1970 AFC CHAMPION BALTIMORE COLTS
by Rick Benson
The 1970 AFC Championship Game between the Oakland Raiders and the Baltimore Colts at Memorial Stadium was a game of firsts and lasts. The first championship game of the newly formed American Football Conference, which was the result of the merger of the NFL and AFL. The last home playoff win for the Colts in Baltimore; an unimaginable thought at the time. Two coaches—future Hall of Famer John Madden and Don McCaffrey---coaching in their first champion games.
My friend and fellow Baltimore sports historian Jim Geppi recalls the game on Jan 3, 1971: “I attended and watched in obstructed view seating behind a pillar on the 50 yard line. Under the overhang freezing my butt off on the Colts side of the field with my brother-in-law Carroll. My fondest memory of this game was watching John Madden getting pelted with snowballs as he was coming from the Orioles dugout for pregame warm-ups. Also celebrating on the field after the game that was nothing but dirt, dust, and straw at that point.”
Veteran broadcasters Curt Gowdy and Kyle Rote called the game for NBC played before a capacity crowd at The World’s Largest Outdoor Insane Asylum. The “Duel in the Dust” (the Orioles baseball infield was still prominent) was also the last masterful championship game in the storied career of Baltimore’s sports hero Johnny Unitas. Although he only completed 11 of 30 passes, the Golden Arm hit Ray Perkins on a perfect 68 yard touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter to seal the 27-17 Colts victory. Unitas threw for 245 yards and running back Norm Bulaich rushed for 71 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Eddie Hinton hauled in five passes for 115 yards and Colts rookie kicker Jim O’Brien booted field goals of 16 and 23 yards (goalposts were on the goal line back then); although his most famous kick would come a few weeks later in Super Bowl V.
Raiders quarterback Daryle Lamonica left the game in the second quarter after getting drilled by Colts lineman Bubba Smith. Into the game came 43-year-old George Blanda, who was playing in his 21st season and was the oldest player ever to quarterback in a championship game. Also Oakland’s placekicker, Blanda booted a 48-yard field goal to put the Raiders on the board; trailing 10-3 at halftime. Blanda connected with Fred Biletnikoff on a 38-yard TD strike to tie the game 10-10 in the third quarter. But Baltimore regained their 10-point lead to end the third quarter on Bulaich’s second touchdown run and O’Brien’s second field goal. The Raiders pulled back within three on a Blanda to Warren Wells 15-yard TD pass before Perkins’ fourth quarter scoring catch.
The Colts were also very impressive on the defensive side of the ball with interceptions by Jerry Logan, Ray May and Rick Volk and a fumble recovery by Sam Havrilak. Jim Duncan also racked up 105 return yards.
Baltimore started their 1970 playoff run by blanking the Cincinnati Bengals 17-0. The Bengals shocked the football world by making the playoffs in their inaugural season, but they were no match for the Colts, who held them to just 7 first downs while Unitas threw touchdown passes to Hinton and Roy Jefferson and Bulaich rushed for 116 yards. The win over the Raiders sent Baltimore to Super Bowl V; a game that couldn’t even be scripted by a John Waters-like demented mind.
