What were the most painful colts losses in your lifetime?

[jseg18 5]

Since that game against the steelers seems to be everyone's worst game, Troy P played lights out that game. All I remember seeing was his hair around the ball almost every play. Great player .

[braveheartcolt 1,394]

A team that effectively decides not to win a game is ok? Worse than Spygate, Deflategate, and Wilfork poke in the eye gate?

 

The Steelers (2005) loss is fine. Our O-line stank it up. Peyton threw them under the bus. Well, he tried to, but missed. 

[ThaCaliColt 13]

Without a shadow of a doubt, the 2005 AFC Divisional Game...The 1995 AFCCG was a great one and heartbreaking at the end, but I felt that team had over-achieved to an extent, and would have been obliterated against the 49ers. When you are the best team in football and have a severe letdown after so many high hopes, it just hurts...Straight up...

[The Old Crow 750]

Week 2 in the 1953 season.

Detroit Lions 27 Baltimore Colts 17. Lol

[The Old Crow 750]

What made me so uneasy as a youngster watching this game was the total inability by the Colts to score. After witnessing the 1st & 2nd quarters, I was a wreck at halftime. 16-7 I believe was the final score and that didn't come until late as I recall.

However, you are 100% correct, The Old Crow. Yardage wise, it should've been 20-0. Jimmy Orr in the end zone made me sick.

ONE

I know it has no credence , but when you watch that game, and plays like the Jimmy Orr one, you can't help thinking about Bubba Smith's comments about the game being fixed.

[The Old Crow 750]

Not for me. I've been a Colt fan my whole life through the move to INDY. Would have loved to switch to a local team (NY?NJ) in 1984, but the Colts played the Jets....Same horseshoe, same color (except for those ugly grey (NOT EVEN SILVER) pants with the numbers in the horseshoe). I couldn't switch.

Super Bowl III and even the loss to the Rams in the last game of the 1967 season were watershed "what ifs" for the franchise.

People don't realize, the Colts were 26-3-2 over a 2 year period without a championship.

They got blown out in that last game of the 1967 season by the Los Angeles Rams 34-10 in LA. Despite have a better conference record at 8-1-1 vs. the Rams 7-1-2, the deciding tie breaker was point differential in head to head. This cost the Colts the NFL Coastal Division , and the playoffs.

[Deano1818 0]

2 playoff losses to Steelers

2 playoff losses to San Diego

Loss to Miami (* kicker)

75 losses to the Patriots

[ColtRider 22]

They got blown out in that last game of the 1967 season by the Los Angeles Rams 34-10 in LA. Despite have a better conference record at 8-1-1 vs. the Rams 7-1-2, the deciding tie breaker was point differential in head to head. This cost the Colts the NFL Coastal Division , and the playoffs.

What a blast from the past. Roman Gabriel!

[The Old Crow 750]

What a blast from the past. Roman Gabriel!

And the Fearsome Foursome, and George Allen !

[Colts_Fan12 1,825]

Saints Super Bowl :''(

[cmgww 7]

The lasting memory for me in the 2005/06 AFCC Game vs Pittsburgh was how inept we looked....after pummeling them in November. If memory serves, they came out passing a ton...a 180 from their usual ground and pound stuff. And Lebeau's D had Manning confused for most of the game. I was in Hartford at the time. I had just been hired for the job I have now and was there for two weeks. The Sunday in between training was the AFCC. Those of us from Indy found a sports bar, and watched it...mostly in dismay. Then, as we were getting up and literally putting our jackets on, Bettis fumbled. New life! At the time, even though Harper got tackled, I thought "this is it, we drive and score to win." Then Manning throws 2 endzone bombs when he could have checked down. Ugh. And we know the rest. We left the bar cussing and lamenting the loss.

Again, had we somehow escaped with a win, I think without a doubt we would have won the SB that year.

But, and I will say this as some have before....that year's team lost something when Tony lost his son. I know they played well when he came back for the final game (I was there, with the best seats I've ever had for a Colts game) and when they made the final stand to hold off the Cards it was great. But in the big picture, I think that cloud hung over the team...combined with a nearly month long layoff for a lot of the starters. It just sucked, on so many levels.

