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Sometimes, the headlines speak for themselves. After last night — the Chargers lost when the potential game-tying field goal was blocked in the final second — Los Angeles nee San Diego has now lost 18 of its last 23 games decided by 8 or fewer points.

Query Results Table
Poin Poin Poin
Rk Tm Year Date
Time Opp Week G# Day Result OT PF PA PD
1 SDG 2017 2017-09-11 10:20 @ DEN 1 1 Mon L 21-24 21 24 -3
2 SDG 2016 2016-12-24 1:00 @ CLE 16 15 Sat L 17-20 17 20 -3
3 SDG 2016 2016-12-18 4:25 OAK 15 14 Sun L 16-19 16 19 -3
4 SDG 2016 2016-12-04 4:25 TAM 13 12 Sun L 21-28 21 28 -7
5 SDG 2016 2016-11-27 1:00 @ HOU 12 11 Sun W 21-13 21 13 8
6 SDG 2016 2016-11-13 4:05 MIA 10 10 Sun L 24-31 24 31 -7
7 SDG 2016 2016-11-06 4:25 TEN 9 9 Sun W 43-35 43 35 8
8 SDG 2016 2016-10-30 4:05 @ DEN 8 8 Sun L 19-27 19 27 -8
9 SDG 2016 2016-10-23 4:05 @ ATL 7 7 Sun W 33-30 OT 33 30 3
10 SDG 2016 2016-10-13 8:25 DEN 6 6 Thu W 21-13 21 13 8
11 SDG 2016 2016-10-09 4:25 @ OAK 5 5 Sun L 31-34 31 34 -3
12 SDG 2016 2016-10-02 4:25 NOR 4 4 Sun L 34-35 34 35 -1
13 SDG 2016 2016-09-25 4:25 @ IND 3 3 Sun L 22-26 22 26 -4
14 SDG 2016 2016-09-11 1:05 @ KAN 1 1 Sun L 27-33 OT 27 33 -6
15 SDG 2015 2016-01-03 4:25 @ DEN 17 16 Sun L 20-27 20 27 -7
16 SDG 2015 2015-12-24 8:26 @ OAK 16 15 Thu L 20-23 OT 20 23 -3
17 SDG 2015 2015-12-13 1:03 @ KAN 14 13 Sun L 3-10 3 10 -7
18 SDG 2015 2015-11-29 1:03 @ JAX 12 11 Sun W 31-25 31 25 6
19 SDG 2015 2015-11-09 8:30 CHI 9 9 Mon L 19-22 19 22 -3
20 SDG 2015 2015-11-01 1:02 @ BAL 8 8 Sun L 26-29 26 29 -3
21 SDG 2015 2015-10-25 4:05 OAK 7 7 Sun L 29-37 29 37 -8
22 SDG 2015 2015-10-18 4:25 @ GNB 6 6 Sun L 20-27 20 27 -7
23 SDG 2015 2015-10-12 8:30 PIT 5 5 Mon L 20-24 20 24 -4

For his career, Philip Rivers has a 54-26 record in games decided by more than 8 points, and a 43-54 record in games decided by 8 or fewer points. Read differently, Rivers has lost 28 *more* times in close games than in non-close games. That is (for now) tied with Rich Gannon for the largest spread ever.

The table below shows the record for all QBs prior to 2017 (in other words, this is not updated for week 1) with at least 40 starts in both close games and non-close games. Here’s how to read the table below. Gannon last played in 2004, and had 34 wins in close games, 42 losses in close games, and zero ties, for a 0.447 winning percentage. In “big” games – i.e., decided by more than one score — he had 42 wins and 14 losses, for a 0.750 winning percentage. He had 28 more losses in close games than big games, which is the column at the far right.

