2009 San Diego Chargers season

2009 San Diego Chargers season
Owner	Alex Spanos
General manager	A. J. Smith
Head coach	Norv Turner
Home field	Qualcomm Stadium
Results
Record	13–3
Division place	1st AFC West
Playoff finish	Lost Divisional Playoffs (vs. Jets) 14–17
Pro Bowlers	6 G Kris Dielman TE Antonio Gates WR Vincent Jackson K Nate Kaeding ST Kassim Osgood QB Philip Rivers
AP All-Pros	3 G Kris Dielman (2nd team) TE Antonio Gates (2nd team) K Nate Kaeding (1st team)

The 2009 season was the San Diego Chargers' 40th in the National Football League (NFL) and their 50th since becoming founding members of the American Football League. The Chargers improved upon their regular season record of 8–8 in 2008 and won their division for the fourth straight year and fifth time in six seasons. They finished the regular season with a 13–3 record, the second best winning percentage in franchise history but were upset in the Divisional Playoffs by the New York Jets. It was also Norv Turner's best regular season record as head coach. Also, this was the end of an era as future Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson joined the New York Jets following the season, ending his 9-year tenure as a Charger. As of 2024, this represents the most recent AFC West title for the Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers.

2009 NFL draft

Main article: 2009 NFL draft

Many have speculated as to who the Chargers are likely to target early in the 2009 NFL draft. Commonly noted areas of need include the safety positions, the right side of the offensive line, and inside linebacker. The Chargers are also expected to be in the hunt for a running back to eventually replace Tomlinson, who despite past excellence has faced more frequent injuries and declining production as he ages.

2009 San Diego Chargers draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	16	Larry English	OLB	NIU
3	78	Louis Vasquez *	G	Texas Tech
4	113	Vaughn Martin	NT	Western Ontario
4	133	Tyronne Green	G	Auburn
4	134	Gartrell Johnson	RB	Colorado State
5	148	Brandon Hughes	CB	Oregon State
6	189	Kevin Ellison	S	USC
7	224	Demetrius Byrd	WR	LSU
Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Staff

San Diego Chargers 2009 staff
Front office Owner – Alex Spanos President/CEO – Dean Spanos Executive vice president – Michael Spanos Executive vice president/executive officer – A. G. Spanos Executive vice president/general manager – A. J. Smith Executive vice president of football operations/assistant general manager – Ed McGuire Senior executive – Randy Mueller Director of player personnel – Jimmy Raye Director of pro scouting – Dennis Abraham Director of college scouting – John Spanos Assistant director of college scouting – Mike Biehl Head coaches Head coach – Norv Turner Assistant head coach/tight ends – Rob Chudzinski Assistant to the Head Coach – Margie Smith Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator – Clarence Shelmon Quarterbacks – John Ramsdell Running backs – Ollie Wilson Wide receivers – Charlie Joiner Offensive line – Hal Hunter Offensive line – Mike Sullivan Offensive Assistant/Coaches’ Assistant – Steve Gera			Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Ron Rivera Defensive line – Don Johnson Linebackers – John Pagano Assistant linebackers – Greg Williams Secondary – Steven Wilks Assistant secondary – Cris Dishman Special teams coaches Special teams – Steve Crosby Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Jeff Hurd Assistant strength and conditioning – Vernon Stephens Nutrition coordinator – Hal Hunter

Final roster

2009 San Diego Chargers final roster

	Quarterbacks 17 Philip Rivers  7 Billy Volek  6 Charlie Whitehurst Running backs 29 Michael Bennett 22 Jacob Hester FB 43 Darren Sproles 35 Mike Tolbert FB 21 LaDainian Tomlinson Wide receivers 84 Craig Davis 80 Malcom Floyd 83 Vincent Jackson 11 Legedu Naanee 81 Kassim Osgood Tight ends 85 Antonio Gates 86 Brandon Manumaleuna 88 Kris Wilson		Offensive linemen 68 Kris Dielman G 62 Brandyn Dombrowski G 77 Eric Ghiaciuc C 69 Tyronne Green G 61 Nick Hardwick C 73 Marcus McNeill T 64 Dennis Norman C 79 Jon Runyan T 65 Louis Vasquez G Defensive linemen 70 Alfonso Boone DE 93 Luis Castillo DE 74 Jacques Cesaire DE 71 Antonio Garay NT 96 Travis Johnson DE 92 Vaughn Martin DE 98 Ian Scott NT		Linebackers 99 Kevin Burnett ILB 54 Stephen Cooper ILB 51 Tim Dobbins ILB 52 Larry English OLB 58 Marques Harris OLB 53 James Holt ILB 56 Shawne Merriman OLB 95 Shaun Phillips OLB 59 Brandon Siler ILB Defensive backs 20 Antoine Cason CB 31 Antonio Cromartie CB 25 Kevin Ellison SS 28 Steve Gregory FS 24 Dante Hughes CB 23 Quentin Jammer CB 27 Paul Oliver SS 41 C. J. Spillman FS 32 Eric Weddle FS Special teams 50 David Binn LS 10 Nate Kaeding K  5 Mike Scifres P		Reserve lists 90 Antwan Applewhite OLB (IR) 97 Ryon Bingham DE (IR) 44 Curtis Brinkley RB (NF-Inj.) 82 Demetrius Byrd WR (IR) 66 Jeromey Clary OT (IR) 36 Brandon Hughes CB (IR) 63 Scott Mruczkowski C (IR) 91 Ogemdi Nwagbuo NT (IR) 94 Jyles Tucker OLB (IR) 76 Jamal Williams NT (IR) Practice squad 12 Gary Banks WR 46 Darry Beckwith ILB 26 Simeon Castille CB 75 Corey Clark OT 78 Andre Coleman DE 72 Derrick Jones DE 34 Billy Latsko FB 60 Ryan McDonald C (IR) 67 Joe Toledo OT Rookies in italics 53 active, 10 inactive, 9 practice squad

Preseason

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Recap
1	August 15	Seattle Seahawks	L 20–14	0–1	Qualcomm Stadium	Recap
2	August 22	at Arizona Cardinals	W 17–6	1–1	University of Phoenix Stadium	Recap
3	August 29	at Atlanta Falcons	L 27–24	1–2	Georgia Dome	Recap
4	September 4	San Francisco 49ers	W 26–7	2–2	Qualcomm Stadium	Recap

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Recap
1	September 14	at Oakland Raiders	W 24–20	1–0	Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum	Recap
2	September 20	Baltimore Ravens	L 26–31	1–1	Qualcomm Stadium	Recap
3	September 27	Miami Dolphins	W 23–13	2–1	Qualcomm Stadium	Recap
4	October 4	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 28–38	2–2	Heinz Field	Recap
5	Bye
6	October 19	Denver Broncos	L 23–34	2–3	Qualcomm Stadium	Recap
7	October 25	at Kansas City Chiefs	W 37–7	3–3	Arrowhead Stadium	Recap
8	November 1	Oakland Raiders	W 24–16	4–3	Qualcomm Stadium	Recap
9	November 8	at New York Giants	W 21–20	5–3	Giants Stadium	Recap
10	November 15	Philadelphia Eagles	W 31–23	6–3	Qualcomm Stadium	Recap
11	November 22	at Denver Broncos	W 32–3	7–3	Invesco Field at Mile High	Recap
12	November 29	Kansas City Chiefs	W 43–14	8–3	Qualcomm Stadium	Recap
13	December 6	at Cleveland Browns	W 30–23	9–3	Cleveland Browns Stadium	Recap
14	December 13	at Dallas Cowboys	W 20–17	10–3	Cowboys Stadium	Recap
15	December 20	Cincinnati Bengals	W 27–24	11–3	Qualcomm Stadium	Recap
16	December 25	at Tennessee Titans	W 42–17	12–3	LP Field	Recap
17	January 3	Washington Redskins	W 23–20	13–3	Qualcomm Stadium	Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: at Oakland Raiders

