The 1970 Baltimore Colts season was the 18th season of the second Colts franchise in the National Football League (NFL). Led by first-year head coach Don McCafferty, the Colts finished the season with a regular season record of 11 wins, 2 losses, and 1 tie to win the first AFC East title. The Colts completed the postseason in Miami with a victory over the Cowboys in Super Bowl V, their first Super Bowl title and fourth NFL championship (1958, 1959, 1968, and 1970).
Season history
In February 1970, head coach Don Shula departed after seven seasons for the Miami Dolphins, now in the same division, and offensive backfield coach McCafferty was promoted in early April.
Offseason NFL draft
Round Pick Player Position School/Club team118Norm BulaichRunning BackTCU244Jim BaileyDefensive tackleKansas370Jim O'BrienWide Receiver / KickerCincinnati374Ara PersonTight EndMorgan State495Steve SmearLinebackerPenn State5122Billy NewsomeDefensive EndGrambling State6148Ron GardinDefensive BackArizona7174Gordon SladeQuarterbackDavidson8199Bob BouleyTackleBoston College9226Barney HarrisDefensive BackTexas A&M
Personnel
Staff/Coaches 1970 Baltimore Colts staff Front office Owner/president and treasurer – Carroll Rosenbloom General manager – Don Klosterman
Coaching staff Head coach – Don McCafferty
Offensive coaches Receivers/offensive ends – Dick Bielski Offensive coordinator – John Idzik Offensive line coach – Lou Rymkus Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator/defensive line – John Sandusky Defensive backfield – Bobby Boyd Linebackers coach – Hank Bullough
Final roster
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap 1 at Oakland Raiders W 33–21 1–0 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum 53,519 Recap 2 at Kansas City Chiefs W 17–3 2–0 Municipal Stadium 34,341 Recap 3 at Denver Broncos W 24–7 3–0 Mile High Stadium 42,499 Recap 4 at Miami Dolphins L 13–20 3–1 Miami Orange Bowl 73,533 Recap 5 vs. Detroit Lions W 20–14 4–1 Carter–Finley Stadium 34,500 Recap 6 at Washington Redskins L 14–17 4–2 RFK Stadium 46,045 Recap
Regular season
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 September 20 at San Diego Chargers W 16–14 1–0 San Diego Stadium 47,782 2 Kansas City Chiefs L 24–44 1–1 Memorial Stadium 53,911 3 October 4 at Boston Patriots W 14–6 2–1 Harvard Stadium 38,235 4 October 11 at Houston Oilers W 24–20 3–1 Astrodome 48,050 5 October 18 at New York Jets W 29–22 4–1 Shea Stadium 63,301 6 October 25 Boston Patriots W 27–3 5–1 Memorial Stadium 60,240 7 November 1 Miami Dolphins W 35–0 6–1 Memorial Stadium 60,240 8 at Green Bay Packers W 13–10 7–1 Milwaukee County Stadium 48,063 9 November 15 Buffalo Bills T 17–17 7–1–1 Memorial Stadium 60,240 10 November 22 at Miami Dolphins L 17–34 7–2–1 Miami Orange Bowl 67,699 11 November 29 Chicago Bears W 21–20 8–2–1 Memorial Stadium 60,240 12 December 6 Philadelphia Eagles W 29–10 9–2–1 Memorial Stadium 60,240 13 December 13 at Buffalo Bills W 20–14 10–2–1 War Memorial Stadium 34,346 14 New York Jets W 35–20 11–2–1 Memorial Stadium 60,240 Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1
Week 2
Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Sep-28.
Week 3
Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Sep-28.
Week 4
Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Sep-29.
Week 5
Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Sep-29.
This game was a repeat of the Super Bowl III matchup. The Colts established a 19–0 lead. For the Jets, Joe Namath recorded 392 passing yards and six interceptions. The Colts won the game.
Week 6
Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Sep-29.
Week 7
Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Sep-29.
Week 8
Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Sep-29.
Week 11
Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Oct-01.
Week 12
Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Oct-03.
Week 13
Pro-Football-Reference.com
The Colts clinched the division title with the win.
Week 14
Earl Morrall 18/33, 348 Yds
Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Oct-04.
Standings
Postseason
The team made it to the playoffs with the best record in the AFC. The Colts hosted both AFC playoff games that they played in. (It wasn't until the 1975 season that playoff teams were seeded by record; the fact that the Colts hosted both playoff games was just due to the rotation set up with the AFL–NFL merger.) The team won both AFC playoff games as well as Super Bowl V.
Round Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Divisional December 26 Cincinnati Bengals W 17–0 1–0 Memorial Stadium 51,127 AFC Championship January 3, 1971 Oakland Raiders W 27–17 2–0 Memorial Stadium 56,368 Super Bowl V January 17, 1971 Dallas Cowboys W 16–13 3–0 Miami Orange Bowl 80,055
Divisional
The Colts hosted the Cincinnati Bengals in the divisional round. The Colts relied on their defense, which had carried them all season, to best the Bengals 17–0, holding Cincinnati to only 139 total yards."Cincinnati Bengals 0 at Baltimore Colts 17. Saturday, December 26, 1970". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Oct-04.
Conference Championship
The Colts next hosted the Oakland Raiders for the AFC Championship Game. The Colts jumped out to an early lead over the Raiders, 10–3 at halftime. Oakland came back to tie it up early in the 3rd quarter. The Colts would respond with a Jim O'Brien field goal and a second Bulaich touchdown. Johnny Unitas extended the lead with a 68-yard touchdown pass to Ray Perkins that made the score 27–17. The Colts would seal the win with an interception in the end zone."Oakland Raiders 17 at Baltimore Colts 27, Sunday, January 3, 1971". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Oct-04.
Super Bowl
The Colts made it to the Super Bowl for the second time in franchise history and played the Dallas Cowboys for the NFL championship. In the 2nd quarter, Johnny Unitas threw a pass that was tipped twice before John Mackey caught it for a 75-yard score. Later in the quarter Unitas was injured and Earl Morrall completed a sloppy and turnover-filled game: the Colts committed a total of 7 turnovers, the Cowboys 4. Following an interception by Mike Curtis, Jim O'Brien kicked the game-winning 32-yard field goal, giving Baltimore a 16–13 lead with 5 seconds left in the game, and the victory."Baltimore Colts 16 vs. Dallas Cowboys 13, Sunday, January 17, 1971". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Oct-04.
See also History of the Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis Colts seasons Colts–Patriots rivalry
References
External links 1970 Baltimore Colts at Pro-Football-Reference.com 1970 Baltimore Colts at JT-SW.com Colts Crusade: The Story of the 1970 Baltimore Colts. Dave Volsky via YouTube.com (Video.) 1970 Baltimore Colts Season, NFL Films via YouTube.com (Video.) Ted Moore (narrator), Game of the Week: Colts at Jets, 1970 Week 5. Dave Volsky, YouTube.com (Video.)