[cmgww 7]

Another memory was in the 2008 game against the Chargers. On 3rd and 2, needing a first down to basically run out the clock...Peyton went back to pass. Why? Probably bc our running game wasn't that strong at the time. But more importantly, someone missed their block. The Chargers got to him, and forced the punt. But I remember distinctly that the pass protector (TE/RB) missed the block. Sorry I can't remember the name, but it cost us big in that game. We all know the rest. Polian explained it in detail on his show back then.

A regular season loss that stung was the first game of 2004. When we lost, I told a drunk friend (I was also drunk) that the game just cost us home field....and it did.

But the worst ever in recent memory? Probably this latest * spanking by the Pats. I honestly thought we had a chance to win going in to that game. But we didnt...the Cribbs fumble on the punt return sealed it. I knew then we were screwed. The @$&@! Pats recovered as they always do in Gillette, and the rout was on. Had Cribbs caught it safely, who knows? I don't think we win but I also don't think get boat raced.....

[ColtRider 22]

And the Fearsome Foursome, and George Allen !

How could I forget ... Rosy Grier, Lamar Lundy, Merlin Olsen, and Deacon Jones ... all on one D-Line ... MERCY!

[ColtRider 22]

The lasting memory for me in the 2005/06 AFCC Game vs Pittsburgh was how inept we looked....after pummeling them in November. If memory serves, they came out passing a ton...a 180 from their usual ground and pound stuff. And Lebeau's D had Manning confused for most of the game. I was in Hartford at the time. I had just been hired for the job I have now and was there for two weeks. The Sunday in between training was the AFCC. Those of us from Indy found a sports bar, and watched it...mostly in dismay. Then, as we were getting up and literally putting our jackets on, Bettis fumbled. New life! At the time, even though Harper got tackled, I thought "this is it, we drive and score to win." Then Manning throws 2 endzone bombs when he could have checked down. Ugh. And we know the rest. We left the bar cussing and lamenting the loss.

Again, had we somehow escaped with a win, I think without a doubt we would have won the SB that year.

But, and I will say this as some have before....that year's team lost something when Tony lost his son. I know they played well when he came back for the final game (I was there, with the best seats I've ever had for a Colts game) and when they made the final stand to hold off the Cards it was great. But in the big picture, I think that cloud hung over the team...combined with a nearly month long layoff for a lot of the starters. It just sucked, on so many levels.

Yeah, Nick Harper Zigs instead Zags ... Game over! Grrrrr! Oh well, that's the way the shoestring snaps. (pun intended) Have to give him some huge slack though ... knife wound to the leg. Gotta hurt after playing almost the entire game. OW-EE!

[The Old Crow 750]

How could I forget ... Rosy Grier, Lamar Lundy, Merlin Olsen, and Deacon Jones ... all on one D-Line ... MERCY!

Bad news from Baltimore. Baltimore Colt legend Jim Mutscheller dead at 85. Great TE for the Colts, and caught critical pass before Alan Ameche run in 58 Championship game.

[rockywoj 989]

2005 Steelers playoff game.

Super Bowl vs Saints. 

 

I agree with those two, but I will add my third ...

 

 The Colts 1977 playoff loss in double overtime against the Oakland Raiders was famous for the fact that it was the last playoff game for the Colts in Baltimore and is also known for the Ghost to the Post play. These consecutive championship teams featured 1976 NFL Most Valuable Player Bert Jones at quarterback and an outstanding defensive line, nicknamed the "Sack Pack."

[The Old Crow 750]

I agree with those two, but I will add my third ...

The Colts 1977 playoff loss in double overtime against the Oakland Raiders was famous for the fact that it was the last playoff game for the Colts in Baltimore and is also known for the Ghost to the Post play. These consecutive championship teams featured 1976 NFL Most Valuable Player Bert Jones at quarterback and an outstanding defensive line, nicknamed the "Sack Pack."

Erhmann, Barnes, Cook, and Dutton

[dw49 709]

Erhmann, Barnes, Cook, and Dutton

 

 

Erhmann attended the Manlius school as a PG in 1967. I was a junior in my second year there. Had the silly rank of sergeant that year and was a squad leader. Believe it or not he was in my squad , so at around 140 pounds , I was telling him his shoes needed shinning. 

