1997 Indianapolis Colts season

The 1997 Indianapolis Colts season was the 45th season for the team in the National Football League and 14th in Indianapolis. The Colts finished the National Football League’s 1997 season with a record of 3 wins and 13 losses, and finished fifth in the AFC East division. The Colts would start horribly, losing their first ten games for their worst start since 1986. They became only the second team to start 0–10 since 1987 after the 1993 Bengals,^[1] before an upset home win over eventual NFC Champion Green Bay. That would turn out to be the only good highlight all season for the Colts, as the team fell to a league-worst 3–13 record, and earned the first overall pick in the 1998 NFL draft, where they selected quarterback Peyton Manning.

1997 Indianapolis Colts season
Owner	Jim Irsay
General manager	Bill Polian
Head coach	Lindy Infante
Offensive coordinator	Lindy Infante
Defensive coordinator	Jim Johnson
Home stadium	RCA Dome
Results
Record	3–13
Division place	5th AFC East
Playoffs	Did not qualify
← 1996 Colts seasons 1998 →

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article: 1997 NFL draft

1997 Indianapolis Colts draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	19	Tarik Glenn *	Offensive tackle	California
2	48	Adam Meadows	Offensive tackle	Georgia
3	86	Bertrand Berry *	Defensive end	Notre Dame
Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Personnel

Staff

1997 Indianapolis Colts staff

Front office President emeritus – Robert Irsay Senior executive vice president/general manager/coo – Jim Irsay Vice president/director of football operations – Bill Tobin Assistant general manager – Bob Terpening Director of pro player personnel – Clyde Powers Director of college player personnel – George Boone Head coaches Head coach – Lindy Infante Offensive coaches Running backs – Gene Huey Receivers – Jimmy Robinson Tight ends/quality control – Tom Batta Offensive line – Ron Blackledge Assistant to the offensive line – Charlie Davis Offensive assistant/assistant quarterbacks – Buddy Geis

Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Jim Johnson Defensive line – Greg Blache Linebackers – Chuck Bresnahan Secondary – Pat Thomas Defensive assistant – Fred Bruney Special teams coaches Special teams – Hank Kuhlmann Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Tom Zupancic

Roster

1997 Indianapolis Colts roster

Quarterbacks (QB) 12 Kerwin Bell  4 Jim Harbaugh 13 Kelly Holcomb Running backs (RB) 32 Zack Crockett FB 28 Marshall Faulk 33 Clif Groce FB 44 Chris Hetherington FB 20 Leon Neal 21 Lamont Warren Wide receivers (WR) 80 Aaron Bailey KR 87 Sean Dawkins 15 Chris Doering 88 Marvin Harrison 18 Nate Jacquet PR 86 Brian Stablein PR Tight ends (TE) 85 Ken Dilger 81 Marcus Pollard

Offensive linemen (OL) 66 Eugene Chung G 78 Tarik Glenn G 58 Jay Leeuwenburg C 79 Tony Mandarich T 67 Jason Mathews G 73 Adam Meadows T 71 Kipp Vickers T 72 Derek West T 64 Doug Widell G Defensive linemen (DL) 99 Albert Fontenot DE 98 Dan Footman DE 62 Ellis Johnson DT 90 Steve Martin DT 61 Tony McCoy DT 92 Carl Powell DE 97 Kendel Shello DT 95 Bernard Whittington DT

Linebackers (LB) 50 Elijah Alexander OLB 57 Bertrand Berry OLB 53 Sammie Burroughs OLB 55 Quentin Coryatt OLB 59 Steve Grant MLB 52 Steve Morrison OLB 51 Scott Von der Ahe MLB Defensive backs (DB) 29 Jason Belser FS 25 Robert Blackmon SS 27 Rico Clark CB 26 Carlton Gray CB 30 Derwin Gray FS 39 Emmanuel McDaniel CB 40 Ray McElroy CB 34 Monty Montgomery CB 49 David Tate SS Special teams (ST) 83 Bradford Banta LS 14 Cary Blanchard K 17 Chris Gardocki P

