The 2014 season was the San Diego Chargers' 45th in the National Football League (NFL), their 55th overall and their second under head coach Mike McCoy. After former Chargers' offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt was hired by the Tennessee Titans to become their new head coach, the Chargers promoted Frank Reich to replace him. Reich spent the 2013 season as the Chargers' quarterbacks coach.
The Chargers began the season 5–1, winning five straight after losing their season opener. It was followed by a three-game losing streak, and they finished 4–4 in the second half. They won just two of their final five games, coming back from double-digit fourth quarter deficits twice to remain in playoff contention. They lost the final game of the season when a win would have secured a playoff berth. In three of their last four games, and five of their last eight, the Chargers did not score more than one touchdown (TD). Compared to 2013, the offense dropped in points (from 12th in the league to 17th), yards (5th to 18th), first downs (3rd to 15th), net yards per pass (2nd to 8th), rushing yards (13th to 30) and yards per rush (21st to 31st). It was the second time in three years the team finished second-to-last in yards per carry. San Diego was just 2–4 against teams in their division in the AFC West, and were swept by both the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs. It was their worst intradivision record since they were 1–5 in 2003. The Chargers were only 3–6 against teams with winning records. They matched their 9–7 record from 2013, but missed the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons.
Safety Eric Weddle was the team's lone selection to the Pro Bowl. Quarterback Philip Rivers was voted by the Chargers as their most valuable player after finishing the season with 4,286 yards passing, 31 TDs and 18 interceptions. During weeks 2–6, he became the first NFL player ever to have a passer rating over 120 for five consecutive games. Later in the season, Rivers suffered from sore ribs and a back injury, but he denied that they affected his performance. The team lost center Nick Hardwick and running back Danny Woodhead early in the season when they were placed on injured reserve. Running back Ryan Mathews also missed seven games early in the season. He and wide receiver Keenan Allen were sidelined during the final games of the season. For the season, the Chargers started five different players at center.
This was the last season the Chargers finished with a winning record while based in San Diego, as they would finish with a losing record the next two seasons and relocated to Los Angeles in the 2017 season.
Offseason
Signings Position Player 2013 Team Contract RB Donald Brown Indianapolis Colts 3 years, $10.5 million CB Brandon Flowers Kansas City Chiefs 1 year, $3 million QB Kellen Clemens St. Louis Rams 2 years, $3 million ILB Kavell Conner Indianapolis Colts 3 years, $2.7 million TE David Johnson Pittsburgh Steelers 2 years, $1.7 million RB Ronnie Brown Houston Texans –
Departures Position Player 2014 Team FB Le'Ron McClain Retired QB Charlie Whitehurst Tennessee Titans DT Cam Thomas Pittsburgh Steelers WR Vincent Brown Oakland Raiders OLB Larry English Tampa Bay Buccaneers G Steve Schilling Seattle Seahawks
NFL draft
Draft notes
Staff
Final roster
Schedule
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 August 7 Dallas Cowboys W 27–7 1–0 Qualcomm Stadium Recap 2 August 15 at Seattle Seahawks L 14–41 1–1 CenturyLink Field Recap 3 August 24 at San Francisco 49ers L 7–21 1–2 Levi's Stadium Recap 4 August 28 Arizona Cardinals W 12–9 2–2 Qualcomm Stadium Recap
Regular season Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 at Arizona Cardinals L 17–18 0–1 University of Phoenix Stadium Recap 2 September 14 Seattle Seahawks W 30–21 1–1 Qualcomm Stadium Recap 3 September 21 at Buffalo Bills W 22–10 2–1 Ralph Wilson Stadium Recap 4 September 28 Jacksonville Jaguars W 33–14 3–1 Qualcomm Stadium Recap 5 October 5 New York Jets W 31–0 4–1 Qualcomm Stadium Recap 6 October 12 at Oakland Raiders W 31–28 5–1 O.co Coliseum Recap 7 October 19 Kansas City Chiefs L 20–23 5–2 Qualcomm Stadium Recap 8 at Denver Broncos L 21–35 5–3 Sports Authority Field at Mile High Recap 9 November 2 at Miami Dolphins L 0–37 5–4 Sun Life Stadium Recap 10 Bye 11 November 16 Oakland Raiders W 13–6 6–4 Qualcomm Stadium Recap 12 November 23 St. Louis Rams W 27–24 7–4 Qualcomm Stadium Recap 13 November 30 at Baltimore Ravens W 34–33 8–4 M&T Bank Stadium Recap 14 New England Patriots L 14–23 8–5 Qualcomm Stadium Recap 15 December 14 Denver Broncos L 10–22 8–6 Qualcomm Stadium Recap 16 at San Francisco 49ers W 38–35 9–6 Levi's Stadium Recap 17 December 28 at Kansas City Chiefs L 7–19 9–7 Arrowhead Stadium Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: at Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals rookie receiver John Brown scored on a 13-yard pass from Carson Palmer with 2:25 left in the game to defeat San Diego 18–17 on Monday night. The Chargers led 17–6 after three periods, but did not convert on multiple opportunities throughout the game. It was the fifth loss for San Diego over the prior three seasons in which they led by a touchdown or more in the fourth quarter, tied for the most in the NFL.
Rookie Jeremiah Attaochu set up the Chargers only first-half score with a blocked punt off Drew Butler. San Diego trailed 6–3 at halftime when Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers went 6-for-6 for 82 yards and threw a 6-yard touchdown to Malcom Floyd for a 10–6 lead. Attaochu forced a Palmer fumble on a strip sack to set up a 20-yard touchdown run by Ryan Mathews for a 17–6 Charger advantage.
