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1974 Baltimore Colts season
22nd season in franchise history
22nd season in franchise history
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| team | Baltimore Colts |
| year | 1974 |
| record | 2–12 |
| division_place | 5th AFC East |
| coach | Howard Schnellenberger |
| Joe Thomas | |
| owner | Robert Irsay |
| general_manager | Joe Thomas |
| stadium | Memorial Stadium |
| playoffs | *Did not qualify* |
| pro_bowlers | LB Mike Curtis |
| shortnavlink | Colts seasons |
Joe Thomas
The 1974 Baltimore Colts season was the 22nd season for the team in the National Football League. The Colts finished with a record of 2 wins and 12 losses, fifth in the AFC East.
Second-year head coach Howard Schnellenberger was fired after three games, after an argument with owner Robert Irsay over whether Marty Domres or Bert Jones should start at quarterback for the Colts.
General manager Joe Thomas took over the head coaching duties for the remainders of the season, but could direct the team to only two wins, both on the road, as the Colts failed to win a home game during the 1974 season. This would be the last time the Colts would fail to win a home game in a non-strike season until their abysmal 1–15 1991 season, when the team was based in Indianapolis.
Offseason
NFL draft
Main article: 1974 NFL draft
Staff
- President and treasurer – Robert Irsay
- General manager – Joe Thomas
- Head coach – Howard Schnellenberger (fired after 0–3 start)
- Interim head coach - Joe Thomas (2–9)
- Receivers – Pete McCulley
- Running backs - George Sefcik
- Offensive coordinator/offensive line – George Young
- Defensive coordinator/defensive backfield – Don Doll
- Defensive line – Jerry Smith
- Linebackers coach – Frank Lauterbur
Final roster
Regular season
Main article: 1974 NFL season
All-Pro linebacker Ted Hendricks signed a future contract with the World Football League, and was then traded by the Colts to the Green Bay Packers by general manager Joe Thomas. (Hendricks never ended up playing for the bankrupt WFL, and made four more Pro Bowls in his career.)
In an autopsy of the Colts 1974 season written for Street & Smith's Pro Football Annual, Buffalo Evening News writer Larry Felser observed that the patience of Baltimore fans was waning, with the perennially sold-out Memorial Stadium had failed to crack the 40,000 mark at the gate on multiple occasions. "When Joe Thomas arrived on the scene as general manager in 1972, he promised to tear down a decaying team and rebuild it into a champion," Felser wrote. "He produced on the first part of his vow; the Baltimore fans are waiting for the other shoe to drop."
Schedule
| Baltimore Colts | year=1974 | border=2}}" | Week | Baltimore Colts | year=1974 | border=2}}" | Date | Baltimore Colts | year=1974 | border=2}}" | Opponent | Baltimore Colts | year=1974 | border=2}}" | Result | Baltimore Colts | year=1974 | border=2}}" | Record | Baltimore Colts | year=1974 | border=2}}" | Venue | Baltimore Colts | year=1974 | border=2}}" | Attendance | Baltimore Colts | year=1974 | border=2}}" | Game Recap | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 15 | at [Pittsburgh Steelers](1974-pittsburgh-steelers-season) | **L** 0–30 | 0–1 | Three Rivers Stadium | 48,890 | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197409150pit.htm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| September 22 | [Green Bay Packers](1974-green-bay-packers-season) | **L** 13–20 | 0–2 | Memorial Stadium | 41,252 | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197409220clt.htm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| September 29 | at [Philadelphia Eagles](1974-philadelphia-eagles-season) | **L** 10–30 | 0–3 | Veterans Stadium | 64,205 | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197409290phi.htm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| October 6 | at **[New England Patriots](1974-new-england-patriots-season)** | **L** 3–42 | 0–4 | Schaefer Stadium | 59,502 | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197410060nwe.htm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| October 13 | **[Buffalo Bills](1974-buffalo-bills-season)** | **L** 14–27 | 0–5 | Memorial Stadium | 40,626 | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197410130clt.htm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| October 20 | at **[New York Jets](1974-new-york-jets-season)** | **W** 35–20 | 1–5 | Shea Stadium | 51,745 | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197410200nyj.htm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| October 27 | at **[Miami Dolphins](1974-miami-dolphins-season)** | **L** 7–17 | 1–6 | Orange Bowl | 65,868 | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197410270mia.htm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| November 3 | [Cincinnati Bengals](1974-cincinnati-bengals-season) | **L** 14–24 | 1–7 | Memorial Stadium | 36,110 | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197411030clt.htm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| November 10 | [Denver Broncos](1974-denver-broncos-season) | **L** 6–17 | 1–8 | Memorial Stadium | 33,244 | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197411100clt.htm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| November 17 | at [Atlanta Falcons](1974-atlanta-falcons-season) | **W** 17–7 | 2–8 | Atlanta Stadium | 41,278 | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197411170atl.htm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| November 24 | **New England Patriots** | **L** 17–27 | 2–9 | Memorial Stadium | 34,782 | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197411240clt.htm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| December 1 | at **Buffalo Bills** | **L** 0–6 | 2–10 | Rich Stadium | 75,325 | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197412010buf.htm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| December 8 | **Miami Dolphins** | **L** 16–17 | 2–11 | Memorial Stadium | 34,420 | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197412080clt.htm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| December 15 | **New York Jets** | **L** 38–45 | 2–12 | Memorial Stadium | 31,651 | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197412150clt.htm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| **Note:** Intra-division opponents are in **bold** text. |
Standings
:Source:
Season summary
Week 2 vs Packers
First quarter
- GB – Chester Marcol 52-yard field goal. ''Packers 3–0. '''Drive:'''''
- BAL – Toni Linhart 37-yard field goal. ''Tie 3–3. '''Drive:''''' Second quarter
- GB – MacArthur Lane 1-yard run (Chester Marcol kick). ''Packers 10–3. '''Drive:'''''
- GB – Chester Marcol 39-yard field goal. ''Packers 13–3. '''Drive:'''''
- BAL – Toni Linhart 23-yard field goal. ''Packers 13–6. '''Drive:''''' Third quarter
- GB – MacArthur Lane 13-yard run (Chester Marcol kick). ''Packers 20–6. '''Drive:''''' Fourth quarter
- BAL – Bill Olds 7-yard pass from Bert Jones (Toni Linhart kick). ''Packers 20–13. '''Drive:''''' ;Top passers
- GB – Jerry Tagge – 10/16, 109 yards, INT
- BAL – Bert Jones – 7/16, 88 yards, TD, INT ;Top rushers
- GB – MacArthur Lane – 22 rushes, 36 yards, 2 TD
- BAL – Lydell Mitchell – 18 rushes, 63 yards ;Top receivers
- GB – Jon Staggers – 3 receptions, 52 yards
- BAL – Lydell Mitchell – 5 receptions, 47 yards
References
References
- (September 30, 1974). "Schnellenberger the last to know". Eugene Register-Guard.
- Neft, David S.; Cohen, Richard M.; and Korch, Rich [http://www.abebooks.com/book-search/isbn/0312110731/soft-cover/ The Sports Encyclopedia: Pro Football, 12th Edition], p. 270, Martin's Press, August 1994, {{ISBN. 0-312-11073-1
- Larry Felser, "Baltimore Colts," in Sam E. Andre (ed.), ''Street & Smith's Pro Football Annual, 1975.'' New York: Conde Nast Publications, 1975, pp. 48–50.
- ''NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book'', Workman Publishing Co, New York, {{ISBN. 0-7611-2480-2, p. 296
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