1982 San Diego Chargers season

NFL team season November 2013 March 2026 San Diego Chargers 1982 6–3 5th AFC (Would have been 2nd in the AFC West) Don Coryell Larrye Weaver Tom Bass Johnny Sanders Eugene V. Klein Jack Murphy Stadium 7 K Rolf Benirschke WR Wes Chandler QB Dan Fouts DT Gary Johnson RB Chuck Muncie G Doug Wilkerson TE Kellen Winslow 7 WR Wes Chandler (1st team) QB Dan Fouts (1st team) FS Tim Fox (2nd team) DT Gary Johnson (2nd team) T Russ Washington (2nd team) G Doug Wilkerson (1st team) TE Kellen Winslow (1st team) Won First Round Playoffs(at Steelers) 31–28Lost Second Round Playoffs(at Dolphins) 13–34 Chargers seasons thumb|right|Chargers' quarterback Dan Fouts (middle) calls signals during a week-6 matchup with the San Francisco 49ers. Fouts tied his own club record with 444 yards passing on the day. The 1982 San Diego Chargers season was the team's 23rd year, and 13th in the National Football League. The team had a 10–6 record in 1981. 1982 was a strike-shortened season so the league was divided up into two conferences instead of its normal divisional alignment — the Chargers finished 6–3, qualifying for the playoffs as the #5 seed. Their run ended with a second round loss to the Dolphins. This would prove the team's last playoff appearance until 1992. The 1982 Chargers were the top-scoring team in the NFL. They scored a total of 288 points — an average of 32 points per game. They led the league in passing touchdowns (19), rushing touchdowns (15, tied with the Raiders) passing yards (2,927), and yards per pass attempt (8.9). The Chargers defense, however, surrendered the most passing yards (2,292), and second-most first downs (119) in the league.Pro-Football-Reference.com: 1982 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts was named Pro Football Writers of America MVP, and 1982 AP Offensive Player of the Year.Pro-Football-Reference: 1982 NFL Standings, Team & Offensive Statistics While the shortened season prevented him from breaking the passing yardage record for the fourth season in a row, his mark of 320.3 yards per game would not be surpassed until 2011.https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2011/passing.htm 2011 NFL Passing Pro-Football-Reference.com Wes Chandler missed one game through injury but still led the league with 1,032 receiving yards; his average of 129.0 yards per game remains a record, and his nine touchdown receptions led the league. In support, Kellen Winslow had the second-most receptions (54) and the third-most yards (721) in the NFL; veteran Charlie Joiner saw a small drop-off in production but still contributed 545 yards. At running back, Chuck Muncie had another strong all-around year, rushing for 569 yards, catching passes for a further 207, and scoring nine touchdowns while throwing for two more. James Brooks added 430 rushing yards and, with his receiving and kick returns, gained a league-leading 1,383 all-purpose yards.https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1982/returns.htm 1982 NFL Kick & Punt Returns Pro-Football-Reference.com San Diego's defensive line was unchanged, and helped the team rank ninth against the run. Keith Ferguson led the team with 4.5 sacks, half a sack ahead of Gary "Big Hands" Johnson. Three new starters were brought into the defensive backfield in an attempt to strengthen the pass defense, but they were ranked dead last for the second consecutive season. The unit did rank seventh for turnovers with 25; newly signed free safety Tim Fox led the team with four interceptions. Rolf Benirschke made his lone Pro Bowl after converting 16 of 22 kicks, including all seven of his attempts in the 40–49-yard range. 3 Offseason NFL draft 1982 NFL draft 1982 San Diego Chargers 7 188 Hollis Hall Defensive back Clemson no no 8 215 Maury Buford Punter Texas Tech no yes 9 246 Warren Lyles Defensive tackle Alabama no no 10 273 Andre Young Defensive back Louisiana Tech no yes 11 299 Anthony Watson Defensive back New Mexico State no no no Personnel Staff San Diego Chargers 1982 Owner – Eugene V. Klein Head coach – Don Coryell Offensive coordinator – Larrye Weaver Wide receivers – Ernie Zampese Defensive coordinator – Tom Bass Roster 1982 San Diego Chargers 14 Dan Fouts 11 Ed Luther 37 Hank Bauer American football 21 James Brooks running back 25 John Cappelletti 40 Jim Jodat 46 Chuck Muncie 89 Wes Chandler 82 Bobby Duckworth 81 Scott Fitzkee 18 Charlie Joiner 87 Dwight Scales 88 Pete Holohan 85 Eric Sievers 80 Kellen Winslow 77 Sam Claphan T 75 Andrew Gissinger T 64 Chuck Loewen G/T 62 Don Macek C 60 Dennis McKnight y G 56 Bob Rush American football C 66 Billy Shields T 70 Russ Washington T 67 Ed White American football G 63 Doug Wilkerson G 91 Rick Ackerman DE 76 Keith Ferguson American football DE 79 Gary Johnson DT 68 Leroy Jones American football DE 74 Louie Kelcher DT 90 John Woodcock American football DE 99 Wilbur Young DT 50 Carlos Bradley OLB 57 Linden King OLB 53 Dave Lewis linebacker OLB 51 Woodrow Lowe OLB 52 Ray Preston American football OLB 58 Dewey Selmon MLB 59 Cliff Thrift MLB 27 Jeff Allen defensive back, born 1958 CB 28 Willie Buchanon CB 48 Tim Fox American football FS 43 Bob Gregor FS 30 Bruce Laird American football SS 24 Miles McPherson y FS 29 Mike Williams cornerback CB 49 Andre Young American football y SS  6 Rolf Benirschke K  8 Maury Buford y P 42 Ricky Bell running back RB NF-Ill. 97 Don Brown offensive lineman y T IR 93 Steve Doolittle no LB IR 78 Warren Lyles y no DT IR 94 Derrie Nelson LB IR 61 Jimmy Webb DT (Ret.) 7px Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 August 16 Chicago Bears W 28–27 1–0 Jack Murphy Stadium 2 August 21 Dallas Cowboys L 16–26 1–1 Jack Murphy Stadium 3 August 28 San Francisco 49ers W 23–9 2–1 Jack Murphy Stadium 4 September 4 at Los Angeles Rams L 14–20 2–2 Anaheim Stadium https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/chargers/tcv8eed5f0tt6mxvavys chargers.com 2021 Los Angeles Chargers Media Guide Regular season Schedule Week Originalweek Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap 11 September 12 at Denver Broncos W 23–3 1–0 Mile High Stadium 73,564 Recap 22 September 19 at Kansas City Chiefs L 12–19 1–1 Arrowhead Stadium 60,514 Recap— 3 September 26 Los Angeles Raiders postponed 1–1 Jack Murphy Stadium 1982 NFL player strike4 October 3 at Atlanta Falcons cancelled Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium—5 October 10 Seattle Seahawks Jack Murphy Stadium—6 October 17 Kansas City Chiefs Jack Murphy Stadium —7 October 24 at Seattle Seahawks Kingdome—8 October 31 Los Angeles Rams Jack Murphy Stadium —9 November 8 at Miami Dolphins Miami Orange Bowl—10 November 14 New Orleans Saints Jack Murphy Stadium 311 November 22 at Los Angeles Raiders L 24–28 1–2 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 42,162 Recap 412 November 28 Denver Broncos W 30–20 2–2 Jack Murphy Stadium 47,629 Recap 513 December 5 at Cleveland Browns W 30–13 3–2 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 54,064 Recap 614 December 11, 1982 at San Francisco 49ers W 41–37 4–2 Candlestick Park 55,988 Recap 715 December 20, 1982 Cincinnati Bengals W 50–34 5–2 Jack Murphy Stadium 51,296 Recap 816 December 26 Baltimore Colts W 44–26 6–2 Jack Murphy Stadium 49,711 Recap 917 January 2, 1983 Los Angeles Raiders L 34–41 6–3 Jack Murphy Stadium 51,612 RecapNote: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Game summaries Week 1: at Denver Broncos San Diego Chargers 1982 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week One: San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos – Game summary September 12 2:00 p.m. MDT Chargers 3 3 10 7 Broncos 0 3 0 0 Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado 73,564 48 °F 1, relative humidity 82%, wind 10 mph km/h knots Jim Tunney NBC Marv Albert and Jim Turner Box score First quarter SDG – Rolf Benirschke 50-yard field goal, 8:10. Chargers 3–0. Drive: 5 plays, 19 yards, 2:44. Second quarter DEN – Rich Karlis 40-yard field goal, 11:11. Tied 3–3. Drive: 11 plays, 44 yards, 5:12. SDG – Rolf Benirschke 24-yard field goal, 6:25. Chargers 6–3. Drive: 13 plays, 71 yards, 4:35. Third quarter SDG – Rolf Benirschke 40-yard field goal, 9:52. Chargers 9–3. Drive: 7 plays, 49 yards, 3:26. SDG – Scott Fitzkee 18-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 1:00. Chargers 16–3. Drive: 13 plays, 88 yards, 6:59. Fourth quarter SDG – Chuck Muncie 10-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 1:39. Chargers 23–3. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 3:49. Top passers SDG – Dan Fouts – 19/33, 253 yards, TD DEN – Craig Morton – 15/20, 153 yards, 2 INT Top rushers SDG – Chuck Muncie – 18 rushes, 79 yards, TD DEN – Sammy Winder – 6 rushes, 38 yards Top receivers SDG – Wes Chandler – 4 receptions, 120 yards DEN – Rick Upchurch – 6 receptions, 97 yards Benirschke opened the scoring with a 50-yard kick, though he later missed from the same distance. Denver tied the score in the 2nd quarter before San Diego responded with a 71-yard drive that stalled at the Denver 7-yard line; Benirschke restored the lead from 24 yards out. The Broncos moved to a 3rd and 15 at the San Diego 27. From there Craig Morton found Rick Upchurch for a 14-yard catch, Dewey Selmon forced a fumble that Ray Preston recovered. The Chargers drove into Denver territory in the final seconds of the half, but Benirschke missed a 58-yard field goal try and it remained 6–3 at the break.Charger defense is surprising https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120171935/chargers-23-3-broncos/ San Francisco Examiner Examiner News Services September 13, 1982 F6San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos September 12, 1982 Denver Broncos 4–6, 9–10 Media gamebook Bob Gregor intercepted Morton early in the second half, and Fouts found Chandler for 40 yards on a 3rd and 16, leading to Benirschke's third field goal. Andre Young added another interception on the next Denver drive—he fumbled afterwards, but Selmon recovered at his own 12-yard line. San Diego drove 88 yards from there: Chandler twice converted third downs by running the ball, and Fouts found Scott Fitzkee in the end zone for the touchdown. Denver blocked a Maury Buford punt in the final quarter, taking over at the San Diego 21-yard line and reaching 2nd and goal at the 3; a fumbled handoff then bounced into the end zone for Preston to make his second fumble recovery of the day. Chandler's 39-yard reception on a 3rd and 10 then set up Muncie's insurance touchdown. San Diego forced all six of the game's turnovers, with four fumble recoveries and two interceptions. Young had two fumble recoveries and an interception, plus seven tackles. Fitzkee's touchdown reception was one of three catches he had in his two seasons with the Chargers.Scott Fitzkee career game log https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/F/FitzSc00/gamelog/ pro-football-reference.com April 10, 2025 Week 2: at Kansas City Chiefs San Diego Chargers 1982 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Two: San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary September 19 12:00 p.m. CDT Chargers 0 0 9 3 Chiefs 7 9 3 0 Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri 60,514 61 °F 1, relative humidity 72%, wind 10 mph km/h knots Ben Dreith NBC Marv Albert and Bob Griese Box score First quarter KAN – Dave Klug blocked punt recovery in end zone (Nick Lowery kick), 13:09. Chiefs 7–0. Second quarter KAN – Nick Lowery 19-yard field goal, 11:50. Chiefs 10–0. Drive: 16 plays, 67 yards, 9:16. KAN – Nick Lowery 27-yard field goal, 2:36. Chiefs 13–0. Drive: 6 plays, 48 yards, 2:27. KAN – Nick Lowery 41-yard field goal, 0:00. Chiefs 16–0. Drive: 7 plays, 18 yards, 1:02. Third quarter SDG – Wes Chandler 17-yard pass from Chuck Muncie (Rolf Benirschke kick), 8:02. Chiefs 16–7. Drive: 8 plays, 77 yards, 3:40. SDG – Safety, Matt Herkenhoff illegal chop block in end zone, 6:20. Chiefs 16–9. KAN – Nick Lowery 34-yard field goal, 2:23. Chiefs 19–9. Drive: 8 plays, 31 yards, 2:47. Fourth quarter SDG – Rolf Benirschke 49-yard field goal, 14:21. Chiefs 19–12. Drive: 8 plays, 18 yards, 2:50. Top passers SDG – Dan Fouts – 21/36, 204 yards, INT KAN – Bill Kenney – 22/30, 203 yards, INT Top rushers SDG – Chuck Muncie – 12 rushes, 52 yards KAN – Joe Delaney – 10 rushes, 51 yards Top receivers SDG – Wes Chandler – 6 receptions, 69 yards, TD KAN – Henry Marshall – 4 receptions, 63 yards San Diego were forced to punt on their first possession, and Buford's kick was blocked and recovered in the end zone to put the Chiefs ahead to stay. Andre Young stopped the next Chiefs drive with an interception; on the one after that, Gregor and Dave Lewis combined to tackle a receiver one yard short of the goal line on a 3rd and goal play, leading to a short field goal. Dwight Scales' 27-yard catch on 3rd and 14 prolonged the Chargers' answering drive, which appeared to have ended with Benirschke's 45-yard kick; a holding penalty called on Linden King forced San Diego to punt instead. Fumbles by Brooks (on a punt return) and Fouts (on a 2nd and 5 from the Kansas City 38-yard line) set up further Chiefs field goals and the score was 16–0 at the break.Cobbs Chris Chargers' special teams aren't in loss https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120173702/chargers-12-19-chiefs/ Los Angeles Times September 20, 1982 III-1, III-16San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs September 19, 1982 Kansas City Chiefs 6–9 Media gamebook The Chargers' defense forced a punt to open the second half, and their offense drove 77 yards for a touchdown: Winslow caught 3 passes for 47 yards, and Muncie threw a touchdown to Chandler on a halfback option play. Wilbur Young sacked Chiefs quarterback Bill Kenney on the next drive—backed up near to their own goal line, the Chiefs committed a penalty in their own end zone two plays later, conceding a safety. Three plays later, Fouts was intercepted and Kansas City added a fourth field goal. Brooks ran the ensuing kickoff back 47 yards to midfield, and Chandler's 26-yard catch moved the Chargers to the Kansas City 12-yard line. Fouts was sacked on third down, and Benirschke made a 49-yard field goal. San Diego had one more possession, which started at their own 20-yard line. Chandler's 26-yard catch converted a 3rd and 20 before they reached a 4th and 5 at the Kansas City 40. From there, Joiner made a catch that would have produced a first down, but Russ Washington was flagged for holding; that pushed the Chargers back 10 yards and they punted instead. Kansas City gained three first downs and ran the final four minutes off the clock. Both teams gained 282 yards on offense. Fouts threw for 204 yards, his smallest total in a regular season game since week 14, 1980.Dan Fouts career game log https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/F/FoutDa00/gamelog/ pro-football-reference.com