1990 Indianapolis Colts season

1990 Indianapolis Colts season
Owner	Robert Irsay
President	Jim Irsay
Head coach	Ron Meyer
Home field	Hoosier Dome
Results
Record	7–9
Division place	3rd AFC East
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Pro Bowlers	P Rohn Stark KR Clarence Verdin
AP All-Pros	P Rohn Stark (2nd team)

The 1990 Indianapolis Colts season was the 38th season for the team in the National Football League and seventh in Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Colts finished the National Football League's 1990 season with a record of 7 wins and 9 losses, and finished third in the AFC East division. Running back Eric Dickerson held out of training camp, during a contract dispute. The Colts suspended Dickerson four games for conduct detrimental to the team. He returned late in the season and rushed for 677 yards.

The Colts were embarrassed at home in week two by the putrid Patriots, losing 16–14 for New England's lone win of 1990.

On December 22, 1990, Monday Night Football was played two days early, on Saturday night. The 6–8 Colts played at home as underdogs against the Washington Redskins. Trailing 14–25 in the 4th quarter, rookie quarterback Jeff George led an improbable and spectacular comeback which included two touchdowns to tie the game with little time left. The Colts then intercepted Mark Rypien and returned the ball for the go-ahead touchdown. The Colts pulled off the upset in dramatic fashion with one of George's most memorable games of his career. He threw three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Offseason

NFL Draft

Main article: 1990 NFL Draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	School/Club Team
1	1	Jeff George	Quarterback	Illinois
2	36	Anthony Johnson	Running back	Notre Dame
4	83	Stacey Simmons	Wide receiver	Florida
4	94	Bill Schultz	Guard	USC
4	103	Alan Grant	Defensive back	Stanford
4	106	Rick Cunningham	Offensive tackle	Texas A&M
6	148	Tony Walker	Linebacker	Southeast Missouri State
7	179	James Singletary	Linebacker	East Carolina
8	206	Ken Clark	Tight End	Nebraska
8	213	Harvey Wilson	Defensive back	Southern
9	232	Darvell Huffman	Wide receiver	Boston University
11	290	Carnel Smith	Defensive end	Pittsburgh
12	311	Gene Benhart	Quarterback	Western Illinois
12	316	Dean Brown	Guard	Notre Dame

Personnel

Staff

1990 Indianapolis Colts staff

Front office President/treasurer – Robert Irsay Vice president/general manager – Jim Irsay Assistant general manager – Bob Terpening Director of player personnel – Jack Bushofsky Head coaches Head coach – Ron Meyer Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator – Larry Kennan Running backs – Leon Burtnett Receivers – Milt Jackson Tight ends – Brad Seely Offensive line – Dante Scarnecchia

Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Bill Muir Linebackers – Rick Venturi Secondary – George Catavolos Special teams coaches Special teams – Brad Seely Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Tom Zupancic

Roster

1990 Indianapolis Colts roster

Quarterbacks (QB) 11 Jeff George  9 Mark Herrmann 12 Rusty Hilger Running backs (RB) 20 Albert Bentley KR 29 Eric Dickerson 45 Ivy Joe Hunter 23 Anthony Johnson Wide receivers (WR) 80 Bill Brooks 84 Jessie Hester 86 Stanley Morgan 85 Stacey Simmons KR 83 Clarence Verdin Tight ends (TE) 81 Pat Beach LS 89 Orson Mobley

Offensive linemen (OL) 62 Brian Baldinger G 66 Chris Conlin G/T 72 Rick Cunningham T 69 Randy Dixon G 53 Ray Donaldson C 73 Zefross Moss T 74 Bill Schultz G/T 68 Pat Tomberlin G Defensive linemen (DL) 79 Harvey Armstrong NT 76 Sam Clancy DE 94 Jeff Faulkner DE 78 Jon Hand DE 93 Ralph Jarvis DE 98 Tony Siragusa NT 99 Donnell Thompson DE

Linebackers (LB) 51 Chip Banks OLB 50 Duane Bickett OLB 54 Jeff Herrod ILB 59 Kurt Larson OLB 96 Quintus McDonald OLB 97 Scott Radecic ILB 58 Matt Vanderbeek ILB 92 Tony Walker OLB 56 Fredd Young ILB Defensive backs (DB) 31 Michael Ball SS 38 Eugene Daniel CB 37 Chris Goode CB 26 Alan Grant 25 Cornell Holloway CB/S 39 Mike Prior FS 27 Keith Taylor SS Special teams  4 Dean Biasucci K  3 Rohn Stark P

