1977 Baltimore Colts season

1977 Baltimore Colts season
OwnerRobert Irsay
General managerDick Szymanski
Head coachTed Marchibroda
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
Results
Record10–4
Division placeT-1st AFC East
PlayoffsLost Divisional Playoffs
(vs. Raiders) 31–37 (2OT)
Pro BowlersT George Kunz
RB Lydell Mitchell
DT Mike Barnes
DE John Dutton
K Toni Linhart

The 1977 Baltimore Colts season was the 25th season for the team in the National Football League (NFL). Led by third-year head coach Ted Marchibroda, the Colts finished with 10 wins and 4 losses, tied for first in the AFC East division with the Miami Dolphins. The Colts had the tiebreaker over Miami based on better conference record (9–3 to 8–4), and the Dolphins missed the playoffs.[1][2]

This was the final playoff appearance for the Colts as a Baltimore-based franchise. They would not make the playoffs again, or have a winning season, until ten years later in 1987, by which time the team moved to Indianapolis. As well, it would be the franchise's last playoff appearance in a non-strike year until 1995, and the team's last 10-win season until 1999, Peyton Manning's 2nd season. A Baltimore-based NFL team would not make the playoffs until the Ravens in 2000, winners of Super Bowl XXXV.

Offseason

Colts' owner Robert Irsay fired general manager Joe Thomas in January 1977, due to a power struggle he was having with head coach Ted Marchibroda.[3][4][5] The new general manager was former Colts center Dick Szymanski, who was the personnel director and a former scout.[6][7][8]

NFL draft

Main article: 1977 NFL draft
1977 Baltimore Colts draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
1 26 Randy Burke  Wide receiver Kentucky
2 53 Mike Ozdowski  Defensive end Virginia
6 168 Calvin O'Neal  Linebacker Michigan Would play for the Colts in 1978.
7 193 Blanchard Carter  Offensive tackle UNLV Would play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
8 220 Ken Helms  Offensive tackle Georgia
9 247 Glen Capriola  Running back Boston College
10 277 Ron Baker  Guard Oklahoma State
11 304 Brian Ruff  Linebacker The Citadel
12 331 Bill Deutsch  Running back North Dakota
      Made roster  

Personnel

Staff

1977 Baltimore Colts staff

Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

  • Special Teams – George Boutselis


Roster

1977 Baltimore Colts roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

Offensive linemen (OL)

Defensive linemen (DL)

Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

Special teams (ST)

Reserve


Rookies in italics

Source:[9]

Regular season

Main article: 1977 NFL season

Schedule

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance
1 September 18 at Seattle Seahawks W 29–14 1–0 Kingdome 58,991
2 September 25 at New York Jets W 20–12 2–0 Giants Stadium 43,439
3 October 2 Buffalo Bills W 17–14 3–0 Memorial Stadium 49,247
4 October 9 Miami Dolphins W 45–28 4–0 Memorial Stadium 57,829
5 October 16 at Kansas City Chiefs W 17–6 5–0 Arrowhead Stadium 63,076
6 October 23 at New England Patriots L 3–17 5–1 Schaefer Stadium 60,958
7 October 30 Pittsburgh Steelers W 31–21 6–1 Memorial Stadium 60,225
8 November 7 Washington Redskins W 10–3 7–1 Memorial Stadium 57,740
9 November 13 at Buffalo Bills W 31–13 8–1 Rich Stadium 39,444
10 November 20 New York Jets W 33–12 9–1 Memorial Stadium 50,957
11 November 27 at Denver Broncos L 13–27 9–2 Mile High Stadium 74,939
12 December 5 at Miami Dolphins L 6–17 9–3 Miami Orange Bowl 68,977
13 December 11 Detroit Lions L 10–13 9–4 Memorial Stadium 45,124
14 December 18 New England Patriots W 30–24 10–4 Memorial Stadium 42,250
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Week 1

