1966 Baltimore Colts season

1966 Baltimore Colts season
Owner	Carroll Rosenbloom
General manager	Don "Red" Kellett
Head coach	Don Shula
Home field	Memorial Stadium
Local radio	WCBM
Results
Record	9–5
Division place	2nd NFL Western
Playoff finish	Won NFL Playoff Bowl (vs. Eagles) 20–14
Pro Bowlers	DE Ordell Braase, CB Lenny Lyles, TE John Mackey, QB Johnny Unitas
AP All-Pros	CB Herb Adderley, TE John Mackey
←  1965 Colts seasons 1967  →

The 1966 Baltimore Colts season was the 14th season for the team in the National Football League. The Baltimore Colts finished the National Football League's 1966 season with a record of 9 wins and 5 losses and finished second in the Western Conference.

Personnel

Staff/coaches

1966 Baltimore Colts staff
Front office Owner/president and treasurer – Carroll Rosenbloom Vice president/general manager – Joe Campanella Coaching staff Head coach – Don Shula Offensive coaches Receivers/offensive ends – Dick Bielski Offensive backs – Don McCafferty Offensive line coach - John Sandusky		Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator/defensive line - Bill Arnsparger Defensive backfield – Chuck Noll Linebackers coach – Don Shula

Roster

1966 Baltimore Colts roster

	Quarterbacks 15 Gary Cuozzo 19 Johnny Unitas Running backs 44 Gerry Allen 45 Jerry Hill 33 Tony Lorick 41 Tom Matte 24 Lenny Moore 34 Bob Baldwin FB Wide receivers 82 Raymond Berry 28 Jimmy Orr 87 Willie Richardson 47 Al Snyder 84 Neal Petties Tight ends 88 John Mackey 86 Butch Wilson 36 Barry Brown		Offensive linemen 77 Jim Parker T 62 Glenn Ressler G 71 Dan Sullivan G 52 Dick Szymanski C 72 Bob Vogel T 73 Sam Ball T 68 Alex Sandusky G 67 Dale Memmelaar G Defensive linemen 81 Ordell Braase DE 85 Roy Hilton DE 76 Fred Miller DT 83 Andy Stynchula DE 74 Billy Ray Smith DT 79 Lou Michaels DE 89 Gino Marchetti DE		Linebackers 55 Jackie Burkett 32 Mike Curtis 53 Dennis Gaubatz 66 Don Shinnick 31 Steve Stonebreaker 35 Ted Davis LLB Defensive backs 40 Bobby Boyd CB 30 Alvin Haymond CB 20 Jerry Logan S 43 Lenny Lyles CB 46 Jim Welch S 42 George Harold 25 Tom Bleick Special teams 49 David Lee P 75 Lou Michaels K		Reserve lists Practice squad Rookies in italics

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 10	at Green Bay Packers	L 3–24	0–1	Milwaukee County Stadium	48,650
2	September 18	at Minnesota Vikings	W 38–23	1–1	Metropolitan Stadium	47,426
3	September 25	San Francisco 49ers	W 36–14	2–1	Memorial Stadium	56,715
4	Bye
5	October 9	at Chicago Bears	L 17–27	2–2	Wrigley Field	47,452
6	October 16	Detroit Lions	W 45–14	3–2	Memorial Stadium	60,238
7	October 23	Minnesota Vikings	W 20–17	4–2	Memorial Stadium	60,238
8	October 30	at Los Angeles Rams	W 17–3	5–2	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	57,898
9	November 6	Washington Redskins	W 37–10	6–2	Memorial Stadium	60,238
10	November 13	at Atlanta Falcons	W 19–7	7–2	Atlanta Stadium	58,850
11	November 20	at Detroit Lions	L 14–20	7–3	Tiger Stadium	52,383
12	November 27	Los Angeles Rams	L 7–23	7–4	Memorial Stadium	60,238
13	December 4	Chicago Bears	W 21–16	8–4	Memorial Stadium	60,238
14	December 10	Green Bay Packers	L 10–14	8–5	Memorial Stadium	60,238
15	December 18	at San Francisco 49ers	W 30–14	9–5	Kezar Stadium	40,005
Note: Intra-conference opponents are in bold text.

Standings

NFL Western Conference
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Green Bay Packers	12	2	0	.857	10–2	335	163	W5
Baltimore Colts	9	5	0	.643	7–5	314	226	W1
Los Angeles Rams	8	6	0	.571	6–6	289	212	L1
San Francisco 49ers	6	6	2	.500	5–5–2	320	325	L1
Chicago Bears	5	7	2	.417	4–6–2	234	272	W1
Detroit Lions	4	9	1	.308	3–8–1	206	317	L3
Minnesota Vikings	4	9	1	.308	4–7–1	292	304	L1

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

Game summaries

Week 3: vs San Francisco 49ers

Week Three: San Francisco 49ers (0–0–1) at Baltimore Colts (1–1)

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
49ers	7	0	0	7	14
Colts	6	10	6	14	36

at Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

• Date: September 25
• Game weather: 56 °F (13 °C)
• Box Score

Game information

First quarter BAL – Lou Michaels 41-yard field goal. Colts 3–0. SF – Bernie Casey 20-yard pass from John Brodie (Tommy Davis) kick. 49ers 7-3. BAL – Lou Michaels 37-yard field goal. 49ers 7-6 Second quarter BAL – Lou Michaels 25-yard field goal. Colts 9-7. BAL – John Mackey 57-yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Lou Michaels kick). Colts 16-7 Third quarter BAL – Lou Michaels 23-yard field goal. Colts 19–7. BAL – Lou Michaels 30-yard field goal. Colts 22-7. Fourth quarter BAL – Lenny Moore 1-yard run (Lou Michaels kick). Colts 29–7. BAL – Butch Wilson 7-yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Lou Michaels kick). Colts 36–7. SF – Kent Kramer 17-yard pass from George Mira (Tommy Davis kick). Colts 36–14. Top passers 49ers – John Brodie – 16/25, 159 yards, TD, INT Colts – Johnny Unitas – 14/30, 225 yards, 2 TD, INT Top rushers 49ers – Ken Willard – 10 rushes, 33 yards Colts – Tony Lorick – 18 rushes, 110 yards Top receivers 49ers – Dave Parks – 4 receptions, 52 yards Colts – John Mackey – 3 receptions, 76 yards, TD

