1972_San_Diego_Chargers_season
1972 San Diego Chargers season
1972 NFL team season
The 1972 San Diego Chargers season was the franchise's third season in the National Football League (NFL), and its 13th overall. The team failed to improve on their 6–8 record in 1971. The Chargers would get off to a poor 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. This squad featured several players like Duane Thomas, Tim Rossovich, Dave Costa and John Mackey who were unwanted by most of the other NFL teams.[3]
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (May 2023) |
1972 San Diego Chargers season | |
---|---|
Owner | Eugene V. Klein |
General manager | Harland Svare |
Head coach | Harland Svare |
Home field | San Diego Stadium |
Results | |
Record | 4–9–1 |
Division place | 4th AFC West |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Pro Bowlers | 4[1] |
AP All-Pros | None[2] |
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NFL draft
1972 San Diego Chargers draft | |||||
Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 | 36 | Pete Lazetich | Defensive end | Stanford | |
3 | 61 | Bill McClard | Kicker | Arkansas | |
5 | 116 | Jim Bishop | Tight end | Tennessee Tech | |
5 | 130 | Harry Gooden | Defensive end | Alcorn State | |
6 | 141 | Bruce Ward | Guard | San Diego State | |
9 | 221 | Fran Schmitz | Defensive tackle | St. Norbert | |
10 | 246 | Lon Kolstad | Linebacker | Wisconsin–Whitewater | |
11 | 270 | John Turner | Tight end | Long Beach State | |
12 | 295 | Sam Key | Linebacker | Elon | |
13 | 321 | Andy Selfridge | Linebacker | Virginia | |
14 | 351 | John Van Reenen | Defensive end | Washington State | |
15 | 376 | Charles Neugent | Defensive back | Tuskegee | |
16 | 401 | James Shaw | Defensive back | Tulsa | |
17 | 423 | Oscar Dragon | Running back | Arizona State University | |
17 | 426 | Bob Tackett | Tackle | Texas at El Paso | |
Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career |
Schedule
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 17 | at San Francisco 49ers | L 3–34 | 0–1 | Candlestick Park | 59,438 | Recap |
2 | September 24 | Denver Broncos | W 37–14 | 1–1 | San Diego Stadium | 49,048 | Recap |
3 | October 1 | at Oakland Raiders | T 17–17 | 1–1–1 | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum | 53,455 | Recap |
4 | October 8 | at Baltimore Colts | W 23–20 | 2–1–1 | Memorial Stadium | 55,459 | Recap |
5 | October 15 | at Miami Dolphins | L 10–24 | 2–2–1 | Miami Orange Bowl | 80,010 | Recap |
6 | October 22 | at Detroit Lions | L 20–34 | 2–3–1 | Tiger Stadium | 54,371 | Recap |
7 | October 29 | Kansas City Chiefs | L 14–26 | 2–4–1 | San Diego Stadium | 54,533 | Recap |
8 | November 5 | Dallas Cowboys | L 28–34 | 2–5–1 | San Diego Stadium | 54,476 | Recap |
9 | November 13 | Cleveland Browns | L 17–21 | 2–6–1 | San Diego Stadium | 54,205 | Recap |
10 | November 19 | at Kansas City Chiefs | W 27–17 | 3–6–1 | Arrowhead Stadium | 79,011 | Recap |
11 | November 26 | Houston Oilers | W 34–20 | 4–6–1 | San Diego Stadium | 46,289 | Recap |
12 | December 3 | Oakland Raiders | L 19–21 | 4–7–1 | San Diego Stadium | 54,611 | Recap |
13 | December 10 | at Denver Broncos | L 13–38 | 4–8–1 | Mile High Stadium | 51,478 | Recap |
14 | December 17 | Pittsburgh Steelers | L 2–24 | 4–9–1 | San Diego Stadium | 52,873 | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. |
Game summaries
Week 1: at San Francisco 49ers
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
49ers | 7 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 34 |
Game information | ||
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at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California
- Date: September 17
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 59 °F (15.0 °C), relative humidity 74%, wind 10 mph
- Game attendance: 59,438
- Referee: Bernie Ulman
- Box score
Week 2: vs. Denver Broncos
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Broncos | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
Chargers | 13 | 21 | 0 | 3 | 37 |
Game information | ||
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at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: September 24
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 68 °F (20.0 °C), relative humidity 74%, wind 13 mph
- Game attendance: 49,048
- Referee: Jim Tunney
- Box score
Week 3: at Oakland Raiders
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 17 |
Raiders | 14 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 17 |
Game information | ||
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at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California
- Date: October 1
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 61 °F (16.1 °C), relative humidity 83%, wind 10 mph
- Game attendance: 53,455
- Referee: Dick Jorgensen
- Box score
Week 4: at Baltimore Colts
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 17 |
Colts | 14 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 17 |
Game information | ||
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at Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
- Date: October 8
- Game time: 2:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 60 °F (15.6 °C), relative humidity 52%, wind 15 mph
- Game attendance: 55,459
- Referee: Fred Wyant
- Box score
Week 5: at Miami Dolphins
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
Dolphins | 3 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
Game information | ||
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at Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida
- Date: October 15
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: 78 °F (25.6 °C), relative humidity 72%, wind 10 mph
- Game attendance: 80,010
- Referee: Chuck Heberling
- Box score
Week 6: at Detroit Lions
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 6 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 20 |
Lions | 6 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 34 |
Game information | ||
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Week 7: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 0 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 26 |
Chargers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
Game information | ||
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at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: October 29
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 62 °F (16.7 °C), relative humidity 75%, wind 8 mph
- Game attendance: 54,533
- Referee: Norm Schachter
- Box score
Week 8: vs. Dallas Cowboys
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cowboys | 10 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 34 |
Chargers | 0 | 0 | 7 | 21 | 28 |
Game information | ||
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Week 9: vs. Cleveland Browns
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Browns | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
Chargers | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
Game information | ||
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Week 10: at Kansas City Chiefs
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 7 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 27 |
Chiefs | 7 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 17 |
Game information | ||
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at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: November 19
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 32 °F (0.0 °C), relative humidity 81%, wind 11 mph, wind chill 23
- Game attendance: 79,011
- Referee: Jack Reader
- Box score
Week 11: vs. Houston Oilers
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Oilers | 0 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 20 |
Chargers | 10 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 34 |
Game information | ||
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Week 12: vs. Oakland Raiders
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Raiders | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
Chargers | 0 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 19 |
Game information | ||
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Week 13: at Denver Broncos
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 13 |
Broncos | 7 | 14 | 17 | 0 | 38 |
Game information | ||
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Week 14: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Steelers | 7 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 24 |
Chargers | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Game information | ||
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at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: December 17
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 60 °F (15.6 °C), relative humidity 37%, wind 6 mph
- Game attendance: 52,873
- Referee: Pat Haggerty
- Box score
Standings
AFC West | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
Oakland Raiders | 10 | 3 | 1 | .750 | 3–2–1 | 7–3–1 | 365 | 248 | W6 |
Kansas City Chiefs | 8 | 6 | 0 | .571 | 4–2 | 6–5 | 287 | 254 | W3 |
Denver Broncos | 5 | 9 | 0 | .357 | 2–4 | 4–6 | 325 | 350 | W2 |
San Diego Chargers | 4 | 9 | 1 | .321 | 2–3–1 | 4–6–1 | 264 | 344 | L3 |
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 (the only team to do so in a playoff game) and the 2013 Jacksonville Jaguars.
- "1972 NFL Pro Bowlers". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- "1972 NFL All-Pros". Pro-Football-Reference.com.