Week 1: San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Chargers	0	10	0	14	24
Raiders	7	3	0	10	20

at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California

• Date: September 14
• Game time: 7:16 p.m. PDT
• Game weather: 63 °F (17 °C) (Clear)
• Game attendance: 61,940
• Referee: Carl Cheffers
• TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Greenberg (play-by-play), Mike Golic, Steve Young (color commentators) and Michele Tafoya (sideline reporter)
• Box score

Game information

First quarter OAK – Michael Bush 4-yard run (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 3:13. Raiders 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 84 yards, 6:10. Second quarter SDG – LaDainian Tomlinson 1-yard run (Nate Kaeding kick), 4:45. Tied 7–7. Drive: 7 plays, 45 yards, 4:22. OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 37-yard field goal, 0:40. Raiders 10–7. Drive: 11 plays, 45 yards, 1:43. SDG – Nate Kaeding 47-yard field goal, 0:00. Tied 10–10. Drive: 5 plays, 12 yards, 0:40. Third quarter No scoring plays. Fourth quarter OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 35-yard field goal, 13:01. Raiders 13–10. Drive: 7 plays, 51 yards, 3:43. SDG – Vincent Jackson 15-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 7:22. Chargers 17–13. Drive: 10 plays, 77 yards, 5:39. OAK – Louis Murphy 57-yard pass from JaMarcus Russell (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 2:34. Raiders 20–17. Drive: 9 plays, 71 yards, 4:48. SDG – Darren Sproles 5-yard run (Nate Kaeding kick), 0:18. Chargers 24–20. Drive: 9 plays, 89 yards, 2:16. Top passers SDG – Philip Rivers – 24/36, 252 yards, TD, INT OAK – JaMarcus Russell – 12/30, 208 yards, TD, 2 INT Top rushers SDG – LaDainian Tomlinson – 13 rushes, 55 yards, TD OAK – Darren McFadden – 17 rushes, 68 yards Top receivers SDG – Antonio Gates – 5 receptions, 83 yards OAK – Zach Miller – 6 receptions, 96 yards

The Chargers began their season at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum for a Week 1 AFL Legacy duel with their AFC West rival, the Oakland Raiders, in the second game of an MNF doubleheader. In the first quarter, San Diego trailed early as Raiders running back Michael Bush got a 4-yard touchdown run. The Chargers would strike back in the second quarter as running back LaDainian Tomlinson got a 1-yard touchdown run. Oakland would respond with kicker Sebastian Janikowski getting a 37-yard field goal. San Diego would close out the half with kicker Nate Kaeding making a 47-yard field goal.

After a scoreless third quarter, the Raiders would retake the lead in the fourth quarter as Janikowski nailed a 35-yard field goal. The Chargers would take the lead as quarterback Philip Rivers completed a 15-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Vincent Jackson. Oakland would respond with quarterback JaMarcus Russell completing a 57-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Louis Murphy, but San Diego came right back with a 5-yard touchdown run by running back Darren Sproles.

With the win, the Chargers began their season at 1–0.

Week 2: vs. Baltimore Ravens

Week 2: Baltimore Ravens at San Diego Chargers

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Ravens	7	14	7	3	31
Chargers	10	6	7	3	26

at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California

• Date: September 20
• Game time: 1:15 p.m. PDT
• Game weather: 83 °F (28 °C) (Sunny)
• Game attendance: 66,882
• Referee: Tony Corrente
• TV announcers (CBS): Dick Enberg & Dan Fouts
• Box score

Game information

First quarter SDG – Darren Sproles 81-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 9:18. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 99 yards, 2:22. BAL – Willis McGahee 5-yard run (Stephen Hauschka kick), 4:49. Tied 7–7. Drive: 9 plays, 68 yards, 4:29. SDG – Nate Kaeding 29-yard field goal, 0:44. Chargers 10–7. Drive: 7 plays, 56 yards, 4:05. Second quarter BAL – Willis McGahee 3-yard run (Stephen Hauschka kick), 10:50. Ravens 14–10. Drive: 11 plays, 78 yards, 4:54. SDG – Nate Kaeding 22-yard field goal, 3:00. Ravens 14–13. Drive: 8 plays, 58 yards, 3:34. BAL – Kelley Washington 27-yard pass from Joe Flacco (Stephen Hauschka kick), 1:38. Ravens 21–13. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 1:22. SDG – Nate Kaeding 23-yard field goal, 0:08. Ravens 21–16. Drive: 9 plays, 37 yards, 1:30. Third quarter BAL – Todd Heap 9-yard pass from Joe Flacco (Stephen Hauschka kick), 8:24. Ravens 28–16. Drive: 4 plays, 22 yards, 1:42. SDG – Vincent Jackson 35-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 2:26. Ravens 28–23. Drive: 9 plays, 60 yards, 5:58. Fourth quarter SDG – Nate Kaeding 25-yard field goal, 7:11. Ravens 28–23. Drive: 9 plays, 49 yards, 4:04. BAL – Stephen Hauschka 33-yard field goal, 2:54. Ravens 31–23. Drive: 4 plays, -2 yards, 1:34. Top passers BAL – Joe Flacco – 17/26, 190 yards, 2 TD, INT SDG – Philip Rivers – 25/45, 436 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Top rushers BAL – Willis McGahee – 15 rushes, 79 yards, 2 TD SDG – Darren Sproles – 10 rushes, 26 yards Top receivers BAL – Kelley Washington – 4 receptions, 58 yards, TD SDG – Vincent Jackson – 6 receptions, 141 yards, TD

Coming off their road win over the Raiders, the Chargers would play their Week 2 home opener against the Baltimore Ravens. San Diego would deliver the opening strike in the first quarter as quarterback Philip Rivers completed an 81-yard touchdown pass to running back Darren Sproles. The Ravens would respond with running back Willis McGahee getting a 5-yard touchdown run, yet the Chargers would regain the lead as kicker Nate Kaeding got a 29-yard field goal. Baltimore would take the lead in the second quarter as McGahee got a 3-yard touchdown run. San Diego would pull within one as Kaeding made a 22-yard field goal, but the Ravens answered with quarterback Joe Flacco completing a 27-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Kelley Washington. The Chargers would end the half as Kaeding would make a 23-yard field goal.

In the third quarter, Baltimore would add onto their lead as Flacco completed a 9-yard touchdown pass to tight end Todd Heap. San Diego would stay close as Rivers completed a 35-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Vincent Jackson. In the fourth quarter, the Chargers got closer as Kaeding kicked a 25-yard field goal, but the Ravens would answer with kicker Steve Hauschka nailing a 33-yard field goal. San Diego would manage to get a late drive all the way to the Ravens' 15-yard line, but on 4th-&-2, Sproles was tackled behind the line of scrimmage by an unblocked Ray Lewis, ending any hope of a comeback.

With the loss, the Chargers fell to 1–1.

