Login
Login

1978 Baltimore Colts season

{{short description|26th season in franchise history}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox NFL team season

| team = Baltimore Colts

| year = 1978

| record = 5–11

| division_place = T-4th AFC East

| coach = Ted Marchibroda

| general_manager = Dick Szymanski

| owner = Robert Irsay

| stadium = Memorial Stadium

| playoffs = Did not qualify

| pro_bowlers =None

| shortnavlink = Colts seasons

}}

The 1978 Baltimore Colts season was the 26th season for the team in the National Football League (NFL). Under fourth-year head coach Ted Marchibroda, the Colts finished with 5 wins and 11 losses, tied for fourth in the AFC East division with the Buffalo Bills. Baltimore lost the tiebreaker to Buffalo based on head-to-head series (0–2). This was the first time under Marchibroda that Baltimore did not make the postseason.

The Colts' minus-181 point differential was easily the NFL's worst, 50 points behind the next worst team, the San Francisco 49ers.

With quarterback Bert Jones out for several weeks with a shoulder injury and quickly losing both starting offensive tackles for the year through injury, Baltimore started the season in catastrophic fashion, losing their first two games by a combined score of 80–0.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=teBGAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bvgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1473%2C3018028 |work=The Day |location=(New London, Connecticut) |agency=Associated Press |title=Pats have big chance to gain division start |date=September 18, 1978 |page=24}} The Colts' first win of the season, in week three over New England on Monday Night Football, is one of the biggest regular season upsets in NFL history. The Patriots were favored by an overwhelming 17½ points, but the Colts scored 27 points in the fourth quarter, including a 90-yard kickoff return by running back Joe Washington with under a minute left to take the lead for good.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=x_lVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CuIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5332%2C5540911 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=Associated Press |title=It was Washington's night, Pats' nightmare, 34-27 |date=September 19, 1978 |page=3C}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JRNSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FTUNAAAAIBAJ&pg=5690%2C3990986 |work=Nashua Telegraph |location=(New Hampshire) |agency=UPI |last=May |first=Peter |title=Patriots' 'D' takes fourth quarter off |date=September 19, 1978 |page=20}}[http://pfref.com/tiny/lZLlw Pro-Football-Reference.com: In a single game, from 1940 to 2012, in the Regular Season, team won game, requiring Underdog By >= 0, sorted by descending Underdog By.] In the game, Washington became the first player to throw a touchdown, catch a pass for a touchdown, and return a kickoff for a touchdown in the same game.[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197809180nwe.htm Pro-Football-Reference.com: Baltimore Colts 34 at New England Patriots 27, Monday, September 18, 1978]