April 10, 2025 Week 3: at Los Angeles Raiders San Diego Chargers 1982 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Three: San Diego Chargers at Los Angeles Raiders – Game summary November 22 6:00 p.m. PST Chargers 10 14 0 0 Raiders 0 7 14 7 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California 42,162 57 °F 1, relative humidity 70%, wind 7 mph km/h knots Bob McElwee ABC Frank Gifford, Don Meredith and Howard Cosell Box score First quarter SDG – Rolf Benirschke 19-yard field goal, 8:25. Chargers 3–0. Drive: 13 plays, 79 yards, 6:35. SDG – Dwight Scales 29-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 4:00. Chargers 10–0. Drive: 4 plays, 83 yards, 1:52. Second quarter SDG – Chuck Muncie 2-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 11:32. Chargers 17–0. Drive: 5 plays, 48 yards, 2:58. SDG – Chuck Muncie 1-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 6:58. Chargers 24–0. Drive: 6 plays, 57 yards. RAI – Todd Christensen 1-yard pass from Jim Plunkett (Chris Bahr kick), 0:36. Chargers 24–7. Drive: 5 plays, 17 yards, 0:43. Third quarter RAI – Marcus Allen 3-yard run (Chris Bahr kick), 6:25. Chargers 24–14. Drive: 7 plays, 63 yards. RAI – Marcus Allen 6-yard run (Chris Bahr kick), 2:23. Chargers 24–21. Drive: 4 plays, 30 yards. Fourth quarter RAI – Frank Hawkins 1-yard run (Chris Bahr kick), 5:54. Raiders 28–24. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 4:01. Top passers SDG – Dan Fouts – 25/42, 357 yards, TD, 2 INT RAI – Jim Plunkett – 18/25, 163 yards, TD, 2 INT Top rushers SDG – James Brooks – 8 rushes, 49 yards RAI – Marcus Allen – 18 rushes, 87 yards, 2 TD Top receivers SDG – Wes Chandler – 7 receptions, 118 yards RAI – Todd Christensen – 8 receptions, 83 yards, TD San Diego took the opening kickoff in their first game back after the players' strike and drove from their own 26 to a 1st and goal from the 1-yard line. From there, Muncie was stopped on three straight carries and Benirschke made a short field goal. Los Angeles went three-and-out, and Fouts led the Chargers 83 yards in four plays, completing passes of 12, 22 and 29 yards, the last of these a touchdown to Dwight Scales. Jim Plunkett was intercepted by Tim Fox three plays later. The teams exchanged punts, then receptions of 24 yards by Chandler and 19 yards by Winslow set up Muncie's first touchdown run. Los Angeles reached the Chargers 29-yard line, but Leroy Jones sacked Jim Plunkett for a loss of 10 yards and Cliff Thrift intercepted him on the next play. Soon afterwards, a 42-yard pass interference penalty moved the ball to the Los Angeles 2-yard line; Muncie scored again two plays later. The Raiders missed a field goal on the next drive, but Muncie fumbled on the next play. Los Angeles took over at the San Diego 17, Plunkett threw a 1-yard touchdown pass on 4th and goal, pulling the deficit back to 24–7 at halftime.Raiders defeat Chargers, 28–24 https://www.newspapers.com/article/indian-river-press-journal-chargers-24-2/169716515/ Indian River Press Journal AP November 23, 1982 1BSan Diego Chargers at Los Angeles Raiders November 22, 1982 Los Angeles Raiders 5–6, 8–9 Media gamebook Los Angeles continued to draw closer in the 3rd quarter, with two Marcus Allen touchdowns either side of a Winslow fumble. Winslow had back-to-back receptions of 15 and 27 yards early in the final quarter, positioning Benirschke for a 22-yard field goal that he missed wide left. The Raiders took over at their own 20-yard line and drove for the winning touchdown with six minutes to play. Fouts responded by leading San Diego from their own 20 to the Raiders 18, with Chandler converting a 3rd and 15 with a 24-yard catch. The drive ended when Fouts threw a pass under heavy pressure that was intercepted in the end zone. After Allen ran for a first down, three further rushes left the Raiders facing a 4th down with 10 seconds on the clock. Ray Guy was then tackled at the Los Angeles 29-yard line with 4 seconds still to play. Fouts threw a Hail Mary pass into the back of the end zone, which the Raiders batted down as the game ended. The Chargers had two 100-yard receivers, as Chandler caught 7 passes for 118 yards while Winslow caught 8 for 105 yards. Fouts had 235 of his 357 passing yards in the first half. Week 4: vs. Denver Broncos San Diego Chargers 1982 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Four: Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers – Game summary November 28 6:00 p.m. PST Broncos 3 7 7 3 Chargers 0 17 3 10 Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, California 47,629 61 °F 1, relative humidity 60%, wind 6 mph km/h knots Jerry Markbreit NBC Don Criqui and John Brodie Box score First quarter DEN – Rich Karlis 27-yard field goal, 5:33. Broncos 3–0. Drive: 11 plays, 65 yards, 5:29. Second quarter SDG – Kellen Winslow 3-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 12:58. Chargers 7–3. Drive: 13 plays, 86 yards, 7:26. SDG – Rolf Benirschke 41-yard field goal, 11:14. Chargers 10–3. Drive: 4 plays, 2 yards, 0:52. SDG – Kellen Winslow 28-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 4:56. Chargers 17–3. Drive: 9 plays, 44 yards, 3:23. DEN – Rick Upchurch 15-yard pass from Steve DeBerg (Rich Karlis kick), 1:22. Chargers 17–10. Drive: 8 plays, 67 yards, 5:12. Third quarter DEN – Steve DeBerg 6-yard run (Rich Karlis kick), 9:26. Tied 17–17. Drive: 9 plays, 61 yards, 5:34. SDG – Rolf Benirschke 18-yard field goal, 0:28. Chargers 20–17. Drive: 4 plays, 4 yards, 1:45. Fourth quarter DEN – Rich Karlis 38-yard field goal, 12:20. Tied 20–20. Drive: 6 plays, 33 yards, 2:56. SDG – Kellen Winslow 2-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 6:16. Chargers 27–20. Drive: 12 plays, 87 yards, 5:53. SDG – Rolf Benirschke 42-yard field goal, 0:52. Chargers 30–20. Drive: 8 plays, 39 yards, 2:39. Top passers DEN – Steve DeBerg – 19/28, 184 yards, TD, 2 INT SDG – Dan Fouts – 27/40, 337 yards, 3 TD, INT Top rushers DEN – Dave Preston – 7 rushes, 40 yards SDG – James Brooks – 19 rushes, 56 yards Top receivers DEN – Rick Parros – 9 receptions, 59 yards SDG – Charlie Joiner – 7 receptions, 121 yards Fouts converted 3rd downs on the opening drive, but Brooks fumbled the ball into the end zone and Denver recovered; the Broncos drove 65 yards the other way for a field goal. San Diego came straight back with a 13-play, 86-yard drive, ending with Winslow bobbling the ball multiple times before possessing it for just long enough to claim a disputed 3-yard touchdown. Jones recovered a fumble two plays later, setting up a Benirschke field goal. On the next Chargers drive Joiner had a 10-yard catch on a 3rd and 8 before Winslow's second touchdown came on a 3rd and 3 from the Denver 28-yard line; Broncos defenders said that Joiner had illegally interfered with their coverage before the catch. The Broncos halved the deficit with a touchdown on the following drive, 1:22 before halftime. San Diego moved from their own 10 to the Broncos 36 before time expired in the half with them 17–10 up.Maffei John Winslow pushes Chargers past Broncos https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-times-advocate-chargers-30-20-bron/169719110/ Escondido Times-Advocate November 29, 1982 D1, D3Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers November 28, 1982 San Diego Chargers 4–5, 7–8 Media gamebook Denver began the second half with their second consecutive touchdown drive, tying the score. Muncie's 34-yard