Week 3: vs. Miami Dolphins

Week 3: Miami Dolphins at San Diego Chargers

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Dolphins	0	3	3	7	13
Chargers	0	3	7	13	23

at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California

• Date: September 27
• Game time: 1:15 p.m. PDT
• Game weather: 80 °F (27 °C) (Sunny)
• Game attendance: 67,230
• Referee: Bill Leavy
• TV announcers (CBS): Dick Enberg & Dan Fouts
• Box score

Game information

First quarter No scoring plays. Second quarter SDG – Nate Kaeding 25-yard field goal, 9:21. Chargers 3–0. Drive: 14 plays, 72 yards, 6:58. MIA – Dan Carpenter 24-yard field goal, 3:26. Tied 3–3. Drive: 6 plays, 11 yards, 3:29. Third quarter MIA – Dan Carpenter 23-yard field goal, 4:09. Dolphins 6–3. Drive: 12 plays, 44 yards, 7:03. SDG – Philip Rivers 5-yard run (Nate Kaeding kick), 2:02. Chargers 10–6. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:07. Fourth quarter SDG – Nate Kaeding 23-yard field goal, 12:30. Chargers 13–6. Drive: 5 plays, 63 yards, 2:16. SDG – Nate Kaeding 26-yard field goal, 6:53. Chargers 16–6. Drive: 11 plays, 41 yards, 4:58. SDG – Eric Weddle 31-yard interception return (Nate Kaeding kick), 5:45. Chargers 23–6. MIA – Ricky Williams 14-yard run (Dan Carpenter kick), 2:51. Chargers 23–13. Drive: 10 plays, 76 yards, 2:54. Top passers MIA – Chad Henne – 10/19, 92 yards, INT SDG – Philip Rivers – 18/33, 303 yards Top rushers MIA – Ronnie Brown – 18 rushes, 75 yards SDG – Darren Sproles – 18 rushes, 41 yards Top receivers MIA – Davone Bess – 7 receptions, 54 yards SDG – Vincent Jackson – 5 receptions, 120 yards

Hoping to rebound from their tough loss to the Ravens, the Chargers stayed at home for a Week 3 duel with the Miami Dolphins. After a 1-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown by the Dolphins, San Diego would strike in the second quarter with a 25-yard field goal from kicker Nate Kaeding. The Dolphins would answer with a 24-yard field goal from kicker Dan Carpenter. In the third quarter, Miami extended the lead with Carpenter's 23-yard field goal. Afterwards, the Chargers struck back with quarterback Philip Rivers' 5-yard touchdown run. San Diego would then pull away in the fourth quarter with Kaeding nailing a 23-yard and a 26-yard field goal, followed by safety Eric Weddle returning an interception 31 yards for a touchdown. The Dolphins tried to rally with running back Ricky Williams' 14-yard touchdown run, yet the 'Bolts would hold on for the victory.

With the win, the Chargers improved to 2–1.

Week 4: at Pittsburgh Steelers

Week 4: San Diego Chargers at Pittsburgh Steelers

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Chargers	0	0	7	21	28
Steelers	14	7	7	10	38

at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Date: October 4
• Game time: 8:30 p.m. EDT
• Game weather: 54 °F (12 °C) (Cloudy)
• Game attendance: 64,045
• Referee: Jeff Triplette
• TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, & Andrea Kremer
• Box score

Game information

First quarter PIT – Rashard Mendenhall 1-yard run (Jeff Reed kick), 11:49. Steelers 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 79 yards, 3:11. PIT – Mewelde Moore 19-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger (Jeff Reed kick), 4:08. Steelers 14–0. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 6:27. Second quarter PIT – Rashard Mendenhall 2-yard run (Jeff Reed kick), 1:28. Steelers 21–0. Drive: 13 plays, 79 yards, 6:07. Third quarter PIT – Heath Miller 6-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger (Jeff Reed kick), 7:48. Steelers 28–0. Drive: 8 plays, 81 yards, 5:01. SDG – Antonio Gates 3-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 1:33. Steelers 28–7. Drive: 13 plays, 79 yards, 6:15. Fourth quarter SDG – Jacob Hester 41-yard fumble return (Nate Kaeding kick), 12:37. Steelers 28–14. PIT – Heath Miller 6-yard pass from Mewelde Moore (Jeff Reed kick), 7:18. Steelers 35–14. Drive: 8 plays, 70 yards, 5:19. SDG – Antonio Gates 30-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 5:48. Steelers 35–21. Drive: 4 plays, 67 yards, 1:30. SDG – Chris Chambers 13-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 4:31. Steelers 35–28. Drive: 3 plays, 54 yards, 1:17. PIT – Jeff Reed 46-yard field goal, 0:43. Steelers 38–28. Drive: 10 plays, 51 yards, 3:48. Top passers SDG – Philip Rivers – 21/36, 254 yards, 3 TD PIT – Ben Roethlisberger – 26/33, 333 yards, 2 TD Top rushers SDG – LaDainian Tomlinson – 7 rushes, 15 yards PIT – Rashard Mendenhall – 29 rushes, 165 yards, 2 TD Top receivers SDG – Antonio Gates – 9 receptions, 124 yards, 2 TD PIT – Hines Ward – 8 receptions, 113 yards

Coming off their home win over the Dolphins, the Chargers flew to Heinz Field for a Week 4 Sunday night duel with the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers. San Diego found themselves in a huge deficit in the first half. In the first quarter, the Steelers opened the game with running back Rashard Mendenhall getting a 1-yard touchdown run and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger completing a 19-yard touchdown pass to running back Mewelde Moore. Pittsburgh would increase their lead in the second quarter with Mendenhall's 2-yard touchdown run.

In the third quarter, the Steelers continued to roll as Roethlisberger found tight end Heath Miller on a 6-yard touchdown pass. San Diego would strike back as quarterback Philip Rivers threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end Antonio Gates. In the fourth quarter, the Chargers began to catch up with a key play on special teams as fullback Jacob Hester stripped Stefan Logan of the ball and returned it 41 yards for a touchdown. Pittsburgh would answer with Roethlisberger's 6-yard touchdown pass to Miller. Afterwards, San Diego continued its comeback run as Rivers completed a 30-yard touchdown pass to Gates and a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Chris Chambers. However, the Steelers came right back with a 46-yard field goal from kicker Jeff Reed. The Bolts tried to cap off their rally, but a sack and fumble by linebacker James Harrison led to a Pittsburgh recovery, effectively ending any hope of a comeback.

With the loss, the Chargers fell to 2–2.

