Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles Chargers Series History

October 19, 2019 |

Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Chargers share a long and storied history. The two teams, founding members of the American Football League, have met 46 times since 1960. The Chargers lead the series 28-17-1.

Most recently, the Titans played the franchise’s first overseas game against the Chargers in London on October 21st, 2018. A touchdown pass from Marcus Mariota to tight end Luke Stocker put the Titans behind by one point with 31 seconds remaining.

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Rishard Matthews (18) dives in the end zone for a touchdown as he is defended by San Diego Chargers cornerback Brandon Flowers (24) during the second quarter at Qualcomm Stadium on November 6th, 2016. (Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports)

The Titans elected to try a two-point conversion to take the lead, but a pass from Mariota to wide receiver Taywan Taylor was tipped by safety Adrian Phillips and fell incomplete to give the Chargers a 20-19 win.

The Titans were founded as the Houston Oilers and moved to Tennessee in 1997 before becoming the Titans in 1999. The Chargers began in Los Angeles in 1960, moved to San Diego in 1961, and moved back to Los Angeles in 2017.

On September 18th, 1960, the two clubs met for the Oilers’ inaugural home game at Houston’s Jeppesen Stadium. The Oilers won that matchup 38-28. In November of that same year, the Chargers won the rematch in Los Angeles, 24-21.

The AFL’s top two teams would meet once more that season—a rubber match for the first-ever AFL Championship. The Oilers were victorious at home, rejoicing in a 24-16 win that earned each member of the team an extra $1,016.42.

The following season, they met again for the AFL crown, and the Oilers again were the victors in a 10-3 final. They would clash twice more in the playoffs, first in a 17-14 Oilers win in a 1979 Divisional contest.

Following the 2007 season, the Chargers hosted the Titans in a Wild Card matchup and earned their first victory in the postseason series, winning 17-6. It was part of the Chargers’ eight-game winning streak against the Titans, lasting from 1993 until 2013.

The Chargers and Oilers marked another significant day on September 13th, 1998, when the then-Tennessee Oilers, who played their home games in Memphis in 1997, hosted their first regular season home game in Nashville in front of 41,089 fans at Vanderbilt Stadium. To their dismay, the Chargers spoiled the festivities by handing the Oilers a 13-7 defeat.

The Titans and Chargers last met at Nissan Stadium on September 22nd, 2013. In one of the more dramatic finishes in the history of the venue, Jake Locker launched a 34-yard touchdown pass to Justin Hunter with 15 seconds on the clock in the fourth quarter to give the Titans a 20-17 win.

Most Recent Matchups

2012 Week 2 • Sept. 16, 2012 • Titans 10 at CHARGERS 38
With Antonio Gates inactive, Philip Rivers and reserve tight end Dante Rosario connect three times on touchdown passes for the Chargers. Chargers reserve running back Jackie Battle scores twice on one-yard runs. Titans rookie wide receiver Kendall Wright records his first career touchdown on a 15-yard pass from Jake Locker. Chargers convert 10 of 17 third downs and control the ball for 43:39. Titans total four sacks of Rivers.

2013 Week 3 • Sept. 22, 2013 • Chargers 17 at TITANS 20
Jake Locker’s 34-yard touchdown pass to Justin Hunter with 15 seconds remaining completes game-winning, 94-yard drive. Locker passes for 299 yards and a touchdown and rushes for 68 yards and a score. Nate Washington records eight catches for 131 yards. Titans overcome 10 first-half penalties (11 total in game). Bernard Pollard blocks field goal at end of first half. Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers completes 20 of 24 passes for 184 yards and a touchdown.

2016 Week 9 • Nov. 6, 2016 • Titans 35 at CHARGERS 43
The Chargers score the game’s first 16 points before the Titans battle back to take a 21-19 lead in the second half. Marcus Mariota passes for 313 yards and three touchdowns (two to Rishard Matthews) and adds a rushing touchdown, but he is intercepted twice and loses a fumble. The Chargers turn the three takeaways into 17 points, including a fumble return touchdown by Dwight Lowery and an interception return for a score by Brandon Flowers. Melvin Gordon rushes for 196 yards for the Chargers.

2018 Week 7 • Oct. 21, 2018 (London) • Titans 19 at CHARGERS 20
The Titans play the franchise’s first international game at Wembley Stadium. After Marcus Mariota completes a touchdown pass to Luke Stocker with 31 seconds remaining, a two-point conversion fails on an incomplete pass from Mariota to Taywan Taylor. Philip Rivers completes touchdown passes of 75 and 55 yards for the Chargers. Before halftime Mariota throws his first career interception in the red zone. Dion Lewis totals 155 scrimmage yards, while Tajaé Sharpe has a career-high 101 receiving yards.

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