1977 San Diego Chargers season
The 1977 San Diego Chargers season was the franchise's eighth season in the National Football League (NFL), and its 18th overall. It was Tommy Prothro's final full season as the team's head coach.
1977 San Diego Chargers season | |
---|---|
Owner | Eugene V. Klein |
General manager | Johnny Sanders |
Head coach | Tommy Prothro |
Home field | San Diego Stadium |
Results | |
Record | 7–7 |
Division place | 3rd AFC West |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Pro Bowlers | |
AP All-Pros | 1[2]
|
The 7–7 record allowed the Chargers to break a string of seven consecutive losing seasons. It was their best mark since the AFL–NFL merger.
Offseason
NFL Draft
1977 San Diego Chargers draft | |||||
Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 24 | Bob Rush | Center | Memphis | |
3 | 77 | Linden King | Linebacker | Colorado State | |
5 | 124 | Clarence Williams | Running back | South Carolina | |
5 | 128 | Cliff Olander | Quarterback | New Mexico State | |
6 | 146 | Dave Lindstrom | Defensive end | Boston | |
6 | 151 | Larry Barnes | Running back | Tennessee State | |
6 | 152 | Pete Shaw | Safety | Northwestern | |
7 | 181 | Ron Bush | Defensive back | Southern California | |
9 | 234 | Gene Washington | Wide receiver | Georgia | |
10 | 265 | Curtis Townsend | Linebacker | Arkansas | |
12 | 319 | Jim Stansik | Tight end | Eastern Michigan | |
Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career |
Roster
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
|
Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
|
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
|
Reserve lists
Rookies in italics |
Regular season
Schedule
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 18 | at Oakland Raiders | L 0–24 | 0–1 | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum | 51,022 | Recap |
2 | September 25 | at Kansas City Chiefs | W 23–7 | 1–1 | Arrowhead Stadium | 56,146 | Recap |
3 | October 2 | Cincinnati Bengals | W 24–3 | 2–1 | San Diego Stadium | 40,352 | Recap |
4 | October 9 | at New Orleans Saints | W 14–0 | 3–1 | Louisiana Superdome | 53,942 | Recap |
5 | October 16 | New England Patriots | L 20–24 | 3–2 | San Diego Stadium | 50,327 | Recap |
6 | October 23 | Kansas City Chiefs | L 16–21 | 3–3 | San Diego Stadium | 33,010 | Recap |
7 | October 30 | at Miami Dolphins | W 14–13 | 4–3 | Miami Orange Bowl | 40,670 | Recap |
8 | November 6 | at Detroit Lions | L 0–20 | 4–4 | Pontiac Silverdome | 72,559 | Recap |
9 | November 13 | Denver Broncos | L 14–17 | 4–5 | San Diego Stadium | 45,211 | Recap |
10 | November 20 | Oakland Raiders | W 12–7 | 5–5 | San Diego Stadium | 50,887 | Recap |
11 | November 27 | at Seattle Seahawks | W 30–28 | 6–5 | Kingdome | 58,994 | Recap |
12 | December 4 | Cleveland Browns | W 37–14 | 7–5 | San Diego Stadium | 37,312 | Recap |
13 | December 11 | at Denver Broncos | L 9–17 | 7–6 | Mile High Stadium | 74,905 | Recap |
14 | December 18 | Pittsburgh Steelers | L 9–10 | 7–7 | San Diego Stadium | 50,727 | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Week 1: at Oakland Raiders
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Raiders | 7 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California
- Date: September 18
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 66 °F (18.9 °C), relative humidity 71%, wind 11 mph
- Game attendance: 51,022
- Referee: Cal Lepore
- TV announcers (NBC): Jim Simpson and Merlin Olsen
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 2: at Kansas City Chiefs
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 7 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 23 |
Chiefs | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: September 25
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: 66 °F (18.9 °C), relative humidity 71%, wind 10 mph
- Game attendance: 56,146
- Referee: Red Cashion
- TV announcers (NBC): Stu Nahan and Floyd Little
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 3: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bengals | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Chargers | 7 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 24 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: October 2
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 70 °F (21.1 °C), relative humidity 82%, wind 6 mph
- Game attendance: 40,352
- Referee: Don Wedge
- TV announcers (NBC): Jim Simpson and John Brodie
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 4: at New Orleans Saints
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
Saints | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
- Date: October 9
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: N/A (game played indoors)
- Game attendance: 53,942
- Referee: Pat Haggerty
- TV announcers (NBC): Stu Nahan and Len Dawson
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 5: vs. New England Patriots
