The 1987 Indianapolis Colts season was the 35th season for the team in the National Football League (NFL) and fourth in Indianapolis. It was also their first full season under head coach Ron Meyer, who had taken over a 0–13 Colts team the previous season after Rod Dowhower was fired.
The team finished the strike-shortened season with a record of 9–6 and won the AFC East division.
This season marked the first winning season, division championship, and playoff appearance for the Colts since 1977, when they were still in Baltimore. They also possessed the league's number one defense, surrendering only 238 points. It was their first season they had the NFL's top defense since 1968.
NFL Films produced a documentary about the team's season entitled Off and Running; it was narrated by Jeff Kaye.
Offseason NFL draft
1987 Indianapolis Colts Draft Round Selection Player Position College 1 2 Cornelius Bennett LB Alabama 2 30 Choice to Washington 3 58 Chris Gambol OG Iowa 4 85 Randy Dixon OG Pittsburgh 5 114 Roy Banks WR Eastern Illinois 6 142 Freddie Robinson DB Alabama 7 170 Mark Bellini WR Brigham Young8 197 Choice to Tampa Bay 200(Choice from Buffalo) Chuckie Miller DB UCLA9 225 Choice to N.Y. Giants 247(Choice from Cleveland) Bob Ontko LB Penn State 10 253 Chris Goode DB Alabama 11 281 Jim Reynosa DE Arizona State 12 309 David Adams RB Arizona
Personnel
Front Office / Coaches
NFL replacement players After the league decided to use replacement players during the NFLPA strike, the following team was assembled:
1987 Indianapolis Colts replacement rosterQuarterbacks Blair Kiel QB/P Gary Hogeboom Terry Nugent
Running backs Mel Carver Chris McLemore Chuck Banks Gordon Brown Jeff Atkins
Wide receivers Steve Bryant James Noble Kelley Johnson Tim Kearse Walter Murray Mark Bellini Clyde Duncan Todd Feldman
Tight ends Joe Jones Greg Hawthorne John Brandes Deron Miller Mike Russell Offensive linemen Mark Boggs Marsharne Graves Jeff Criswell Ron Plantz Milt Carthens Sid Abramowitz Steve Knight Shawn Heffern
Defensive linemen Don Thorp Steve Knight Jim Merritts Chris Scott Scott Kellar Bob Hamm Bill Elko Frank Mattiace Mark SmytheLinebackers Will Benjamin Ricky Chatman Ed Grimsley Jeff Leiding Bob Ontko Gary Padjen Roger Remo Brad Saar Brian Bulluck
Defensive backs Terry Wright Lee Davis Jitter Fields Bryant Jones Mike Prior Pat Ballage John Simmons Jim Perryman Craig Curry Richard Peavy
Special teams Steve Jordan K Manny Matsakis K Craig Colquitt P
Final roster
Preseason
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap 1 at Detroit Lions W 22–19 1–0 Pontiac Silverdome 2 at Minnesota Vikings L 19–37 1–1 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 3 Houston Oilers W 17–6 2–1 Hoosier Dome 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 23–6 3–1 Hoosier Dome
Game summaries Week P1: at Detroit Lions
Week P2: at Minnesota Vikings
Week P3: vs. Houston Oilers
Week P4: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap 1 September 13 Cincinnati Bengals L 21–23 0–1 Hoosier Dome 59,387 Recap 2 September 20, 1987 Miami Dolphins L 10–23 0–2 Hoosier Dome 57,524 Recap 3 September 27 at St. Louis Cardinals Canceled The 24-day players' strike reduced the 16-game season to 15, causing week 3 to be canceled. 0–2 Busch Stadium 4 October 4 at Buffalo Bills W 47–6 1–2 Rich Stadium 9,860 Recap 5 October 11 New York Jets W 6–0 2–2 Hoosier Dome 34,927 Recap 6 October 18 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 7–21 2–3 Three Rivers Stadium 34,627 Recap 7 October 25 New England Patriots W 30–16 3–3 Hoosier Dome 48,850 Recap 8 November 1 at New York Jets W 19–14 4–3 Giants Stadium 60,863 Recap 9 November 8 San Diego Chargers L 13–16 4–4 Hoosier Dome 60,459 Recap 10 November 15 at Miami Dolphins W 40–21 5–4 Joe Robbie Stadium 65,433 Recap 11 November 22 at New England Patriots L 0–24 5–5 Sullivan Stadium 56,906 Recap 12 November 29 Houston Oilers W 51–27 6–5 Hoosier Dome 54,999 Recap 13 December 6 at Cleveland Browns W 9–7 7–5 Cleveland Stadium 70,661 Recap 14 December 13 Buffalo Bills L 3–27 7–6 Hoosier Dome 60,253 Recap 15 December 20 at San Diego Chargers W 20–7 8–6 Jack Murphy Stadium 46,211 Recap 16 December 27 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 24–6 9–6 Hoosier Dome 60,468 Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries Week 1: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Week 2: vs. Miami Dolphins
Week 4: at Buffalo Bills The Football Database. Retrieved 2022-Sep-07.