Manlius is a suburb of Syracuse and was a prep football powerhouse back then. Played many freshman college football teams as they had them back then. Anyway Syracuse alumni often sent recruits that needed to get their grades up to Manlius for a PG year. On that same team we had John Brockington . Both guys lived on the same floor of the dorm that I did. He was headed to Syracuse until Woody Hayes contacted him and said he could attend Ohio State while leaving the Military school at semester break. Since it was not a lot of fun living there with all that military stuff including hearing a bugle at like 5:15 in the morning.... John jumped ship and switched to OS.

 

Both were absolute terrific guys. 

[dw49 709]

Erhmann attended the Manlius school as a PG in 1967. I was a junior in my second year there. Had the silly rank of sergeant that year and was a squad leader. Believe it or not he was in my squad , so at around 140 pounds , I was telling him his shoes needed shinning. 

Manlius is a suburb of Syracuse and was a prep football powerhouse back then. Played many freshman college football teams as they had them back then. Anyway Syracuse alumni often sent recruits that needed to get their grades up to Manlius for a PG year. On that same team we had John Brockington . Both guys lived on the same floor of the dorm that I did. He was headed to Syracuse until Woody Hayes contacted him and said he could attend Ohio State while leaving the Military school at semester break. Since it was not a lot of fun living there with all that military stuff including hearing a bugle at like 5:15 in the morning.... John jumped ship and switched to OS.

 

Both were absolute terrific guys. 

 

 

Actually thinking back and they were not on the same team. Joe E was there my senior year and Brockington was there the year before. 

[The Old Crow 750]

Actually thinking back and they were not on the same team. Joe E was there my senior year and Brockington was there the year before.

Cool story. Ehrman still lives in Baltimore, I think. I know he was involved in an organization that helped disadvantaged kids. I remember John Brockington when he played with the Packers and was teamed with Mccarther Lane. He was a very good FB. I was in Syracuse not long ago and had my usual trip to Dinosaurs.

[dw49 709]

Cool story. Ehrman still lives in Baltimore, I think. I know he was involved in an organization that helped disadvantaged kids. I remember John Brockington when he played with the Packers and was teamed with Mccarther Lane. He was a very good FB. I was in Syracuse not long ago and had my usual trip to Dinosaurs.

 

 

Forgot all about that place. I lived in the Syracuse area for 55 years then the last 10 in Orange County CA. Those are no doubt among the best spare ribs and BQ chicken you can get. 

 

Story goes that Brockington got involved with some very shady people in GB. Think it probably helped cut his career a bit short. Good guy .. hard to believe he was skirting the edge for a bit... or so they say.

[John Dee 44]

You nailed it Jules...      05 was such a bummer...  BUT I was even more bummed by 1995 and the loss to the Steelers ....     Indy had a really good D that year and a QB that just got it done...   (Harbaugh)    Indy suffered some really bad calls in that game.

 

And Aaron Bailey had the winning catch in his belly but ........        ughhhhhhh

 

Had that team went on to play Dallas I think they would have beat Dallas easily...    JMO....    But that loss still sticks with me....

 

05 too...........   Indy was just better than Pitt BOTH times but the best team doesn't always win.

The loss in 2005 made the SB loss to the Saints feel like a picnic in the park to me. 

 

The 2005 game with Dungy's sons shocking death preceding it and the EVENTS of that 2005 game were completely horrible. The Colts actually in 2005 to 2006 could have been looking at a repeat championship team.

 

1995 was pretty bad too.

 

It's often the Steelers to me. 

 

I can get over even Pats losses more easily since often times I throw up my hands and go "Yeah the Pats are good I give up."

 

And we just got completely out coached by the Saints IMO. I think both the Vikes and Saints were better then the Colts that year.

 

 

2005.......that team was GOOD.

[chad72 7,113]

A team that effectively decides not to win a game is ok? Worse than Spygate, Deflategate, and Wilfork poke in the eye gate?

 

The Steelers (2005) loss is fine. Our O-line stank it up. Peyton threw them under the bus. Well, he tried to, but missed. 

 

Yeah. Looking back, objectively, the Colts did not even deserve to have the game close and the Steelers and the refs tried to give the game back to the Colts. But Peyton would not check the protections right and would not take check downs to Edge easily. We were running so well towards the end of the first half, and then we go away from it. Overall, a terrible start by the D to go down 0-14, and a terrible game plan by the Colts offensively except for a few spurts. The D recovered after that 14 point deficit but the O NEVER got it going. 