QBLast YearCG WCG LCG TCG Win%Big WBig LBig Win%Extra Losses
Rich Gannon2004344200.44742140.75028
Philip Rivers2016435300.44854260.67527
Joe Flacco2016414000.50642150.73725
John Elway1998725210.58076300.71722
Ron Jaworski1989364510.44537240.60721
Randall Cunningham2001393610.52043160.72920
Steve Beuerlein2003223700.37325180.58119
Aaron Rodgers2016333100.51657140.80317
Russell Wilson2016201910.5133640.90015
Joe Montana1994433100.58174160.82215
Brad Johnson2008343400.50038190.66715
Drew Bledsoe2006495500.47149400.55115
Mark Brunell2006414400.48237290.56115
Donovan McNabb2011383810.50060240.71414
Ben Roethlisberger2016513700.58072230.75814
Drew Brees2016615700.51770440.61413
Tom Brady2016703200.686113200.85012
Tony Romo2015333000.52445190.70311
Steve Young1999292900.50065200.7659
Trent Green2007273300.45029240.5479
Peyton Manning2015874400.66499350.7399
Roger Staubach1979311800.63354110.8317
Andy Dalton2016232120.52233140.7027
Ken Stabler1983432810.60453210.7167
Craig Morton1982313410.47750280.6416
Cam Newton2016222310.48929170.6306
Steve McNair2007383400.52853280.6546
Bobby Hebert1996262500.51030190.6126
Matthew Stafford2016333200.50818260.4096
Kurt Warner2009222700.44945220.6725
Matt Ryan2016453100.59240260.6065
Brian Griese2008192100.47526170.6054
Steve Bartkowski1986283600.43831320.4924
Jeff Garcia2008283100.47530270.5264
Dan Marino1999674800.58380450.6403
Gus Frerotte2008232510.48022220.5003
Vinny Testaverde2007506310.44340600.4003
Steve Grogan1990303100.49245290.6082
Jim McMahon1993281600.63639140.7362
Phil Simms1993453300.57750310.6172
Alex Smith2016382910.56641270.6032
Carson Palmer2016434310.50046410.5292
Jay Schroeder1994382000.65523180.5612
Bart Starr1971292960.50065280.6991
Terry Bradshaw1982362600.58171250.7401
Ryan Fitzpatrick2016213510.37725340.4241
Jim Plunkett1986323600.47140360.5260
Bobby Layne1962362440.59444240.6470
Jake Delhomme2010282000.58328200.5830
Bernie Kosar1995272710.50026270.4910
Jim Harbaugh2000373700.50029370.4390
Steve DeBerg1993314310.42022430.3380
Tommy Kramer1989322800.53322280.4400
Milt Plum1967162060.45240210.656-1
Johnny Unitas1973423140.57176320.704-1
Troy Aikman2000363500.50758360.617-1
Matt Schaub2015232200.51124230.511-1
Michael Vick2015312510.55330260.536-1
Roman Gabriel1975283170.47758330.637-2
Norm Van Brocklin1960251740.58736190.655-2
Jon Kitna2010303600.45520380.345-2
Chris Miller1999222800.44012300.286-2
Greg Landry1980172430.42027270.500-3
Joe Theismann1985322200.59345250.643-3
Warren Moon2000464900.48456520.519-3
Trent Dilfer2007292600.52729290.500-3
Boomer Esiason1997434500.48937480.435-3
Chris Chandler2003374100.47430440.405-3
Jay Cutler2016413400.54727370.422-3
Brett Favre2010765400.585110580.655-4
Rodney Peete2003251900.56820230.465-4
Aaron Brooks2006232400.48915280.349-4
Ken Anderson1985373800.49354430.557-5
Daunte Culpepper2009232700.46018320.360-5
Bob Griese1980312530.55161310.663-6
George Blanda1966192210.46434280.548-6
Dan Fouts1987373910.48749450.521-6
Dave Krieg1996473500.57351420.548-7
Jim Kelly1996482600.64953330.616-7
Neil O'Donnell2001271900.58728260.519-7
Brian Sipe1983362400.60021310.404-7
Eli Manning2016484100.53960500.545-9
Jim Everett1996294000.42035490.417-9
Richard Todd1984252510.50023340.404-9
John Hadl1977223290.42160430.583-11
Neil Lomax1988202020.50027320.458-12
Joe Ferguson1989394000.49440520.435-12
Kerry Collins2011404300.48241560.423-13
Ken O'Brien1993252310.52025360.410-13
Jim Hart1983403750.51847510.480-14
Billy Kilmer1978271910.58534330.507-14
Len Dawson1975232180.51971360.664-15
Fran Tarkenton1978564760.54168620.523-15
Lynn Dickey1985212430.46924390.381-15
Dan Pastorini1981332300.58923380.377-15
Jeff Blake2003262300.53113380.255-15
Y.A. Tittle1964271750.60251330.607-16
Jim Zorn1985242300.51120390.339-16
Marc Bulger2009241900.55817350.327-16
Joe Namath1977232340.50039400.494-17
Charley Johnson1975282080.57131370.456-17
Matt Hasselbeck2015432900.59742460.477-17
Jake Plummer2006352500.58334420.447-17
Tobin Rote1964172340.43231410.431-18
Sonny Jurgensen1974332670.55336450.444-19
Norm Snead1976233970.38429610.322-22
Jeff George2000312800.52515500.231-22
Archie Manning1983183830.33117630.213-25
John Brodie1973322280.58142540.438-32

Oh and how about Russell Wilson? After the 8-point loss to the Packers in week 1, Wilson is now an even 20-20-1 in games decided by 8 or fewer points… and 36-4 in all other games! A 50% winning percentage in close games and a 90% winning percentage in all other games is even more ridiculous than Rivers’ numbers.

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