NFL Old School Game of the Week: "Air Coryell" Chargers Beat Bengals in Wild Shootout

 

Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts completed 25 of 43 passes for 344 yards and threw four touchdowns in the Chargers' win over the Bengals.

While the "Air Coryell" offense of the San Diego Chargers may have peaked in the early 1980s, it was still a force to be reckon with as proven by the Chargers' shootout with the Cincinnati Bengals in week 3 of the 1985 NFL season.

The Chargers entered the game with a 1-1 record under head coach Don Coryell, who was in his eight season as the head coach of the Chargers after taking over early in the 1978 season and installing a pass-happy offense that would help the Chargers to three straight AFC West division titles from 1979-81 and back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances in 1980 + 81.

The Chargers still had a plethron of weapons in quarterback Dan Fouts, wide receivers Charlie Joiner and Wes Chandler, and running back Lionel James, who had lead the NFL in kick return yardage the previous year with 959.

James would have to be a bigger factor in the San Diego offense as the Chargers were without tight end Kellen Winslow, who was recovering from a serious knee injury that occurred during the 1984 season.

The Chargers' opponents, the Cincinnati Bengals, entered the game with a 0-2 record under second-year head coach Sam Wyche, who the year before had recovered from a 0-5 start to finish with a 8-8 record just one game back of winning the AFC Central Division.

The Bengals were a team in transition as wide receiver Isaac Curtis had retired just prior to the 1985 season after spending 12 years in Cincinnati while the Bengals' all-time passing leader, quarterback Ken Anderson, had been relegated to the bench in favor of second-year quarterback Boomer Esiason.

But with former Chargers running back James Brooks in the backfield and Cris Collinsworth at wide receiver, Esiason had a solid supporting cast to help him lead the Bengals as they hosted the Chargers at Riverfront Stadium.

The Chargers would get the ball in Bengals territory to start the game as Anthony S returned the opening kickoff 54 yards to the Cincinnati 38-yard-line only to have the Chargers turn it over on the third play of the game as Fouts was intercepted by Bengals free safety Robert Jackson on a pass intended for Wes Chandler.

Jackson would return the pick 10 yards to the Cincinnati 24-yard-line where the Bengals' offense began their first possession of the game which lasted only two plays as Esiason was picked off by San Diego cornerback Danny Walters whose 17-yard return gave the Chargers the ball back at the Bengals' 36-yard-line.

However, the Chargers could move only two yards on three plays, forcing them to try a 52-yard field goal by Bob Thomas which sailed wide right and no good to give the ball back to the Bengals at their 34-yard-line.

The Chargers would force a three-and-out to get the ball back at the 50-yard-line following a 24-yard punt return by James to give San Diego excellent field position to start their third drive just three minutes into the game.

San Diego would drive down to the Cincinnati two-yard-line primarily on the arm of Fouts, who completed a 24-yard pass to Joiner and connected with Jesse Bendross on two passes for 17 yards only to have the Bengals' defense stiffen and force the Chargers to settle for a 20-yard field goal by Bob Thomas to give San Diego a 3-0 lead midway through the first quarter.

The Bengals would respond with a nine-play, 75-yard drive which was capped off with a 18-yard touchdown pass from Esiason to Collinsworth to give the Bengals a 7-3 lead with 3:53 left in the opening period.

Bengals wide receiver Cris Collinsworth would catch 10 passes for 161 yards and scored two TDs.

The Chargers would come back with an eight-play, 73-yard drive that did not end until the second play of the second quarter when Fouts threw a four-yard touchdown pass to tight end Eric Sievers to give San Diego a 10-7 lead.

Back would come the Bengals as they drove from their 20-yard-line to the Chargers' seven-yard-line thanks to three straight completions by Esasion for 36 yards plus a 32-yard run by Brown.

However on 2nd & goal, the Bengals would turn it over when Esiason lost the football following a quarterback sack as San Diego defensive tackle Keith Ferguson recovered the fumble for the Chargers at the Bengals' 16-yard-line.

The Chargers would fly down the field as Fouts completed a 19-yard pass to tight end Pete Holohan to start the drive, then connected with James on a 34-yard completion that became 39 when the Bengals were called for a five-yard face mask to give San Diego a 1st down at the Cincinnati 22-yard-line.

A 12-yard pass to Holohan, followed by a five-yard run by James set up Fouts' five-yard touchdown pass to Sievers that increased the Chargers' lead to 17-7 midway through the second quarter.

After forcing a three-and-out, the Chargers would get the ball back at their 38-yard-line only to give it right back to the Bengals as Fouts was picked off by James Griffin to give the Bengals the ball at the San Diego 41-yard-line.

From there, Esiason would connect with Collinsworth for 18 yards, then again for 22 yards, to set up James Brooks' one-yard touchdown run to cut the Chargers' lead to 17-13 as Jim Breech's extra point attempt bounced off the right upright.