Week 6: vs. Denver Broncos

Week 6: Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Broncos	7	10	7	10	34
Chargers	10	10	3	0	23

at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California

• Date: October 19
• Game time: 5:40 p.m. PDT
• Game weather: 68 °F (20 °C) (Clear Skies)
• Game attendance: 68,615
• Referee: Scott Green
• TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, Jon Gruden & Michele Tafoya
• Box score

Game information

First quarter SDG – Nate Kaeding 20-yard field goal, 4:51. Chargers 3–0. Drive: 11 plays, 92 yards, 5:58. DEN – Eddie Royal 93-yard kickoff return (Matt Prater kick), 4:39. Broncos 7–3. Drive: 0 plays, 0 yards, 0:12. SDG – Vincent Jackson 3-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 0:06. Chargers 10–7. Drive: 8 plays, 74 yards, 4:33. Second quarter DEN – Matt Prater 34-yard field goal, 7:55. Tied 10–10. Drive: 13 plays, 62 yards, 7:11. DEN – Eddie Royal 71-yard punt return (Matt Prater kick), 5:53. Broncos 17–10. SDG – Nate Kaeding 44-yard field goal, 2:19. Broncos 17–13. Drive: 8 plays, 45 yards, 3:34. SDG – Darren Sproles 77-yard punt return (Nate Kaeding kick), 1:03. Chargers 20–17. Third quarter SDG – Nate Kaeding 50-yard field goal, 7:57. Chargers 23–17. Drive: 9 plays, 48 yards, 4:37. DEN – Tony Scheffler 19-yard pass from Kyle Orton (Matt Prater kick), 3:43. Broncos 24–23. Drive: 9 plays, 77 yards, 4:14. Fourth quarter DEN – Matt Prater 29-yard field goal, 13:05. Broncos 27–23. Drive: 10 plays, 36 yards, 3:38. DEN – Brandon Stokley 5-yard pass from Kyle Orton (Matt Prater kick), 2:55. Broncos 34–23. Drive: 5 plays, 62 yards, 2:45. Top passers DEN – Kyle Orton – 20/29, 229 yards, 2 TD SDG – Philip Rivers – 20/33, 274 yards, TD Top rushers DEN – Correll Buckhalter – 10 rushes, 46 yards SDG – LaDainian Tomlinson – 18 rushes, 70 yards Top receivers DEN – Tony Scheffler – 6 receptions, 101 yards, TD SDG – Antonio Gates – 5 receptions, 70 yards

Coming off their bye week, the Chargers went home, donned their throwback uniforms, and played a Week 6 AFL Legacy duel with the Denver Broncos on Monday night. In the first quarter, San Diego struck first with kicker Nate Kaeding getting a 20-yard field goal. The Broncos would immediately respond as wide receiver Eddie Royal returned a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown, yet the Chargers came back with quarterback Philip Rivers completing a 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Vincent Jackson. Denver would take the lead in the second quarter with a 34-yard field goal from kicker Matt Prater and Royal returning a punt 71 yards for a touchdown. Afterwards, San Diego closed out the half with a Kaeding 44-yard field goal and running back Darren Sproles' 77-yard punt return for a touchdown.

In the third quarter, the Chargers would add onto their lead with Kaeding nailing a 50-yard field goal. However, the Broncos would take the lead with quarterback Kyle Orton's 19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tony Scheffler. In the fourth quarter, Denver would increase their lead with Prater's 29-yard field goal and Orton finding wide receiver Brandon Stokley on a 5-yard touchdown pass. San Diego tried to rally, but the Broncos' defense stood strong and held for the win.

With the loss, the Chargers fell to 2–3. This is also their third straight season where the team has started 2–3 after five games.

Week 7: at Kansas City Chiefs

Week 7: San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Chargers	14	6	7	10	37
Chiefs	0	0	7	0	7

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

• Date: October 25
• Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
• Game weather: 58 °F (14 °C) (Overcast)
• Game attendance: 69,337
• Referee: Pete Morelli
• TV announcers (CBS): Dick Enberg & Dan Fouts
• Box score

Game information

First quarter SDG – Malcom Floyd 3-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 7:32. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 5:00. SDG – Vincent Jackson 10-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 1:23. Chargers 14–0. Drive: 8 plays, 41 yards, 3:32. Second quarter SDG – Nate Kaeding 20-yard field goal, 9:49. Chargers 17–0. Drive: 10 plays, 82 yards, 5:27. SDG – Nate Kaeding 39-yard field goal, 0:01. Chargers 20–0. Drive: 7 plays, 45 yards, 1:06. Third quarter KAN – Dwayne Bowe 7-yard pass from Matt Cassel (Ryan Succop kick), 9:48. Chargers 20–7. Drive: 10 plays, 65 yards, 5:12. SDG – Darren Sproles 58-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 5:45. Chargers 27–7. Drive: 3 plays, 64 yards, 1:26. Fourth quarter SDG – Nate Kaeding 19-yard field goal, 11:37. Chargers 30–7. Drive: 6 plays, 17 yards, 2:36. SDG – Jacob Hester blocked punt recovery in end zone (Nate Kaeding kick), 9:13. Chargers 37–7. Top passers SDG – Philip Rivers – 18/30, 268 yards, 3 TD KAN – Matt Cassel – 10/25, 97 yards, TD, 3 INT Top rushers SDG – LaDainian Tomlinson – 23 rushes, 71 yards KAN – Larry Johnson – 16 rushes, 49 yards Top receivers SDG – Vincent Jackson – 5 receptions, 142 yards, TD KAN – Bobby Wade – 4 receptions, 66 yards

Hoping to rebound from their home loss to the Broncos, the Chargers flew to Arrowhead Stadium, donned their throwbacks, and played a Week 7 AFL Legacy game with the Kansas City Chiefs. In the first quarter, San Diego struck first with quarterback Philip Rivers competing a 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Malcom Floyd and a 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Vincent Jackson. The Chargers would continue their dominance in the second quarter as kicker Nate Kaeding nailed a 20-yard and a 39-yard field goal.

The Chiefs would get on the board in the third quarter with quarterback Matt Cassel completing a 7-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, yet San Diego came right back with Rivers hooking up with running back Darren Sproles on a 58-yard touchdown pass. Afterwards, the Chargers would wrap up the game in the fourth quarter with Kaeding booting a 19-yard field goal and fullback Jacob Hester recovering a blocked punt in the end zone for a touchdown.

With the win, San Diego improved to 3–3.

Week 8: vs. Oakland Raiders

Week 8: Oakland Raiders at San Diego Chargers

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Raiders	0	10	3	3	16
Chargers	7	14	0	3	24

at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California

• Date: November 1
• Game time: 1:05 p.m. PST
• Game weather: 78 °F (26 °C) (Sunny)
• Game attendance: 67,016
• Referee: Terry McAulay
• TV announcers (CBS): Dick Enberg & Dan Fouts
• Box score

Game information

First quarter SDG – LaDainian Tomlinson 6-yard run (Nate Kaeding kick), 11:13. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 2 plays, 59 yards, 0:55. Second quarter OAK – Justin Fargas 3-yard run (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 13:40. Tied 7–7. Drive: 7 plays, 27 yards, 3:35. SDG – Vincent Jackson 8-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 6:09. Chargers 14–7. Drive: 12 plays, 78 yards, 7:31. SDG – LaDainian Tomlinson 10-yard run (Nate Kaeding kick), 0:54. Chargers 21–7. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:34. OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 48-yard field goal, 0:11. Chargers 21–10. Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 0:43. Third quarter OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 41-yard field goal, 9:09. Chargers 21–13. Drive: 8 plays, 29 yards, 4:24. Fourth quarter OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 28-yard field goal, 12:39. Chargers 21–16. Drive: 11 plays, 43 yards, 6:25. SDG – Nate Kaeding 28-yard field goal, 4:43. Chargers 24–16. Drive: 15 plays, 83 yards, 7:56. Top passers OAK – JaMarcus Russell – 14/22, 109 yards, INT SDG – Philip Rivers – 16/25, 249 yards, TD, INT Top rushers OAK – Justin Fargas – 18 rushes, 59 yards, TD SDG – LaDainian Tomlinson – 18 rushes, 56 yards, 2 TD Top receivers OAK – Zach Miller – 5 receptions, 52 yards SDG – Vincent Jackson – 8 receptions, 103 yards, TD

Coming off their road win over the Chiefs, the Chargers went home, donned their alternate uniforms, and played a Week 8 divisional rematch with the Oakland Raiders. In the first quarter, San Diego struck first as running back LaDainian Tomlinson got a 6-yard touchdown run. The Raiders would answer in the second quarter with a 3-yard touchdown run by running back Justin Fargas, yet the Chargers stormed on as quarterback Philip Rivers hooked up wide receiver Vincent Jackson on an 8-yard touchdown pass, followed by Tomlinson getting a 10-yard touchdown run. Oakland would close out the half with a 48-yard field goal by kicker Sebastian Janikowski.