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Patriots | 7 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 24 |
Chargers | 6 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 20 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: October 16
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 66 °F (18.9 °C), relative humidity 86%, wind 8 mph
- Game attendance: 50,327
- Referee: Jim Tunney
- TV announcers (NBC): Jay Randolph and Len Dawson
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 6: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 21 |
Chargers | 3 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 16 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: October 23
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 69 °F (20.6 °C), relative humidity 82%, wind 7 mph
- Game attendance: 33,010
- Referee: Chuck Heberling
- TV announcers (NBC): Jay Randolph and Floyd Little
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 7: at Miami Dolphins
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
Dolphins | 6 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 13 |
at Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida
- Date: October 30
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 75 °F (23.9 °C), relative humidity 74%, wind 6 mph
- Game attendance: 40,670
- Referee: Bob Frederic
- TV announcers (NBC): Dick Stockton and Paul Maguire
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 8: at Detroit Lions
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Lions | 0 | 0 | 7 | 13 | 20 |
at Pontiac Silverdome, Detroit, Michigan
- Date: November 6
- Game time: 4:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: N/A (game played indoors)
- Game attendance: 72,559
- Referee: Jerry Markbreit
- TV announcers (NBC): Dick Stockton and Paul Maguire
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 9: vs. Denver Broncos
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Broncos | 3 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
Chargers | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 10: vs. Oakland Raiders
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Raiders | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Chargers | 0 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 12 |
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 11: at Seattle Seahawks
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 10 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 30 |
Seahawks | 0 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
at Kingdome, Seattle, Washington
- Date: November 27
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: N/A (game played indoors)
- Game attendance: 58,994
- Referee: Gene Barth
- TV announcers (NBC): Dick Stockton and Len Dawson
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 12: vs. Cleveland Browns
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Browns | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 |
Chargers | 14 | 13 | 3 | 7 | 37 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: December 4
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 59 °F (15.0 °C), relative humidity 82%, wind 6 mph
- Game attendance: 37,312
- Referee: Fred Wyant
- TV announcers (NBC): Jay Randolph and Mike Adamle
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 13: at Denver Broncos
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9 |
Broncos | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 17 |
at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado
- Date: December 11
- Game time: 2:00 p.m. MST
- Game weather: 44 °F (6.7 °C), relative humidity 27%, wind 10 mph
- Game attendance: 74,905
- Referee: Red Cashion
- TV announcers (NBC): Jack Buck and Mike Haffner
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Week 14: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Steelers | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
Chargers | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: December 18
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 63 °F (17.2 °C), relative humidity 81%, wind 12 mph
- Game attendance: 50,727
- Referee: Ben Dreith
- TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones and Andy Russell
- Box score
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Standings
AFC West | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
Denver Broncos(1) | 12 | 2 | 0 | .857 | 6–1 | 11–1 | 274 | 148 | L1 |
Oakland Raiders(4) | 11 | 3 | 0 | .786 | 5–2 | 10–2 | 351 | 230 | W2 |
San Diego Chargers | 7 | 7 | 0 | .500 | 3–4 | 6–6 | 222 | 205 | L2 |
Seattle Seahawks | 5 | 9 | 0 | .357 | 1–3 | 4–9 | 282 | 373 | W2 |
Kansas City Chiefs | 2 | 12 | 0 | .143 | 1–6 | 1–11 | 225 | 349 | L6 |
References
- "1977 NFL Pro Bowlers". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- "1977 NFL All-Pros". Pro-Football-Reference.com.