reception to the 11-yard line was nullified by a penalty on Ed White on the following drive, and the Chargers were forced to punt. Five consecutive possessions then resulted in turnovers: Thrift intercepted DeBerg, Fouts was intercepted, Bruce Laird recovered a fumble, John Cappelletti lost a fumble, then Rick Ackerman sacked DeBerg and forced a fumble that Keith Ferguson recovered at the Denver 5-yard line. Muncie was stopped on 3rd and goal from the 1, and the Chargers settled for a chip shot field goal. Denver again levelled the scores with a field goal early in the 4th quarter. Fouts then led his team 87 yards to another touchdown, with completions of 28 yards to Joiner and 22 to Cappelletti accounting for much of the yardage. Winslow scored on 3rd and goal from the 2-yard line after getting away with a push on a defender. Fox intercepted DeBerg on the next drive—he fumbled on the return but King recovered at the Denver 37. After Brooks ran for 2 yards on a 4th and 1, Benirschke hit the clinching field goal from 42 yards out with 55 seconds to play. San Diego again had two 100-yard receivers: Winslow had 8 catches for 107 yards and 3 touchdowns, while Joiner had 7 for 121 yards. The Chargers gained 436 yards and forced five turnovers, enabling them to overcome 10 penalties for 100 yards. Week 5: at Cleveland Browns San Diego Chargers 1982 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Five: San Diego Chargers at Cleveland Browns – Game summary December 5 1:00 p.m. EST Chargers 14 13 0 3 Browns 3 0 10 0 Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio 54,064 60 °F 1, relative humidity 71%, wind 17 mph km/h knots Pat Haggerty NBC Don Criqui, Len Dawson Box score First quarter SDG – Chuck Muncie 1-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 10:01. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 3 plays, 28 yards, 0:54. SDG – Chuck Muncie 1-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 3:43. Chargers 14–0. Drive: 9 plays, 54 yards, 4:29. CLE – Matt Bahr 46-yard field goal, 0:45. Chargers 14–3. Drive: 6 plays, 33 yards, 2:50. Second quarter SDG – James Brooks 1-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 2:31. Chargers 21–3. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 5:07. SDG – James Brooks 11-yard run (kick failed), 1:32. Chargers 27–3. Drive: 4 plays, 52 yards, 0:25. Third quarter CLE – Matt Bahr 34-yard field goal, 7:39. Chargers 27–6. Drive: 15 plays, 71 yards, 7:21. CLE – Ozzie Newsome 4-yard pass from Brian Sipe (Matt Bahr kick), 0:23. Chargers 27–13. Drive: 11 plays, 65 yards, 5:30. Fourth quarter SDG – Rolf Benirschke 24-yard field goal, 4:43. Chargers 30–13. Drive: 12 plays, 67 yards, 4:53. Top passers SDG – Dan Fouts – 18/23, 252 yards, 2 INT CLE – Brian Sipe – 33/48, 338 yards, TD, 2 INT Top rushers SDG – James Brooks – 22 rushes, 96 yards, 2 TD CLE – Mike Pruitt – 18 rushes, 77 yards Top receivers SDG – Charlie Joiner – 7 receptions, 92 yards CLE – Ozzie Newsome – 10 receptions, 140 yards, TD Mike Williams intercepted Brian Sipe four minutes into the game, setting his offense up at the Cleveland 28-yard line. Muncie put the Chargers ahead to stay three plays later. The Browns went three-and-out, and Brooks returned the punt 24 yards to his own 46. San Diego drove for another touchdown from there; Chandler converted a 3rd and 7 with a 19-yard catch and Muncie scored on 3rd and goal from the 1. Cleveland responded with a Matt Bahr field goal, then stopped a Chargers drive by intercepting Fouts. The Browns had an opportunity to get closer, but Bahr missed a 35-yard kick. San Diego took over at their own 20-yard line and drove for another touchdown, with Muncie having a 39-yard catch and Joiner a 6-yard catch on 3rd and 4; they again scored on 3rd and goal from the 1, this time via a Brooks run. Fox intercepted Sipe on the ensuing drive, and the Chargers went 52 yards in 4 plays: Chandler had a 22-yard catch and Brooks scored the fourth Chargers touchdown in the space of five drives. Cleveland missed another field goal late in the half, leaving San Diego 27–3 ahead.Hoynes Paul Chargers jolt Browns 30–13 for third victory https://www.newspapers.com/article/usa-today-chargers-30-13-browns/169720070/ USA Today December 6, 1982 5CSan Diego Chargers at Cleveland Browns December 5, 1982 Cleveland Browns 4–5, 7–8 Media gamebook The Browns ran 26 of the first 30 plays of the second half, scoring a field goal and a touchdown either side of another Fouts interception. A Ferguson sack was instrumental in forcing Cleveland to punt on their next drive. Chandler's 21-yard catch moved San Diego into field goal range, and Benirschke made the game safe from 24 yards out. The Browns were stopped on downs at the San Diego 6-yard line in the final minutes. Keith Ferguson had six solo tackles and two assists, and also contributed two of the Chargers' four sacks. Brooks gained 198 all-purpose yards: 22 rushes for 96 yards and 2 touchdowns, 1 catch for 9 yards, 3 kickoff returns for 69 yards, and 1 punt return for 24 yards. Week 6: at San Francisco 49ers San Diego Chargers 1982 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Six: San Diego Chargers at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary December 11 1:00 p.m. PST Chargers 7 17 7 10 49ers 7 10 7 13 Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California 55,988 47 °F 1, relative humidity 76%, wind 5 mph km/h knots Red Cashion NBC Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen Box score First quarter SDG – Wes Chandler 31-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 7:23. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 2:38. SF – Joe Montana 11-yard run (Ray Wersching kick), 2:15. Tied 7–7. Drive: 8 plays, 74 yards, 5:08. Second quarter SDG – Rolf Benirschke 25-yard field goal, 12:39. Chargers 10–7. Drive: 11 plays, 69 yards, 4:36. SF – Jeff Moore 6-yard pass from Joe Montana (Ray Wersching kick), 10:14. 49ers 14–10. Drive: 4 plays, 67 yards, 2:25. SDG – Eric Sievers 25-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 7:50. Chargers 17–14. Drive: 5 plays, 60 yards, 2:24. SF – Ray Wersching 45-yard field goal, 2:07. Tied 17–17. Drive: 10 plays, 44 yards, 5:43. SDG – Wes Chandler 14-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 0:20. Chargers 24–17. Drive: 11 plays, 85 yards, 1:47. Third quarter SDG – Wes Chandler 20-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 10:31. Chargers 31–17. Drive: 10 plays, 59 yards, 3:24. SF – Freddie Solomon 14-yard pass from Joe Montana (Ray Wersching kick), 5:55. Chargers 31–24. Drive: 10 plays, 66 yards, 4:36. Fourth quarter SF – Bill Ring 9-yard run (kick failed), 14:19. Chargers 31–30. Drive: 9 plays, 68 yards, 3:07. SDG – Rolf Benirschke 41-yard field goal, 12:03. Chargers 34–30. Drive: 6 plays, 38 yards, 2:16. SF – Dwight Clark 7-yard pass from Joe Montana (Ray Wersching kick), 6:41. 