The Cardinals pulled to 17–12 after a 10-play, 64-yard touchdown drive with 12:30 remaining; their two-point conversion failed. On San Diego's following drive, they were in field-goal range at the Arizona 29-yard line when a mishandled snap from backup center Rich Ohrnberger—replacing an injured Nick Hardwick who left the game—to Rivers pushed the Chargers back to the 43 and forced a punt. Arizona then went on their 11-play, 91-yard game-winning drive, which was extended by a slow-footed Palmer scrambling 12 yards on a third-and-10 play.
The Chargers offense, which ranked fifth in the NFL in yards in 2013, suffered from uncharacteristic dropped passes. Arizona's late field goal in the second quarter came after a Chargers interception set up by Eddie Royal stopping on his route as a Rivers pass went to the Chiefs Jerraud Powers. The Chargers' Marcus Gilchrist dropped an apparent sure interception in the third quarter.
Week 2: vs. Seattle Seahawks
Antonio Gates caught three touchdowns from Rivers to lead the Chargers to a 30–21 win over the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. San Diego held a 42:15 to 17:45 advantage in time of possession under hot weather conditions. The official game-time temperature was , while readings at field level read closer to . The Chargers had six drives of eight plays or more—including possessions of 14, 12, and 10 plays—while the Seahawks had one eight-play drive.
San Diego's first possession was a 14-play drive that led to a 50-yard field goal by Nick Novak, ending the Seahawks' 20-game streak without allowing a score on the opening possession. Following a 10-play field goal drive by the Chargers in the second quarter, linebacker Kavell Conner forced a fumble on the kickoff, which led to a six-play touchdown drive; the two drives combined to keep the Seahawks offense off the field for almost nine minutes. Gates' third touchdown came after he split two defenders and made a spectacular one-handed grab to give the Chargers a 27–14 lead late in the third quarter.
Rivers was 28-of-37 for 284 yards. He had thrown 65 touchdowns to Gates, the most between a quarterback and tight end in NFL history. The Chargers were 10-for-17 on third-down conversions, while the Seahawks were 3-for-8.
Week 3: at Buffalo Bills
Rivers threw two touchdowns to Royal and spread the ball to multiple receivers to lead San Diego to a 22–10 victory over the Buffalo Bills. The Chargers' defense held the Bills to just 19 yards and forced a safety in their first four series in the fourth quarter, denying Buffalo their third 3–0 start since 1993.
The Chargers led throughout the game after a 3-yard TD pass from Rivers to Royal with 9:45 left in the first quarter. They took control of the game after a 37-yard Novak field goal 21 seconds before the half, and a 5-yard TD catch by Royal to cap a 14-play, 80-yard drive to start the third quarter for a 20–3 lead, their largest of the game. San Diego held on for their third 2–1 start in five years. They did not have a first down in their final five drives after 20 in their first five.
After losing running back Mathews to a sprained ankle the previous week, the Chargers' Danny Woodhead did not return after his first carry of the game minutes into the contest. Donald Brown filled in with 89 yards offense (62 rushing and 27 receiving). Rivers completed 18 of 25 passes for 256 yards, including two 49-yard catches by Floyd. Royal had four receptions for 42 yards, and backup tight end Ladarius Green finished with four catches for 64 yards. Novak extended his streak of consecutive successful field goal attempts to 23, passing Nate Kaeding for second in team history.
Week 4: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Chargers defeated the winless Jacksonville Jaguars 33–14 as Rivers threw for 377 yards and three touchdowns. Royal caught two of the scoring passes for his second straight two-touchdown game. San Diego extended its winning streak to three.
After Jacksonville took a 7–3 lead on a Toby Gerhart 1-yard TD run early in the second quarter, Rivers spotted Royal—guarded by linebacker Geno Hayes—who got open for a 47-yard touchdown reception. Jaguars rookie Blake Bortles, making his first start, followed with a scoring pass to Nic Jacobs. Before halftime, Rivers found Royal on third-and-10 as the receiver outran defenders for 43-yard TD pass, staking San Diego to a 17–14 lead. Rivers connected with Floyd on a 24-yard TD pass to open the third quarter, and the Chargers' defense held the Jaguars scoreless in the second half. Cornerback Brandon Flowers and safety Eric Weddle each intercepted Bortles in the second half after the Jacksonville quarterback began the game 13-for-15 with 144 yards.
Rivers completed 29 of his 37 passes and had a 130.0 passer rating, his highest ever in a game in which he threw over 31 passes. Keenan Allen established career-highs of 10 catches for 135 yards, and Royal had five receptions for 105 yards, his first 100-yard game with the Chargers. Novak made four field goals. Earlier in the week on Tuesday, the Chargers had made 10 player transactions largely due to injuries. Playing without Mathews and Woodhead, San Diego ran for just 42 yards on 20 carries; the team entered the game averaging a league-low 2.4 yards per carry. "We've got to work on the running game. We'll get better," Chargers head coach Mike McCoy said.
Week 5: vs. New York Jets
Mike McCoy's desire to improve the run game came to fruition against the New York Jets. The Chargers ran for 162 yards against the Jets, who came into the game ranked number one in the NFL in rush defense. Donald Brown was knocked out of the game with a concussion in the first half and Branden Oliver, their fourth-string running back, played. Oliver ran 19 times for 114 yards and a touchdown. He also caught 4 passes for 68 yards and a touchdown. These were the first two NFL touchdowns for the rookie.