- Super Bowl Championships: 0
- Last Super Bowl Appearance: Super Bowl 29
- Claim to Fame: Hold the (Super Bowl era) record for most consecutive seasons leading the league in yards gained (4) from 1980 to 1983
- Claim to Shame: Have only made the playoffs in 13 of the 52 Super Bowl era seasons
The Los Angeles Chargers were one of the original eight franchises that made up the American Football league established in 1960. The team spent one season in LA before moving to San Diego.
The Chargers enjoyed spurts of success in San Diego. They made the playoffs in four straight seasons from 1979 to 1982, and three out of four seasons – including their lone Super Bowl appearance – from 1992 to 1995.
But those were their only seven playoff appearances in 38 seasons from 1966 to 2003.
Unfortunately, the franchise seems to be in another rut, as they’ve only made the playoffs once since 2010.
In 2017, the Charges announced they were heading back to Los Angeles. But they’ve been playing in the StubHub Center, which seats just 27,000, and will continue to do so until Los Angeles Stadium at Hollywood Park opens in 2020.
The Chargers had trouble capturing the hearts of the few fans in their stadium, as the team stumbled out the gate, starting the 2017 season with four straight losses – largely because they couldn’t kick a field goal. But since that time, they have been among the best in the NFL. They rallied in the second half of 2017, winning six of their last seven to finish with a 9-7 record (8-8 ATS). In 2018, they rode a balanced offense and defense to a 12-4 record and Wild Card berth in the AFC.
After knocking off the Ravens on the road on Wild Card weekend, though, they were obliterated by the Patriots in the divisional round as Anthony Lynn was supremely out-coached by Bill Belichick.
Injuries and absences are threatening to derail the 2019 campaign, unfortunately. All Pro safety Derwin James is out for the foreseeable future and there’s no sign to RB Melvin Gordon’s holdout ending.
The Chargers have a a deep roster, but overcoming those losses will be tough when you reside in a division with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Philip Rivers will again have to rely heavily on Keenan Allen in the passing game, while hoping Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson can replace Gordon’s production on the ground,and promising young TE Hunter Henry can stay healthy.