49ers 37–34. Drive: 11 plays, 71 yards, 5:22. SDG – Chuck Muncie 3-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 3:22. Chargers 41–37. Drive: 7 plays, 72 yards, 3:19. Top passers SDG – Dan Fouts – 33/48, 444 yards, 5 TD SF – Joe Montana – 31/46, 356 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT Top rushers SDG – Chuck Muncie – 11 rushes, 35 yards SF – Bill Ring – 8 rushes, 44 yards, TD Top receivers SDG – Charlie Joiner – 8 receptions, 145 yards SF – Dwight Clark – 12 receptions, 135 yards, TD Facing the defending Super Bowl champions, San Diego opened the scoring via Chandler's 31-yard touchdown catch on 3rd and 8. San Francisco quarterback Joe Montana responded by leading 74-yard drive and running the ball in himself. Chandler appeared to have scored again on the next possession, but the score was ruled out by a holding penalty and the Chargers settled for a field goal. Montana completed all three of his passes while leading a go-ahead touchdown drive. Brooks returned the ensuing kickoff 35 yards to the San Diego 40; after missing on one pass, Fouts then strung together four completions in a row, three to Winslow for a total of 35 yards and the final one a 25-yard touchdown to Eric Sievers. San Francisco responded with a game-tying field goal with 2:07 on the clock. Fouts led the Chargers 85 yards in 11 plays, finding Chandler for a 25-yard completion and a 14-yard touchdown with 20 seconds on the clock. San Diego led 24–17 at halftime.Cobbs Chris Chargers win arms race, 41–37 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94281141/chargers-41-37-49ers-12-dec-1982/ Los Angeles Times III-4 12 December 1982San Diego Chargers at San Francisco 49ers December 11, 1982 San Francisco 49ers 4–7 Media gamebook Three plays into the second half, Montana was intercepted by Jeff Allen. The Chargers when Chandler made a juggling catch for his third touchdown of the game. Montana responded on the next drive, converting a 4th and 3 before throwing his second touchdown. Benirschke had a chance to extend the lead, but his 50-yard field goal attempt missed to the right and Montana led another touchdown drive. However, Ray Wersching missed the extra point attempt, leaving San Diego up 31–30. Fouts began the next drive with back-to-back completions to Joiner of 16 and 27 yards, and Benirschke kicked a 41-yard field goal to increase the lead. San Francisco responded with their third consecutive touchdown drive, Dwight Clark catching Montana's touchdown pass on 3rd and goal from the 7-yard line. San Diego responded with Joiner's 43-yard catch setting up Muncie's 3-yard touchdown catch with 3:22 on the clock. San Francisco converted a 4th and 1 on the next drive, but soon found themselves facing a 4th and 10 on their own 31-yard line. Woodrow Lowe intercepted Montana, Cappelletti ran for 17 yards on the next play, and the Chargers ran the clock out. Fouts had the joint-most passing yards in his career with 444.Dan Fouts career game log https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/F/FoutDa00/gamelog/ pro-football-reference.com April 12, 2025 There were 65 completions in total, a new NFL record. San Diego had three 100-yard receivers: Joiner, 8 for 145; Chandler, 7 for 125, 3 touchdowns; Winslow, 9 for 101. The teams combined for 1003 offensive yards, with San Diego gaining 538. Week 7: vs. Cincinnati Bengals San Diego Chargers 1982 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Seven: Cincinnati Bengals at San Diego Chargers – Game summary December 20 6:00 p.m. PST Bengals 10 14 10 0 Chargers 7 10 23 10 Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, California 51,296 56 °F 1, relative humidity 79%, wind 6 mph km/h knots Gene Barth ABC Frank Gifford, Don Meredith and Howard Cosell Box score First quarter CIN – Jim Breech 19-yard field goal, 11:19. Bengals 3–0. Drive: 10 plays, 73 yards, 3:41. SDG – Wes Chandler 66-yard pass from Chuck Muncie (Rolf Benirschke kick), 9:52. Chargers 7–3. Drive: 3 plays, 78 yards, 1:17. CIN – Ken Anderson 12-yard run, 3:22. Bengals 10–7. Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 5:54. Second quarter CIN – Bo Harris 62-yard interception return (Jim Breech kick), 8:01. Bengals 17–7. SDG – James Brooks 17-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 3:38. Bengals 17–14. Drive: 9 plays, 77 yards, 4:14. CIN – Cris Collinsworth 6-yard pass from Ken Anderson (Jim Breech kick), 0:28. Bengals 24–14. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 3:03. SDG – Rolf Benirschke 43-yard field goal, 0:00. Bengals 24–17. Drive: 4 plays, 56 yards, 0:26. Third quarter SDG – Chuck Muncie 1-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 11:57. Tied 24–24. Drive: 8 plays, 82 yards, 3:03. SDG – Safety, Gary Johnson tackled Ken Anderson in end zone, 11:35. Chargers 26–24. SDG – Wes Chandler 38-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 10:06. Chargers 33–24. Drive: 3 plays, 53 yards, 1:17. CIN – Jim Breech 27-yard field goal, 7:53. Chargers 33–27. Drive: 7 plays, 77 yards, 2:04. SDG – James Brooks 48-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 5:24. Chargers 40–27. Drive: 6 plays, 71 yards, 2:21. CIN – M. L. Harris 17-yard pass from Ken Anderson (Jim Breech kick), 1:14. Chargers 40–34. Drive: 4 plays, 28 yards, 0:55. Fourth quarter SDG – Rolf Benirschke 26-yard field goal, 11:28. Chargers 43–34. Drive: 10 plays, 72 yards, 4:41. SDG – James Brooks 1-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 3:43. Chargers 50–34. Drive: 8 plays, 47 yards, 3:45. Top passers CIN – Ken Anderson – 40/56, 416 yards, 2 TD, INT SDG – Dan Fouts – 25/40, 435 yards, TD, 2 INT Top rushers CIN – Pete Johnson – 7 rushes, 21 yards SDG – James Brooks – 12 rushes, 105 yards, 3 TD Top receivers CIN – Cris Collinsworth – 9 receptions, 156 yards, TD SDG – Wes Chandler – 10 receptions, 260 yards, 2 TD In a rematch of the previous season's AFC championship game, Cincinnati took the opening kickoff and drove to the San Diego 1-yard line before settling for a field goal. Three plays into the Chargers' response, Muncie executed a halfback 66-yard touchdown pass to Chandler, who was wide open inside the 30. Ken Anderson restored the Bengals' lead with a touchdown run on the following drive. In the 2nd quarter, Fouts was intercepted in the end zone and Cincinnati then drove to a 4th and 2 on the Chargers 33-yard line; they went for the first down, but Laird and King combined to stop Pete Johnson a yard short. Three plays later, a Fouts pass was intercepted and returned 62 yards for a touchdown. The Chargers responded with Brooks' 17-yard touchdown run, then Anderson restored the Bengals 10-point lead with 29 seconds to play in the half. Fouts completed 3 of 4 passes for 56 yards to reach the Bengals 24-yard line with a second to play—Benirschke's kick made it 24–17 at halftime.Dodd Mike Chargers outduel Bengals, 50–34 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94288888/chargers-50-34-bengals-21-dec-1982/ Ithaca Journal 17 21 December 1982Cincinnati Bengals at San Diego Chargers December 20, 1982 San Diego Chargers 4–5, 7–8 Media gamebook San Diego tied the score on the first possession of the second half: Joiner had a 17-yard catch on 3rd and 15, Winslow followed up with a 40-yard reception, and Muncie scored from a yard out. On the next play from scrimmage, Gary Johnson sacked Anderson in the end zone for a go-ahead safety. Three plays after that, Chandler took a short pass slant in for a 38-yard touchdown; the Chargers had scored 16 points in les than two minutes. Cincinnati responded with a field goal, before Winslow appeared to have extended the lead with a 38-yard touchdown catch. It was ruled out by a holding penalty, but the Chargers scored anyway, Brooks going straight up the middle on a 48-yard run. Late in the 3rd quarter, a Muncie fumble set up Anderson's second touchdown pass, pulling the Bengals within six points. A 32-yard Winslow reception led to a Benirschke field goal, and a 43-34 lead. Anderson led his team to the Chargers 