In the second half, the Raiders would slowly try to rally as Janikowski nailed a 41-yard field goal in the third quarter and a 41-yard field goal in the fourth. Afterwards, San Diego pulled away as kicker Nate Kaeding booted a 28-yard field goal.

With their 13th-straight win over Oakland, the Chargers improved to 4–3.

Week 9: at New York Giants

Week 9: San Diego Chargers at New York Giants

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Chargers	0	7	7	7	21
Giants	0	7	0	13	20

at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

• Date: November 8
• Game time: 4:15 p.m. EST
• Game weather: 71 °F (22 °C) (Sunny)
• Game attendance: 78,774
• Referee: Walt Anderson
• TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz & Phil Simms
• Box score

Game information

First quarter No scoring plays. Second quarter SDG – Vincent Jackson 10-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 14:55. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 45 yards, 3:04. NYG – Steve Smith 6-yard pass from Eli Manning (Lawrence Tynes kick), 4:20. Tied 7–7. Drive: 16 plays, 76 yards, 10:35. Third quarter SDG – Kris Wilson 2-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 3:51. Chargers 14–7. Drive: 6 plays, 51 yards, 3:03. Fourth quarter NYG – Lawrence Tynes 38-yard field goal, 14:09. Chargers 14–10. Drive: 10 plays, 60 yards, 4:42. NYG – Kevin Boss 8-yard pass from Eli Manning (Lawrence Tynes kick), 8:58. Giants 17–14. Drive: 6 plays, 39 yards, 3:25. NYG – Lawrence Tynes 22-yard field goal, 2:07. Giants 20–14. Drive: 4 plays, 0 yards, 1:07. SDG – Vincent Jackson 18-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 0:21. Chargers 21–20. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 1:46. Top passers SDG – Philip Rivers – 24/36, 209 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT NYG – Eli Manning – 25/33, 215 yards, 2 TD Top rushers SDG – LaDainian Tomlinson – 12 rushes, 22 yards NYG – Brandon Jacobs – 11 rushes, 67 yards Top receivers SDG – Antonio Gates – 5 receptions, 67 yards NYG – Steve Smith – 8 receptions, 57 yards, TD

Coming off their divisional home win over the Raiders, the Chargers flew to Giants Stadium for a Week 9 interconference duel with the New York Giants in the much-hyped first-ever meeting between quarterbacks Philip Rivers & Eli Manning (Drew Brees started for the Chargers when the teams met in 2005).

After a scoreless first quarter, San Diego would deliver the opening strike of the second quarter as Rivers completed a 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Vincent Jackson. The Giants would answer with Manning completing a 6-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Steve Smith. In the third quarter, the Chargers regained the lead as Rivers found tight end Kris Wilson on a 1-yard touchdown pass. New York would take the lead in the fourth quarter as kicker Lawrence Tynes nailed a 38-yard field goal, Manning hooked up with tight end Kevin Boss on an 8-yard touchdown pass, and Tynes booted a 22-yard field goal. San Diego came right back as Rivers threw the game-winning 18-yard touchdown pass to Jackson.

With the win, the Chargers improved to 5–3 and kept their winning streak going by 3 games.

Week 10: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Week 10: Philadelphia Eagles at San Diego Chargers

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Eagles	0	6	3	14	23
Chargers	7	7	14	3	31

at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California

• Date: November 15
• Game time: 1:15 p.m. PST
• Game weather: 71 °F (22 °C) (Sunny)
• Game attendance: 68,879
• Referee: Jerome Boger
• TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick & Charissa Thompson
• Box score

Game information

First quarter SDG – Mike Tolbert 20-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 7:52. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 40 yards, 2:09. Second quarter SDG – LaDainian Tomlinson 3-yard run (Nate Kaeding kick), 11:01. Chargers 14–0. Drive: 10 plays, 82 yards, 5:44. PHI – David Akers 18-yard field goal, 6:38. Chargers 14–3. Drive: 9 plays, 77 yards, 4:23. PHI – David Akers 25-yard field goal, 0:08. Chargers 14–6. Drive: 14 plays, 87 yards, 4:16. Third quarter SDG – LaDainian Tomlinson 20-yard run (Nate Kaeding kick), 8:01. Chargers 21–6. Drive: 5 plays, 76 yards, 2:23. PHI – David Akers 25-yard field goal, 5:51. Chargers 21–9. Drive: 6 plays, 77 yards, 2:10. SDG – Legedu Naanee 20-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 1:13. Chargers 28–9. Drive: 8 plays, 59 yards, 4:38. Fourth quarter PHI – Jeremy Maclin 5-yard pass from Donovan McNabb (David Akers kick), 14:12. Chargers 28–16. Drive: 9 plays, 54 yards, 2:01. PHI – Brent Celek 6-yard pass from Donovan McNabb (David Akers kick), 7:12. Chargers 28–23. Drive: 12 plays, 77 yards, 5:07. SDG – Nate Kaeding 29-yard field goal, 0:30. Chargers 31–23. Drive: 12 plays, 66 yards, 6:42. Top passers PHI – Donovan McNabb – 35/55, 450 yards, 2 TD, INT SDG – Philip Rivers – 20/25, 231 yards, 2 TD Top rushers PHI – Brian Westbrook – 6 rushes, 28 yards SDG – LaDainian Tomlinson – 24 rushes, 96 yards, 2 TD Top receivers PHI – Jason Avant – 8 receptions, 156 yards SDG – Antonio Gates – 7 receptions, 78 yards

Coming off their road win against the Giants, the Chargers went home for an interconference Duel with the Philadelphia Eagles. In the first quarter, the Chargers took the early lead as quarterback Philip Rivers got a 20-yard touchdown pass to fullback Mike Tolbert. In the second quarter, San Diego increased their lead as running back LaDainian Tomlinson got a 3-yard touchdown run. The Eagles would close out the half as David Akers kicked an 18-yard field goal and a 25-yard field goal.

In the third quarter, San Diego increased their lead as Tomlinson made a 20-yard touchdown run. Philadelphia tried to come back as Akers nailed another 25-yard field goal, but the Chargers increased their lead even further as Rivers hooked up with wide receiver Legedu Naanee on a 20-yard touchdown pass. For the fourth quarter, the Eagles tried to close the margin as quarterback Donovan McNabb passed to wide receiver Jeremy Maclin on a 5-yard touchdown pass, followed by a 6-yard touchdown pass to tight end Brent Celek, yet the Chargers hung on for the victory when kicker Nate Kaeding got a 29-yard field goal.

With the win, the Chargers improved to 6–3 and their winning streak to 4 games.

LaDainian Tomlinson (24 carries, 96 yards, 2 TDs) would surpass Marcus Allen for third place in the NFL's All-Time career touchdown leaders with 146.

