1977 Baltimore Colts season
The 1977 Baltimore Colts season was the 25th season for the team in the National Football League (NFL). The Colts finished the NFL's 1977 season with a record of 10 wins and 4 losses, and tied for first in the AFC East division with the Miami Dolphins. However, the Colts finished ahead of Miami based on better conference record (9–3 to Dolphins' 8–4). This season would mark the final season in which the Colts would make the playoffs as a Baltimore-based franchise (the Colts next appearance in the playoffs came 10 years later in 1987, by which time the team moved to Indianapolis). Baltimore would not be in the playoffs again until the Baltimore Ravens, the Colts' successors in Baltimore, advanced to Super Bowl XXXV just over 23 years later.
Offseason
The Colts fired general manager Joe Thomas before the 1977 season, due to a power struggle he was having with head coach Ted Marchibroda.
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
Running backs
Wide receivers
|
|
Tight ends
Offensive linemen
|
|
Defensive linemen
Linebackers
|
|
Defensive backs
Special teams
Rookies in italics
|
[1]
Regular season
Schedule
Week |
Date |
Opponent |
Result |
Record |
Game Site |
Attendance |
1 |
September 18, 1977 |
at Seattle Seahawks |
W 29–14 |
1–0 |
Kingdome |
58,991 |
2 |
September 25, 1977 |
at New York Jets |
W 20–12 |
2–0 |
Shea Stadium |
43,439 |
3 |
October 2, 1977 |
Buffalo Bills |
W 17–14 |
3–0 |
Memorial Stadium |
49,247 |
4 |
October 9, 1977 |
Miami Dolphins |
W 45–28 |
4–0 |
Memorial Stadium |
57,829 |
5 |
October 16, 1977 |
at Kansas City Chiefs |
W 17–6 |
5–0 |
Arrowhead Stadium |
63,076 |
6 |
October 23, 1977 |
at New England Patriots |
L 3–17 |
5–1 |
Schaefer Stadium |
60,958 |
7 |
October 30, 1977 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
W 31–21 |
6–1 |
Memorial Stadium |
60,225 |
8 |
November 7, 1977 |
Washington Redskins |
W 10–3 |
7–1 |
Memorial Stadium |
57,740 |
9 |
November 13, 1977 |
at Buffalo Bills |
W 31–13 |
8–1 |
Rich Stadium |
39,444 |
10 |
November 20, 1977 |
New York Jets |
W 33–12 |
9–1 |
Memorial Stadium |
50,957 |
11 |
November 27, 1977 |
at Denver Broncos |
L 13–27 |
9–2 |
Mile High Stadium |
74,939 |
12 |
December 5, 1977 |
at Miami Dolphins |
L 6–17 |
9–3 |
Miami Orange Bowl |
68,977 |
13 |
December 11, 1977 |
Detroit Lions |
L 10–13 |
9–4 |
Memorial Stadium |
45,124 |
14 |
December 18, 1977 |
New England Patriots |
W 30–24 |
10–4 |
Memorial Stadium |
42,250 |
This was the last NFL regular season with 14 games, the regular season was expanded to 16 games in 1978.
Week 1
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|
• Colts |
7 |
7 | 5 | 10 |
29 |
Seahawks |
0 |
7 | 0 | 7 |
14 |
- Date: September 18
- Location: Kingdome, Seattle
- Game start: 4:00 p.m.
- Game weather: Indoors (dome)
|
|
Scoring summary |
---|
|
Q1 |
| BAL | McCauley 6 yard run (Linhart kick) | BAL 7–0 |
|
Q2 |
| SEA | Testerman 1 yard pass from Zorn (Leypoldt kick) | Tie 7–7 |
|
Q2 |
| BAL | Leaks 10 yard run (Linhart kick) | BAL 14–7 |
|
Q3 |
| BAL | Safety, Nettles blocked punt out of end zone | BAL 16–7 |
|
Q3 |
| BAL | Linhart 38 yard field goal | BAL 19–7 |
|
Q4 |
| BAL | Linhart 42 yard field goal | BAL 22–7 |
|
Q4 |
| SEA | Beamon 17 yard blocked punt return (Leypoldt kick) | BAL 22–14 |
|
Q4 |
| BAL | Carr 21 yard pass from Jones (Linhart kick) | BAL 29–14 |
|
[2]
Week 2
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|
• Colts |
7 |
7 | 6 | 0 |
20 |
Jets |
0 |
3 | 0 | 9 |
12 |
|
|
Scoring summary |
---|
|
1 |
| BAL | Roosevelt Leaks 6-yard run (Toni Linhart kick) | Colts 7–0 |
|
2 |
| BAL | Don McCauley 2-yard run (Toni Linhart kick) | Colts 14–0 |
|
2 |
| NYJ | Pat Leahy 25 yard field goa, | Colts 14–3 |
|
3 |
| BAL | Don McCauley 1-yard run (Toni Linhart kick) | Colts 21–3 |
|
4 |
| NYJ | Safety, David Lee ran out of end zone | Colts 21–5 |
|
4 |
| NYJ | Charlie White 1-yard run (Pat Leahy kick) | Colts 21–12 |
|
[3]
Week 10
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|
Jets |
3 |
0 | 3 | 6 |
12 |
• Colts |
6 |
13 | 7 | 7 |
33 |
|
|
Scoring summary |
---|
|
1 |
| NYJ | Pat Leahy 24-yard field goal | Jets 3–0 |
|
1 |
| BAL | Raymond Chester 53-yard pass from Bert Jones (kick failed) | Colts 6–3 |
|
2 |
| BAL | Toni Linhart 30-yard field goal | Colts 9–3 |
|
2 |
| BAL | Toni Linhart 31-yard field goal | Colts 12–3 |
|
2 |
| BAL | Glenn Doughty 33-yard pass from Bert Jones (Toni Linhart kick) | Colts 19–3 |
|
3 |
| NYJ | Pat Leahy 22-yard field goal | Colts 19–6 |
|
3 |
| BAL | Lydell Mitchell 28-yard pass from Bert Jones (Toni Linhart kick) | Colts 26–6 |
|
4 |
| NYJ | Jerome Barkum 18-yard pass from Matt Robinson (Pat Leahy kick) | Colts 26–12 |
|
4 |
| BAL | Robert Pratt 21-yard fumble return (Toni Linhart kick) | Colts 33–12 |
|
[4]
Standings
Playoffs
The team made it to the playoffs as a No. 2 seed and played host to the 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 Casper advanced the Raiders to the Baltimore 14-yard line, where Errol Mann kicked the tying field goal to send the contest into overtime. 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.
References
See also
|
---|
|
- Founded in 1953
- Played in Baltimore (1953–1983)
- Based and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana
|
|
Franchise | |
---|
|
Stadiums | |
---|
|
Culture | |
---|
|
Lore | |
---|
|
Rivalries | |
---|
|
Division championships (16) | |
---|
|
Conference championships (7) | |
---|
|
League championships (4†) | |
---|
|
Retired numbers | |
---|
|
Current league affiliations | |
---|
|
Seasons (63) | |
---|
|
Championship seasons in bold |