Practice squad 65 Joey Banes T 32 Ken Clark RB  1 Darvell Huffman WR 40 Reggie Thornton WR Reserve -- O'Brien Alston LB (IR) 36 John Baylor CB (IR) 71 Kevin Call T (IR) 87 Eugene Riley TE (IR) 10 Jack Trudeau QB (IR) 35 Reggie Williams WR Rookies in italics 47 active, 6 reserve, 4 practice squad

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Game Site	Attendance
1	September 9	at Buffalo Bills	L 10–26	0–1	Ralph Wilson Stadium	78,899
2	September 16	New England Patriots	L 14–16	0–2	Hoosier Dome	49,256
3	September 23	at Houston Oilers	L 10–24	0–3	Astrodome	50,093
4	September 30	at Philadelphia Eagles	W 24–23	1–3	Veterans Stadium	62,067
5	October 7	Kansas City Chiefs	W 23–19	2–3	Hoosier Dome	54,950
6	Bye
7	October 21	Denver Broncos	L 17–27	2–4	Hoosier Dome	59,850
8	October 28	Miami Dolphins	L 7–27	2–5	Hoosier Dome	59,213
9	November 5	New York Giants	L 7–24	2–6	Hoosier Dome	58,688
10	November 11	at New England Patriots	W 13–10	3–6	Foxboro Stadium	28,924
11	November 18	New York Jets	W 17–14	4–6	Hoosier Dome	47,283
12	November 25	at Cincinnati Bengals	W 34–20	5–6	Riverfront Stadium	60,051
13	December 2	at Phoenix Cardinals	L 17–20	5–7	Sun Devil Stadium	38,043
14	December 9	Buffalo Bills	L 7–31	5–8	Hoosier Dome	53,268
15	December 16	at New York Jets	W 29–21	6–8	Giants Stadium	41,423
16	December 22	Washington Redskins	W 35–28	7–8	Hoosier Dome	58,173
17	December 30	at Miami Dolphins	L 17–23	7–9	Joe Robbie Stadium	59,547
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

AFC East
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
(1) Buffalo Bills	13	3	0	.813	7–1	10–2	428	263	L1
(4) Miami Dolphins	12	4	0	.750	7–1	10–2	336	242	W1
Indianapolis Colts	7	9	0	.438	3–5	5–7	281	353	L1
New York Jets	6	10	0	.375	2–6	4–10	295	345	W2
New England Patriots	1	15	0	.063	1–7	1–11	181	446	L14

Season summary

Week 1 at Bills

Week One: Indianapolis Colts (0–0) at Buffalo Bills (0–0)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Colts	3	0	7	0	10
Bills	3	13	0	10	26

at Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, New York

• Date: September 9
• Game time: 4:00 p.m. EST
• Game weather: 59 °F or 15 °C
• Game attendance: 78,899
• Referee: Gerald Austin
• TV announcers (NBC): Jim Donovan and Cris Collinsworth
• Box Score, Box Score

Game information

First quarter BUF – Scott Norwood 24-yard field goal, 8:04. Bills 3–0. IND – Dean Biasucci 24-yard field goal, 0:12. Tie 3–3. Second quarter BUF – Butch Rolle 3-yard pass from Jim Kelly (Scott Norwood kick), 5:14. Bills 10–3. BUF – Scott Norwood 31-yard field goal, 1:58. Bills 13–3. BUF – Scott Norwood 37-yard field goal, 0:08. Bills 16–3. Third quarter IND – Stanley Morgan 25-yard pass from Jeff George (Dean Biasucci kick), 6:38. Bills 16–10. Fourth quarter BUF – Scott Norwood 47-yard field goal, 6:08. Bills 19–10. BUF – Thurman Thomas 6-yard run (Scott Norwood kick), 1:37. Bills 26–10. Top passers IND – Jeff George – 13/24, 160 yards, TD BUF – Jim Kelly – 28/37, 283 yards, TD Top rushers IND – Albert Bentley – 15 rushes, 50 yards BUF – Thurman Thomas – 20 rushes, 84 yards, TD Top receivers IND – Stanley Morgan – 2 receptions, 47 yards, TD BUF – Keith McKeller – 7 receptions, 78 yards

See also

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