The Odd Stat of the Week, Part II

Issue: It's playoff time in the NFL, so, where are the San Diego Chargers?

Short Answer: They are playing golf, but I'm not sure how it happened either.

Reasoning: With a week 16 loss at Cincinnati (WHO DEY!), the San Diego Chargers missed out on the playoffs for the first time since 2003.  That alone makes it strange enough not to see San Diego playing in January.  However, the Odd Stat of the Week makes it even stranger.  See, it turns out that San Diego was way better than its 9-7 record indicated at the end of the year.  NFL.com tells us that the San Diego Chargers were #1 in total offense (measured in yards per game, they averaged 395.6 YPG) and #1 in total defense (measured in yards per game allowed, they averaged 271.6 YPG), and yes, the Chargers failed to make the playoffs.

The question then becomes: how rare is it that a team be #1 in total offense and #1 in total defense and fail to make the playoffs?  This is the first time it has ever happened.  Not surprising.  The question really should be: how in the world does it happen in the first place?  Some things that jumped out to me:

1. They lost 16 fumbles on offense, tied for third worst in the NFL;
2. They had a -6 turnover margin (meaning (for all my female readers) they had 6 more turnovers on offense than turnovers caused on defense).  Playoff teams this year with a worse turnover margin - Seattle -9.  Let's not forget that they won the putrid NFC West with a 7-9 record;
3. While they lead the league in YPG allowed on defense, they allowed 322 points (20.1 per game), which was only good for 10th in the league;
4. The Chargers special teams allowed 5 touchdowns, including a punt return for a touchdown, a blocked punt for a touchdown, and 3 (yes, 3) kickoff returns for touchdowns;
5. The defense had only 16 interceptions (tied for 14th in the league) and recovered only 6 fumbles (30th out of 32 teams);
6. Their kickers (Nate Kaeding, their best kicker, did get hurt for part of the year) were 27 for 33 on field goals (82%) which was only good enough for 19th in the league.

Not sure any of that answers the question how a team in #1 in total offense and #1 in total defense finishes 7-9 and misses the playoffs, but maybe it helps.  It seems virtually impossible to me that a team can gain more yards per game, and give up less yards per game, than any team in the league, and be an average team.  But the Chargers proved it was possible this year.  Crazy sport (Seattle over New Orleans, anyone??).