1963 AFL Championship Game
San Diego Chargers 51, Boston Patriots 10
The Chargers have won one championship in their franchise history, even if it’s not a Super Bowl. That championship win came over the Patriots who back then, were the Boston Patriots.
The teams had already played each other twice that season. The Chargers, who finished 11-3 that year, won the first game by four points and the second game by a single point. It stood to reason that this game would be just as close. Wrong.
The game was played at Balboa Stadium in front of just over 30,000 fans.
Sid Gillman was the coach of the Chargers and his high-flying offense blistered the Patriots’ strong defense on that day. The Chargers used two quarterbacks — Tobin Rote and John Hadl — to attack the Patriots. But running back Keith Lincoln had the biggest day.
Lincoln ran for 206 yards on 13 carries — an astounding average of 15.8 yards per tote — to go along with 123 yards receiving. Wide receiver Lance Alworth and running back Paul Lowe also made their mark as the Chargers posted 610 yards of offense en route to a 41-point victory.
Though this championship victory came nearly 60 years ago, it stands as the only major sports championship in the history of San Diego.
Still, it’s one that Chargers fans can hang their hats on. Of course, the 1963 Patriots didn’t have Belichick or Brady and when those two are in the equation, things go a little differently.