The 2001 Indianapolis Colts season was the 49th season for the team in the National Football League (NFL) and 18th in Indianapolis. The Colts failed to improve on their 10–6 record from 2000 and finished the season with a record of 6–10, finished fourth in the AFC East division, and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1998. In the process the Colts allowed 486 points in sixteen games, an average of 30 points per match and the franchise worst since the 1981 Colts who allowed 533. At the time only the aforementioned Colts, the 1980 New Orleans Saints and the 1966 New York Giants (in a 14-game schedule) had ever allowed more points.Over 450 points allowed in regular season This would be the last time the Colts would miss the playoffs until 2011 and the only time in the 2000s decade in which they didn't qualify.
This was the Colts' final season as a member of the AFC East, as they would move to the newly formed AFC South in the 2002 league re-alignment. It was also the final season Mark Rypien would play in the NFL.
Offseason Additions SubtractionsDT Christian Peter (Giants) QB Kelly Holcomb (Browns)LB Sean Harris (Bears) S Jason Belser (Chiefs)DT Mike Wells (Bears) LB Cornelius Bennett (retirement)LB Ryan Phillips (Giants) DT Larry Chester (Panthers)
NFL draft
Undrafted free agents
+ 2001 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeNick HarperCornerbackFort Valley StateAaron JonesWide receiverUtah StateDave MeyerQuarterbackVirginia TechDominic RhodesRunning BackMidwestern StateDwayne WilmotWide receiverMaine
Personnel
Staff
Roster Indianapolis Colts 2001 final roster Quarterbacks Peyton Manning Mark Rypien
Running backs Jim Finn FB Kevin McDougal Wes Ours Dominic Rhodes KR Shyrone Stith
Wide receivers Marvin Harrison Trevor Insley PR Desmond Kitchings Tony Simmons Reggie Wayne Terrence Wilkins KR/PR
Tight ends Joe Dean Davenport Ken Dilger Marcus Pollard Offensive linemen Rick DeMulling G Ryan Diem G/T Tarik Glenn T Waverly Jackson G/T Steve McKinney G Adam Meadows T Larry Moore C/G Jeff Saturday C
Defensive linemen Lionel Barnes DE Chad Bratzke DE Ellis Johnson DT Chukie Nwokorie DE Hans Olsen DT Brad Scioli DE Mark Thomas DE Josh Williams DT Mike Wells DT Linebackers
Rob Morris MLB Mike Morton OLB Mike Peterson OLB Ryan Phillips OLB Sam Sword MLB Donnel Thompson MLB Marcus Washington OLB
Defensive backs Idrees Bashir FS Cory Bird SS Rodregis Brooks CB Jeff Burris CB Chad Cota SS Clifton Crosby CB Jason Doering FS Nick Harper CB David Macklin CB Raymond Walls CB
Special teams Hunter Smith P Justin Snow LS Mike Vanderjagt K Reserve lists Troy Albea WR (IR) Ben Gilbert G (IR) Drew Haddad WR (IR) Jermaine Hampton CB (IR) Sean Harris LB (IR) Edgerrin James RB (IR) Jerome Pathon WR (IR) Christian Peter DT (IR) Tim Ridder G (IR)
Practice squad Isaac Jones WR Rob Murphy G Cory Sauter QB
rookies in italics 53 active, 9 inactive, 3 practice squad
Regular season
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 September 9 at New York Jets W 45–24 1–0 Giants Stadium 78,606 2 September 23 Buffalo Bills W 42–26 2–0 RCA Dome 56,135 3 September 30 at New England Patriots L 13–44 2–1 Foxboro Stadium 60,292 4 Bye 5 October 14 Oakland Raiders L 18–23 2–2 RCA Dome 56,972 6 October 21 New England Patriots L 17–38 2–3 RCA Dome 56,022 7 at Kansas City Chiefs W 35–28 3–3 Arrowhead Stadium 74,212 8 November 4 at Buffalo Bills W 30–14 4–3 Ralph Wilson Stadium 63,786 9 November 11 Miami Dolphins L 24–27 4–4 RCA Dome 57,127 10 November 18 at New Orleans Saints L 20–34 4–5 Louisiana Superdome 70,020 11 November 25 San Francisco 49ers L 21–40 4–6 RCA Dome 56,393 12 December 2 at Baltimore Ravens L 27–39 4–7 PSINet Stadium 69,382 13 at Miami Dolphins L 6–41 4–8 Pro Player Stadium 73,858 14 December 16 Atlanta Falcons W 41–27 5–8 RCA Dome 55,603 15 December 23 New York Jets L 28–29 5–9 RCA Dome 56,302 16 December 30 at St. Louis Rams L 17–42 5–10 Trans World Dome 66,084 17 January 6 Denver Broncos W 29–10 6–10 RCA Dome 56,192
Standings
Season summary The Colts suffered the second losing season of Peyton Manning's career. After opening with great wins over the Jets and Buffalo, the Colts were crushed twice in three games by the Patriots with a loss to Oakland in between. Two more wins followed to bring the Colts to 4–3, but they followed this up with two more losses heading into their matchup with the San Francisco 49ers at home on November 25. The 49ers entered the game having only lost twice to that point in the season, but had struggled to put up points and had barely beaten the Carolina Panthers, who would only record one win that season, the week before.
The Colts, needing the victory, instead turned the ball over five times. Manning threw four interceptions, two to Ahmed Plummer and two more to Zack Bronson including one that was returned for a touchdown. The 49ers scored 23 total points off of the five Indianapolis turnovers. Despite outgaining the 49ers, the Colts lost the game 40–21 and after the game, head coach Jim Mora sharply criticized his offense's effort, especially Manning's four interceptions.
During the press conference, a reporter asked Mora a question about the Colts' playoff chances now that the team was 4–6. Mora, who had not heard what was said, asked him to repeat the question. When the question was repeated, Mora responded by dismissing the suggestion that the Colts could make the postseason in the following manner:
A few days later, Manning spoke to reporters ahead of the Colts' next game with the defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens and sharply criticized Mora's handling of the situation. He said that he did not appreciate being called out in public like he had been and that if Mora had a problem with him he should have spoken to him directly. This caused Mora to backtrack on his previous statements, but the damage was done.
The Colts went on to finish 6–10 and Mora was fired after the season for refusing to fire then defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Mora felt the team needed better players on defense rather than fire Fangio as Mora could not fire a friend. Vic Fangio was fired anyway, and eventually became the defensive coordinator for the expansion Houston Texans the following year.
Manning threw 23 interceptions during the season, the highest number of his career following his rookie season. He was sacked a career-high 29 times.
See also Colts–Patriots rivalry History of the Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis Colts seasons
Notes
References