 

Peyton, as much as I hate to say it, felt he had to get yardage in chunks more often than take the simple checkdown, the problem of his life where he always felt he had to do it all by himself. The year he corrected it with checkdowns to Addai and Rhodes, we won it all. Then I see Brady, who is willing to give a team a death by thousand paper cuts, whether it was to Kevin Faulk early in his career or Shane Vereen later in his career, and there in lies the difference between drives stalling and a simplistic prolonging of offensive production come playoff time vs playoff Ds that do not give big chunks.

[imacoltfan 4]

Cool story. Ehrman still lives in Baltimore, I think. I know he was involved in an organization that helped disadvantaged kids. I remember John Brockington when he played with the Packers and was teamed with Mccarther Lane. He was a very good FB. I was in Syracuse not long ago and had my usual trip to Dinosaurs.

It was called "The Door". And he also partnered in a book called "Season of Life". If you have a son or know a young man who could use a life lesson, the book is on point.

[dw49 709]

Yeah. Looking back, objectively, the Colts did not even deserve to have the game close and the Steelers and the refs tried to give the game back to the Colts. But Peyton would not check the protections right and would not take check downs to Edge easily. We were running so well towards the end of the first half, and then we go away from it. Overall, a terrible start by the D to go down 0-14, and a terrible game plan by the Colts offensively except for a few spurts. The D recovered after that 14 point deficit but the O NEVER got it going. 

 

Peyton, as much as I hate to say it, felt he had to get yardage in chunks more often than take the simple checkdown, the problem of his life where he always felt he had to do it all by himself. The year he corrected it with checkdowns to Addai and Rhodes, we won it all. Then I see Brady, who is willing to give a team a death by thousand paper cuts, whether it was to Kevin Faulk early in his career or Shane Vereen later in his career, and there in lies the difference between drives stalling and a simplistic prolonging of offensive production come playoff time vs playoff Ds that do not give big chunks.

 

 

Even though I hate pinning playoff loses on PM , what you have there is pretty spot on. Right to the bitter end he made questionable decisions. Refreshed my memory by bringing up the play by play to look at that final drive. We had a 2nd and 3 with 31 seconds left , 2 time outs at the Pitt 28. Manning made consecutive throws way down field rather than something for 6-7 yards to get a new set of downs and get M V closer. Neither of those throws had a snow balls chance in hell of being completed. While it was a bitter loss , we were totally outplayed and only a crazy over turn and Bettis fumble gave us a chance.

[bababooey 79]

Not including playoffs or Patriot losses = Week 2 this past year against the Eagles. Had the game won. up by a TD in field goal range to make it two possessions and TY is dragged to the ground so Luck's pass is intercepted. Then Landry gets called on a horsecollar that was all jersey and lost on a field goal in closing seconds.

[amfootball 3]

Yeah. Looking back, objectively, the Colts did not even deserve to have the game close and the Steelers and the refs tried to give the game back to the Colts. But Peyton would not check the protections right and would not take check downs to Edge easily. We were running so well towards the end of the first half, and then we go away from it. Overall, a terrible start by the D to go down 0-14, and a terrible game plan by the Colts offensively except for a few spurts. The D recovered after that 14 point deficit but the O NEVER got it going. 

 

Peyton, as much as I hate to say it, felt he had to get yardage in chunks more often than take the simple checkdown, the problem of his life where he always felt he had to do it all by himself. The year he corrected it with checkdowns to Addai and Rhodes, we won it all. Then I see Brady, who is willing to give a team a death by thousand paper cuts, whether it was to Kevin Faulk early in his career or Shane Vereen later in his career, and there in lies the difference between drives stalling and a simplistic prolonging of offensive production come playoff time vs playoff Ds that do not give big chunks.

To your last paragraph, Josh McDaniels said for the two weeks prior to the SB he preached to the offense one word - patience.

He knew that the Seattle secondary was too tough to beat deep but that they could expose them underneath stuff with Edelman's and Vereens speed. And of course Seattle had issues all year covering TEs so Gronk was able to exploit LB coverage on him as well as Chancellor on the final drive. But to your point, the QB has to stay patient and not throw for the fences. When I re-watch the game and view the last 12 minutes and the Pats are down 10, my first thought is we need to score quickly and yet the ball was matriculated down the field in 5-10 yard chunks with no sense of panic. It is stunning to watch as my whole thinking is we need to score like right now, hurry up. And then you look at the clock after the drive and there is still 8 minutes left when Seattle gets the ball back. So it only took 4 minutes but it felt like 4 years because of the two score lead.

