1972 San Diego Chargers season | |
---|---|
Head coach | Harland Svare |
General manager | Harland Svare |
Owner | Gene Klein |
Home field | San Diego Stadium |
Results | |
Record | 4–9–1 |
Division place | 4th AFC West |
Playoff finish | did not qualify |
The 1972 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 6–8 record in 1971. The Chargers would not get off to a good start, as they were devoured 34-3 in their season opener at San Francisco. After their week 2 win against the Denver Broncos, the Chargers would play to a 17-17 draw with another cross state rival, the Oakland Raiders. It was San Diego's fourth tie in 3 seasons (they tied 3 times in 1970). Even after they defeated the Baltimore Colts in the week following the tie, the Bolts would stumble the rest of the year, winning only 2 more games en route to a 4-9-1 season.
In their last game for the year, the Chargers became the thirty-third team in the NFL or leagues that merged with the NFL to score only a safety in a full game. This unusual occurrence has been repeated only five times since: by the 1980 Buffalo Bills, the 1983 Minnesota Vikings, the 1993 Cincinnati Bengals, the 2011 Atlanta Falcons and the 2013 Jacksonville Jaguars.