Normally, if you take the ball away on interceptions and fumbles, that means you’re also winning games. It means you’re getting short fields, and it means opponents are being forced into errors. And then there’s San Diego.

As Week 14 comes to a close, the Chargers are tied for first with 25 takeaways – 16 interceptions and 9 fumbles. Defensive coordinator John Pagano is doing some things right. But they are sitting at 5-8, on the verge of clinching last place in the AFC West.

This is unusual.

In this century, only one team has lead the league in takeaways and finished with a losing record – the 2001 Cleveland Browns (who went 7-9). Only two other teams have led the league in takeaways since that time and failed to win double-digit games (the 2004 Buffalo Bills and 2014 Houston Texans, who both went 9-7).

The two other teams who’ve got 25 takeaways this year have both ridden that advantage to post records that are better than where those teams probably should be. The Bucs are at 8-5, and Kansas City is at 10-3.

The Chargers have done themselves in by turning it over way too often themselves – big ones that have turned games.

San Diego is 5-8, but with a few plays here and there, very easily could be 8-5.

YEAR-BY-YEAR TAKEAWAY LEADERS SINCE 2000
YearTeamIntFumTAWin-Loss
2000Baltimore23264912-4
2001Cleveland339427-9
2002Green Bay24214512-4
2003St. Louis24224612-4
2004Buffalo2415399-7
2005Cincinnati31134411-5
2006Chicago24204413-3
2007San Diego30184811-5
2008Baltimore2683411-5
2009Green Bay30104011-5
2010NY Giants16233910-6
2011Green Bay3173815-1
2011San Francisco23153813-3
2012Chicago24204412-4
2013Seattle28113913-3
2014Houston2014349-7
2015Carolina24153913-3
2016Kansas City14112510-3
2016San Diego169255-8
2016Tampa Bay1411258-5

—Ian Allan