Week 5: at Chicago Bears

Week Five: Baltimore Colts (2–1) at Chicago Bears (1–2)

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Colts	0	3	7	7	17
Bears	10	0	10	7	27

at Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois

• Date: Sunday, October 9
• Game weather: 67 °F (19 °C), wind 12 mph
• Box Score

Game information

First Quarter CHI – Roger LeClerc 42-yard field goal – Bears 3–0 CHI – Joe Fortunato 24-yard fumble return (Roger LeClerc kick) – Bears 10–0 Second Quarter BAL – Lou Michaels 13-yard field goal – Bears 10–3 Third Quarter CHI – Gale Sayers 30-yard run (Roger LeClerc kick) – Bears 17–3 CHI – Roger LeClerc 27-yard field goal – Bears 20–3 BAL – Bobby Boyd 37-yard interception return (Lou Michaels kick) – Bears 20–10 Fourth Quarter CHI – Gale Sayers 7-yard run (Roger LeClerc kick) – Bears 27–10 BAL – John Mackey 79-yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Lou Michaels kick) – Bears 27–17 Top Passers Colts – Johnny Unitas, 18/38, 274 Yds, TD, 2 INT Bears – Rudy Bukich, 8/15, 96 Yds, INT Top Rushers Colts – Tom Matte, 4 Rush, 57 Yds Bears – Gale Sayers, 18 Rush, 106 Yds, 2 TD Top Receivers Colts – John Mackey, 2 Rec, 89 Yds, TD Bears – Jimmy Jones, 3 Rec, 64 Yds

Week 6 vs Detroit Lions

Week Six: Detroit Lions (2–3) at Baltimore Colts (2–2)

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Lions	0	0	7	7	14
Colts	7	17	7	14	45

at Memorial Stadium, Baltimore

• Date: October 16
• Game weather: 64 °F (18 °C)
• Box Score

Game information

First Quarter Baltimore– Tony Lorick 5-yard rush (Michaels kick), Colts 7–0. Second Quarter Baltimore – Tom Matte 28-yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Michaels kick), Colts 14–0. Baltimore – John Mackey 51-yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Michaels kick), Colts 21–0. Baltimore – Lou Michaels 47-yard field goal, Colts 24–0. Third Quarter Detroit – Pat Studstill 4-yard pass from Milt Plum (Walker kick), Colts 24–7. Baltimore – Jimmy Orr 3-yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Michaels kick), Colts 31–7. Fourth Quarter Baltimore – Raymond Berry 17-yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Michaels kick), Colts 38–7. Detroit – Pat Studstill 99-yard pass from Karl Sweetan (Walker kick), Colts 38–14. Baltimore – Willie Richardson 5-yard pass from Gary Cuozzo (Michaels kick), Colts 45–14. Top Passers Lions – Milt Plum: 16/28, 107 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT Colts – Johnny Unitas: 18/27, 218 yds, 4 TD Top rushers Lions – Amos Marsh: 11 car, 36 yds Colts – Tom Matte: 13 car, 73 yds. Top receivers Lions – Pat Studstill: 6 rec, 141 yds. 2 TD Colts – Jimmy Orr: 6 rec, 78 yds. 1 TD

Week 14: vs. Green Bay Packers

Week Fourteen: Green Bay Packers (10–2) at Baltimore Colts (8–4)

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Packers	7	0	0	7	14
Colts	0	10	0	0	10

at Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

• Date: Saturday, December 10
• Game weather: 21 °F (−6 °C)
• Box Score

Game information

First quarter GB – Elijah Pitts 42-yard pass from Bart Starr (Don Chandler kick) Second quarter BAL – Tony Lorick 1-yard run (Lou Michaels kick) BAL – Lou Michaels 26-yard field goal Fourth quarter GB – Elijah Pitts 2-yard run (Don Chandler kick) Passing GB – Bart Starr 7/15, 96 yards, TD BAL – Johnny Unitas 11/24, 140 yards, 3 INT Rushing GB – Elijah Pitts 11 att, 43 yards, TD Jim Taylor 17 att, 43 yards BAL – Jerry Hill 25 att, 88 yards Receiving GB – Elijah Pitts 4 rec, 79 yards, TD BAL – Raymond Berry 4 rec, 59 yards

Quarterback Zeke Bratkowski, in relief of Bart Starr, who suffered a muscle spasm in the first half, directed an 80-yard drive in the fourth quarter that resulted in a go-ahead touchdown run by Elijah Pitts for the Packers. John Unitas then led the Colts to the Green Bay 15, but there lost a fumble which came to be known as the 'Million Dollar Fumble', to secure the Packers' win that clinched the Western Conference title for Green Bay. ^[1]

Playoff Bowl

Main article: Playoff Bowl

Round	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
Playoff Bowl	January 8, 1967	Philadelphia Eagles	W 20–14	1–0	Miami Orange Bowl	58,088

^[2]

See also

• History of the Indianapolis Colts
• Indianapolis Colts seasons
• Colts–Patriots rivalry

References

1. "THE $1,000,000 FUMBLE". Sports Illustrated. December 19, 1966.
2. NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN   0-7611-2480-2, p. 369