This is a great time of year to be thankful for what we have, where we have been, and what the future holds. Although the Chargers have lost their way a bit in recent years, the month of December used to hold such incredible promise! This advent calendar is an attempt to hearken back to these days of December joy. Each day will bring a new advent from the Bolts’ history that make it wonderful to be a Chargers fan.

Dec. 8: The Dallas Texans

I know what you’re thinking... this isn’t very festive! But let’s just cool our collective jets for a moment and think about what it actually MEANS to be a good team. The Chargers have to beat out perennial Super Bowl favorites such as Denver and Oakl—Las Vegas? I’m still not sure how to refer to that franchise. And then we come upon the Dallas Texans, one of the latest powerhouses of the AFC West.

For the uninitiated, we are talking about the Kansas City Chiefs. The team was founded in 1960 as the Dallas Texans by businessman Lamar Hunt and was a charter member of the American Football League (Editors Note: They are not associated with an earlier Dallas Texans NFL team that only played for one season in 1952, nor are they necessarily related to the current Dallas Cowboys). In 1963, the team relocated to Kansas City and assumed their current name. That makes the Denver Broncos the only AFC West team to never relocate, but I digress.

Ever since the American Football League was established in 1960, the Chargers and the Chiefs have shared the same division, first being the AFL Western Conference, and since the AFL–NFL merger, the AFC West. Throughout the Chargers’ entire history, the Chiefs have been there to foil their plans.

First meeting: September 10, 1960 - Los Angeles Chargers 21, Dallas Texans 20

Latest meeting: September 24, 2017 - Kansas City Chiefs 24, Los Angeles Chargers 10

Next meeting: December 16, 2017

VITAL STATS: Meetings total 115 (including the playoffs)

• All-time series The Chiefs lead 60–55–1 (including the playoffs)
• Postseason results The Chargers lead 1–0 (Chargers 17, Chiefs 0)
• Largest victory Chargers: 31–0 (2010); Chiefs: 49–6 (1964)
• Longest win streak Chargers: 6 (1979–1981); Chiefs: 7 (2014–present)
• Current win streak Chiefs: 7 wins (2014–present)

Some interesting things might jump out at you from those stats. First- the series isn’t terribly lopsided, which is a good thing. Second- the series has been terribly, unforgivably lopsided lately.

Let’s take a look by decade (why not??)

1960s (Chiefs 10–9–1)

1970s (tied 10–10)

1980s (Chargers 12–7)

1990s (Chiefs 14–7)

2000s (Chargers 11–9)

2010s (Chiefs 9–6)

The Chargers surprised no one by being crushed by the Chiefs earlier this year. That also gave the Chargers their first big, multi-score loss (and their only one this year, minus the New England Patriots). Momentum is an interesting thing. The Chiefs have dropped 4 straight, and appear to be the biggest 2nd half bust of the season (comparing fascinatingly with the Chargers being the biggest 2nd half gain of the season).

This has been a frenzied and worthwhile competition, even if it does skew slightly toward the Chiefs. The Chargers can begin their trek to right the ship in this series later this year. We’ll know the results in just over a week!

-Jason “Dallas Sucks” Michaels