Week 11: at Denver Broncos

Week 11: San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Chargers	7	6	7	12	32
Broncos	0	0	3	0	3

at Invesco Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado

• Date: November 22
• Game time: 2:15 p.m. MST
• Game weather: 51 °F (11 °C) (Sunny)
• Game attendance: 74,707
• Referee: Ron Winter
• TV announcers (CBS): Dick Enberg & Dan Fouts
• Box score

Game information

First quarter SDG – Legedu Naanee 2-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 5:58. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 69 yards, 4:37. Second quarter SDG – Nate Kaeding 28-yard field goal, 10:54. Chargers 10–0. Drive: 11 plays, 46 yards, 7:14. SDG – Nate Kaeding 47-yard field goal, 4:19. Chargers 13–0. Drive: 9 plays, 44 yards, 5:33. Third quarter DEN – Matt Prater 23-yard field goal, 9:56. Chargers 13–3. Drive: 9 plays, 59 yards, 3:58. SDG – LaDainian Tomlinson 1-yard run (Nate Kaeding kick), 6:47. Chargers 20–3. Drive: 6 plays, 41 yards, 3:09. Fourth quarter SDG – Nate Kaeding 28-yard field goal, 14:06. Chargers 23–3. Drive: 9 plays, 50 yards, 4:45. SDG – Nate Kaeding 19-yard field goal, 10:28. Chargers 26–3. Drive: 6 plays, 51 yards, 2:54. SDG – Mike Tolbert 8-yard run (kick failed), 0:34. Chargers 32–3. Drive: 6 plays, 28 yards, 2:55. Top passers SDG – Philip Rivers – 17/22, 145 yards, TD DEN – Kyle Orton – 15/29, 171 yards, INT Top rushers SDG – LaDainian Tomlinson – 20 rushes, 73 yards, TD DEN – Knowshon Moreno – 10 rushes, 80 yards Top receivers SDG – Vincent Jackson – 4 receptions, 56 yards DEN – Jabar Gaffney – 3 receptions, 55 yards

Coming off their win against the Eagles, the Chargers flew to Invesco Field at Mile High for an AFC West rivalry rematch against the Denver Broncos.

In the first half, the Chargers got off to a great start when QB Philip Rivers got a 2-yard touchdown pass to WR Legedu Naanee. Then kicker Nate Kaeding hit a 28 and a 47-yard field goal. In the third quarter the Broncos scored their only points of the game when kicker Matt Prater got a 23-yard field goal, yet the Chargers replied and started to rally with RB LaDainian Tomlinson getting a 1-yard touchdown run, and in the fourth quarter Kaeding making a 28 then a 19-yard field goal, and finally FB Mike Tolbert ran 8 yards to the end zone for a touchdown (With PAT kick blocked).

With the impressive win, the Chargers improve to 7–3

Week 12: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Week 12: Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Chiefs	0	7	7	0	14
Chargers	7	21	10	5	43

at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California

• Date: November 22
• Game time: 1:05 p.m. PST
• Game weather: 63 °F (17 °C) (Sunny)
• Game attendance: 65,280
• Referee: Don Carey
• TV announcers (CBS): Dick Enberg & Dan Fouts
• Box score

Game information

First quarter SDG – Antonio Gates 19-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 4:13. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 61 yards, 3:35. Second quarter KAN – Chris Chambers 7-yard pass from Matt Cassel (Ryan Succop kick), 10:46. Tied 7–7. Drive: 8 plays, 91 yards, 3:20. SDG – LaDainian Tomlinson 1-yard run (Nate Kaeding kick), 10:05. Chargers 14–7. Drive: 3 plays, 70 yards, 0:41. SDG – Antonio Gates 15-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 2:52. Chargers 21–7. Drive: 7 plays, 61 yards, 4:12. SDG – Paul Oliver 40-yard defensive fumble return (Nate Kaeding kick), 2:32. Chargers 28–7. Third quarter SDG – LaDainian Tomlinson 3-yard run (Nate Kaeding kick), 12:58. Chargers 35–7. Drive: 2 plays, 10 yards, 0:47. KAN – Jamaal Charles 4-yard run (Ryan Succop kick), 9:45. Chargers 35–14. Drive: 8 plays, 79 yards, 3:13. SDG – Nate Kaeding 55-yard field goal, 4:27. Chargers 38–14. Drive: 8 plays, 27 yards, 5:18. Fourth quarter SDG – Safety, Matt Cassel called for intentional grounding in end zone, 12:45. Chargers 40–14. SDG – Nate Kaeding 23-yard field goal, 5:08. Chargers 43–14. Drive: 12 plays, 60 yards, 7:37. Top passers KAN – Matt Cassel – 19/31, 178 yards, TD, INT SDG – Philip Rivers – 21/28, 317 yards, 2 TD Top rushers KAN – Jamaal Charles – 14 rushes, 93 yards, TD SDG – LaDainian Tomlinson – 13 rushes, 39 yards, 2 TD Top receivers KAN – Chris Chambers – 7 receptions, 70 yards, TD SDG – Antonio Gates – 7 receptions, 118 yards, 2 TD

Looking to increase their win streak, the Chargers went home for an AFC West rivalry rematch against the Kansas City Chiefs. In the first quarter the Chargers took control as QB Philip Rivers got a 19-yard touchdown pass to TE Antonio Gates. The Chiefs would reply to tie the game with QB Matt Cassel making a 7-yard touchdown pass to WR Chris Chambers, until San Diego rallied with RB LaDainian Tomlinson getting a 1-yard touchdown run, then Rivers hooking up with Gates again on a 15-yard touchdown pass, then DB Paul Oliver returned a fumble 40 yards for a touchdown.

In the third quarter the Chargers dominance continued as RB LaDainian Tomlinson got a 3-yard touchdown run. The Chiefs tried to come back with RB Jamaal Charles getting a 2-yard touchdown run, but the Chargers would pull away with kicker Nate Kaeding making a 55-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter a penalty on Matt Cassel was enforced in the end zone for a safety, giving the Chargers 2 points. The final score was made when Kaeding booted a 23-yard field goal.

With the win, the Chargers improve to 8–3.

Week 13: at Cleveland Browns

Week 13: San Diego Chargers at Cleveland Browns

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Chargers	10	3	14	3	30
Browns	7	0	0	16	23

at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

• Date: December 6
• Game time: 4:05 p.m. EST
• Game weather: 34 °F (1 °C) (Sunny)
• Game attendance: 67,978
• Referee: Walt Coleman
• TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan & Solomon Wilcots
• Box score

Game information

First quarter CLE – Mohamed Massaquoi 11-yard pass from Brady Quinn (Phil Dawson kick), 8:37. Browns 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 72 yards, 6:23. SDG – Nate Kaeding 32-yard field goal, 2:59. Browns 7–3. Drive: 12 plays, 55 yards, 5:38. SDG – Mike Tolbert 66-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 0:45. Chargers 10–7. Drive: 1 play, 66 yards, 0:13. Second quarter SDG – Nate Kaeding 42-yard field goal, 0:00. Chargers 13–7. Drive: 6 plays, 46 yards, 0:34. Third quarter SDG – Darren Sproles 31-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 10:30. Chargers 20–7. Drive: 8 plays, 85 yards, 4:30. SDG – LaDainian Tomlinson 4-yard run (Nate Kaeding kick), 5:58. Chargers 27–7. Drive: 6 plays, 83 yards, 3:22. Fourth quarter CLE – Jerome Harrison 8-yard pass from Brady Quinn (Phil Dawson kick), 9:15. Chargers 27–14. Drive: 9 plays, 68 yards, 4:30. SDG – Nate Kaeding 22-yard field goal, 4:12. Chargers 30–14. Drive: 10 plays, 77 yards, 5:03. CLE – Jerome Harrison 8-yard pass from Brady Quinn (run failed), 1:55. Chargers 30–20. Drive: 7 plays, 58 yards, 2:17. CLE – Phil Dawson 49-yard field goal, 0:39. Chargers 30–23. Drive: 11 plays, 28 yards, 1:16. Top passers SDG – Philip Rivers – 18/25, 373 yards, 2 TD CLE – Brady Quinn – 25/45, 271 yards, 3 TD Top rushers SDG – LaDainian Tomlinson – 20 rushes, 64 yards, TD CLE – Josh Cribbs – 4 rushes, 38 yards Top receivers SDG – Antonio Gates – 8 receptions, 167 yards CLE – Evan Moore – 6 receptions, 80 yards

LaDainian Tomlinson had a game he would not soon forget. He passed Jim Brown, who happened to be sitting up in a suite. When Tomlinson passed him in the all-time rushing list, which made him number eight of all time rushers, he saluted the retired running back.

