The Saints and Chargers both made personnel moves that made unforgettable marks on the history of the other franchise. However, the Chargers deserve an annual thank you card from New Orleans fans and management
traveling to take on the Los Angeles Chargers. New Orleans comes into this game at 2-5 and hoping to break a five-game losing streak. The Chargers counter with a 3-3 mark but have lost three of their last four.
Teamed with 1976 second-round choice Tony Galbreath, Muncie helped form the ''Thunder and Lightning'' backfield in New Orleans for five years. Muncie was the power back of the duo, but was also an underrated receiver and had a rare blend of speed and elusiveness for his size. Muncie's arrival in San Diego supercharged an already high-powered Chargers offense, adding a rushing element that their attack had lacked. He rushed for 773 yards over the last 13 games of 1980 for a San Diego squad that came up just short in the conference championship game.
In 1979, Chandler became just the second player in team history to record a 1,000-yard receiving season. He'd catch 65 passes for what was then a team-record 1,069 yards with six touchdowns. Even for a historically inept New Orleans squad in 1980, Chandler was one of the team's only bright spots with 65 catches for 975 yards and six scores.
Chandler brought immediate electricity to the Chargers attack. He caught 52 passes for 857 yards over the last 11 games of the 1981 season, then added another 12 catches, 185 yards, and a punt return score in two playoff games. After a record-setting collegiate career at Purdue, San Diego made Brees the first pick of the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. Brees would play in just one game as a rookie, but earned the Chargers starting job going into the 2002 season. In a run-heavy attack, Brees still managed to complete 61% of his throws for 3,284 yards with 17 touchdowns, but 16 interceptions.
After nearly signing with the Miami Dolphins, he'd eventually wind up in New Orleans under new coach Sean Payton. It was much more modern offense than the one he was handcuffed under with the Chargers. There have been 15 5,000-yard passing seasons in NFL history. Brees owns five of them, including shattering a 27-year-old NFL record with 5,476 yards in 2011. He owns the NFL record for completion percentage in a single season, a mark he'd broken in five different campaigns. He's second all-time in yards, touchdowns, completions, and attempts, only behind Tom Brady, who played three extra seasons. This was also with Brees stuck in an archaic offense for his first five years in San Diego.
After missing 2006 with an ankle injury, Sproles was a dynamic complementary weapon for the Chargers offense between 2007 and 2010. He wouldn't see many reps as a runner, getting 249 carries for 1,154 yards and scoring six touchdowns in five seasons. His contributions as a receiver were much greater, as he pulled in 146 passes for 1,400 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Sproles was an integral part of a record-setting New Orleans offense in 2011. Even in a loaded backfield, he'd have 87 carries for 603 yards, both winding up as the best of his 14-year NFL career. His receiving numbers of 86 catches for 710 yards and seven touchdowns would top all running backs in the league that season. His reception mark remains a Saints team record for running backs.
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