NFL game summary for 12/09/1979:

Dan Fouts completed 17 of 23 passes for 254 yards and a touchdown as the Chargers clinched their first playoff berth since 1965. Fouts tossed a 26-yard scoring pass to John Jefferson and running back Hank Bauer registered three one-yard touchdown runs to help San Diego build a 35-0 halftime lead. Jefferson caught four passes for 104 yards.

Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):

Team		Rush Yds/Gm	Pass Yds/Gm	Tot Yds/Gm	Turnovers
San Diego Chargers	OFFENSE	100.4  (27)	247.1  (1)	347.4  (5)	31
	DEFENSE	124.3  (9)	153.6  (3)	277.9  (5)	39
New Orleans Saints	OFFENSE	153.1  (6)	202.1  (9)	355.3  (4)	30
	DEFENSE	151.9  (22)	194.1  (20)	346.1  (21)	36

Line: Chargers by 4½

Team	1	2	3	4	F
San Diego Chargers (11-4-0)	14	21	0	0	35
New Orleans Saints (7-8-0)	0	0	0	0	0

( 7- 0) SD  Hank Bauer 1 yard rush (Mike Wood kick)
(14- 0) SD  Clarence Williams 5 yard rush (Mike Wood kick)
(21- 0) SD  John Jefferson 26 yard pass from Dan Fouts (Mike Wood kick)
(28- 0) SD  Hank Bauer 1 yard rush (Mike Wood kick)
(35- 0) SD  Hank Bauer 1 yard rush (Mike Wood kick)

                     SD              NO
First Downs:         31              12
Rushes-yards:        42-166          14-56
Yards/rush:          4.0             4.0
Comp-Att-Yd-INT:     20-27-274-0     20-33-185-1
Sacked-yards:        5-40            1-10
Net pass yards:      234             175
Net yards/pass:      7.3             5.1
Total net yards:     400             231
Total plays:         74 (56% run)    48 (29% run)  
Yards/play:          5.4             4.8
Fumbles-lost:        0-0             1-1
Turnovers:           0               2
Penalties-yards:     4-40            5-44

Attendance: 61,059

Passing:
SD: Dan Fouts, 17 of 23 for 253 yards and 1 TD; James Harris, 3 of 4 for 21 yards
NO: Archie Manning, 20 of 32 for 185 yards; Tony Galbreath, 0 of 1 for 0 yards (1 int)

Rushing:
SD: Clarence Williams, 17 for 88 yards and 1 TD; Mike Thomas, 7 for 29 yards; Bo Matthews, 7 for 23 yards; Hank Bauer, 4 for 1 yard and 3 TDs; Lydell Mitchell, 3 for 10 yards; Artie Owens, 3 for -3 yards; James Harris, 1 for 18 yards
NO: Chuck Muncie, 10 for 39 yards; Tony Galbreath, 3 for 6 yards; Archie Manning, 1 for 11 yards

Receiving:
SD: John Jefferson, 5 for 104 yards and 1 TD; Charlie Joiner, 4 for 43 yards; Bob Klein, 4 for 42 yards; Mike Thomas, 3 for 47 yards; John Floyd, 2 for 17 yards; Clarence Williams, 1 for 12 yards; Lydell Mitchell, 1 for 9 yards
NO: Tony Galbreath, 6 for 31 yards; Chuck Muncie, 5 for 45 yards; Wes Chandler, 4 for 51 yards; Henry Childs, 3 for 46 yards; Tinker Owens, 1 for 12 yards; Jack Holmes, 1 for 0 yards

Kick returns:
SD: Artie Owens, 1 for 22 yards
NO: Rich Mauti, 4 for 118 yards; Wayne Wilson, 1 for 28 yards

Punt returns:
NO: Rich Mauti, 2 for 6 yards

Interceptions:
SD: Mike Fuller, 1 for 0 yards

Punting:
SD: Jeff West, 4 for 153 yards
NO: Rick Partridge, 2 for 83 yards

Field Goals:
NO: Garo Yepremian, 0/1

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