With the win, the Chargers improved to 9–3, and expanded their winning streak to seven games.

Week 14: at Dallas Cowboys

Week 14: San Diego Chargers at Dallas Cowboys

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Chargers	7	3	0	10	20
Cowboys	3	0	7	7	17

at Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas

• Date: December 13
• Game time: 3:15 p.m. CST
• Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
• Game attendance: 90,552
• Referee: Gene Steratore
• TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
• Box score

Game information

First quarter DAL – Nick Folk 31-yard field goal, 8:36. Cowboys 3–0. Drive: 10 plays, 41 yards, 6:24. SDG – LaDainian Tomlinson 1-yard run (Nate Kaeding kick), 4:30. Chargers 7–3. Drive: 7 plays, 84 yards, 4:06. Second quarter SDG – Nate Kaeding 29-yard field goal, 10:18. Chargers 10–3. Drive: 14 plays, 64 yards, 6:58. Third quarter DAL – Miles Austin 6-yard pass from Tony Romo (Nick Folk kick), 0:00. Tied 10–10. Drive: 11 plays, 99 yards, 7:19. Fourth quarter SDG – Antonio Gates 14-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 10:56. Chargers 17–10. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:04. SDG – Nate Kaeding 34-yard field goal, 1:56. Chargers 20–10. Drive: 15 plays, 73 yards, 7:17. DAL – Patrick Crayton 9-yard pass from Tony Romo (Nick Folk kick), 0:02. Chargers 20–17. Drive: 9 plays, 86 yards, 1:54. Top passers SDG – Philip Rivers – 21/32, 272 yards, TD, INT DAL – Tony Romo – 19/30, 249 yards, 2 TD Top rushers SDG – LaDainian Tomlinson – 21 rushes, 50 yards, TD DAL – Felix Jones – 10 rushes, 51 yards Top receivers SDG – Vincent Jackson – 7 receptions, 120 yards DAL – Roy Williams – 4 receptions, 74 yards

San Diego came in with a 15–0 December record dated to 2005. San Diego gave up a field goal, then went on a 10-point streak. At the end of the third quarter, Dallas tied the game 10–10. Then the chargers piled up 10 more points, eating up the clock. By the time Dallas struck back, it was too late.

With the win, the Chargers increased their win streak to 8, and had a 10–3 record.

Week 15: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Week 15: Cincinnati Bengals at San Diego Chargers

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Bengals	3	10	0	11	24
Chargers	7	7	10	3	27

at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California

• Date: December 20
• Game time: 1:05 p.m. PST
• Game weather: 72 °F (22 °C) (Cloudy)
• Game attendance: 68,889
• Referee: Carl Cheffers
• TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
• Box score

Game information

First quarter SDG – Antonio Gates 3-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 10:06. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 55 yards, 4:54. CIN – Shayne Graham 26-yard field goal, 4:11. Chargers 7–3. Drive: 12 plays, 53 yards, 5:55. Second quarter CIN – Chad Johnson 49-yard pass from Carson Palmer (Shayne Graham kick), 13:00. Bengals 10–7. Drive: 8 plays, 77 yards, 4:06. SDG – Vincent Jackson 21-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 3:12. Chargers 14–10. Drive: 9 plays, 72 yards, 5:09. CIN – Shayne Graham 25-yard field goal, 0:07. Chargers 14–13. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 3:05. Third quarter SDG – Vincent Jackson 34-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 6:26. Chargers 21–13. Drive: 2 plays, 40 yards, 0:41. SDG – Nate Kaeding 33-yard field goal, 1:02. Chargers 24–13. Drive: 7 plays, 58 yards, 3:25. Fourth quarter CIN – Laveranues Coles 2-yard pass from Carson Palmer (Carson Palmer run), 12:37. Chargers 24–21. Drive: 3 plays, 33 yards, 1:25. CIN – Shayne Graham 34-yard field goal, 0:54. Tied 24–24. Drive: 12 plays, 79 yards, 6:26. SDG – Nate Kaeding 52-yard field goal, 0:03. Chargers 27–24. Drive: 6 plays, 46 yards, 0:51. Top passers CIN – Carson Palmer – 27/40, 314 yards, 2 TD, INT SDG – Philip Rivers – 24/38, 308 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT Top rushers CIN – Cedric Benson – 15 rushes, 53 yards SDG – LaDainian Tomlinson – 16 rushes, 59 yards Top receivers CIN – J. P. Foschi – 7 receptions, 82 yards SDG – Vincent Jackson – 5 receptions, 108 yards, 2 TD

The Chargers took a 14–13 lead in the first half. During halftime, a piece was shown about the life of the Bengals' wide receiver Chris Henry. The Chargers were up in the fourth quarter 24–13 before the Bengals scored a TD with a 2-point conversion and a field goal tying the game. The Chargers won in the end with a 52-yard field goal by Nate Kaeding.

The close win put the Chargers at 11–3. It marked their 9th straight win and 17th straight win in December. With this win and a 20–19 loss by Denver to Oakland, the Chargers clinched the AFC West.

Week 16: at Tennessee Titans

Week 16: San Diego Chargers at Tennessee Titans

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Chargers	7	14	14	7	42
Titans	3	7	0	7	17

at LP Field, Nashville, Tennessee

• Date: December 25
• Game time: 6:30 p.m. CST
• Game weather: 32 °F (0 °C) (Clear)
• Game attendance: 69,143
• Referee: Tony Corrente
• TV announcers (NFLN): Bob Papa & Matt Millen
• Box score

Game information

First quarter TEN – Rob Bironas 46-yard field goal, 8:12. Titans 3–0. Drive: 8 plays, 52 yards, 3:29. SDG – LaDainian Tomlinson 1-yard run (Nate Kaeding kick), 1:16. Chargers 7–3. Drive: 13 plays, 76 yards, 6:56. Second quarter SDG – Antonio Gates 36-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 8:46. Chargers 14–3. Drive: 8 plays, 76 yards, 4:03. SDG – Darren Sproles 3-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 3:13. Chargers 21–3. Drive: 7 plays, 52 yards, 3:20. TEN – Vince Young 3-yard run (Rob Bironas kick), 0:17. Chargers 21–10. Drive: 11 plays, 77 yards, 2:56. Third quarter SDG – LaDainian Tomlinson 1-yard run (Nate Kaeding kick), 9:49. Chargers 28–10. Drive: 7 plays, 85 yards, 3:42. SDG – Darren Sproles 9-yard run (Nate Kaeding kick), 4:52. Chargers 35–10. Drive: 7 plays, 65 yards, 3:30. Fourth quarter SDG – Darren Sproles 1-yard run (Nate Kaeding kick), 14:56. Chargers 42–10. Drive: 5 plays, 27 yards, 3:00. TEN – Chris Johnson 30-yard run (Rob Bironas kick), 8:02. Chargers 42–17. Drive: 2 plays, 33 yards, 0:46. Top passers SDG – Philip Rivers – 21/27, 264 yards, 2 TD TEN – Vince Young – 8/21, 89 yards, 2 INT Top rushers SDG – Mike Tolbert – 11 rushes, 60 yards TEN – Chris Johnson – 21 rushes, 142 yards, TD Top receivers SDG – Antonio Gates – 3 receptions, 74 yards, TD TEN – Nate Washington – 4 receptions, 39 yards

The Chargers came into the game looking to clinch the AFC's No. 2 seed and a first round bye on Christmas Day in Tennessee.

