1961 Baltimore Colts season

Last updated

1961-colts-teamphoto.jpg
1961 Baltimore Colts season
Owner Carroll Rosenbloom
General manager Don "Red" Kellett
Head coach Weeb Ewbank
Home field Memorial Stadium
Results
Record8–6
Division placeT-3rd NFL Western
Playoff finishDid not qualify

The 1961 Baltimore Colts season was the ninth for the team in the National Football League. They finished the 1961 season with a record of 8 wins and 6 losses, tied for third in the Western Conference with the Chicago Bears.

Contents

Upset by the expansion Minnesota Vikings on November 12, the Colts dipped to 4–5; [1] they won four of the last five to finish with a winning record.

Roster

1961 Baltimore Colts roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists


Practice squad



Rookies in italics

Preseason

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendance
1August 12vs. Pittsburgh Steelers L 20–240–1 Victory Stadium 15,000
2August 18 Minnesota Vikings W 13–31–1 Memorial Stadium 10,203
3August 26vs. Washington Redskins W 41–72–1 Foreman Field 20,302
4September 1vs. Dallas Cowboys L 24–352–2 Oklahoma Memorial Stadium 19,000
5September 10vs. New York Giants W 49–203–2 Yale Bowl 50,737

Regular season

Program for the December 3 game against the visiting San Francisco 49ers. Colts-program-611203.jpg
Program for the December 3 game against the visiting San Francisco 49ers.

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendance
1September 17 Los Angeles Rams W 27–241–0 Memorial Stadium 54,259
2September 24 Detroit Lions L 15–161–1Memorial Stadium54,259
3October 1 Minnesota Vikings W 34–332–1Memorial Stadium54,259
4October 8at Green Bay Packers L 7–452–2 Lambeau Field 38,669
5October 15at Chicago Bears L 10–242–3 Wrigley Field 48,719
6October 22at Detroit Lions W 17–143–3 Tiger Stadium 53,016
7October 29 Chicago Bears L 20–213–4Memorial Stadium57,641
8November 5 Green Bay Packers W 45–214–4Memorial Stadium57,641
9November 12at Minnesota Vikings L 20–284–5 Metropolitan Stadium 38,010
10November 19 St. Louis Cardinals W 16–05–5Memorial Stadium56,112
11November 26at Washington Redskins W 27–66–5 D.C. Stadium 41,062
12December 3 San Francisco 49ers W 20–177–5Memorial Stadium57,641
13December 9at Los Angeles Rams L 17–347–6 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 41,268
14December 16at San Francisco 49ers W 27–248–6 Kezar Stadium 45,517
Note: Intra-conference opponents are in bold text.

Standings

NFL Western Conference
WLTPCTCONFPFPASTK
Green Bay Packers 1130.7869–3391223W1
Detroit Lions 851.6157–4–1270258L1
Chicago Bears 860.5717–5326302W2
Baltimore Colts 860.5716–6302307W1
San Francisco 49ers 761.5386–5–1346272L1
Los Angeles Rams 4100.2863–9263333L1
Minnesota Vikings 3110.2143–9285407L2

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indianapolis Colts</span> National Football League franchise in Indiana

The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 season, the Colts have played their games in Lucas Oil Stadium. Previously, the team had played for over two decades (1984–2007) at the RCA Dome. Since 1987, the Colts have served as the host team for the NFL Scouting Combine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peyton Manning</span> American football player (born 1976)

Peyton Williams Manning is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with the Denver Broncos. Manning is considered one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. A member of the Manning football dynasty, he is the second son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning, older brother of former NFL quarterback Eli Manning, and uncle of Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning. He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers, winning the Maxwell, the Davey O'Brien, and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Awards as a senior en route to victory in the 1997 SEC Championship Game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marvin Harrison</span> American football player (born 1972)

Marvin Darnell Harrison Sr. is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 13 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL), playing much of it with quarterback Peyton Manning. He played college football for the Syracuse Orange and was selected by the Colts in the first round of the 1996 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Reich</span> American football player and coach (born 1961)

Frank Michael Reich is an American former football player and coach in the National Football League (NFL). He played 14 seasons as a quarterback in the NFL. He became a coach afterwards, including head coaching stints with the Indianapolis Colts and Carolina Panthers.

Curtis Raymond Dickey is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons, spending most of his career with the Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts before finishing his career with the Cleveland Browns. He played college football at Texas A&M University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Indianapolis Colts season</span> 54th season in franchise history; second Super Bowl win

The 2006 Indianapolis Colts season was the franchise's 54th season in the National Football League (NFL), the 23rd in Indianapolis and the 5th season under head coach Tony Dungy. The team failed to improve on their regular season record of 14–2 from the 2005 season, finishing at 12–4. However, they did improve upon their postseason performance and advanced further into the playoffs, winning Super Bowl XLI.