Offseason

= NFL draft =

{{main article|1978 NFL draft}}

{{NFL team draft start

| year = 1978

| teamname = Baltimore Colts

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 1

| pick = 25

| player = Reese McCall

| position = Tight end

| college = Auburn

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

| probowl = no

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 2

| pick = 52

| player = Mike Woods

| position = Linebacker

| college = Cincinnati

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

| probowl = no

}}

{{NFL team draft end

| hof = no

}}

Personnel

= Staff =

{{NFL final staff

| year = 1978

| team = Baltimore Colts

| front_office =

| head_coach =

| offensive =

  • Receivers – Dick Bielski
  • Offensive Line – Whitey Dovell

| defensive =

| special_teams =

  • Special Teams – George Boutselis

}}

= Roster =

{{NFL season roster

| year = 1978

| team = Baltimore Colts

| quarterbacks =

{{NFLplayer| 7|Bert Jones}}

{{NFLplayer|15|Mike Kirkland|d=American football}}

{{NFLplayer|12|Bill Troup}}

| running_backs =

{{NFLplayer|36|Don Hardeman}}

{{NFLplayer|48|Roosevelt Leaks}}

{{NFLplayer|34|Ron Lee|d=American football}}

{{NFLplayer|23|Don McCauley}}

{{NFLplayer|20|Joe Washington}}

| wide_receivers =

{{NFLplayer|84|Randy Burke}}

{{NFLplayer|81|Roger Carr}}

{{NFLplayer|35|Glenn Doughty}}

{{NFLplayer|80|Marshall Johnson}}

{{NFLplayer|45|Mike Siani|d=American football}}

| tight_ends =

{{NFLplayer|83|Mack Alston}}

{{NFLplayer|86|Reese McCall|rookie=y}}

| offensive_linemen =

{{NFLplayer|60|Ron Baker|d=American football|G}}

{{NFLplayer|69|Wade Griffin|T}}

{{NFLplayer|62|Ken Huff|G}}

{{NFLplayer|57|Ken Mendenhall|C}}

{{NFLplayer|79|Don Morrison|d=American football|T}}

{{NFLplayer|61|Robert Pratt|d=American football|G}}

{{NFLplayer|59|Geoff Reece|C}}

{{NFLplayer|67|Bob Van Duyne|T}}

| defensive_linemen =

{{NFLplayer|72|Fred Cook|d=American football|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|78|John Dutton|d=defensive lineman|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|76|Joe Ehrmann|DT}}

{{NFLplayer|66|Greg Marshall|d=defensive lineman|rookie=y|DT}}

{{NFLplayer|71|Mike Ozdowski|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|74|Dave Rowe|d=American football|DT}}

| linebackers =

{{NFLplayer|58|Derrel Luce|OLB}}

{{NFLplayer|52|Tom MacLeod|OLB}}

{{NFLplayer|55|Stu O'Dell|OLB}}

{{NFLplayer|51|Calvin O'Neal|MLB}}

{{NFLplayer|54|Sanders Shiver|OLB}}

{{NFLplayer|56|Ed Simonini|MLB}}

{{NFLplayer|53|Stan White|d=linebacker|OLB}}

| defensive_back =

{{NFLplayer|47|Tim Baylor|FS}}

{{NFLplayer|44|Lyle Blackwood|FS}}

{{NFLplayer|28|Dwight Harrison|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|40|Bruce Laird|d=American football|SS}}

{{NFLplayer|42|Lloyd Mumphord|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|30|Doug Nettles|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|43|Norm Thompson|d=American football|CB}}

| special_teams =

{{NFLplayer|49|David Lee|d=punter|P}}

{{NFLplayer| 2|Toni Linhart|K}}

| reserve_lists =

{{NFLplayer|38|Monte Anthony|rookie=y|RB|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|63|Mike Barnes|d=American football|DT|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|50|Forrest Blue|C|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|21|Frank Dark|d=cornerback|rookie=y|CB|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|73|Ron Fernandes|DE|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|75|George Kunz|T|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|88|Herb Orvis|DT|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|64|David Taylor|d=American football|T|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|59|Mike Woods|d=American football|rookie=y|LB|IR}}

| practice_squad =

}}

:{{small|Source:}}{{cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/clt/1978_roster.htm |title=1978 Baltimore Colts starters and roster |work=Pro-Football-Reference.com |access-date=November 20, 2014 }}

Regular season

= Schedule =

{{main|1978 NFL season}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Baltimore Colts|year=1978|border=2}}"| Week

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Baltimore Colts|year=1978|border=2}}"| Date

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Baltimore Colts|year=1978|border=2}}"| Opponent

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Baltimore Colts|year=1978|border=2}}"| Result

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Baltimore Colts|year=1978|border=2}}"| Record

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Baltimore Colts|year=1978|border=2}}"| Venue

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Baltimore Colts|year=1978|border=2}}"| Attendance

style="background:#fcc"

! 1

| {{dow tooltip|September 4, 1978}}

| at Dallas Cowboys

| L 0–38

| 0–1

| Texas Stadium

| 64,224

style="background:#fcc"

! 2

| September 10

| Miami Dolphins

| L 0–42

| 0–2

| Memorial Stadium

| 47,730

style="background:#cfc"

! 3

| {{dow tooltip|September 18, 1978}}

| at New England Patriots

| W 34–27

| 1–2

| Schaefer Stadium

| 57,284

style="background:#fcc"

! 4

| September 24

| at Buffalo Bills

| L 17–24

| 1–3

| Rich Stadium

| 55,270

style="background:#fcc"

! 5

| October 1

| Philadelphia Eagles

| L 14–17

| 1–4

| Memorial Stadium

| 50,314

style="background:#cfc"