28 before Fox's interception and 41-yard return gave San Diego the ball in Cincinnati territory. Catches of 19- and 20-yards by Chandler were followed by Brooks' one-yard touchdown to make the game safe. With 435 passing yards, Fouts became the first quarterback to post consecutive 400-yard passing games.Record review https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-advocate-records-vs-bengals/142931844/ Escondido Times-Advocate December 21, 1982 D1 newspapers.com The teams combined for 66 completions and 889 passing yards in the game, both NFL records at the time. They combined for 1,102 yards, of which the Chargers had 661.Cincinnati Bengals at San Diego Chargers - December 20th, 1982 https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198212200sdg.htm pro-football-reference.com April 13, 2025 This yardage total remains as franchise record,Most team yards in a single game in Chargers history https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/most-team-yards-in-a-single-game-in-chargers-history statmuse.com April 13, 2025 as does Chandler's 260 receiving yards.Most receiving yards in a single game in Chargers history https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/most-receiving-yards-in-a-single-game-in-chargers-history statmuse.com April 13, 2025 Winslow added 6 catches for 116 yards, while Brooks had his lone 100-yard rushing game for the Chargers.James Brooks career game log https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BrooJa00/gamelog/ pro-football-reference.com April 14, 2025 Week 8: vs. Baltimore Colts San Diego Chargers 1982 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Eight: Baltimore Colts at San Diego Chargers – Game summary December 26 1:00 p.m. PST Colts 0 3 10 13 Chargers 7 16 14 7 Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, California 49,711 55 °F 1, relative humidity 29%, wind 10 mph km/h knots Fred Silva NBC Charlie Jones and Len Dawson Box score First quarter SDG – Kellen Winslow 30-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 1:09. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 76 yards, 4:39. Second quarter SDG – Rolf Benirschke 45-yard field goal, 10:58. Chargers 10–0. Drive: 9 plays, 49 yards, 3:26. SDG – Wes Chandler 41-yard pass from Dan Fouts (kick failed), 7:20. Chargers 16–0. Drive: 4 plays, 65 yards, 1:39. SDG – Kellen Winslow 13-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 2:01. Chargers 23–0. Drive: 4 plays, 65 yards, 1:14. BAL – Dan Miller 46-yard field goal, 0:05. Chargers 23–3. Drive: 2 plays, 0 yards, 0:09. Third quarter BAL – Matt Bouza 15-yard pass from Mike Pagel (Dan Miller kick), 13:27. Chargers 23–10. Drive: 3 plays, 33 yards, 1:33. BAL – Dan Miller 58-yard field goal, 9:47. Chargers 23–13. Drive: 4 plays, 9 yards, 1:58. SDG – James Brooks 8-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 6:00. Chargers 30–13. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 3:47. SDG – Wes Chandler 44-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 2:38. Chargers 37–13. Drive: 4 plays, 58 yards, 1:27. Fourth quarter BAL – Curtis Dickey 1-yard run (pass failed), 12:28. Chargers 37–19. Drive: 11 plays, 66 yards, 3:45. SDG – Kellen Winslow 28-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 8:24. Chargers 44–19. Drive: 6 plays, 63 yards, 4:04. BAL – Tim Sherwin offensive fumble recovery in end zone (Dan Miller kick), 3:21. Chargers 44–26. Drive: 3 plays, 25 yards, 1:29. Top passers BAL – Mike Pagel – 17/25, 186 yards, TD, INT SDG – Dan Fouts – 18/30, 298 yards, 5 TD, INT Top rushers BAL – Randy McMillan – 11 rushes, 39 yards SDG – Chuck Muncie – 16 rushes, 126 yards Top receivers BAL – Matt Bouza – 5 receptions, 72 yards, TD SDG – Kellen Winslow – 7 receptions, 120 yards, 3 TD Baltimore drove into Chargers territory on their first two possessions, but both drives ended with fumbles that Thrift recovered. Following the second of these, the Chargers drove 76 yards for Winslow's first touchdown. Baltimore went three-and-out after a sack by Woodrow Lowe, and Benirschke added a field goal. The next two San Diego possessions were both 4-play, 65-yard touchdown drives, with Chandler scoring his first touchdown, and Muncie's 27-yard run setting up Winslow's second. A Fouts interception gave Baltimore the ball at the Chargers' 28-yard line with 14 seconds left in the half; they scored a field goal and reduced their deficit to 23–3.Rather than let down, San Diego rips Colts https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-news-chargers-44-26-colts/169723582/ Twin Falls Times-News UPI December 27, 1982 B-5Baltimore Colts at San Diego Chargers December 26, 1982 San Diego Chargers 6–9 Media gamebook Brooks fumbled the second half kickoff, and Baltimore recovered at the Chargers 33-yard line. They scored a touchdown three plays later, and added a field goal on their next drive to pull within ten points. San Diego responded by driving 75 yards in 9 plays without facing a third down: Winslow had 3 catches for 44 yards and Brooks ran the ball in from the Baltimore 8. Williams intercepted a pass that Fox deflected, and Chandler brought in a long pass for a 44-yard touchdown. Jones recovered a fumbled snap two plays later, but Benirschke was short with a 53-yard field goal attempt. Baltimore scored a touchdown early in the final quarter, but Muncie ran 4 times for 27 yards on the answering drive and Winslow caught Fouts' fifth touchdown pass of the game. Backup quarterback Ed Luther came in and threw an interception that Baltimore converted into their final touchdown. San Diego clinched a playoff place with the win.Football https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-times-advocate-clinched-playoffs/170241756/ Escondido Times-Advocate December 17, 1982 D5 It was their third consecutive game with over 40 points and over 500 yards.1982 San Diego Chargers rosters, stats, schedule, team draftees https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/sdg/1982.htm pro-football-reference.com April 13, 2025 Winslow caught 7 for 120 yards and three touchdowns, while Chandler scored twice and gained 118 yards on just 4 catches. Week 9: vs. Los Angeles Raiders San Diego Chargers 1982 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week Nine: Los Angeles Raiders at San Diego Chargers – Game summary January 2 1:00 p.m. PST Raiders 0 10 10 21 Chargers 3 0 17 14 Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, California 51,612 53 °F 1, relative humidity 43%, wind 7 mph km/h knots Jim Tunney NBC Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen Box score First quarter SDG – Rolf Benirschke 27-yard field goal, 4:07. Chargers 3–0. Drive: 14 plays, 69 yards, 6:02. Second quarter RAI – Chris Bahr 22-yard field goal, 14:57. Tied 3–3. Drive: 9 plays, 59 yards, 3:59. RAI – Frank Hawkins 2-yard pass from Jim Plunkett (Chris Bahr kick), 9:09. Raiders 10–3. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 4:32. Third quarter RAI – Mike Davis 56-yard interception return (Chris Bahr kick), 14:38. Raiders 17–3. RAI – Chris Bahr 32-yard field goal, 9:39. Raiders 20–3. Drive: 7 plays, 44 yards, 3:26. SDG – Wes Chandler 25-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 8:38. Raiders 20–10. Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 0:53. SDG – Rolf Benirschke 23-yard field goal, 3:30. Raiders 20–13. Drive: 9 plays, 41 yards, 3:19. SDG – Chuck Muncie 2-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 1:52. Tied 20–20. Drive: 3 plays, 19 yards, 1:15. Fourth quarter SDG – Chuck Muncie 1-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 10:21. Chargers 27–20. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 3:51. RAI – Marcus Allen 2-yard run (Chris Bahr kick), 5:24. Tied 27–27. Drive: 10 plays, 87 yards, 4:47. RAI – James Davis 52-yard interception return (Chris Bahr kick), 2:41. Raiders 34–27. RAI – Marcus Allen 22-yard run (Chris Bahr kick), 1:37. Raiders 41–27. Drive: 3 plays, 31 yards, 0:18. SDG – Dan Fouts 4-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 0:08. Raiders 41–34. Drive: 6 plays, 70 yards, 1:26. Top passers RAI – Jim Plunkett – 17/28, 227 yards, TD SDG – Dan Fouts – 18/38, 303 yards, TD, 2 INT Top rushers RAI – Marcus Allen – 20 rushes, 126 yards, 2 TD SDG – Chuck Muncie – 26 rushes, 129 yards, 2 TD Top receivers RAI – Todd Christensen – 6 receptions, 86 yards SDG – Wes Chandler – 6 receptions, 138 yards, TD With a win, the Chargers could clinch the second seed in the eight-team AFC playoffs.Maffei John Playoff picture beings to focus going into final week https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-times-advocate-playoff-picture/170311527/ Escondido Times-Advocate December 28, 1982 D1 Chandler had catches of 27 yards (on 3rd and 17) and 21 yards on the first San Diego drive, setting up a Benirschke field goal. Los Angeles responded with ten points on their next two drives. Late in the half, Chandler drew a 43-yard pass interference penalty, giving San Diego a 1st and goal at the 6-yard line. The drive stalled, and Benirschke missed a 20-yard field goal, keeping the halftime score at 10–3.Greenberg Alan Fouts finds receivers... in Raider uniforms https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-chargers-34-41-rai/146614278/ Los Angeles Times January 3, 1983 III-1, III-8, III-8Los Angeles Raiders at San Diego Chargers January 2, 1983 San Diego Chargers 4–5, 7–8 Media gamebook Brooks returned the second half kickoff for 42 yards, but Mike Davis intercepted Fouts on the next play and returned it for a touchdown; when Los Angeles added a field goal on their next drive, they led by seventeen points. Chandler start the next drive with a 31-yard catch and finishing it two plays later with a 25-yard touchdown. Runs of 15 and 13 yards by Muncie set up a field goal on the next drive, and Pete Holohan recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff. Starting at the Raiders 19-yard line, Muncie caught a 16-yard pass and followed with runs of 1 and 2 yards to tie the score. San Diego forced a punt after Ferguson sacked Plunkett, then drove 80 yards to take the lead: Muncie had a 15-yard run, Winslow caught a 22-yard pass, and Muncie scored from a yard out. Oakland tied the score with an 87-yard touchdown drive. San Diego moved from their own 8-yard line to a 3rd and 7 on their 48, but Fouts threw another interception, which James Davis ran back for the go-ahead score. The Chargers turned the ball over on downs, and the Raiders added another touchdown. Fouts ran in a touchdown with 8 seconds remaining, but the Raiders recovered the ensuing onside kick. Chandler had his fourth straight 100-yard game.Wes Chandler career game log https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/ChanWe00/gamelog/ pro-football-reference.com April 14, 2025 Ferguson finished with 2 1 2 sacks. San Diego lost despite outgaining the Raiders by 438 yards to 354. Their final four games of the regular season featured 307 points (169 scored, 138 conceded). Standings Postseason 1982–83 NFL playoffs Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Venue Attendance Recap First round January 9, 1983 at Pittsburgh Steelers (4) W 31–28 1–0 Three Rivers Stadium 53,546 Recap Second round January 16, 1983 at Miami Dolphins (2) L 13–34 1–1 Miami Orange Bowl 71,383 Recap Game summaries AFC First Round playoffs: at (4) Pittsburgh Steelers San Diego Chargers 1980 2;text-align:center; AFC First Round Playoffs: (5) San Diego Chargers at (4) Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary Chargers 3 14 0 14 Steelers 14 0 7 7 Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania January 9 12:30 p.m. EST 39 °F °C 1, cloudy NBC Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen 53,546 Bob Frederic Box score First quarter PIT – Guy Ruff fumble recovery in end zone (Gary Anderson kick), 14:48. Steelers 7–0. SDG – Rolf Benirschke 25-yard field goal, 10:10. Steelers 7–3. Drive: 11 plays, 91 yards, 4:38. PIT – Terry Bradshaw 1-yard run (Gary Anderson kick), 4:54. Steelers 14–3. Drive: 9 plays, 71 yards, 5:16. Second quarter SDG – James Brooks 18-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 14:54. Steelers 14–10. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 5:00. SDG – Eric Sievers 10-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 0:28. Chargers 17–14. Drive: 7 plays, 64 yards, 1:18. Third quarter PIT – Bennie Cunningham 2-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Gary Anderson kick), 10:12. Steelers 21–17. Drive: 8 plays, 74 yards, 4:48. Fourth quarter PIT – John Stallworth 14-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Gary Anderson kick), 14:10. Steelers 28–17. Drive: 10 plays, 86 yards, 5:37. SDG – Kellen Winslow 8-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 8:42. Steelers 28–24. Drive: 5 plays, 29 yards, 2:19. SDG – Kellen Winslow 12-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 1:00. Chargers 31–28. Drive: 8 plays, 64 yards, 2:59. Top passers SDG – Dan Fouts – 27/42, 333 yards, 3 TD PIT – Terry Bradshaw – 28/39, 325 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Top rushers SDG – Chuck Muncie – 25 rushes, 126 yards PIT – Frank Pollard – 9 rushes, 47 yards Top receivers SDG – Wes Chandler – 9 receptions, 124 yards PIT – John Stallworth – 8 receptions, 116 yards, TD Brooks fumbled the opening kickoff, and the Steelers recovered in the end zone for a touchdown only 12 seconds into the game. He also fumbled the next kickoff, though he was able to recover at the San Diego 2-yard line. Joiner had a 12-yard catch on 3rd and 11 soon afterwards, and Chandler caught 4 passes for 46 as the Chargers drove 91 yards before kicking a field goal. Pittsburgh scored a touchdown on their next drive, taking an early 14–3 lead. Chandler had a 10-yard catch on 3rd and 8 on the following drive, which ended with Brooks' 18-yard touchdown run. Joiner converted a 3rd and 12 with a 13-yard catch on the next Chargers possession, and Winslow followed up with a 30-yard catch on the next play. The drive reached 3rd and 7 at the Steelers 20-yard line, from where Winslow caught an 8-yard pass before losing a fumble. Pittsburgh also missed a chance, gaining a first down at the San Diego 29 before Laird intercepted Terry Bradshaw at the 1-yard line and returned the ball 35 yards. Chandler's 33-yard catch converted a 3rd and 2, setting up Eric Sievers' touchdown and a 17–14 halftime lead.Cobbs Chris Chargers boot first play, win on their last https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120196323/chargers-31-28-steelers/ Los Angeles Times January 10, 1983 III-1, III-8 newspapers.comSan Diego Chargers at Pittsburgh Steelers January 9, 1983 San Diego Chargers 9–10, 12–13 Media gamebook The Steelers opened the second half with a touchdown drive. Chandler's 22-yard catch converted a 3rd and 20, and San Diego reached a 4th and 1 from the Pittsburgh 14-yard