Eugene Daniel Jr. is a former professional American football cornerback who played 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens from 1984 to 1997. Daniel attended Louisiana State University. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the 8th round of the 1984 NFL Draft. In 1985 Daniel tied Albert Lewis of the Kansas City Chiefs for the AFC lead in interceptions, with 8. In 1995, Daniel recorded the longest interception return in Colts history, scoring on a 97-yard interception against the New York Jets. During his 12 years with the Indianapolis Colts, Daniel was a fan favorite and held many franchise longevity records since surpassed by quarterback Peyton Manning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1988 Indianapolis Colts season</span> 36th season in franchise history

The 1988 Indianapolis Colts season was the 36th season for the team in the National Football League (NFL) and fifth in Indianapolis. The team finished the year with a record of 9 wins and 7 losses, and tied for second in the AFC East division with the New England Patriots. However, the Colts finished ahead of New England based on better record against common opponents. At the start of the season, Ron Meyer demoted quarterback Gary Hogeboom to back up, and promoted Jack Trudeau to starter, which prompted Hogeboom to demand that he be either traded or released.

The 1991 Indianapolis Colts season was the 39th season for the team in the National Football League (NFL) and eighth in Indianapolis. The team was looking to improve on the 7–9 record they had recorded in 1990. Instead, the Colts put together a campaign that ranked as one of the worst in NFL history.

The 1999 Indianapolis Colts season was the 47th season for the team in the National Football League and 16th in Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Colts finished the National Football League's 1999 season with a record of 13 wins and 3 losses, and won the AFC East division. This season marked a turning point for the Colts franchise, who had only made the playoffs 3 times since 1977. Since 1999, the Colts have been one of the more successful NFL franchises, only missing the playoffs eight times, winning two AFC Championships, and earning a Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XLI. No other turnaround was as great as the 1999 Colts until the 2008 Miami Dolphins went from a 1–15 record to an 11–5 record and an AFC East title.

The 1982 Baltimore Colts season was the 30th season for the team in the National Football League (NFL), and the Colts’ penultimate season in Baltimore. It was their first under former Arizona State coach Frank Kush, who was hired to replace Mike McCormack after he recorded a 2-14 record in 1981.

The 1967 Baltimore Colts season was the fifteenth season for the team in the National Football League. They finished the regular season with a record of 11 wins, 1 loss, and 2 ties, the same record in the Western Conference's Coastal division with the Los Angeles Rams, who defeated them in the regular season finale; the two had tied in mid-October. The Colts lost the new tiebreaker and thus did not make the playoffs, which included only the four division winners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1953 Baltimore Colts season</span> Inaugural season for the current Colts franchise

The 1953 Baltimore Colts season was officially the first season for the team as a member club of the National Football League. The Colts had a record of 3 wins and 9 losses and finished fifth in the Western Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1957 Baltimore Colts season</span> 5th season in franchise history

The 1957 Baltimore Colts season was the fifth season for the team in the National Football League and their first with a winning record. Under fourth-year head coach Weeb Ewbank, the Colts posted a record of 7 wins and 5 losses, third in the Western Conference, one game behind Detroit and San Francisco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Luck</span> American football player (born 1989)

Andrew Austen Luck is an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. One of the most highly touted amateur prospects during his college football career with the Stanford Cardinal, Luck won the Maxwell, Walter Camp, and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Awards as a senior. He was selected first overall by the Colts in the 2012 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Indianapolis Colts season</span> 58th season in franchise history; final one with Peyton Manning

The 2010 Indianapolis Colts season was the franchise's 58th season in the National Football League (NFL), the 27th in Indianapolis, and the second under head coach Jim Caldwell. The defending AFC champions were looking to repeat as AFC champions and win it all in Super Bowl XLV to end their four-year championship drought. It was also the final season with Peyton Manning as the team's starting quarterback, as he would sit out the next season due to a neck injury and would be released by Indianapolis on March 7, 2012. Manning's last game as a Colt was on January 8, 2011, a 17–16 loss to the New York Jets in the Wild Card Round and would sign with the Denver Broncos a year later, on March 20, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Indianapolis Colts season</span> 59th season in franchise history

The 2011 Indianapolis Colts season was the franchise's 59th season in the National Football League (NFL), the 28th in Indianapolis and the third under head coach Jim Caldwell. The Colts were coming off a 10–6 record in 2010 and a second consecutive AFC South championship, as well as a ninth consecutive playoff appearance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baltimore Colts</span> Professional American football team in Baltimore, Maryland, from 1953 to 1983

The Baltimore Colts were a professional American football team that played in Baltimore from 1953 to 1983, when owner Robert Irsay moved the franchise to Indianapolis. The team was named for Baltimore's history of horse breeding and racing. It was the second incarnation of the Baltimore Colts, the first having played for three years in the All-America Football Conference and one in the National Football League (NFL). This Baltimore Colts played their home games at Memorial Stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan Taylor (American football)</span> American football player (born 1999)

Jonathan Taylor is an American football running back for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). Taylor played high school football at Salem High School, where he set a New Jersey state rushing yards record. He played three seasons of college football at Wisconsin, where he finished his college career as the sixth all-time rusher in the NCAA and became the first player in history to rush for more than 6,000 yards in any three-year span.

References

  1. "Vikes jolt Colts with 28-20 kick". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. November 13, 1961. p. 2, part 2.

See also