1959 Baltimore Colts season


The Baltimore Colts season was the seventh season for the team in the National Football League. The defending champion Baltimore Colts finished the NFL's 40th season with a record of 9 wins and 3 losses and finished first in the Western Conference, and defeated the New York Giants, 31–16 in the NFL championship game, which was the rematch of the previous season's classic title game, for their second consecutive NFL title.
Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas had one of the great seasons by a passer in NFL history. Says Cold Hard Football Facts, " 32 scoring strikes was an NFL record –- he was the first and only to top 30 in the NFL's first 40 years –- and remains the standard for a 12-game season. He was in the midst of his record 47-game streak with a touchdown pass, and connected on at least one in every game of 1959."
Cold Hard Football Facts also notes that the 1959 Colts were the only team in NFL history to lead the league in both offensive and defensive passer rating for two consecutive seasons. Every other team to had ever led the league in both has won an NFL championship.
The Colts defeated the Green Bay Packers twice this season in Vince Lombardi's first year as head coach. Baltimore did not win the Western title again until 1964 and their next NFL title came in 1968.

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordGame SiteAttendance
1September 27Detroit LionsW 21–91–0Memorial Stadium
55,588
2October 3Chicago BearsL 21–261–1Memorial Stadium
57,557
3October 11at Detroit LionsW 31–242–1Tiger Stadium
54,197
4October 18at Chicago BearsW 21–73–1Wrigley Field
48,430
5October 25Green Bay PackersW 38–214–1Memorial Stadium
57,557
6November 1Cleveland BrownsL 31–384–2Memorial Stadium
57,557
7November 8at Washington RedskinsL 24–274–3Griffith Stadium
32,773
8November 15at Green Bay PackersW 28–245–3Milwaukee County Stadium
25,521
9November 22San Francisco 49ersW 45–146–3Memorial Stadium
57,557
10November 29Los Angeles RamsW 35–217–3Memorial Stadium
57,557
11December 5at San Francisco 49ersW 34–148–3Kezar Stadium
59,075
12December 12at Los Angeles RamsW 45–269–3Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
65,528

Standings

Postseason

The 1959 NFL championship game was played on December 27 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. The game was a rematch of the previous year's title game that went into overtime. The 1959 game was the 27th annual NFL championship game. The Colts beat the Giants 31–16, earning their second consecutive NFL championship over the Giants.
Playoff RoundDateOpponentResultVenueAttendance
ChampionshipDecember 27, 1959New York GiantsW 31–16Memorial Stadium
57,545

Awards and honors