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INDIANAPOLIS – The last time the Colts lost consecutive games, it was not on the full watch of Chuck Pagano and Ryan Grigson.
The last time it occurred was in the 2011 finale and 2012 opener and though the second setback was in the first game of Pagano's and Grigson's tenure, the Colts bounced back with a victory over Minnesota to avoid consecutive losses.
It was the start of a streak that now is shaping into one of the best in franchise history.
The Colts have gone 22 games without consecutive losses. Pagano's personal 23-game streak started when Indianapolis bested the Vikings after falling at Chicago in his debut.
Both streaks – the team and for a Colts head coach – are taking places in franchise annals. The team's 22-game streak now ranks ninth-best, while Pagano's ties for seventh-best among Colts coaches.
The longest streak of games without consecutive losses by a Colts coach starting a career is 28 games under Don McCafferty (1970-71).
It was achieved with a veteran team McCafferty inherited from Don Shula that had been 8-5-1 in 1969, a year after falling in Super Bowl III. McCafferty's Colts won Super Bowl V in his first year and extended the streak through the 1971 season.
The 40-game team streak achieved under Shula and McCafferty from 1969-71 stands as the franchise record for the most games without consecutive losses.
|
COLTS MOST GAMES PLAYED WITHOUT CONSECUTIVE LOSSES | |||
|
No. |
Start Date |
End Date |
Coach(es) |
|
40 |
10/05/69 |
12/19/71 |
Don Shula-Don McCafferty |
|
34 |
10/26/75 |
11/27/77 |
Ted Marchibroda |
|
32 |
11/10/63 |
12/05/65 |
Don Shula |
|
32 |
12/04/66 |
09/21/69 |
Don Shula |
|
30 |
11/10/02 |
10/24/04 |
Tony Dungy |
|
27 |
09/12/99 |
11/19/00 |
Jim Mora |
|
24 |
11/02/08 |
12/27/09 |
Tony Dungy-Jim Caldwell |
|
23 |
11/08/04 |
12/18/05 |
Tony Dungy |
|
22 |
09/16/12 |
Present |
Chuck Pagano |
|
21 |
10/02/94 |
11/05/95 |
Ted Marchibroda |
|
COLTS COACHES MOST GAMES PLAYED WITHOUT CONSECUTIVE LOSSES | |||
|
No. |
Coach (*Start of career) |
Start Date |
End Date |
|
34 |
Ted Marchibroda |
10/26/75 |
11/27/77 |
|
32 |
Don Shula |
11/10/63 |
12/05/65 |
|
32 |
Don Shula |
12/04/66 |
09/21/69 |
|
30 |
Tony Dungy |
11/10/02 |
10/24/04 |
|
28 |
Don McCafferty* |
09/20/70 |
12/19/71 |
|
27 |
Jim Mora |
09/12/99 |
11/19/00 |
|
23 |
Tony Dungy |
11/08/04 |
12/18/05 |
|
23 |
Chuck Pagano* |
09/09/12 |
Present |
|
21 |
Ted Marchibroda |
10/02/94 |
11/05/95 |
Seven times under Pagano's direction, twice this season, the Colts have come back from losses by posting victories.
Where only two of the five teams against whom the Colts bounced back last year were at .500 or better, both times this year – at San Francisco (1-1) , versus Denver (6-0) – opponents were at least at that mark.
Both were signature-type wins as the Colts earned a 20-point road win (27-7) over the 49ers, handing Jim Harbaugh his first consecutive losses as a field general. A week ago, Indianapolis dropped the Broncos from the undefeated ranks with a stirring 39-33 victory.
Closing out the second quarter of their second season in Indianapolis, Grigson sees a 5-2 Colts team that is pointed in the right direction.
"A team that is living in a vision and aspiring to greatness no matter the circumstances," said Grigson about where his team is at this juncture, "a team of players and a head coach and his staff that will just find a way."
The Colts hold a two-game lead over Tennessee in the AFC South. Indianapolis visits Houston Sunday as the remaining nine games hold five division battles.
Entering the bye week, Indianapolis held high spots in numerous NFL rankings. While nice, Grigson does not spend much time pondering the current state as the Colts aim to remain among the AFC front runners – Kansas City (8-0, AFC West leader), Denver (7-1), New England (6-2, AFC East leader) and Cincinnati (6-2, AFC North leader).
"We were (number) 32 when Chuck and I walked in the door here, so it can be used as a motivating factor of sorts but we don't pay much attention otherwise," said Grigson. "The talking heads can take you from the penthouse to the outhouse and back in a New York minute, so it makes no sense to focus on anything outside of our building when it comes to who and what we are."
