Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Could have been a stronger last stand for the Coryell era (or prolonged it). They lost @Houston on a last second FG, @Denver (in OT) on a blocked FG return (after Denver blocked the first one and ran it back for a TD before being nullified by penalty), and @Minnesota on a 26-TD pass from Tommy Kramer to Leo Lewis with under a minute remaining in the game. Win two of those, and they are in the race for a WC heading into their Week 16 game at KC (a tough place to play late in the year). Win all three, and they may have been in the playoffs, with an outside chance at a division title (they split with the Raiders, and they would have had the same division record if they would have won @KC).

Textbook case of a team having a defense just as bad as the offense was good.

What I remember about the ’85 Chargers was that late-season Sunday night, 54-44, track meet at Steelers’ expense who were still very well in the AFC Central race due to just how weak the division was that season (even weaker than the year before). A Steeler win (with everything else then playing out as it actually did) still wouldn’t have gotten them in due to Browns’ better division record, 4-2 to 3-3. Chargers were in their blue jerseys for that home game. Thought ’85 was the first year they went to them for home games but thinking I remember watching the beginning of the Chi@SD MNF game the year before with Chargers wearing blue as well.

#1 offense SD had in ’85. Their D, of course, was ranked near bottom but so it was in ’81 & ’82. Charger defenses simply began giving up even more points in those remaining non-playoff years under Coryell. Bottom fell out in ’86 with that 1-7 start/Coryell resigning. Saunders hops onboard, barely lose to playoff-bound KC and then the following week scores one of the bigger upsets in regular season history, a 9-3 victory at 8-1 SB-bound Denver! Perhaps a FWIW foreshadowing of that 8-1 ‘mirage’ start the following, strike-shortened, year only to collapse anyway then follow-up with a bad ’88 campaign.

If only those early/mid-’80s Charger teams would have had those defenses from the Henning years? Especially ’89, Chargers’ best defensive output since ’79. #9 in pts allowed, #6 in yards allowed. 1990 (Seau’s rookie year) just as solid at 10th and 5th respectively. Each of the two statistically better than every Bobby Ross squad with exception of ’92.

The 1985 Chargers, as a testament to their potent offense and pathetic defense, set a record for the time of 902 points combined for both themselves and their opponents. The record held to the end of the twentieth century, but has since been broken by nine other teams. The current record holder is the 2000 Rams wirh 1011 combined points for themselves and their opponents.

2000 Rams 1011 pts combined - and from a playoff team, mind you!

What were the other teams this century that beat Chargers’ record? What I’d also like to know...what team in the 16-game era (of course not counting ’82 or ’87) has the least amount of pts scored and given up? Same with 14 and 12-game eras as well.

Other teams this century with more than 900 points total scored and allowed:

2000 Rams (1011)
2013 Broncos (1005)
2016 Falcons (946)
2013 Bears (923)
2016 Saints (923)
2011 Packers (919)
2004 Chiefs (918)
2012 Saints (915)

Fewest points scored and allowed:

12-game season: 1957 Steelers (339)
14-game season: 1977 Falcons (308)
16-game season: 1992 Seahawks (452)

7DnBrnc53 wrote:Could have been a stronger last stand for the Coryell era (or prolonged it). They lost @Houston on a last second FG, @Denver (in OT) on a blocked FG return (after Denver blocked the first one and ran it back for a TD before being nullified by penalty), and @Minnesota on a 26-TD pass from Tommy Kramer to Leo Lewis with under a minute remaining in the game. Win two of those, and they are in the race for a WC heading into their Week 16 game at KC (a tough place to play late in the year). Win all three, and they may have been in the playoffs, with an outside chance at a division title (they split with the Raiders, and they would have had the same division record if they would have won @KC).

Yes, the AFC wasn't that difficult in 1985, and with a better defense, San Diego could have done some real damage in the postseason. Dan Fouts and company were potent in the air, and while the running game was without Chuck Muncie, multi-purpose weapons like Lionel James and Gary Anderson could move the chains. A San Diego-Miami playoff clash would have been fun, the 1986 Chargers killed Miami in the season opener that season. I enjoyed NFL football much more in the 80s.

Todd Pence wrote:Other teams this century with more than 900 points total scored and allowed:

2000 Rams (1011)
2013 Broncos (1005)
2016 Falcons (946)
2013 Bears (923)
2016 Saints (923)
2011 Packers (919)
2004 Chiefs (918)
2012 Saints (915)

Fewest points scored and allowed:

12-game season: 1957 Steelers (339)
14-game season: 1977 Falcons (308)
16-game season: 1992 Seahawks (452)

Thanks for the info! Should have known ’77 Falcons would be the 14-game team; quintessential no offense/all defense output. Thought ’92 Hawks for a moment but then thought some other team would be it instead; guess not. Two SB-teams beating ’85 Chargers’ record, I see. 2011 Packers certainly no surprise.

16-game season: 1992 Seahawks (452)

This would have been my guess for a 16 game season. Some of the Dick Jauron coached Bills teams of the mid-2000s can't be too far behind. I remember a lot of 13-10 games from that era.

ChrisBabcock wrote:

16-game season: 1992 Seahawks (452)

This would have been my guess for a 16 game season. Some of the Dick Jauron coached Bills teams of the mid-2000s can't be too far behind. I remember a lot of 13-10 games from that era.

Granted, he struggled as HC in either case, but outside 2001, Jauron perhaps did a better job in Buffalo than he did in Chicago. Not good Bills teams but at least respectable, more-so than his non-’01 Bears squads.