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.
Offseason
Signings
Departures
NFL draft
Draft notes
Staff
Final roster
Schedule
Preseason
Regular season
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.