Advertisement

Chargers Face Tough Start to 1991 Season

Share via
TIMES STAFF WRITER

Does it really matter if it’s Billy Joe Tolliver or John Friesz at quarterback? Or Dan Fouts, for that matter?

Take a look at the Chargers’ 1991 schedule and fret not about making travel plans to a Super Bowl to be played in Minneapolis this year. By the time the Chargers reach their “bye” in week No. 10, they may be waving bye-bye to another season gone sour.

Six of the team’s first nine games will be played on the road, and this is a franchise that has compiled an 18-43 mark in non-strike games played away from San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium the past eight years.

Advertisement

Last season the Chargers played a fifth-place schedule, with a combined mark of 117-136-3. They went on to lose five of their last six and close the year 6-10--for the third year in a row.

This year the Chargers will play five playoff teams and opponents with a combined record of 136-120. That’s the best mark for Charger foes since 1986, when they took on a schedule of teams with a combined record of 141-115.

The Dan Henning Fan Club take note: The Chargers went 1-7 to open the 1986 season, and after Coach Don Coryell was fired and replaced by Al Saunders, the club finished 4-12.

Advertisement

“Too many road games in the beginning,” Henning said. “It gets old . . . hey, it’s not exactly the way you’d want it, but there’s nothing you can do about it.”

For their opener, the Chargers travel to Pittsburgh, where they have compiled an 0-7 mark in regular-season play. Then it’s on to San Francisco and Joe Montana and Jerry Rice and how many teams have opened the season 0-2 and come back to make the playoffs?

The Chargers’ home opener will be against Jerry Glanville’s Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 15. The Falcons are 2-0 in games played in San Diego.

Advertisement
Advertisement