Chargers Light Their Victory Cigars : Celebration: A 10-year drought ends as San Diego becomes the first team to go from 0-4 to the playoffs.

Gill Byrd sat alone by his locker, smiling after the Chargers’ 36-14 victory over the Raiders on Sunday.

The San Diego cornerback tried to explain his happiness with words, but his body language told a better story.

It told of a veteran player whose 10-year wait to make the playoffs was finally over.

“This feels s - o - o - o - o good,” said Byrd, who waved his arms with excitement as he talked. “I feel like I did when I played in my first high school championship game. I’ve waited a long time for this, and I am proud to be a part of it.”

The Chargers began their celebration as they walked off the field after the game. Quarterback Stan Humphries thanked their fans sitting together in the northwest corner of the Coliseum with a game ball and linebacker Junior Seau gave them any part of his uniform not strapped to his body.

In the locker room, the Chargers were greeted by owner Alex Spanos, who was seeing his first road game of the season, and were given huge cigars to celebrate their playoff berth.

“The Chargers had made the playoffs the year before I got here,” said Byrd, who was drafted by San Diego during the first round in 1983.

“But since then, we have not made the playoffs for an assortment of reasons.”

The Chargers became the first NFL team to move into the postseason after beginning the season 0-4.

Byrd looked around the locker room and thought about all his former teammates who never had an opportunity to play in the playoffs. He also thought of linebacker Billy Ray Smith, who joined San Diego in 1983 with Byrd but has been on the team’s injured reserve list all season.

“I feel for all of those guys and for a player like Billy Ray,” said Byrd, who got his 42nd career interception against the Raiders. “That was my biggest fear, being with the organization all of this time and then not being around to celebrate like this.”

Running back Ronnie Harmon said that the younger players on the team wanted to win for the veteran players such as Byrd.

“This is special to all of the guys who have been through this drought,” Harmon said. “Everyone deserves to be happy once in a while.”

Winners of 10 of their last 11 games, the Chargers are the hottest team in the league. However, when they first began to win this season, they did not get the respect they wanted.

Many Chargers said that even after they defeated the Raiders at home earlier this season, they were not respected. So, they set out to change that Sunday.

“We really didn’t want to back into it,” Coach Bobby Ross said. “We wanted to come up here and play a pretty good football game and earn it. I think we did.”

The pressure of having to win against a longtime division rival did not seem to bother the Chargers. Maybe because they’re too young to know.

While the Raiders had 17 players 30 or older on their 47-man roster Sunday, the Chargers only had eight.

“I don’t think the playoffs have really sunk in as yet,” said Seau, who had five tackles, one sack and an interception.

“We don’t know how it feels to make the playoffs, So, I don’t have anything to compare it to. All we see is that there is another paycheck coming.”

San Diego (10-5) is now one victory away from winning the West Division title. If they defeat Seattle next week, the Chargers’ improbable dream will be a reality.

“It’s great to know that we are in the playoffs, but we have one more game,” Byrd said. “Next week, we are playing for the AFC West title.”