The Bengals would force the Chargers to go three-and-out on their ensuing possession to get the ball back at their five-yard-line as Cincinnati drove to its 34-yard-line until Esiason was intercepted again by Walters, whose 14-yard return gave San Diego the ball at the Bengals' 39-yard-line with just over three minutes left in the first half.

The Chargers would drive to the Bengals' 11-yard-line before they settled for a 28-yard field goal by Thomas which increased their lead to 20-13 with just 27 seconds left before halftime.

The Bengals would run out the clock to go into the locker room down 20-13 as Cincinnati would get the ball to start the second half.

A 42-yard return by Mike Martin gave the Bengals the ball at their 44-yard-line where after two plays picked up five yards, Esiason threw it deep for Collinsworth who was able to draw a pass interference penalty to give Cincinnati a 1st down at the San Diego 16-yard-line.

Esiason would eventually connect with Collinsworth for a 16-yard touchdown that with the successful extra point tied the game at 20 just 72 seconds into the second half.

It would not take long for the Chargers to respond as they took off at their 36-yard-line as Fouts found Joiner for 22 yards to start the drive, then handed the ball off to James who broke loose for a 39-yard run to give San Diego a 1st & goal at the three-yard-line when Found hit Holohan for a three-yard touchdown to give the Chargers a 27-20 lead only 65 seconds after the Bengals' touchdown.

Cincinnati would slow it down on their next possession as they drove 66 yards in 11 plays which culminated with a four-yard touchdown run by Larry Killebrew to tie the game 27-27 with 6:42 to go in the third quarter.

Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason completed 26 of 44 passes for 320 yards and threw three TDs.

The Chargers appeared to have retaken the lead when James returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown only to have called it back because of an illegal block, forcing the Chargers to begin their next possession from their six-yard-line instead of having a 34-27 lead.

The Bengals would force the Chargers as Cincinnati would get the ball back at the San Diego 47-yard-line after Martin's 20-yard punt return to set up a seven-play, 47-yard drive that ended with Esiason's 11-yard touchdown pass to Jennings to give the Bengals a 34-27 lead with 1:28 left in the third quarter.

Just like they had done earlier in the third quarter, the Chargers quickly came back to tie the game as James exploded for a 56-yard touchdown run to tie it at 34 with seven seconds left in the third quarter.

Following an exchange of punts, the Bengals had the ball at their 45-yard-line early in the fourth quarter as Cincinnati drove 22 yards in three plays until Esiason completed a eight-yard pass to Dan Ross, only to have the tight end fumble the football which was recovered by San Diego linebacker Billy Ray Smith, giving the Chargers the ball at their 26-yard-line.

But six plays later, the Chargers would give it back to the Bengals when at the end of a 12-yard reception, Joiner lost the football which was recovered by Griffin, who scooped up the ball and ran 29 yards to the San Diego 21-yard-line.

The Bengals would run the ball four straight times with Killebrew getting the last carry which was an eight-yard touchdown to put Cincinnati back on top 41-34 with 4:39 left in the fourth quarter.

The Chargers would begin its next drive at their 34-yard-line with Fouts connecting with Holohan on a six-yard completion to set up 2nd & 4 when Fouts found James on a post pattern across the middle for a 60-yard touchdown to tie the game 41-41 with 3:45 left in regulation.

After Martin returned the ensuing kickoff 15 yards, the Bengals would take over at their 22-yard-line hoping to drive down the field for the game-winning score.

Esiason would complete a 20-yard pass to Eddie Brown to give the Bengals a 1st down at their 42-yard-line when disaster struck as Brooks was drilled by Billy Ray Smith, knocking the ball loose as Chargers nose guard Chuck Ehin recovered the football to give Fouts and the Chargers the ball at the Cincinnati 43-yard-line with 2:26 to play.

Fouts would hand the ball off to James, who ran for five yards which was followed by an eight-yard pass from Fouts to Sievers to give the Chargers a 1st down at the Bengals' 30-yard-line as the two-minute warning hit.

Lionel James had 316 all-purpose yards as he ran the ball 12 times for 127 yards, caught five passes for 118 yards, returned two kickoffs for 47 yards, and had a 24-yard punt return. 

Fouts would then find Holohan for eight more yards, before handing the ball off twice to James, who picked up six yards to drive the Chargers to the Cincinnati 16-yard-line where Thomas came on to try and make a 33-yard field goal that would give San Diego the lead.

Thomas' kick was true as it sailed through the uprights to give the Chargers a 44-41 lead with just four seconds to go.

The Bengals had one last chance on the kickoff but Jennings would only return it 24 yards to the Cincinnati 35-yard-line as time expired with the Chargers on top 44-41.

The Bengals would eventually end the season with a 7-9 record while the Chargers would finish with a 8-8 record as both teams missed the playoffs for the third year in a row.

Unfortunately for Coryell and the Chargers things would get much better the following year as the team went 1-7 over the first half of the 1986 season which lead Coryell to stepping down as head coach and being replaced by Al Saunders.

Coryell never coached in the NFL again as he finished his career with a 111-83-1 record, going 69-56 during his time in San Diego.