Highlights
The Baltimore Colts were an NFL franchise from 1953-1983, winning three NFL titles and a Super Bowl. Quarterback John Unitas, the face of the franchise, took the field for injured starter George Shaw in 1956. He led the Colts to a .500 record the rest of that season and would go on to become a Hall of Famer and one of the city's most beloved athletes of all-time. In 1958, the Colts defeated the Giants at Yankee Stadium in what became known as "The Greatest Game Ever Played." The game boosted the NFL's popularity, due largely to the fact that it was broadcast to a national television audience. Running back Alan Ameche scored from 1 yard out to give the Colts a 23-17 win in the first overtime...
The Baltimore Colts were an NFL franchise from 1953-1983, winning three NFL titles and a Super Bowl. Quarterback John Unitas, the face of the franchise, took the field for injured starter George Shaw in 1956. He led the Colts to a .500 record the rest of that season and would go on to become a Hall of Famer and one of the city's most beloved athletes of all-time. In 1958, the Colts defeated the Giants at Yankee Stadium in what became known as "The Greatest Game Ever Played." The game boosted the NFL's popularity, due largely to the fact that it was broadcast to a national television audience. Running back Alan Ameche scored from 1 yard out to give the Colts a 23-17 win in the first overtime game ever and their first championship. The Colts found themselves in a familiar spot in 1959, facing the Giants again in the NFL championship game, which was played at Memorial Stadium this time. New York took a 9-7 lead, but Unitas led the Colts to 24 fourth-quarter points and a 31-16 victory for their second straight title. Weeb Ewbank coached the Colts from 1954-1962. The franchise's first owner was Carroll Rosenbloom. After the Colts finished 7-7 in 1962, Ewbank was fired and Don Shula was brought in. Shula helped the Colts to a 12-2 record in 1964, and Unitas was named the league's Most Valuable Player. But the Colts lost to the Cleveland Browns in the NFL championship game. The Colts played in Super Bowl III in 1968 behind quarterback Earl Morall, who won the MVP filling in for an injured Unitas. However, they were defeated by quarterback Joe Namath, former Colts coach Ewbank and the Jets in what some consider the biggest upset in NFL history. The Colts were shifted to the AFC in 1970 as part of the NFL-AFL merger. They advanced to the Super Bowl for the second time in three years and won this time, defeating the Dallas Cowboys for the championship. In 1972, the Colts had their first losing record since 1955, and Unitas was traded after the season. The Colts won three straight AFC East titles from 1975-1977 under Ted Marchibroda. The franchise selected future Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway with the first pick in the 1983 draft, but he refused to join the team. The Colts played their final game in Baltimore on Dec. 18, 1983. Owner Robert Irsay, who took over the team in 1972, began to think about moving the Colts to another city in the offseason because of poor attendance and an aging Memorial Stadium. The Maryland legislature tried to use eminent domain laws to keep the team in Baltimore, so Irsay used now infamous Mayflower vans to take the team to Indianapolis in the middle of the night. Colts fans woke up the next morning without a football team. The Indianapolis team kept the Colts' records, uniforms and logo, which angers Baltimore fans to this day. Baltimore was without a professional football team until 1996 when the Ravens arrived. The original Baltimore Colts played in Baltimore from 1947-1950 as part of the All-America Football Conference. The following players have had their numbers retired: Unitas, Buddy Young, Lenny Moore, Art Donovan, Jim Parker, Raymond Berry and Gino Marchetti.
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Eagles throw away runs
The riddle of why the Eagles would throw 58 passes and run only 18 times on the oh-so-limp run defense of the Bengals last week is an ongoing enigma in Philadelphia. But if coach Andy Reid didn't want to run the ball on the 25th-ranked run defense in the...Tags: Donovan McNabb, San Francisco 49ers, New York Jets, Washington Redskins, New England Patriots
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Best games on TV today
Jets (7-3) @Titans (10-0) TIME, TV: 1 p.m., Ch.9 LINE: Titans by 5 1/2 FANTASY FACTOR: New York QB Brett Favre has thrown for three TDs and no interceptions in the past two games. ... Jets RB Thomas Jones leads the AFC with 854 rushing yards and is...Tags: Thomas Jones, Chris Johnson, New York Jets, Peyton Manning, National Football League
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Ravens' O-line food fighters for Flacco
When the Ravens' offensive line faces one of its biggest challenges of the season today, part of its motivation can be traced to Thursday. That's when Joe Flacco takes his closest 300-pound teammates out for their weekly dinner. Feasting on steaks and...Tags: Ruth's Chris Steak House Incorporated, Foods and Beverages, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns
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The 'Z-Man': a portrait in courage
All the other players were wet and muddy by the time Zachary "Z-Man" Morris got into the game. It was a playoff between the Stembridge Colts and the Middle River Renegades in the 11-13 age division of the huge Harford/Baltimore County Youth Football...Tags: Ray Lewis
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Bob Sanders out vs. Chargers
Indianapolis Colts safety Bob Sanders will miss Sunday night's game in San Diego because of his ailing right knee. The NFL defensive player of the year last season missed last week's game because of swelling in the knee and was listed as questionable...Tags: Indianapolis Colts, National Football League
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Skolnick: Any wins past this point gravy on a successful Dolphins season
The Dolphins don't need to hear this. So whisper it instead, and hope the crowd at Dolphin Stadium is loud enough (for a change) to drown it out: The season is already a success, regardless of the result today or in the five games that follow. In a...Tags: Jason Ferguson, Kevin Faulk, Injuries, Troy Brown, New York Jets
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Colts, Bolts have another go-round after Chargers beat Manning twice last season
AP Sports WriterSAN DIEGO (AP) _ Peyton Manning had more than his fill of the Chargers last season, from his franchise-worst, six-interception game in the rain in San Diego to a playoff loss to the Bolts in the final game in the RCA Dome. This year, he could help...Tags: Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis Colts, Qualcomm Inc., Peyton Manning, National Football League
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Vikings' run defense will be challenge for Jaguars
SENTINEL STAFF WRITERJACKSONVILLE — Fred Taylor has just a little advice for Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson. "The only one thing I've spoken to him about is, you gotta know when to get those extra inches," Taylor said. "You can't break every single tackle. If...Tags: Jacksonville Jaguars, Pat Williams, Chicago Bears, Fred Taylor, Adrian Peterson
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Iron men
LB Derrick Brooks and DE Kevin Carter were both first-round draft picks in 1995. In their 14 NFL seasons, neither player has missed a game and each will run his consecutive-game streak to 218, a record for active defensive players in the league. Here's...Tags: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Jets, Jon Runyan, Ronde Barber, Brett Favre
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NFL HOT READS
Peyton's back; are his teammates? Peyton Manning has shrugged off the early-season problems related to rust from a long layoff after two knee surgeries. In his last three games, Manning has seven touchdown passes and no interceptions, compared with 10...Tags: Government, Joey Porter, Cam Cameron, Jerry Porter, History
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Vick in Va. to plead guilty to dogfighting charges
From Sun news servicesMichael Vick is back in Virginia to plead guilty to state dogfighting charges, a move he hopes will expedite his return to society - and pro football. The quarterback is being held in protective custody at the Hopewell Regional Jail, superintendent...Tags: Prisons, Injuries, New York Jets, Michael Vick, Super Bowl
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Harbaugh taking test vs. mentor
When John Harbaugh arrived here in January for the first of two interviews with the Ravens, he carried with him a copious, 5-inch-thick binder that held practice schedules, computer programs and assorted literature on running a football team.
He called...Tags: Government, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Jets, Chicago Bears, Ozzie Newsome
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