2010 San Diego Chargers: The Greatest Team to Miss the Playoffs
The 2010 San Diego Chargers were on an absolute tear. Despite battling early season injuries, they rallied to finish the year with the #1 ranked offense and defense in the entire NFL – a mark of their supreme talent and potential. This was a team for the ages in the making. Yet somehow, fate would not be on their side.
Their special teams floundered. A preseason decision to unexpectedly fire Special Teams Coach Steve Crosby for "breach of contract" over personnel decisions led to disastrous repercussions. Without clear leadership, the cohesion of their kicking units fell apart. Blocked punts, botched snaps, muffed returns – the errors piled up at the worst possible times. Coming up short in close, hard fought contests.
The on-field dominance of the 2010 Chargers cannot be overstated. Their yardage rankings illustrate an elite pedigree across the board:
| Statistic | Total Yards | NFL Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Total Offense | 6,329 | 1st |
| Passing Offense | 4,710 | 2nd |
| Rushing Offense | 1,619 | 15th |
| Total Defense | 4,345 | 1st |
| Passing Defense | 2,575 | 4th |
| Rushing Defense | 1,770 | 5th |
Philip Rivers spearheaded the attack with a career-best 4,710 passing yards – second in the NFL only to Tom Brady. His 66.0% completion percentage and 30 TDs against just 13 INTs also led to a 101.8 passer rating, among league leaders. In receiver Vincent Jackson and tight end Antonio Gates, he had two of the NFL‘s elite pass catchers.
Gates‘ numbers in particular cemented his status as one of the greatest ever at his position. His 79 catches for 1,157 yards and 8 TDs all represented career highs for the perennial Pro Bowler. His 17.2 yards per reception showcased a dominance downfield.
Meanwhile, the Chargers defense clamped down in dominant fashion. Their paltry yards against totals topped the league, thanks to impact players like safety Eric Weddle, linebacker Shaun Phillips and corner Quentin Jammer making plays across all levels. This was a complete team – except in one key phase.
The Achilles heel that shockingly undid this juggernaut Chargers squad was special teams play so epically poor it boggles comprehension. A preseason coaching change from the dismissed Steve Crosby to an unprepared replacement stripped them of leadership, cohesion and discipline in their kick coverage and return units. The most mundane of plays suddenly spiraled into disaster.
By the metrics, San Diego special teams performed at historically awful levels:
| Statistic | Chargers | NFL Worst |
|---|---|---|
| Kick Return Avg Allowed | 31.4 | 29.7 (Denver) |
| Punt Return Avg Allowed | 18.9 | 12.1 (Seattle) |
| Had 4 Kick Returns TD Allowed | Most in NFL |
The above table underscores how the Chargers stood out even among the NFL‘s worst special teams units. The four kickoff return TDs given up broke a league record. And when it came to punting…it was also an unmitigated mess of bad snaps, blocks, botched returns and utter breakdowns.
This consistent incompetence directly cost them 3-5 wins. And as we‘ll explore via in-depth game analysis, flipped outcomes of multiple contests that should have safely been victories.
Week 5 – Raiders 35, Chargers 27
The Chargers led comfortably 21-3 midway through the 2nd quarter and appeared en route to a routine home win over their division rivals. But special teams failures allowed the Raiders to climb back in and ultimately steal the victory:
Sequence of Events
- Chargers punter Mike Scifres has punt blocked deep in own territory with 6:02 left in 2nd quarter. Leads to Raiders TD 2 plays later.
- Following Rivers TD to Gates, Scifres has another punt blocked 3 minutes later. Sets up 30-yard Raiders TD return.
- Chargers punt one last time just before halftime instead of attempting long FG. Failure to build lead comes back to haunt them.
- Second half filled with defensive stops but unable to expand lead due to conservative offense focused on field position. Chargers special teams allows Raiders short fields while Scifres pins them deep when possible.
- The strategy finally backfires when Raiders begin OT drive near midfield, ultimately kicking winning FG.
This sequences showcases how allowing two blocked punts spotted the Raiders 14 points in quick succession – shifting momentum firmly into their favor and giving them a lifeline to steal this game away. Conservative decisions not to attempt makeable field goals also proved too reactionary against special teams issues, rather than sticking aggressiveness that brought early lead.
Week 9 – Chargers 29, Texans 23
The Chargers managed to barely hang on for an important victory, one where mediocre special teams play again nearly scuttled their chances:
Sequence of Events
- Chargers stake early 23-14 lead midway through 4th quarter after Rivers TD pass.
- Texans return ensuing kickoff 23 yards to own 38-yard line. Displaying Chargers weakness in kick coverage.
- Texans quickly drive downfield in just over 2 minutes. Score TD + 2pt conversion to tie game. Failure to pin Texans deep on kickoff pays dividends for Texans offense.
- Chargers drive into Houston territory trying to win in regulation, but have to settle for 50-yard FG attempt. Kris Brown kicks ball off upright no good.
- In OT, Texans return opening kickoff 34 yards to own 40 – again showcasing bad kick coverage.
- Texans drive into FG range. Neil Rackers badly misses 38-yard FG. Chargers survive mistakes.