Team 1 234Total
• Colts 7 7510 29
Seahawks 0 707 14
  • Date: September 18
  • Location: Kingdome, Seattle
  • Game start: 4:00 p.m.
  • Game weather: Indoors (dome)
Scoring summary
Q1BALMcCauley 6 yard run (Linhart kick)BAL 7–0
Q2SEATesterman 1 yard pass from Zorn (Leypoldt kick)Tie 7–7
Q2BALLeaks 10 yard run (Linhart kick)BAL 14–7
Q3BALSafety, Nettles blocked punt out of end zoneBAL 16–7
Q3BALLinhart 38 yard field goalBAL 19–7
Q4BALLinhart 42 yard field goalBAL 22–7
Q4SEABeamon 17 yard blocked punt return (Leypoldt kick)BAL 22–14
Q4BALCarr 21 yard pass from Jones (Linhart kick)BAL 29–14

[10]

Week 2 at Jets

See also: 1977 New York Jets season
Week Two: Baltimore Colts (1–0) at New York Jets (0–1)
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Colts 7 7 6020
Jets 0 3 0912

at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

  • Date: September 25
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 55 °F or 12.8 °C
  • Game attendance: 43,439
  • [11]
Game information

Week 3

Team 1 234Total
Bills 0 707 14
• Colts 0 1007 17
  • Date: October 2
  • Location: Memorial Stadium
  • Game weather: 72 °F or 22.2 °C, relative humidity 73%, wind 14 miles per hour (23 km/h; 12 kn)

Week 4

Team 1 234Total
Dolphins 14 1400 28
• Colts 10 14147 45
  • Date: October 9
  • Location: Memorial Stadium
  • Game weather: 63 °F or 17.2 °C, relative humidity 82%, wind 13 miles per hour (21 km/h; 11 kn)
  • Referee: Don Wedge

Week 5

Team 1 234Total
• Colts 14 030 17
Chiefs 0 600 6
  • Date: October 16
  • Location: Arrowhead Stadium
  • Game weather: 46 °F or 7.8 °C, relative humidity 72%, wind 8 miles per hour (13 km/h; 7.0 kn)

Week 6

Team 1 234Total
Colts 0 030 3
• Patriots 7 0100 17
  • Date: October 23
  • Location: Sullivan Stadium
  • Game weather: 51 °F or 10.6 °C, relative humidity 45%, wind 15 miles per hour (24 km/h; 13 kn)

Week 7

Team 1 234Total
Steelers 0 0714 21
• Colts 3 1477 31
  • Date: October 30
  • Location: Memorial Stadium
  • Game weather: 53 °F or 11.7 °C, relative humidity 54%, wind 8 miles per hour (13 km/h; 7.0 kn)
  • Referee: Red Cashion

Week 8

Team 1 234Total
Redskins 0 300 3
• Colts 3 007 10
  • Date: November 7
  • Location: Memorial Stadium
  • Game weather: 61 °F or 16.1 °C, relative humidity 93%, wind 16 miles per hour (26 km/h; 14 kn)
  • Television network: ABC

Week 9

Team 1 234Total
• Colts 10 1470 31
Bills 7 330 13
  • Date: November 13
  • Location: Rich Stadium
  • Game weather: 29 °F or −1.7 °C, relative humidity 82%, wind 13 miles per hour (21 km/h; 11 kn), wind chill 18 °F or −7.8 °C
  • Referee: Gordon McCarter

Week 10

Team 1 234Total
Jets 3 036 12
• Colts 6 1377 33
  • Date: November 20
  • Location: Memorial Stadium
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 43 °F or 6.1 °C • Wind 6 mph (10 km/h; 5 kn)
Scoring summary
1NYJPat Leahy 24-yard field goalJets 3–0
1BALRaymond Chester 53-yard pass from Bert Jones (kick failed)Colts 6–3
2BALToni Linhart 30-yard field goalColts 9–3
2BALToni Linhart 31-yard field goalColts 12–3
2BALGlenn Doughty 33-yard pass from Bert Jones (Toni Linhart kick)Colts 19–3
3NYJPat Leahy 22-yard field goalColts 19–6
3BALLydell Mitchell 28-yard pass from Bert Jones (Toni Linhart kick)Colts 26–6
4NYJJerome Barkum 18-yard pass from Matt Robinson (Pat Leahy kick)Colts 26–12
4BALRobert Pratt 21-yard fumble return (Toni Linhart kick)Colts 33–12

[12]

