bears | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 6: vs. Houston Oilers
editPeriod | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Oilers | 0 | 17 | 14 | 0 | 31 |
Chargers | 0 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 31 |
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 7: at Cleveland Browns
editPeriod | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 0 | 14 | 7 | 6 | 27 |
Broncos | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
at Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
- Date: November 1
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 48 °F (8.9 °C), relative humidity 83%, wind 6 mph
- Game attendance: 80,047
- Referee: Walt Fitzgerald
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 8: vs. Denver Broncos
editPeriod | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Broncos | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
Chargers | 3 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: November 8
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 61 °F (16.1 °C), relative humidity 69%, wind 9 mph
- Game attendance: 48,327
- Referee: Fred Silva
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 9: at Boston Patriots
editPeriod | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 16 |
Patriots | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 10: at Oakland Raiders
editPeriod | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 16 |
Raiders | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California
- Date: November 22
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 56 °F (13.3 °C), relative humidity 75%, wind 8 mph
- Game attendance: 54,594
- Referee: Pat Haggerty
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 11: at Kansas City Chiefs
editPeriod | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
Chiefs | 10 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 26 |
at Municipal Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: November 29
- Game time: 3:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 48 °F (8.9 °C), relative humidity 89%, wind 7 mph
- Game attendance: 50,315
- Referee: Jim Tunney
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 12: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
editPeriod | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bengals | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
Chargers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 13: at Denver Broncos
editPeriod | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
Broncos | 0 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 17 |
at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado
- Date: December 13
- Game time: 2:00 p.m. MST
- Game weather: 23 °F (−5.0 °C), relative humidity 71%, wind 6 mph, wind chill 16
- Game attendance: 50,959
- Referee: John McDonough
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 14: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
editPeriod | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 0 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
Chargers | 3 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: December 20
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 54 °F (12.2 °C), relative humidity 69%, wind 10 mph
- Game attendance: 41,379
- Referee: Norm Schachter
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Standings
editAFC West | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
Oakland Raiders | 8 | 4 | 2 | .667 | 4–0–2 | 7–2–2 | 300 | 293 | L1 |
Kansas City Chiefs | 7 | 5 | 2 | .583 | 2–3–1 | 7–3–1 | 272 | 244 | L2 |
San Diego Chargers | 5 | 6 | 3 | .455 | 2–2–2 | 4–4–3 | 282 | 278 | W1 |
Denver Broncos | 5 | 8 | 1 | .385 | 1–4–1 | 3–6–1 | 253 | 264 | L1 |
- Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
Awards and honors
editThis section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (July 2010) |
References
edit- ^ "1970 NFL Pro Bowlers". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- ^ "1970 NFL All-Pros". Pro-Football-Reference.com.