The Titans struck first with a Rob Bironas 46-yard field goal. Then 2 touchdown passes and a LT TD run put them up 21–10 at halftime. After the break the Chargers continued their demolition of the Titans with three straight TD runs. The game's final score was 42–17.

With the win, the Chargers improved to 12–3, clinching a first round bye and the No. 2 seed along with their 10th straight win.

Week 17: vs. Washington Redskins

Week 17: Washington Redskins at San Diego Chargers

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Redskins	0	14	3	3	20
Chargers	10	3	0	10	23

at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California

• Date: January 3
• Game time: 1:15 p.m. PST
• Game weather: 74 °F (23 °C) (Sunny)
• Game attendance: 67,554
• Referee: Jeff Triplette
• TV announcers (Fox): Ron Pitts, John Lynch, & Nischelle Turner
• Box score

Game information

First quarter SDG – Nate Kaeding 47-yard field goal, 11:22. Chargers 3–0. Drive: 8 plays, 46 yards, 3:38. SDG – Antonio Gates 12-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 6:36. Chargers 10–0. Drive: 11 plays, 61 yards, 3:43. Second quarter SDG – Nate Kaeding 24-yard field goal, 11:34. Chargers 13–0. Drive: 11 plays, 74 yards, 5:06. WAS – Todd Yoder 2-yard pass from Jason Campbell (Graham Gano kick), 5:16. Chargers 13–7. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 6:18. WAS – Mike Sellers 3-yard pass from Jason Campbell (Graham Gano kick), 0:39. Redskins 14–13. Drive: 4 plays, 88 yards, 2:12. Third quarter WAS – Graham Gano 22-yard field goal, 9:06. Redskins 17–13. Drive: 9 plays, 47 yards, 3:50. Fourth quarter SDG – Nate Kaeding 45-yard field goal, 12:06. Redskins 17–16. Drive: 8 plays, 59 yards, 3:01. WAS – Graham Gano 25-yard field goal, 4:33. Redskins 20–16. Drive: 14 plays, 69 yards, 7:33. SDG – Mike Tolbert 2-yard pass from Billy Volek (Nate Kaeding kick), 0:35. Chargers 23–20. Drive: 12 plays, 58 yards, 3:58. Top passers WAS – Jason Campbell – 28/42, 281 yards, 2 TD SDG – Billy Volek – 19/30, 216 yards, TD, INT Top rushers WAS – Quinton Ganther – 12 rushes, 29 yards SDG – Michael Bennett – 11 rushes, 28 yards Top receivers WAS – Malcolm Kelly – 5 receptions, 109 yards SDG – Malcom Floyd – 9 receptions, 140 yards

With the win, the Chargers finished the season with an 11-game winning streak and with a record of 13–3 and also were the only team in the AFC West to sweep the whole NFC East.

Standings

AFC West
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
(2) San Diego Chargers	13	3	0	.813	5–1	9–3	454	320	W11
Denver Broncos	8	8	0	.500	3–3	6–6	326	324	L4
Oakland Raiders	5	11	0	.313	2–4	4–8	197	379	L2
Kansas City Chiefs	4	12	0	.250	2–4	3–9	294	424	W1

Postseason

Main article: 2009–10 NFL playoffs

Round	Date	Opponent (seed)	Result	Record	Venue	Recap
Divisional	January 17, 2010	New York Jets (5)	L 14–17	0–1	Qualcomm Stadium	Recap

Game summaries

AFC divisional playoffs: vs. New York Jets

AFC divisional playoffs: (#5) New York Jets at (#2) San Diego Chargers – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Jets	0	0	3	14	17
Chargers	0	7	0	7	14

at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California

• Date: January 17
• Game time: 1:40 p.m. PST
• Game weather: 63 °F (17 °C), relative humidity 42%, wind 8 mph
• Game attendance: 69,498
• Referee: Jerome Boger
• TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz & Phil Simms
• Box score

Game information

First quarter No scoring plays. Second quarter SDG – Kris Wilson 13-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 12:17. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 4 plays, 69 yards, 1:56. Third quarter NYJ – Jay Feely 46-yard field goal, 10:45. Chargers 7–3. Drive: 8 plays, 32 yards, 4:15. Fourth quarter NYJ – Dustin Keller 2-yard pass from Mark Sanchez (Jay Feely kick), 13:35. Jets 10–7. Drive: 4 plays, 16 yards, 1:27. NYJ – Shonn Greene 53-yard run (Jay Feely kick), 7:17. Jets 17–7. Drive: 4 plays, 66 yards, 2:10. SDG – Philip Rivers 1-yard run (Nate Kaeding kick), 2:14. Jets 17–14. Drive: 7 plays, 63 yards, 1:22. Top passers NYJ – Mark Sanchez – 12/23, 100 yards, TD, INT SDG – Philip Rivers – 27/40, 298 yards, TD, 2 INT Top rushers NYJ – Shonn Greene – 23 rushes, 128 yards, TD SDG – Darren Sproles – 3 rushes, 33 yards Top receivers NYJ – Braylon Edwards – 2 receptions, 41 yards SDG – Vincent Jackson – 7 receptions, 111 yards

Entering the playoffs as the AFC's No. 2 seed, the Chargers began their playoff run at home in the AFC Divisional Round against the No. 5 New York Jets. After a scoreless first quarter, San Diego delivered the game's first strike in the second quarter as quarterback Philip Rivers found tight end Kris Wilson on a 13-yard touchdown pass. The Jets would respond in the third quarter with a 46-yard field goal from kicker Jay Feely. Philip Rivers threw two interceptions and the San Diego Chargers offense failed to get one first down as the Jets defense controlled the third quarter. Then, New York would take the lead in the fourth quarter as quarterback Mark Sanchez completed a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dustin Keller, followed by a 53-yard touchdown run from running back Shonn Greene. The Chargers unsuccessfully tried to rally as struggling quarterback Philip Rivers got a 1-yard touchdown run. However, the Chargers failed to recover the onside kick giving the Jets the ball at the Chargers 28-yard line. The Chargers held the Jets to a 4th and 1 yard to go situation, but the Jets ran the ball converting the first down and kneeled the ball to end the game, finishing the Chargers' season. During the game, Chargers All Pro kicker Nate Kaeding missed field goals from 36, 57 and 40 yards.

External links

• Team schedule on NFL.com
• 2009 San Diego Chargers season at Pro Football Reference
• 2009 San Diego Chargers season at ESPN