Week 5: vs. New York Jets The Football Database. Retrieved 2022-Sep-07.
Week 6: at Pittsburgh Steelers The Football Database. Retrieved 2022-Sep-07.
Week 7: vs. New England Patriots The Football Database. Retrieved 2022-Sep-07.
Week 8: at New York Jets The Football Database. Retrieved 2022-Sep-07.
On October 31, the Los Angeles Rams traded Eric Dickerson to the Indianapolis Colts in a three team trade involving the Buffalo Bills. The Rams sent Dickerson to the Colts for six draft choices and two players. Buffalo obtained the rights to Cornelius Bennett from Indianapolis. Buffalo sent running back Greg Bell and three draft choices to the Rams, while Indianapolis added Owen Gill and three of their own draft picks to complete the deal with the Rams.NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, , p.286
Week 9: vs. San Diego Chargers The Football Database. Retrieved 2022-Sep-07.
Week 10: at Miami Dolphins The Football Database. Retrieved 2022-Sep-07.
Week 11: at New England Patriots The Football Database. Retrieved 2022-Sep-07.
Week 12: vs. Houston Oilers The Football Database. Retrieved 2022-Sep-07.
Week 13: at Cleveland Browns The Football Database. Retrieved 2022-Sep-07.
Point spread: Over/under: Time of game:
ColtsGame StatisticsBrowns18 First downs 1530–114 Rushes–yards 26–87192 Passing yards 17820–34–0 16–35–01–9 Sacked–yards 3–18183 Net passing yards 160297 Total yards 24748 Return yards 848–33.9 8–32.51–1 Fumbles–lost 2–13–20 Penalties–yards 4–2030:42 Time of possession 29:18
Week 14: vs. Buffalo Bills The Football Database. Retrieved 2022-Sep-07.
Week 15: at San Diego Chargers The Football Database. Retrieved 2022-Sep-07.
Week 16: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Football Database. Retrieved 2022-Sep-07.
Standings
Playoffs
Playoff Round Date Opponent (seed) Time TV Result Record Game Site Attendance Recap Wild Card First-round Bye Divisional at Cleveland Browns (2) 12:30p.m. EST NBC L 21–38 0–1 Cleveland Stadium Recap
Game summaries AFC Divisional Playoffs: at (A2) Cleveland Browns
Point spread: Over/under: Time of game:
ColtsGame StatisticsBrowns23 First downs 2521–63 Rushes–yards 34–175265 Passing yards 22922–39–2 20–31–12–14 Sacked–yards 2–14251 Net passing yards 229315 Total yards 404124 Return yards 1014–43.8 1–37.02–0 Fumbles–lost 1–07–75 Penalties–yards 4–2027:34 Time of possession 32:26
See also History of the Indianapolis Colts List of Indianapolis Colts seasons Colts–Patriots rivalry
References