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We started this process just over an hour ago with Ryan Leaf and Ray Rice. Neither the Ray Rice game nor any game of Leaf's career had playoff implications. Our next contenders very much did. One resulted in the Chargers being eliminated from the playoffs and the other helped to crush the team's hopes of reaching them.
You can see the whole bracket by clicking here. Next up: (1) The 2006 Divisional Round of the playoffs featuring Marlon McCree's fumble vs. (8) Tim Tebow and the Broncos putting the nail in the Chargers' coffin in 2011
What happened?
(1) On January 14, 2007 the 14-2 San Diego Chargers hosted the 12-4 New England Patriots for the Divisional Round of the playoffs. The Chargers were 8-0 at home, had nine players sent to the Pro Bowl, five more to the All Pro team and were widely considered to be the best team in The League. Marty Schottenheimer would uncharacteristically attempt and fail on 4th & 11 early in the game. The sure-handed Eric Parker would muff a punt. Former Charger Reche Caldwell would contribute a huge catch to the Patriots. Almost everything would go wrong, but in the second half the Chargers had the lead. LaDainian Tomlinson would extend that lead to 21-13 with a TD in the 4th quarter. They would intercept Tom Brady for a third time that day on the following drive. It should have been over, but Marlon McCree would try to return the pick rather than getting down. He fumbled and the Patriots went on to win and do Shawne Merriman's stupid sack dance in the middle of the field in celebration.
(8) The Chargers came into this game on November 27, 2011 at 4-6 with a chance to pull into a tie at 5-5 (while holding a 2-0 head-to-head record) with the Denver Broncos. It was not to be. Norv Turner played for a long field goal in overtime that Nick Novak was unable to convert. Tim Tebow responded by putting together a short drive that set up Matt Prater for a game-winning field goal. It was an especially frustrating way to lose at home after leading 10-0 at the end of the 1st Quarter.
Which was worse?
This is one where the only way you could vote for the 8 seed is if you weren't a Chargers fan in January 2007. That game is still immensely painful six years later. The Tebow Time game by contrast is barely memorable except for the fact that I was there in person.