subject: Sandiego Chargers Today - San Diego Chargers Today [print this page] Sandiego Chargers Today: 20092010 Season Sandiego Chargers Today: 20092010 Season
Once again the Chargers started their season slowly, with a 2-3 record. By that time, the Broncos were 6-0, had a 3 1/2 game lead over the Chargers, and had just beaten them 34-23. Most pundits said the AFC West was already decided & SD would have to play for the wildcard.
The fans wanted the coach, Norv Turner, to be fired, especially after a lackluster performance at Oakland & being embarrassed at Pittsburgh. But then, like all of their seasons under Turner, they played their best football when it counted the most.
This was a season of the continual improvement of Philip Rivers & the passing game, and LaDainian Tomlinson no longer being the focus of the offense. Rivers threw for 4,254 yards (8th), 28 TD's (tied-6th), 8.8 yards per passing attempt (1st), 64 completions of 20+ yards (1st), only 9 INT's (4th with a minimum 400 pass attempts), and a 104.4 passer rating (3rd - only beaten by Drew Brees & Brett Favre).
They would go on to win the AFC West, (their 4th straight division title, only Oakland with 5 straight 1972-1976 is better), along the way blowing out Denver with a convincing 32-3 victory at Denver & defeating every NFC East team, finished the regular season with 11 straight wins (tying the 1961 team record & is also tied for the 5th longest win streak entering the playoffs), finished with an impressive 13-3 record (including 4-0 in December, extending their NFL record with 18 straight wins in December, & also tying the Miami Dolphins 1970-1974 in November for the longest winning streak in any month), and lastly also getting the #2 seed as well as a first round bye.
However, on January 17, 2010, their season ended when they were upset by the fifth seeded New York Jets 17-14 in the AFC Divisional game.
