The 1976 Baltimore Colts season was the 24th season for the team in the National Football League. Led by second-year head coach Ted Marchibroda, the Colts finished with a record of 11 wins and 3 losses, tied for first in the AFC East division with the New England Patriots. Baltimore won the AFC East title based on a better division record (7–1 to Patriots' 6–2).
Marchibroda, the reigning NFL coach of the year, resigned a week before the regular season opener, due to a power struggle with general manager Joe Thomas and owner Robert Irsay. Baltimore had won its first two preseason games, then dropped the final four. Several Colts assistant coaches threatened to leave the team, and quarterback Bert Jones publicly came to his coach's defense. Thomas and Irsay quickly made amends with the coach before the season started.Neft, David S.; Cohen, Richard M.; and Korch, Rich The Sports Encyclopedia: Pro Football, 12th Edition, p.306, Martin’s Press, August 1994, (Thomas would be fired by the team shortly after the season.)
The Colts’ offense was dominant in 1976: they led the league in scoring with 417 points (29.7 per game). Jones was named league MVP after passing for a league-best 3,104 yards, 9.27 yards-per-attempt, and a passer rating of 102.5, second best in the NFL. Running back Lydell Mitchell also had a spectacular year, rushing for 1,200 yards,fourth-best in the NFL, second-best in the NFC behind O. J. Simpson and catching 60 passes. Wide receiver Roger Carr proved to be a valuable deep threat in the passing game, leading the league with 1,112 receiving yards and 25.9 yards per reception.Pro-Football-Reference.com: 1976 NFL Leaders and Leaderboards All three offensive players made the Pro Bowl team.
Offseason
1976 expansion draft
+ Baltimore Colts selected during the expansion draft Round Overall Name Position Expansion team00Mike CurtisLinebackerSeattle Seahawks00Bill OldsFullbackSeattle Seahawks00Dave PearDefensive tackleTampa Bay Buccaneers
Draft
Personnel Staff 1976 Baltimore Colts staff Front office President and treasurer – Robert Irsay General manager – Joe Thomas Assistant general manager – Ernie Accorsi
Coaching staff Head coach – Ted Marchibroda
Offensive coaches Receivers – Pete McCulley Offensive line – Whitey Dovell Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator/linebackers – Maxie Baughan Defensive line – Jerry Smith Defensive backfield – Frank Lauterbur
Special teams coaches Special teams – George Boutselis
Final roster
Preseason
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 July 31 at Cleveland Browns W 21–0 1–0 Memorial Stadium (Lincoln) 20,304 2 August 6 Washington Redskins W 20–3 2–0 Memorial Stadium 35,575 3 August 14 at Chicago Bears L 14–25 2–1 Soldier Field 54,338 4 August 20 New Orleans Saints L 20–26 2–2 Memorial Stadium 38,879 5 August 28 at Atlanta Falcons L 7–21 2–3 Atlanta Stadium 24,986 6 September 2 at Detroit Lions L 9–24 2–4 Pontiac Metropolitan Stadium 54,217
Regular season
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap 1 September 12 at New England Patriots W 27–13 1–0 Schaefer Stadium 43,512 Link 2 September 19 Cincinnati Bengals W 28–27 2–0 Memorial Stadium 50,374 Link 3 September 26 at Dallas Cowboys L 27–30 2–1 Texas Stadium 64,237 Link 4 October 3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 42–17 3–1 Memorial Stadium 40,053 Link 5 October 10 Miami Dolphins W 28–14 4–1 Memorial Stadium 58,832 Link 6 October 17 at Buffalo Bills W 31–13 5–1 Rich Stadium 71,009 Link 7 October 24 at New York Jets W 20–0 6–1 Shea Stadium 59,576 Link 8 Houston Oilers W 38–14 7–1 Memorial Stadium 60,020 Link 9 November 7 at San Diego Chargers W 37–21 8–1 San Diego Stadium 42,827 Link 10 November 14 New England Patriots L 14–21 8–2 Memorial Stadium 58,226 Link 11 at Miami Dolphins W 17–16 9–2 Miami Orange Bowl 62,104 Link 12 November 28 New York Jets W 33–16 10–2 Memorial Stadium 44,023 Link 13 at St. Louis Cardinals L 17–24 10–3 Busch Memorial Stadium 48,282 Link 14 December 12 Buffalo Bills W 58–20 11–3 Memorial Stadium 50,451 Link Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Standings
Postseason
The team returned to the playoffs as a No. 2 seed and hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers in the divisional round. The Colts fell behind 26–7 at the half, and lost 40–14. This game is better remembered for the post-game crash of a private plane into an unoccupied section of Memorial Stadium.
Round Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap Divisional December 19 Pittsburgh Steelers (3) L 14–40 0–1 Memorial Stadium 60,020 Link
See also History of the Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis Colts seasons Colts–Patriots rivalry
References