Week 11

Team 1 234Total
Colts 0 3100 13
• Broncos 7 7013 27
  • Date: November 27
  • Location: Mile High Stadium
  • Game weather: 40 °F or 4.4 °C, relative humidity 48%, wind 15 miles per hour (24 km/h; 13 kn)
  • Referee: Jim Tunney

Week 12

Team 1 234Total
Colts 6 000 6
• Dolphins 3 707 17
  • Date: December 5
  • Location: Orange Bowl
  • Game weather: 79 °F or 26.1 °C, relative humidity 78%, wind 10 miles per hour (16 km/h; 8.7 kn)
  • Television network: ABC

Week 13

Team 1 234Total
• Lions 0 3010 13
Colts 0 037 10
  • Date: December 11
  • Location: Memorial Stadium
  • Game weather: 22 °F or −5.6 °C, relative humidity 45%, wind 11 miles per hour (18 km/h; 9.6 kn), wind chill 11 °F or −11.7 °C
  • Referee: Pat Haggerty
  • TV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan, Johnny Unitas

Week 14

Team 1 234Total
Patriots 0 14100 24
• Colts 0 31314 30
  • Date: December 18
  • Location: Memorial Stadium
  • Game weather: 41 °F or 5 °C, relative humidity 81%, wind 15 miles per hour (24 km/h; 13 kn)
  • Referee: Fred Silva

Standings

AFC East
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
(2) 10 4 0 .714 6–2 9–3 295 221 W1
Miami Dolphins 10 4 0 .714 6–2 8–4 313 197 W1
New England Patriots 9 5 0 .643 4–4 7–5 278 217 L1
New York Jets 3 11 0 .214 2–6 2–10 191 300 L2
Buffalo Bills 3 11 0 .214 2–6 2–10 160 313 L1

Playoffs

Main article: 1977–78 NFL playoffs

Baltimore made it to the AFC playoffs as a No. 2 seed and hosted the defending Super Bowl champion Oakland Raiders in the divisional round. The Colts held a 31–28 lead with time running out, when the famous “Ghost to the Post” play to tight end Dave Casper advanced the Raiders to the Baltimore 14-yard line, where Errol Mann kicked the tying field goal to send the contest into overtime.[13] After the first overtime went scoreless, Casper caught a 10-yard touchdown pass 43 seconds into the period to win the game for the Raiders.[14][15]

Round Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance
Divisional December 24 Oakland Raiders (4) L 31–372OT 0–1 Memorial Stadium 60,763

Divisional

Main article: Ghost to the post
Team 1 234OTTotal
• Raiders 7 014106 37
Colts 0 107140 31
  • Date:
    December 24
  • Location: Memorial Stadium
  • Game weather: 41 °F or 5 °C, relative humidity 56%, wind 9 miles per hour (14 km/h; 7.8 kn)
  • Referee: Dick Jorgensen

See also

References

  1. ^ "Colts win a berth in playoffs". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 19, 1977. p. 1B.
  2. ^ "Dolphins irate over blown call". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). UPI. December 19, 1977. p. 2B.
  3. ^ "Colt GM Thomas fired". Pittsburgh Press. UPI. January 21, 1977. p. C1.
  4. ^ "Internal problems get Thomas fired". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. January 22, 1977. p. 7.
  5. ^ "Colts dumping Joe Thomas". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. January 22, 1977. p. 13.
  6. ^ "Colts realign front office". Pittsburgh Press. UPI. January 24, 1977. p. C6.
  7. ^ "Shakeup underway in Baltimore". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. January 25, 1977. p. 12.
  8. ^ "Baltimore shakeup continues". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. January 25, 1977. p. 2B.
  9. ^ "1977 Baltimore Colts starters and roster". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  10. ^ "Baltimore Colts at Seattle Seahawks — September 18th, 1977". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  11. ^ "Baltimore Colts at New York Jets — September 25th, 1977". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  12. ^ "New York Jets at Baltimore Colts — November 20th, 1977". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  13. ^ Reid, Ron (January 2, 1978). "The Ghost to the Post". Sports Illustrated. p. 12.
  14. ^ Livingston, Pat (December 25, 1977). "Oakland stops Baltimore, 37-31". Pittsburgh Press. p. D1.
  15. ^ "Suddenly, the Raiders win a 37-31 decision". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). wire service reports. December 25, 1977. p. 3C.
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