Turkey Day Football

Going all local and non-political with a look at the San Diego Chargers.

Best of the Best
Dan Fouts - Quarterback

The best player in team history. Full stop.

LaDainian Tomlinson - Running Back
One of the top six best running backs in NFL history.

Lance Alworth - Receiver
Bambi. Graceful leaper with sure hands. If not for football he would have kicked ass in ballet.

Worst of the Best
These guys are not as good as their reps.

Philip Rivers - Quarterback
At the start of the season many people were calling him the best QB in team history. He still outstanding and tough as nails. There are, of course, the interceptions and all that losing.
Ryan Mathews - Running Back
Better than average yardage but fumbles a lot. Usually has more fumbles in a game than Tomlinson had in a season.

Best of the Worst
John Hadl - Quarterback

Hadl (r) with Sid Gilman (l) and Lance Alworth (c)

His stats suck. Completed barely half his pass attempts, threw interceptions at the same rate as Ryan Leaf, and had a QB rating in the 60s. But Hadl was a winner.
Hank Bauer - Running Back
Six years. Only 123 career carries for an anemic 3.1 yards per carry average. But he scored 20 touchdowns in his limited touches. And Hank was a suicide gunner on special teams. 

Worst of the Worst

Gilbride and Leaf

Ryan Leaf - Quarterback
Drafted second to Peyton Manning and ahead of Fred Taylor and Randy Moss. A man-child who was more child than man. Is generally considered the worst quarterback in the history of the NFL.
Kevin Gilbride - Head Coach
The coach who made Ryan Leaf the man he was. Still considered an offensive genius because of four years in Houston in the 1990's when it was really Warren Moon who was responsible.

Special Teams Best 
Speedy Duncan - Returner
Better by a hair than Darren Sproles, which is saying a lot.
Mike Scifres - Punter
Better by a foot (actually a yard) than Darren Bennett, the man he replaced.
Nate Kaeding - Place Kicker
Only better than John Carney because he's younger and his leg hasn't aged yet.

Special Teams Worst
Ray Wersching - Place Kicker
Back when Dan Fouts was young and learning his trade the Chargers had a kicker who missed everything outside of 40 yards and was so inaccurate they didn't even trust him to kick extra points.
Jeff West - Punter
Another guy who handicapped Fouts. Averaged only 38 yards a kick.