1987 Indianapolis Colts season explained

Team:Indianapolis Colts
Year:1987
Record:9–6
Division Place:1st AFC East
Coach:Ron Meyer
General Manager:Jim Irsay
Owner:Robert Irsay
Stadium:Hoosier Dome
Radio:WIBC–AM 1070
Playoffs:Lost Divisional Playoffs
(at Browns) 21–38
Shortnavlink:Colts seasons

The 1987 Indianapolis Colts season was the 35th season for the team in the National Football League (NFL) and fourth in Indianapolis. It was also their first full season under head coach Ron Meyer, who had taken over an 0-13 Colts team the previous season after Rod Dowhower was fired.

The team finished the strike-shortened season with a record of 9-6 and won the AFC East division.

This season marked the first winning season, division championship, and playoff appearance for the Colts since 1977, when they were still in Baltimore.

NFL Films produced a documentary about the team's season entitled Off and Running; it was narrated by Jeff Kaye.

Offseason

NFL draft

See main article: article and 1987 NFL draft.

1987 Indianapolis Colts Draft
Round Selection Player Position College
2Alabama
2 30Choice to Washington
3 58Iowa
4 85Pittsburgh
5 114Eastern Illinois
6 142Alabama
7 170Brigham Young
8 197Choice to Tampa Bay
200
(Choice from Buffalo)		UCLA
9 225Choice to N.Y. Giants
247
(Choice from Cleveland)		Penn State
10 253Alabama
11 281Jim Reynosa Arizona State
12 309Arizona

NFL replacement players

After the league decided to use replacement players during the NFLPA strike, the following team was assembled:

Pre season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentTimeTVResultRecordVenueAttendanceRecap
1at Detroit Lions7:00p.m. ESTWTHRW 22–191–0Pontiac Silverdome
2at Minnesota Vikings7:00p.m. ESTWTHRL 19–371–1Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
3Houston Oilers7:30p.m. ESTWTHRW 17–62–1Hoosier Dome
4Tampa Bay Buccaneers7:30p.m. ESTWTHRW 23–63–1Hoosier Dome

Preseason Game summaries

Regular season

On October 31, 1987, the Los Angeles Rams traded Eric Dickerson to the Indianapolis Colts in a three team trade involving the Buffalo Bills. The Rams sent Dickerson to the Colts for six draft choices and two players. Buffalo obtained the rights to Cornelius Bennett from Indianapolis. Buffalo sent running back Greg Bell and three draft choices to the Rams, while Indianapolis added Owen Gill and three of their own draft picks to complete the deal with the Rams.[1]

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendanceRecap
1September 13Cincinnati BengalsL 21–230–1Hoosier Dome59,387Recap
2September 20, 1987Miami DolphinsL 10–230–2Hoosier Dome57,524Recap
3September 27at St. Louis CardinalsCanceled [2] 0–2Busch Stadium
4October 4at Buffalo BillsW 47–61–2Rich Stadium9,860Recap
5October 11New York JetsW 6–02–2Hoosier Dome34,927Recap
6October 18at Pittsburgh SteelersL 7–212–3Three Rivers Stadium34,627Recap
7October 25New England PatriotsW 30–163–3Hoosier Dome48,850Recap
8November 1at New York JetsW 19–144–3Giants Stadium60,863Recap
9November 8San Diego ChargersL 13–164–4Hoosier Dome60,459Recap
10November 15at Miami DolphinsW 40–215–4Joe Robbie Stadium65,433Recap
11November 22at New England PatriotsL 0–245–5Sullivan Stadium56,906Recap
12November 29Houston OilersW 51–276–5Hoosier Dome54,999Recap
13December 6at Cleveland BrownsW 9–77–5Cleveland Stadium70,661Recap
14December 13Buffalo BillsL 3–277–6Hoosier Dome60,253Recap
15December 20at San Diego ChargersW 20–78–6Jack Murphy Stadium46,211Recap
16December 27Tampa Bay BuccaneersW 24–69–6Hoosier Dome60,468Recap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Regular Season Game summaries

[3]

Colts +5½

BengalsGame StatisticsColts
25First downs15
42–187Rushes–yards27–85
236Passing yards206
17–26–013–23–3
2–20Sacked–yards0–0
216Net passing yards206
403Total yards291
134Return yards129
3–52.04–52.3
4–1Fumbles–lost2–0
5–50Penalties–yards2–25
27:16Time of possession32:44

[4]

Colts +5

DolphinsGame StatisticsColts
20First downs20
34–130Rushes–yards23–84
254Passing yards282
23–32–027–43–1
1–9Sacked–yards2–24
245Net passing yards258
375Total yards342
76Return yards113
4–42.84–37.5
2–2Fumbles–lost4–3
1–5Penalties–yards4–30
33:16Time of possession26:44

Cancelled due to player's strike.