line. They went for the conversion, but John Cappelletti was stopped for no gain. From there, the Steelers drove for another touchdown and led 28–17 early in the final quarter. San Diego were forced to punt, but Allen intercepted Bradshaw three plays later, returning the ball 8 yards to the Pittsburgh 29-yard line. Fouts appeared to have also been intercepted, but San Diego kept the ball due to a Steelers penalty. They reached 4th and 6 from the 8, from where Winslow caught a touchdown to pull within four points. Pittsburgh punted, leaving the Chargers four minutes to move 64 yards. Winslow had a 16-yard catch early in the drive, and Muncie ran 13 yards on a 3rd and 1; Winslow's winning touchdown came on a screen pass on 3rd and 7 from the 12-yard line with a minute left. The Steelers advanced as far as San Diego's 49-yard line before Bradshaw's final pass was incomplete as the game finished. San Diego had two 100-yard receivers (Chandler 9 catches for 124 yards, Winslow 7 for 102 and 2 touchdowns) to go with Muncie's 25 runs for 126 rushing yards. They gained 479 on offense. Chargers go to the second AFC round but lost to the Dolphins 34–13. AFC Second Round Playoffs: at (2) Miami Dolphins San Diego Chargers 1980 2;text-align:center; AFC Second Round Playoffs: (5) San Diego Chargers at (2) Miami Dolphins – Game summary Chargers 0 13 0 0 Dolphins 7 20 0 7 Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida January 16 12:30 p.m. EST 64 °F °C 1, mostly cloudy NBC Don Criqui, John Brodie and Bob Griese 71,383 Jerry Markbreit Box score First quarter MIA – Nat Moore 3-yard pass from David Woodley (Uwe von Schamann kick), 8:08. Dolphins 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 26 yards, 2:53. Second quarter MIA – Andra Franklin 3-yard run (Uwe von Schamann kick), 13:32. Dolphins 14–0. Drive: 13 plays, 89 yards, 5:56. MIA – Ronnie Lee 6-yard pass from David Woodley (Uwe von Schamann kick), 10:29. Dolphins 21–0. Drive: 7 plays, 23 yards, 2:53. MIA – Uwe von Schamann 24-yard field goal, 7:45. Dolphins 24–0. Drive: 7 plays, 30 yards, 2:32. SDG – Charlie Joiner 28-yard pass from Dan Fouts (kick failed), 3:46. Dolphins 24–6. Drive: 3 plays, 28 yards, 0:21. MIA – Uwe von Schamann 23-yard field goal, 1:05. Dolphins 27–6. Drive: 7 plays, 70 yards, 2:44. SDG – Chuck Muncie 1-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 0:22. Dolphins 27–13. Drive: 5 plays, 76 yards, 0:43. Third quarter No scoring plays. Fourth quarter MIA – David Woodley 7-yard run (Uwe von Schamann kick), 14:18. Dolphins 34–13. Drive: 8 plays, 62 yards, 3:45. Top passers SDG – Dan Fouts – 15/34, 191 yards, TD, 5 INT MIA – David Woodley – 17/22, 195 yards, 2 TD, INT Top rushers SDG – Chuck Muncie – 11 rushes, 62 yards, TD MIA – Andra Franklin – 23 rushes, 96 yards, TD Top receivers SDG – Chuck Muncie] – 6 receptions, 53 yards MIA – Jimmy Cefalo – 2 receptions, 69 yards Fouts' second pass attempt of the game was intercepted, leaving the Dolphins to drive only 24 yards for the opening touchdown. Miami forced a punt, then doubled their lead with an 89-yard touchdown drive. Bauer fumbled the ensuing kickoff, with Miami recovering and going 23 yards for their third touchdown. The next kickoff was also fumbled, with Brooks losing the ball to set up a Dolphins field goal and 24–0 lead midway through the 2nd quarter. An exchange of punts followed: Brooks' 10-yard return was increased by 15 further yards by a facemask penalty, and San Diego took over at the Miami 28-yard line. After two incompletions, Fouts connected with Joiner for a touchdown. The Dolphins responded with a field goal with barely a minute left before halftime. Aided by two penalties for 25 yards, San Diego quickly moved into Miami territory; Chandler's 22-yard catch took them to the 1-yard line, and Muncie scored on the next play, reducing the halftime deficit to 27–13.Schneider Dick Once again, Fouts & Co. just a passing fancy https://www.newspapers.com/article/news-press-chargers-13-34-dolphins/144118641/ Fort Myers News-Press January 17, 1983 1C, 16C newspapers.comSan Diego Chargers at Miami Dolphins January 16, 1983 San Diego Chargers 5–7, 9–10 Media gamebook Muncie's 18-yard catch on the first play of the second half took the Chargers to the Miami 45-yard line before the drive stalled and they were forced to punt. Fox's interception of David Woodley set his offense up at the Dolphins 33, but Fouts was sacked on third down and they had to punt again. Miami moved from their own 20 to a 1st and goal at the 7-yard line before Lowe stopped the drive with a fumble recovery. The Chargers faced 4th and 3 at their own 45 on the ensuing drive, which they converted when Cappelletti ran 5 yards with a fake punt. They picked up one more first down reaching the Dolphins 36-yard line before Fouts was intercepted. This time, Miami drove 62 yards for the game's final points. Needing three touchdowns, Fouts converted a 4th and 12 from his own 49 with a 16-yard pass to Sievers, but was intercepted two plays later. He threw further interceptions in his own territory on the final two San Diego drives, giving him four in as many possessions and five in total. San Diego gained only 247 yards on offense after averaging a league-high 450 per game during the regular season. They turned the ball over seven times in total, including the two special teams fumbles. They didn't return to the playoffs until ten years later, following the 1992 season.Los Angeles Chargers franchise encyclopedia https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/sdg/ pro-football-reference.com April 17, 2025 Chargers lost and in 1983 missed the playoffs 6-10. Awards Seven Chargers were named to the 1983 Pro Bowl,1982 NFL Pro Bowlers https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1982/probowl.htm pro-football-reference.com April 20, 2025 and a total of seven were named first or second team Associated Press (AP) All-Pros.1982 NFL All-Pros https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1982/allpro.htm pro-football-reference.com April 20, 2025 Fouts finished in second place for the AP NFL Most Valuable Player (Mark Moseley had 35 votes, Fouts had 33), and won the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year with 43 of the 80 votes; Chandler and Winslow were among the runners-up for that award with 3 and 2 votes respectively.1982 awards voting https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/awards_1982.htm pro-football-reference.com April 20, 2025 Fouts won a league MVP award from the Pro Football Writers of America,Fouts earns nod as MVP https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94294858/fouts-pfwa-20-jan-1983/ UPI 32 Winnipeg Sun January 20, 1983 Newspapers.com as well as the player-awarded Jim Thorpe Trophy.Olderman Murray Fouts is NFL player of the year https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94295828/jim-thorpe-13-feb-1983/ NEA 8 Abbeville Meridional February 13, 1983 Newspapers.com Player Position Pro Bowl starter Pro Bowl reserve AP 1st team All-Pro AP 2nd team All-Pro Rolf Benirschke Kicker Wes Chandler Wide receiver Dan Fouts Quarterback Tim Fox Safety Gary Johnson Defensive tackle Chuck Muncie Running back Russ Washington Tackle Doug Wilkerson Guard Kellen Winslow Tight end References Notes External links 1982 San Diego Chargers at pro-football-reference.com San Diego Chargers Category:San Diego Chargers seasons Category:1980s in San Diego San Diego Chargers f