- Rivers leads game winning TD drive in 2nd OT possession.
Once again, glaring issues in kick coverage and tackling spot opponent excellent starting field position. Meanwhile Rivers bailed out the special teams by leading clutch 4Q and OT touchdown drives to overcome these miscues.
Week 11 – Broncos 35, Chargers 14
In a key divisional matchup, the Chargers special teams directly accounted for this blowout loss:
Sequence of Events
- Chargers attempt onside kick to open game. Broncos easily recover at midfield, drive for opening TD.
- Following lost Gates fumble, the Broncos return the favor with Eddie Royal punt return TD putting Denver up 14-0 early.
- After several defensive stops, Broncos take over with 0:28 left from own 24. Unwilling to take knee, they call pass play. Rivers throws fateful INT, setting up Broncos FG for 17-7 halftime lead.
- Opening 2nd half kickoff returned by Royal for 105-yard TD. Essentially ending competitive phase of game.
The Chargers again had no containment on Broncos special teams ace Eddie Royal, who had accrued 149 punt return yards against them in Week 6. Still they opened the game with an ill-conceived onside kick, further putting their defense in bad position the few times Denver had poor starting field position.
Finally, Rivers made an uncharacteristic mistake not taking a knee to end the half – once again highlighting how the team pressed against its special teams deficiencies. By chasing points instead of field position, more points followed but for the opposition via a pick-six.
The 2010 Chargers absolutely dominated through the air and defensively. But glaring special teams weaknesses left NFL experts astounded at how a team could falter so dramatically:
"It‘s amazing to me that they‘re not heading to the playoffs. They have Super Bowl talent but can‘t get out of their own way." – Raiders HC Tom Cable
"Statistically dominated games every week but found ways to lose in the end because of the kicking game." – Jets HC Rex Ryan
"Never seen an elite team lose so frequently due to what‘s considered routine football plays." – ESPN analyst Tim Hasselbeck
"When all the numbers point to an expected Super Bowl contender, I have to blame what they weren‘t good at – special teams." – SB Nation Columnist Joel Thorman
The consensus was unanimous – the failures of the Chargers special teams defied logic and belief. But those realities meant an extra 14-21 points given up each game to opponents. And in a league defined by razor thin margins, repeatedly spotted points ultimately meant the difference between victory and defeat when it mattered most.
Nor did luck prove kind to the Chargers when they most needed it in that 2010 season. The football gods conspired against them flipping outcomes of seemingly sure victories:
Week 6 at Rams – Rams rookie kick returner Mardy Gilyard fumbles kickoff with 2:36 remaining. Rams recover ball, drive to win 20-17 on late FG.
Week 7 vs Patriots – Chargers intercept Tom Brady in end zone with 2:11 left, poised to drive for winning FG. Instead, Rivers receives 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for complaining to refs, pushing them out of FG range. Patriots hold on 23-20 winners.
And in the cruelest twist of fate, even when offered an unlikely playoff lifeline if only Kansas City slipped up the final week…more special teams sorrow ensued:
Week 17 vs Broncos – Chiefs shock playoff hopeful Colts, losing only 10-7. It opens the door where if Chargers win, they take AFC West title with tiebreaker over Chiefs. Late 4th quarter scenario arises where Chargers line up for 54-yard FG to tie game at 33. They opt to kick on 4th and goal from 36. But emergency kicker Nate Kaeding botches the long attempt badly. Season over.
Of their 10 losses, no less than 6 could easily have gone for victories but for critical special teams gaffes and errors. These repeated mental mistakes, assignment blown, and penalties indicated a lack of preparation and schematic confusion from the coaching staff down to the coverage units themselves. For a team so stacked on both sides of the ball, the special team inadequacies stand out in shocking contrast.
Thirty for thirty director Jonathan Hock, who featured the 2010 Chargers as one of the "Best Teams to Not Win a Title", reflected on their bittersweet dominance:
"Most remarkable team I‘ve come across in many ways. Just about as good as any team I‘ve seen that didn‘t win a championship…They were clearly the most screwed up dominant team ever."
It‘s worth noting the players themselves. Philip Rivers throwing for a then career-high 4,710 yards. Antonio Gates claiming records at tight end while cementing his Canton-bound status. Vincent Jackson stretching defenses alongside All-Pro guard Kris Dielman and tackle Marcus McNeill. Defensively Eric Weddle snagged 2 picks while anchoring elite coverage units. Playmakers abounded on what was definitively one of the NFL‘s most complete all-around rosters.
Yet history only remembers the postseason. For all their achievements on paper, the 2010 Chargers are a footnote cautionary tale. One bad phase of the game undid fantastic play across all others. It underscores how success in the NFL lies at the razor‘s edge. These Chargers didn‘t just stumble over that edge – they were pushed by fate through degree of difficulty blunders almost unbelievable in hindsight.
NFL fans are thus left wondering "What if…" about an all-time great team that couldn‘t get out of its own way when it mattered most. But true Chargers fans will never forget both the heights and heartbreaks of that extraordinary 2010 campaign.