[5]

Colts –3.5

ColtsGame StatisticsBills
28First downs14
41–166Rushes–yards28–81
306Passing yards148
20–30–012–35–3
1–9Sacked–yards6–66
297Net passing yards82
463Total yards163
87Return yards77
2–30.56–32.2
3–2Fumbles–lost7–4
5–30Penalties–yards10–70
31:44Time of possession28:16

This game was played with replacement players.

[6]

Colts –11

JetsGame StatisticsColts
16First downs14
28–66Rushes–yards32–174
163Passing yards115
17–35–315–31–1
4–18Sacked–yards3–19
145Net passing yards96
211Total yards270
60Return yards73
8–39.47–34.6
5–2Fumbles–lost2–1
8–65Penalties–yards7–70
30:00Time of possession30:00

This game was played with replacement players.

[7]

Colts +11½

ColtsGame StatisticsSteelers
15First downs23
22–75Rushes–yards47–252
195Passing yards138
17–30–311–23–1
0–0Sacked–yards2–12
195Net passing yards126
270Total yards378
68Return yards62
5–39.66–41.8
2–2Fumbles–lost4–0
8–69Penalties–yards6–57
23:21Time of possession36:39

This game was played with replacement players.

[8]

Colts +6½

PatriotsGame StatisticsColts
18First downs17
27–79Rushes–yards25–87
246Passing yards239
22–43–117–28–0
2–21Sacked–yards3–26
225Net passing yards213
304Total yards300
162Return yards129
4–45.05–44.6
2–2Fumbles–lost3–1
5–40Penalties–yards9–65
32:54Time of possession27:06

[9]

Colts +7

ColtsGame StatisticsJets
21First downs15
45–186Rushes–yards20–101
192Passing yards190
14–23–016–30–1
1–1Sacked–yards7–61
191Net passing yards129
377Total yards230
73Return yards142
3–40.05–35.8
1–0Fumbles–lost2–2
4–35Penalties–yards6–34
34:47Time of possession25:13

[10]

Colts Pick'em

ChargersGame StatisticsColts
15First downs18
26–82Rushes–yards45–191
214Passing yards127
16–30–312–18–0
0–0Sacked–yards3–15
214Net passing yards112
296Total yards303
82Return yards150
4–43.03–34.0
3–1Fumbles–lost3–3
10–80Penalties–yards9–65
22:11Time of possession37:49

[11]

Colts +7

ColtsGame StatisticsDolphins
32First downs22
44–239Rushes–yards23–77
218Passing yards209
22–37–016–38–2
0–0Sacked–yards0–0
218Net passing yards209
457Total yards286
187Return yards195
3–35.72–49.0
2–0Fumbles–lost3–3
13–126Penalties–yards8–63
35:23Time of possession24:37

[12]

Colts +1

ColtsGame StatisticsPatriots
18First downs15
31–126Rushes–yards38–139
218Passing yards183
17–38–412–26–0
3–20Sacked–yards3–9
198Net passing yards174
324Total yards313
66Return yards93
5–34.88–33.6
1–1Fumbles–lost0–0
3–30Penalties–yards2–10
27:24Time of possession32:36

[13]

Colts –3½

OilersGame StatisticsColts
26First downs18
32–136Rushes–yards38–211
327Passing yards159
24–44–210–19–0
1–9Sacked–yards1–11
318Net passing yards148
454Total yards359
154Return yards113
1–36.05–33.8
3–3Fumbles–lost1–1
4–65Penalties–yards3–40
31:12Time of possession28:48

[14]

Colts +8

ColtsGame StatisticsBrowns
18First downs15
30–114Rushes–yards26–87
192Passing yards178
20–34–016–35–0
1–9Sacked–yards3–18
183Net passing yards160
297Total yards247
48Return yards84
7–38.78–32.5
1–1Fumbles–lost2–1
3–20Penalties–yards4–20
30:18Time of possession29:42

[15]

Colts –3½

BillsGame StatisticsColts
25First downs9
49–219Rushes–yards17–33
167Passing yards146
18–35–014–27–4
0–0Sacked–yards5–49
167Net passing yards97
385Total yards130
114Return yards112
6–37.58–40.9
4–4Fumbles–lost5–2
5–45Penalties–yards4–25
39:08Time of possession20:52

[16]

Colts +3½

ColtsGame StatisticsChargers
19First downs17
32–146Rushes–yards22–59
201Passing yards257
20–39–022–37–3
1–7Sacked–yards5–43
194Net passing yards214
340Total yards273
70Return yards79
9–41.97–39.1
2–0Fumbles–lost1–0
6–50Penalties–yards6–40
30:24Time of possession29:36

[17]

