1961 Baltimore Colts season

1961 Baltimore Colts season
Owner	Carroll Rosenbloom
General manager	Don "Red" Kellett
Head coach	Weeb Ewbank
Home field	Memorial Stadium
Results
Record	8–6
Division place	T-3rd NFL Western
Playoff finish	Did not qualify

The 1961 Baltimore Colts season was the ninth for the team in the National Football League. They finished the 1961 season with a record of 8 wins and 6 losses, tied for third in the Western Conference with the Chicago Bears.

Upset by the expansion Minnesota Vikings on November 12, the Colts dipped to 4–5; they won four of the last five to finish with a winning record.

Roster

1961 Baltimore Colts roster

	Quarterbacks 14 Lamar McHan 19 Johnny Unitas Running backs 45 Jerry Hill 27 Tom Matte 24 Lenny Moore 34 Joe Perry 32 Mark Smolinski Wide receivers 82 Raymond Berry 25 Alex Hawkins 28 Jimmy Orr Tight ends 85 Dee Mackey 84 Jim Mutscheller		Offensive linemen 77 Jim Parker T 60 George Preas T 62 Palmer Pyle G 52 Dick Szymanski C Defensive linemen 81 Ordell Braase DE 70 Art Donovan DT 89 Gino Marchetti DE 83 Billy Ray Smith DT		Linebackers 55 Jackie Burkett 66 Don Shinnick Defensive backs 40 Bobby Boyd CB 43 Lenny Lyles CB 80 Andy Nelson S 46 Jim Welch S Special teams 65 Steve Myhra G/LB/K		Reserve lists Practice squad Rookies in italics

Preseason

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	August 12	vs. Pittsburgh Steelers	L 20–24	0–1	Victory Stadium	15,000
2	August 18	Minnesota Vikings	W 13–3	1–1	Memorial Stadium	10,203
3	August 26	vs. Washington Redskins	W 41–7	2–1	Foreman Field	20,302
4	September 1	vs. Dallas Cowboys	L 24–35	2–2	Oklahoma Memorial Stadium	19,000
5	September 10	vs. New York Giants	W 49–20	3–2	Yale Bowl	50,737

Regular season

Program for the December 3 game against the visiting San Francisco 49ers.

Schedule

Main article: 1961 NFL season

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 17	Los Angeles Rams	W 27–24	1–0	Memorial Stadium	54,259
2	September 24	Detroit Lions	L 15–16	1–1	Memorial Stadium	54,259
3	October 1	Minnesota Vikings	W 34–33	2–1	Memorial Stadium	54,259
4	October 8	at Green Bay Packers	L 7–45	2–2	Lambeau Field	38,669
5	October 15	at Chicago Bears	L 10–24	2–3	Wrigley Field	48,719
6	October 22	at Detroit Lions	W 17–14	3–3	Tiger Stadium	53,016
7	October 29	Chicago Bears	L 20–21	3–4	Memorial Stadium	57,641
8	November 5	Green Bay Packers	W 45–21	4–4	Memorial Stadium	57,641
9	November 12	at Minnesota Vikings	L 20–28	4–5	Metropolitan Stadium	38,010
10	November 19	St. Louis Cardinals	W 16–0	5–5	Memorial Stadium	56,112
11	November 26	at Washington Redskins	W 27–6	6–5	D.C. Stadium	41,062
12	December 3	San Francisco 49ers	W 20–17	7–5	Memorial Stadium	57,641
13	December 9	at Los Angeles Rams	L 17–34	7–6	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	41,268
14	December 16	at San Francisco 49ers	W 27–24	8–6	Kezar Stadium	45,517
Note: Intra-conference opponents are in bold text.

Standings

NFL Western Conference
	W	L	T	PCT	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Green Bay Packers	11	3	0	.786	9–3	391	223	W1
Detroit Lions	8	5	1	.615	7–4–1	270	258	L1
Chicago Bears	8	6	0	.571	7–5	326	302	W2
Baltimore Colts	8	6	0	.571	6–6	302	307	W1
San Francisco 49ers	7	6	1	.538	6–5–1	346	272	L1
Los Angeles Rams	4	10	0	.286	3–9	263	333	L1
Minnesota Vikings	3	11	0	.214	3–9	285	407	L2

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

See also

• History of the Indianapolis Colts
• Indianapolis Colts seasons
• Colts–Patriots rivalry