Baltimore Colts-Cheated in 1967

[LeonardRachiele]

The Baltimore Colts lost the last game of the 1967 season to finish 11-1-2.  They tied for first place in the Coastal Division with the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams did better in head to head play leaving Baltimore out of the Post Season.  If anything proves the unfairness of the NFL setup,  this final game does.  The first game at Baltimore was a 24 all tie.  In that final game, the Rams at the Coliseum buried the Colts with a 34 to 10 victory.

Their two best games were against the Green Bay Packers, who finished 9-4-1  and Dallas Cowboys, who finished 9-5.

Both of the games were at home.

Week 8 Green Bay came in at 5-1-1 and Baltimore was 5-0-2.
The Packers shut out the Colts for 59 1/2 minutes  and led 10 t0 0. John Unitas threw a 10 yard touchdown pass to Alex Hawkins.  Lou Michaels missed the extra point and Baltimore trailed 10 to 6.  That missed extra point was big. Everyone knew an onside kick was coming.  Nevertheless, Baltimore  recovered it and Unitas threw a second touchdown pass, this time ta 23 yarder to Willie Richardson.  Baltimore won 13 to 10.  The Colts sacked Bart Starr six times for 44 yards and this kept the game close.

Week 12 Dallas came in at 8-3 to and Baltimore was 9-0-2.
The Baltimore Colts rallied for two field goals and a touchdown in the last quarter to win 23 to 17.  Each side had four turnovers.  Despite three interceptions, John Unitas was 22 for 39 for 275 yards and a touchdown.  Alex Hawkins caught eight passes for 125 yards. Baltimore won 23 to 17.

[Cali_Eagle]

W/O looking it up, I would think that is the best % WLT record ever compiled in the NFL (not counting 1920-1931) that came up with no plaque or trophy or playoff spot etc. in league history. Unless you consider a Quasi-co-championship of the 4 team Coastal Division to be "coming away with something". Have I missed something somewhere?

I think ties s/b restored to the standings and the current 3 & 1 point system of the English Premier Soccer League should be implemented. I have a book with Pro Football newspaper headlines going back to at least the Ohio League. Circa 1932 & the famous indoor playoff at Chicago Stadium between 6-1-6 Chicago Bears & 6-1-4 Portsmouth Spartans, the unfairness of this prompted the GB Press-Gazette beat writer for the 10-3-1 1932 GB Packers (at .769 & totally screwed under NFL rules of the day) Oliver Kuechle to suggest that 2 points go for a victory & 1 for a tie. He took it from English soccer rules of the day. Of course, he was nowhere to be found in 1930 when the 10-3-1 Packers got over on the 13-4 Giants LOL. I wonder what he thought or said or wrote (nothing I would guess) about 1931 when the Packers cancelled a scheduled game w. Portsmouth & thus wound up as NFL champs. This canx was upheld by Joe Carr, & in doing so probably missed out on some good publicity for the league & a really good gate take. A Spartan win would've resulted in the 1st ever playoff game,1 year earlier than the Chicago Stadium "ArenaFL" classic.

[RichardBak]

Oh, it killed me when the Colts lost that finale at LA. Some fine photography in this 30-minute hi-lite reel of that '67 team. Its title says it all: "Year of Glory, Day of Defeat."

https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/sear ... ction=view