1977 San Diego Chargers season

1977 San Diego Chargers season
Head coach	Tommy Prothro
General manager	Johnny Sanders
Owner	Gene Klein
Home field	San Diego Stadium
Results
Record	7–7
Division place	3rd AFC West
Playoff finish	did not qualify

The 1977 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 6–8 record in 1976. It was Tommy Prothro's final full season as the team's head coach.

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.

NFL Draft

Main article: 1977 NFL Draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	School/Club Team

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Attendance
1	September 18, 1977	at Oakland Raiders	L 24–0	51,022
2	September 25, 1977	at Kansas City Chiefs	W 23–7	56,146
3	October 2, 1977	Cincinnati Bengals	W 24–3	40,352
4	October 9, 1977	at New Orleans Saints	W 14–0	53,942
5	October 16, 1977	New England Patriots	L 24–20	50,327
6	October 23, 1977	Kansas City Chiefs	L 21–16	33,010
7	October 30, 1977	at Miami Dolphins	W 14–13	40,670
8	November 6, 1977	at Detroit Lions	L 20–0	72,559
9	November 13, 1977	Denver Broncos	L 17–14	45,211
10	November 20, 1977	Oakland Raiders	W 12–7	50,887
11	November 27, 1977	at Seattle Seahawks	W 30–28	58,994
12	December 4, 1977	Cleveland Browns	W 37–14	37,312
13	December 11, 1977	at Denver Broncos	L 17–9	74,905
14	December 18, 1977	Pittsburgh Steelers	L 10–9	50,727

Results

Week 1

	1	2	3	4	Total
Chargers	0	0	0	0	0
Raiders	7	10	7	0	24

at Oakland Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, CA

• Game time: 1:00 p.m.
• Game weather: 66°F (24.4°C), wind 11 mph
• Box Score

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP Chargers Raiders 1 Raiders Cliff Branch 7-yard touchdown reception from Ken Stabler, Errol Mann kick good 0 7 2 Raiders 20-yard field goal by Errol Mann 0 10 2 Raiders Dave Casper 1-yard touchdown reception from Ken Stabler, Errol Mann kick good 0 17 3 Raiders Pete Banaszak 2-yard touchdown run, Errol Mann kick good 0 24 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 0 24

Week 2

1 2 3 4 Total • Chargers 7 9 0 7 23 Chiefs 7 0 0 0 7 Date: September 25 Location: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO Game start: 2:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 56,146 Game weather: 66°F; wind 10

Scoring summary Q1 SD Woods 12 yard pass from Harris (Benirschke kick) SD 7–0 Q1 KC Marshall 19 yard pass from Livingston (Stenerud kick) Tie 7–7 Q2 SD Jones 17 yard interception return (kick failed) SD 13–7 Q2 SD Benirschke 31 yard field goal SD 16–7 Q4 SD Fuller 7 yard run (Benirschke kick) SD 23–7

Week 3

1 2 3 4 Total Bengals 0 3 0 0 3 • Chargers 7 7 7 3 24 Date: October 2 Location: San Diego Stadium, San Diego, CA Game start: 4:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 40,352 Game weather: 70°F; wind 6

Scoring summary Q1 SD Joiner 30 yard pass from Harris (Benirschke kick) SD 7–0 Q2 CIN Bahr 35 yard field goal SD 7–3 Q2 SD Joiner 15 yard pass from Harris (Benirschke kick) SD 14–3 Q3 SD Harris 1 yard run (Benirschke kick) SD 21–3 Q4 SD Benirschke 42 yard field goal SD 24–3

Week 4

1 2 3 4 Total • Chargers 7 0 0 7 14 Saints 0 0 0 0 0 Date: October 9 Location: Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, LA Game start: 2:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 53,942 Game weather: Indoors (dome)

Scoring summary Q1 SD Fuller 88 yard punt return (Benirschke kick) SD 7–0 Q4 SD Young 5 yard run (Benirschke kick) SD 14–0

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