JohnTurney wrote:380 yards isn't a good performance if it does not produce points. If you move the ball and get picked off 5 times, it tends to cause you to lose games.
I went back and watched the game last night, and did a chart of the drives and results:
Oiler Drives:
HOU 25 9 28 Punt
HOU 22 3 9 Punt
HOU 18 6 17 Punt
SD 28 5 21 FG
SD 37 9 37 Touchdown
HOU 27 5 22 Punt
SD 23 3 5 Int
SD 47 3 47 Touchdown
HOU 22 9 33 Punt
HOU 32 6 25 Punt
HOU 28 1 -1 Game
Charger Drives
SD 18 11 82 Touchdown
SD 33 5 20 Int
SD 30 11 61 Blocked FG
SD 23 3 1 Int
SD 27 2 20 Half
SD 36 6 64 Touchdown
SD 2 5 11 Punt
SD 20 4 9 Int
SD 23 8 27 Punt
SD 10 6 56 Int
SD 5 7 35 Int
Down and distance on Fouts first three INTs were 3rd and 3, 3rd and 9, and 3rd and 17. #4 came on 1st and 10 at the Oiler 34, which is the one that impacted the Chargers' point total. On #5 the Chargers would have been throwing a Hail Mary from 60 yards if that pass had been INC, since there were only 10 seconds left when that play was run.
Chargers had 4 drives longer than the Oilers' longest drive. Of course, Oilers started 4 times with the ball in SD territory, and Chargers never started with the ball in Oiler territory.
I think the INTs by Fouts helped the Oilers score. Both Oilers touchdowns came after Fouts INTs that gave them the ball in San Diego territory. Those INTs did not affect the Chargers scoring that much, since they got the ball back at about the same point. But of course the Chargers were seven points worse off.
Int #1 gave up about 20 yards of field position. Int #4 gave up about 60 yards, that was the bad one as far as the Chargers scoring.
I also looked at the play by play for the Steelers Rams Super Bowl that year. Bradshaw's first INT came on a first and 10 at the Steeler 37. Not scoring position for the Steelers, but the Rams got a field goal from that. Second one came on 3rd and 10 at their own 45. Rams did nothing and punted the ball. Only about 20 yards of field position there. #3 came on 3rd and 9 at the Ram 16. So a probably field goal there. Rams got only one first down, but Steelers gave up about 60 yards in field position and 3 points after the punt.
So my summary would be:
Fouts first 3 INTs: 14 points more given up, 20 yards of field position
Bradshaw first 3 INTs: 3 points not scored, 3 points more given up, 80 yards of field position
Fouts' INTs were more damaging in helping the Oilers score points than keeping the Chargers from scoring points. The Chargers had the ball at the Oiler 34 on INT #4. Assume they get a field goal out of that drive. That would give the Chargers 17 points. My opinion is that even if all of the Fouts INTs are incomplete passes, the Chargers still only score 17 points.
But 17 points would have been enough had that happened. If no INTs, and the blocked field goal is not returned, the Oilers actually need a drive longer than 47 yards to get their points. Maybe they could have done it, but they didn't show the ability to go that far on their other drives. Oilers had only one three and out, and their turnover came in the Chargers end. So moving the ball some, not turning it over, and punting kept the Chargers from ever having great field position.
Looked at the field position for the Steelers Rams Super Bowl. Steelers only had it once in Rams territory, and they did not score on that drive. But the worst they ever had it was their own 21. Good kickoff returns, and no punts pinning them deep. The Chargers had five drives that started inside their own 21. They add up.
I think if there are no Fouts INTs, the Chargers win the game with a lower score than expected, 17-6 or 17-10 or something like that. Fouts INTs hurt, but they hurt the defense more than the Charger offense.