This marks the 17th time that the Chargers reached the playoffs since moving south from Los Angeles for the 1961 season.
In addition to winning the American Football League title in 1963 and losing 49-26 to the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX, the Chargers are 1-3 in AFC Championship games.
Overall, the San Diego Chargers are 10-16 in playoff games. Before the AFL-NFL merger, the Chargers were 1-4 in AFL title games.
A year-by-year review:
1961: In their first season in San Diego, the Chargers were beaten for a second straight year by the Houston Oilers, this in the AFL’s second title game. The Oilers prevailed 10-3 at Balboa Stadium in a game marred by 10 interceptions and seven fumbles. The Chargers lost four interceptions and two fumbles.
1963: The Chargers routed the Boston Patriots 51-10, gaining 610 total yards en route to their only championship. Running back Keith Lincoln had 349 yards of total offense (206 rushing, 123 receiving and 20 on one pass completion).
1964: The Chargers lost 20-7 while trying to defend their title in Buffalo. Already without injured wide receiver Lance Alworth, the Chargers lost running back Keith Lincoln with a broken rib shortly after taking a 7-0 lead.
1965: Buffalo blanked the Chargers 23-0 at Balboa Stadium, the Chargers’ last playoff appearance for 14 seasons. The Chargers had only 223 yards of offense with John Hadl throwing two interceptions.
1979: Behind quarterback Dan Fouts, the Chargers took leads of 7-0 and 14-10 at San Diego Stadium. But Houston held on to a 17-14 lead as two fourth-quarter Fouts interceptions killed a comeback attempt. Fouts was intercepted a total of five times. The Chargers were 12-4 during the regular season.
1980: After beating Buffalo 20-14 in the first round of the playoffs as Fouts passed for 314 yards and Chuck Muncie had 133 rushing/receiving yards, the Chargers lost to Oakland 34-27 in the AFC Championship Game at Jack Murphy Stadium. The Raiders took a 28-14 halftime lead then weathered a Fouts-led rally.
1981: The Chargers went on the road and played two of the most memorable games in franchise history. First was the 41-38 overtime win over the Dolphins in Miami. Fouts set division playoff records for completions (33), attempts (53) and yards (433) and tight end Kellen Winslow caught a division playoff record 13 passes for 166 yards. But the AFC Championship Game the following week in Cincinnati was the coldest day in NFL history. With the wind-chill factor at 59 degrees below zero, the Bengals won 27-7.
1982: The Chargers again played two playoff games on the road. Muncie ran for 126 yards and Fouts twice hit Winslow with touchdown passes as the Chargers opened with a 31-28 win at Pittsburgh in their first appearance ever in the wild-card round. But the Chargers’ league-leading offense was overwhelmed by Miami’s top-ranked defense the following week as the Dolphins jumped out to a 24-0 lead and won 34-13. The Bolts had just 241 yards.
1992: Back in the playoffs for the first time in a decade, the Chargers pitched a 17-0 shutout vs. Kansas City in a wild-card game as Marion Butts rushed for 119 yards, including a 54-yard touchdown. But the Dolphins blanked the Chargers 31-0 in Miami in the second round. Linebacker Junior Seau had a personal-best 19 tackles, but the Chargers offense had only 202 yards.
1994: The Chargers’ only Super Bowl season opened with a 22-21 win over the Dolphins at Jack Murphy Stadium as Natrone Means rushed for 139 yards and a touchdown. The Chargers then traveled to Pittsburgh to win the AFC championship 17-13. Stan Humphries passed for two touchdowns and linebacker Dennis Gibson broke up a fourth-down pass in the end zone in the waning seconds to preserve the victory. However, the 49ers dominated the Chargers 49-26 in Super Bowl XXIX.
1995: The lead changed hands six times as the Chargers hosted the Indianapolis Colts in the wild-card round. The Colts pulled away with two fourth-quarter touchdowns. Humphries threw four interceptions in a 35-20 loss.
2004: The Chargers hosted the wild-card game against the Jets and had a shot at winning in overtime. But Nate Kaeding’s 40-yard field goal sailed wide right. The Jets won 20-17 on a 28-yard field goal. Quarterback Drew Brees connected on 31 of 42 passes for 319 yards and two touchdowns.
2006: LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 123 yards and gave the Chargers a 21-13 lead in the fourth quarter with his second touchdown run. But the Patriots rallied to tie the game on a two-point conversion and won 24-21 on a Stephen Gostkowski field goal.
2007: After defeating Tennessee 17-6 in a wild-card game at Qualcomm Stadium, the Chargers went on the road to score a 28-24 victory over Peyton Manning and the Colts in Indianapolis. Philip Rivers passed for three touchdowns, but it was reserve Billy Volek scoring the winning touchdown on a 1-yard run. Manning threw for 402 yards and three touchdowns, but was intercepted twice by the Bolts. However, the still undefeated New England Patriots defeated the Chargers 21-12 in the Conference Championship.
2008: For the second straight season, the Chargers beat Indianapolis to eliminate the Colts from the playoffs — this time by a 23-17 score on Darren Sproles’ 22-yard run in overtime of the wild-card round. Sproles gained 105 yards on 22 carries. But the eventual Super Bowl champion Steelers defeated the Chargers 35-24 in Pittsburgh. Rivers threw for three touchdowns. But with Tomlinson sidelined, the Chargers got only 15 yards on the ground.
2009: Coming off a 13-3 season, the heavily favored Chargers lost to the Jets 17-14 at Qualcomm Stadium. Rivers passed for 298 yards. But his second interception and a fumble during a sack led to New York’s two fourth-quarter touchdowns.