! 6

| October 8

| at St. Louis Cardinals

| W 30–17

| 2–4

| Busch Memorial Stadium

| 47,479

style="background:#fcc"

! 7

| October 15

| New York Jets

| L 10–33

| 2–5

| Memorial Stadium

| 45,563

style="background:#cfc"

! 8

| October 22

| Denver Broncos

| W 7–6

| 3–5

| Memorial Stadium

| 54,057

style="background:#fcc"

! 9

| October 29

| at Miami Dolphins

| L 8–26

| 3–6

| Miami Orange Bowl

| 53,524

style="background:#cfc"

! 10

| {{dow tooltip|November 6, 1978}}

| Washington Redskins

| W 21–17

| 4–6

| Memorial Stadium

| 57,631

style="background:#cfc"

! 11

| November 12

| at Seattle Seahawks

| W 17–14

| 5–6

| Kingdome

| 61,905

style="background:#fcc"

! 12

| November 19

| Cleveland Browns

| L 24–45

| 5–7

| Memorial Stadium

| 45,341

style="background:#fcc"

! 13

| November 26

| New England Patriots

| L 14–35

| 5–8

| Memorial Stadium

| 42,828

style="background:#fcc"

! 14

| December 3

| at New York Jets

| L 17–30

| 5–9

| Shea Stadium

| 50,248

style="background:#fcc"

! 15

| {{dow tooltip|December 9, 1978}}

| at Pittsburgh Steelers

| L 13–35

| 5–10

| Three Rivers Stadium

| 41,957

style="background:#fcc"

! 16

| December 17

| Buffalo Bills

| L 14–21

| 5–11

| Memorial Stadium

| 25,415

style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Baltimore Colts|year=1978|border=2}}"

|colspan="8"| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

= Results =

== Week 3 ==

{{See also|1978 New England Patriots season|Colts–Patriots rivalry}}

{{Americanfootballbox

|bg=

|bg2=

|titlestyle={{Gridiron primary style|Baltimore Colts|year=1978|border=2}}; text-align:center

|state=collapsed

|title=Week Three: Baltimore Colts (0–2) at New England Patriots (1–1)

|date={{tooltip|September 18|Monday}}

|time=9:00 p.m. EST

|road=Colts

|R1= 0|R2=7 |R3=0 |R4=27

|home=Patriots

|H1=6 |H2=7 |H3=0 |H4=14

|stadium=Schaefer Stadium, Foxboro, Massachusetts

|attendance=

|weather={{convert|58|F|C}}

|referee=

|TV=ABC

|TVAnnouncers=Frank Gifford, Howard Cosell and Don Meredith

|reference=[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197809180nwe.htm Pro-Football-Reference.com]

|scoring=

First quarter

  • NE – Andy Johnson 1-yard run (kick failed). Patriots 6–0. Drive:

Second quarter

Fourth quarter

  • BAL – Roger Carr 54-yard pass from Joe Washington (Toni Linhart kick). Colts 14–13. Drive:
  • BAL – Joe Washington 23-yard pass from Bill Troup (kick failed). Colts 20–13. Drive:
  • BAL – Roger Carr 67-yard pass from Bill Troup (Toni Linhart kick). Colts 27–13. Drive:
  • NE – Steve Grogan 4-yard run (John Smith kick), 3:17. Colts 27–20. Drive: 11 plays, 60 yards.
  • NE – Sam Cunningham 1-yard run (John Smith kick), 1:33. Tie 27–27. Drive:
  • BAL – Joe Washington 90-yard kickoff return (Toni Linhart kick). Colts 34–27.

|stats=

;Top passers

;Top rushers

;Top receivers

}}

= Standings =

{{1978 AFC East standings}}

See also

References

{{Reflist|2}}

External links

  • [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pySYKOX8WpU "1978 - Eagles at Colts (Week 5),"] CBS via YouTube.com, June 16, 2024. (Video.)

{{Indianapolis Colts}}

{{Indianapolis Colts seasons}}

{{1978 NFL season by team}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1978 Baltimore Colts season}}

Baltimore Colts

Category:Baltimore Colts seasons

Baltimore Colts