Standings

Stats

Passing

Passing
PlayerPosGGSQBrecCmpAttCmp%YdsTDTD%IntInt%Y/AAY/AY/CY/GLngRateSkYdsNY/AANY/ASk%4QCGWD
QB 10 8 5–3–0 128 229 55.9 1587 6 2.6 6 2.6 55 6.9 6.3 12.4 158.7 75.4 13 100 5.4 6.14 5.52
QB 6 6 4–2–0 99 168 58.9 1145 9 5.4 5 3.0 72 6.8 6.5 11.6 190.8 85.0 8 63 4.5 6.15 5.89
QB 4 1 0–1–0 17 33 51.5 195 1 3.0 3 9.1 21 5.9 2.4 11.5 48.8 41.9 0 0 0.0 5.91 2.42
QB 2 0 8 12 66.7 68 0 0.0 2 16.7 11 5.7 -1.8 8.5 34.0 41.7 2 18 14.3 3.57 2.86
QB 1 0 3 5 60.0 47 0 0.0 0 0.0 21 9.4 9.4 15.7 47.0 91.2 1 9 16.7 6.33 6.33
Team Total159–6–024544757.03042163.6163.6726.85.911.9217.375.0241905.16.065.21
Opp Total1525050149.93073193.8204.06.15.1012.3204.965.2393137.25.104.10

Rushing

Rushing
PlayerPosGGSAttYdsTDLngY/AY/GA/G
RB 9 8 223 1011 5 53 4.5 112.3 24.8
RB 12 4 142 631 7 17 4.4 52.6 11.8
RB 3 1 50 245 0 35 4.9 81.7 16.7
RB 3 0 19 85 1 18 4.5 28.3 6.3
RB 11 0 18 71 1 12 3.9 6.5 1.6
RB 2 2 17 58 0 9 3.4 29.0 8.5
QB 4 1 4 30 0 16 7.5 7.5 1.0
QB 10 8 15 7 0 9 0.5 0.7 1.5
RB 1 0 2 3 0 3 1.5 3.0 2.0
QB 6 6 3 3 0 2 1.0 0.5 0.5
QB 1 0 2 1 0 3 0.5 1.0 2.0
WR 12 12 2 -2 0 1 -1.0 -0.2 0.2
Team Total15487214314534.3153.135.5
Opp Total15463179063.9119.330.9

Receiving

Kicking

Punting

Kick Return

Punt Return

Sacks

Interceptions

Fumbles

Tackles

Scoring Summary

Team

Quarter-by-quarter

Playoffs

See also: 1987–88 NFL playoffs. The team received a bye for the Wild-Card round of the playoffs and traveled to Cleveland for the divisional round. After being tied with Browns for most of the game the 4th quarter proved to be their undoing, as they were outscored 17–7.

Playoff RoundDateOpponent (seed)TimeTVResultRecordGame SiteAttendanceRecap
Wild CardFirst-round Bye
Divisionalat Cleveland Browns (2)12:30p.m. ESTNBCL 21–380–1Cleveland StadiumRecap

Playoff Game summaries

AFC Wild Card Playoffs: First-round bye

[18]

See also

Notes and References

  1. NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY,, p.286
  2. The 24-day players' strike reduced the 16-game season to 15, causing week 3 to be canceled.
  3. https://www.footballdb.com/games/boxscore.html?gid=1987091304 The Football Database
  4. https://www.footballdb.com/games/boxscore.html?gid=1987092004 The Football Database
  5. https://www.footballdb.com/games/boxscore.html?gid=1987100405 The Football Database
  6. https://www.footballdb.com/games/boxscore.html?gid=1987101102 The Football Database
  7. https://www.footballdb.com/games/boxscore.html?gid=1987101803 The Football Database
  8. https://www.footballdb.com/games/boxscore.html?gid=1987102509 The Football Database
  9. https://www.footballdb.com/games/boxscore.html?gid=1987110101 The Football Database
  10. https://www.footballdb.com/games/boxscore.html?gid=1987110808 The Football Database
  11. https://www.footballdb.com/games/boxscore.html?gid=1987111508 The Football Database
  12. https://www.footballdb.com/games/boxscore.html?gid=1987112207 The Football Database
  13. https://www.footballdb.com/games/boxscore.html?gid=1987112904 The Football Database
  14. https://www.footballdb.com/games/boxscore.html?gid=1987120603 The Football Database
  15. https://www.footballdb.com/games/boxscore.html?gid=1987121303 The Football Database
  16. https://www.footballdb.com/games/boxscore.html?gid=1987122009 The Football Database
  17. https://www.footballdb.com/games/boxscore.html?gid=1987122708 The Football Database
  18. https://www.footballdb.com/games/boxscore.html?gid=1989010901 The Football Database

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