[antipatriot 8]

05 Steelers

08 Chargers

Saints Superbowl

[The Old Crow 750]

Forgot all about that place. I lived in the Syracuse area for 55 years then the last 10 in Orange County CA. Those are no doubt among the best spare ribs and BQ chicken you can get.

Story goes that Brockington got involved with some very shady people in GB. Think it probably helped cut his career a bit short. Good guy .. hard to believe he was skirting the edge for a bit... or so they say.

What is it with those Ohio State guys? The Colts got stuck with gambling Art Schlichter !

[The Old Crow 750]

It was called "The Door". And he also partnered in a book called "Season of Life". If you have a son or know a young man who could use a life lesson, the book is on point.

Since my son is a Ravens fan, does that qualify as a life lesson ? Lol

[dw49 709]

What is it with those Ohio State guys? The Colts got stuck with gambling Art Schlichter !

 

 

Man .. what a horrible pick that was. 

[The Old Crow 750]

Man .. what a horrible pick that was.

4th overall pick in 1982 draft with Jim McMahon and Marcus Allen in there. 1983 was the Elway trade. Do you see why we were drinking a lot in Baltimore at the time ?

[dw49 709]

4th overall pick in 1982 draft with Jim McMahon and Marcus Allen in there. 1983 was the Elway trade. Do you see why we were drinking a lot in Baltimore at the time ?

 

 

Regarding the Elway trade it was evidently less than Tiger Irsay was drinking.

[The Old Crow 750]

Regarding the Elway trade it was evidently less than Tiger Irsay was drinking.

I think after those two drafts, I drank more vodka than Tiger !

[In Luck We Trust 1]

 

 

 

 

 

 

these two games here, Bailey had a perfect chance to catch the ball in the endzone in the 95' AFC Champ. game and it didn't fall the right way, and the 2005 game against the steelers. both games i felt we should have won. 

[jimhegley 0]

The two Super Bowl loses are the worst for me: against the Jets (at the end of Unitas' career) and against New Orleans!

[dw49 709]

 

 

 

 

 

 

these two games here, Bailey had a perfect chance to catch the ball in the endzone in the 95' AFC Champ. game and it didn't fall the right way, and the 2005 game against the steelers. both games i felt we should have won. 

 

 

I thought we outplayed the Steelers in the 95 game. Plus we had a few bad breaks. Like Warren get;s tackled by a shoelace on 3rd and one late in the game. He should still be running on that play. Then Coryatte doesn't hang on to the game ending INT and of coarse the Bailey play in the end zone . So i totally agree with you on that one.

 

Now when you say we should have won the 2005 game , I'm assuming you mean because we had the better roster ? There is no way anyone can say we should have won that game because we outplayed the Steelers. That just was not the case.  We had the overturned INT and the ridiculous Bettis fumble at the goal line that gave us a chance to pull out a ridiculous win.

[Horse Shoe Heaven 184]

1. Pittsburgh home payoff lose

 

2. NE Playoff lose where Manning threw eight million INTS & played horribly

 

3. Playoff lose to Pittsburgh with Harbough

 

4. Playoff lose at home to the Jets & SD

 

5 Super Bowl lose to NO

 

6. Playoff lose to Oakland Ghost to the post!

[imacoltfan 4]

For those who still get agita over the 1996 AFC Championship try these two nuggets.

1. Ernie Mills catch in today's NFL would not be a catch. He hits the ground and the ball pops out. Or it would have at least would

been reviewed.

2. On the scramble before the Hail Mary, Harbaugh was brought down by a flagrant face mask. The impact of that miss by the officials was huge. The 15 yard penalty would have moved the ball to the Steeler 14, and the clock would have stopped....

[Rally5 501]

 

 

 

 

 

 

these two games here, Bailey had a perfect chance to catch the ball in the endzone in the 95' AFC Champ. game and it didn't fall the right way, and the 2005 game against the steelers. both games i felt we should have won. 

So many chances to win that 95 game.....