1959 Baltimore Colts: Back to Back Titles

1959 Baltimore Colts: Back to Back Titles

1959 Baltimore Colts: Back to Back Titles

After defeating the New York Giants in the NFL Championship game in 1958, the Baltimore Colts looked to continue their success in the following season. The Colts had an uneven 4-3 record to start to the 1959 campaign. Their losses included two defeats at home to the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns.

After suffering their third loss of the season against the Washington Redskins in Week 7, the Colts faced the up and coming Green Bay Packers coached by Vince Lombardi. The Packers opened the scoring with a field goal, but the Colts would answer with three consecutive touchdowns including two Raymond Berry receiving touchdowns. Johnny Unitas threw for 324 yards and 3 touchdowns while the defense forced 3 turnovers. The Packers mounted a spirited comeback, but they would fall short 28-24. The Colts moved to 5-3 and rallied to win their final four remaining games to win the Western Conference and secure another matchup against the New York Giants in the NFL Championship game.

Johnny Unitas was the heartbeat of the Colts. He led the Colts’ talented offense which finished the season first in points scored with 374. The Colts scored 31.2 points per game and they defeated their opponents by an average margin of more than ten points per contest. Unitas threw for 2899 yards and became the first quarterback in the NFL to throw for more than 30 touchdowns in one season. He threw 32 touchdowns and only 14 interceptions in 1959.

Alan Ameche led the rushing attack with 679 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns. Lenny Moore and Raymond Berry earned spots in the Pro Bowl while they were honored as First Team All-Pros. Moore caught 47 receptions for 846 yards and 6 touchdowns. Berry caught 66 receptions for 959 yards and 14 touchdowns.

On the defensive side of the ball, Milt Davis, Andy Nelson and Don Shinnick excelled. The trio combined for 19 interceptions. Davis and Shinnick led the team with 7 interceptions each. The Colts were 7th in points allowed with 251, but their offense would score more than enough to make up the difference.

The New York Giants looked to avenge their overtime defeat to the Colts in the previous year’s championship game. The Giants finished first in the Eastern Conference with a 10-2 record. They were second to the Colts in points scored, but they led the league with the fewest points allowed. The Giants seemed to have the right balance between offense and defense to overthrow the defending champions.

The Colts scored first with a 60-yard touchdown pass from Unitas to Lenny Moore. The Giants defense clamped down and held the Colts offense to 7 points while their kicker, Pat Summerall, kicked three field goals to give the Giants a 9-7 lead in the 3rd quarter. The Colts woke up in the 4th and deciding quarter. Johnny Unitas led the charge with a 4-yard rushing touchdown. He followed that with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Richardson to give the Colts a 21-9 lead. The defense continued to hold the Giants at bay and then returned an interception 42 yards for the touchdown. The Colts added a field goal to cap their 24 point explosion in the 4th quarter. The Giants added a touchdown, but that would be all that they could muster. The Colts defeated the Giants in convincing fashion to repeat as NFL champions. The Colts cemented their place in history with their second NFL championship in 1959. They would have to wait until the NFL-AFL merger before they would taste championship glory once again.