text: In the opening game of the season, the Chargers beat Seattle 24–20. On September 10, 1978, the second game was played against the Oakland Raiders at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego. The game became known as the "Holy Roller" game, or, the "Immaculate Deception" because the Raiders made a game-winning play. With 10 seconds left in the game, the Raiders had possession of the ball at the Chargers' 14-yard line. The Chargers were ahead 20–14. The Raiders quarterback, Ken Stabler, took the snap but was about to be sacked by the Chargers' line-backer, Woodrow Lowe on the 24-yard line. Stabler fumbled the ball forward, and it rolled forward towards the San Diego goal line. Running back, Pete Banaszak, tried to recover the ball on the 12-yard line, but could not keep his footing, and the ball was pushed even closer to the end zone. The Raiders' tight end, Dave Casper, was the next player to reach the ball but he also could not get a hand on it. He batted and kicked the ball into the end zone, where he fell on it for the game-tying touchdown as time ran out. With the ensuing extra point by kicker, Errol Mann, the Raiders won 21–20.
  The Chargers' fans saw the fumble as an incomplete pass or an intentional grounding. In the remaining minutes of the game, the teams battled for the ball towards the end zone where the Raiders ultimately recovered it for a touchdown.
  The Chargers lost their third game to Denver and then in week four played the Green Bay Packers in an interconference match in San Diego. At the kickoff, the temperature was around . The Packers won 24–3. After this loss, the Chargers' head coach, Tommy Prothro was dismissed. He was replaced by Don Coryell of the St. Louis Cardinals.
  In New England, the Chargers won their first game under Coryell's coaching. When they returned, San Diego was still recovering from the recent PSA Flight 182. The Chargers' defeating Denver in San Diego was morale boosting for the city. Coryell coached the team in his "Air Coryell" offense: Fouts threw to a trio of receivers (Charlie Joiner, John Jefferson and tight end Kellen Winslow). The Chargers won nine games and lost seven, thus missing the playoffs.