Practice squad 60 Jason Johnson C -- Anthone Lott CB 10 Kaipo McGuire WR Reserve 56 Tony Bennett DE (IR) 11 Paul Justin QB (IR) 65 Eric Mahlum G (PUP) 23 Dedric Mathis CB (IR) 84 Scott Slutzker TE (IR) 36 Damon Watts CB (IR) 69 Clay Williams T (IR) 37 Abu Wilson RB (IR) Rookies in italics 53 active, 8 reserve, 3 practice squad

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Game Site	Attendance
1	August 31	at Miami Dolphins	L 10–16	0–1	Pro Player Stadium	70,813
2	September 7	New England Patriots	L 6–31	0–2	RCA Dome	53,632
3	September 14	Seattle Seahawks	L 3–31	0–3	RCA Dome	49,194
4	September 21	at Buffalo Bills	L 35–37	0–4	Rich Stadium	55,340
5	Bye
6	October 5	New York Jets	L 12–16	0–5	RCA Dome	48,295
7	October 12	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 22–24	0–6	Three Rivers Stadium	57,925
8	October 20	Buffalo Bills	L 6–9	0–7	RCA Dome	61,139
9	October 26	at San Diego Chargers	L 19–35	0–8	Jack Murphy Stadium	63,177
10	November 2	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	L 28–31	0–9	RCA Dome	58,512
11	November 9	Cincinnati Bengals	L 13–28	0–10	RCA Dome	58,473
12	November 16	Green Bay Packers	W 41–38	1–10	RCA Dome	60,928
13	November 23	at Detroit Lions	L 10–32	1–11	Pontiac Silverdome	62,803
14	November 30	at New England Patriots	L 17–20	1–12	Foxboro Stadium	58,507
15	December 7	at New York Jets	W 22–14	2–12	The Meadowlands	61,168
16	December 14	Miami Dolphins	W 41–0	3–12	RCA Dome	61,282
17	December 21	at Minnesota Vikings	L 28–39	3–13	Metrodome	54,107
Note: Intra-divisional opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1 (Sunday, August 31, 1997): at Miami Dolphins

Week 2 (Sunday, September 7, 1997): vs. New England Patriots

Week 3 (Sunday, September 14, 1997): vs. Seattle Seahawks

Week 4 (Sunday, September 21, 1997): at Buffalo Bills

Week 5: Bye Week

Week 6 (Sunday, October 5, 1997): vs. New York Jets

Week 7 (Sunday, October 12, 1997): at Pittsburgh Steelers

Week 8 (Monday, October 20, 1997): vs. Buffalo Bills

Week 9 (Sunday, October 26, 1997): at San Diego Chargers

Although unknown at the time, this game was of significant consequence in NFL history. The loser of this game would have the first pick in the 1998 NFL draft, which for the Colts was Payton Manning.

Week 10 (Sunday, November 2, 1997): vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Week 11 (Sunday, November 9, 1997): vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Week 12 (Sunday, November 16, 1997): vs. Green Bay Packers

Week 13 (Sunday, November 23, 1997): at Detroit Lions

Week 14 (Sunday, November 30, 1997): at New England Patriots

Week 15 (Sunday, December 7, 1997): at New York Jets

Week 16 (Sunday, December 14, 1997): vs. Miami Dolphins

Week 17 (Sunday, December 21, 1997): at Minnesota Vikings

Standings

AFC East
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	STK
(3) New England Patriots	10	6	0	.625	369	289	W1
(6) Miami Dolphins	9	7	0	.563	339	327	L2
New York Jets	9	7	0	.563	348	287	L1
Buffalo Bills	6	10	0	.375	255	367	L3
Indianapolis Colts	3	13	0	.188	313	401	L1