1970 Baltimore Colts season


The 1970 Baltimore Colts season was the 18th season for the team in the National Football League. 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 third world championship. The Colts did not return to the championship game for 36 years, until Super Bowl XLI in February 2007.
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.

NFL Draft

RoundPickPlayerPositionSchool/Club Team
118Norm BulaichRunning BackTCU
244Jim BaileyDefensive tackleKansas
370Jim O'BrienWide ReceiverCincinnati
374Ara PersonTight EndMorgan State
495Steve SmearLinebackerPenn State
5122Billy NewsomeDefensive EndGrambling State
6148Ron GardinDefensive BackArizona
7174Gordon SladeQuarterbackDavidson
8199Bob BouleyTackleBoston College
9226Barney HarrisDefensive BackTexas A&M

Personnel

Staff/Coaches

Final roster

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultTV TimeTV AnnouncersRecordGame SiteAttendance
1September 20at San Diego ChargersW 16–14NBC 4:00pmRoss Porter & Willie Davis1–0San Diego Stadium
47,782
2September 28Kansas City ChiefsL 24–44ABC 9:00pmKeith Jackson, Don Meredith, & Howard Cosell1–1Memorial Stadium
53,911
3October 4at Boston PatriotsW 14–6NBC 1:00pmDave Martin & Willie Davis2–1Harvard Stadium
38,235
4October 11at Houston OilersW 24–20NBC 4:00pmBill O'Donnell & George Ratterman3–1Astrodome
48,050
5October 18at New York JetsW 29–22NBC 1:00pmCurt Gowdy & Kyle Rote4–1Shea Stadium
63,301
6October 25Boston PatriotsW 27–3NBC 1:00pmBill O'Donnell & Johnny Morris5–1Memorial Stadium
60,240
7November 1Miami DolphinsW 35–0NBC 1:00pmJim Simpson & Al DeRogatis6–1Memorial Stadium
60,240
8November 9at Green Bay PackersW 13–10ABC 9:00pmKeith Jackson, Don Meredith, & Howard Cosell7–1Milwaukee County Stadium
48,063
9November 15Buffalo BillsT 17–17NBC 1:00pmBill Enis & Dave Kocourek7–1–1Memorial Stadium
60,240
10November 22at Miami DolphinsL 17–34NBC 1:00pmCurt Gowdy & Kyle Rote7–2–1Orange Bowl
67,699
11November 29Chicago BearsW 21–20CBS 1:00pmLindsey Nelson & Don Perkins8–2–1Memorial Stadium
60,240
12December 6Philadelphia EaglesW 29–10CBS 1:00pmLindsey Nelson & Don Perkins9–2–1Memorial Stadium
60,240
13December 13at Buffalo BillsW 20–14NBC 1:00pmRoss Porter & Willie Davis10–2–1War Memorial Stadium
34,346
14December 19New York JetsW 35–20NBC 3:00pmCurt Gowdy & Kyle Rote11–2–1Memorial Stadium
60,240

Game summaries

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

This was the Super Bowl III rematch and it was truly a rematch but this time it favors the Colts as they opened up a 19-0 lead and never looked back. The jets did mount a challenge led by Joe Namath's 392 yards passing, but he also had 6 interceptions as the Colts gain some revenge on this day.

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10

Week 11

Week 12

Week 13

The Colts clinched the division title with the win.

Week 14

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. The team won both AFC playoff games as well as Super Bowl V.
Playoff RoundDateOpponentResultRecordGame SiteAttendance
DivisionalDecember 26, 1970Cincinnati BengalsW 17–01–0Memorial Stadium
51,127
Conference ChampionshipJanuary 2, 1971Oakland RaidersW 27–172–0Memorial Stadium
56,368
Super BowlJanuary 17, 1971Dallas Cowboys W 16–133–0Orange 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.

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.

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.