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1988 Indianapolis Colts season
1988 Indianapolis Colts season
Owner	Robert Irsay
General manager	Jim Irsay
Head coach	Ron Meyer
Home field	Hoosier Dome
Results
Record	9–7
Division place	2nd AFC East
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Pro Bowlers	C Ray Donaldson; T Chris Hinton; RB Eric Dickerson
AP All-Pros	RB Eric Dickerson (1st team); C Ray Donaldson (2nd team); T Chris Hinton (2nd team); K Dean Biasucci (2nd team)
	← 1987; Colts seasons; 1989 →;

The Colts playing against the New England Patriots, circa 1988.

A ticket for a September 1988 game between the Colts and the Cleveland Browns.

The 1988 season was the 36th season for the Indianapolis Colts in the National Football League (NFL) and fifth in Indianapolis. The team finished the year with a record of 9 wins and 7 losses, and tied for second in the AFC East division with the New England Patriots. However, the Colts finished ahead of New England based on better record against common opponents (7–5 to Patriots' 6–6). At the start of the season, Ron Meyer demoted quarterback Gary Hogeboom to back up, and promoted Jack Trudeau to starter, which prompted Hogeboom to demand that he be either traded or released.^[1]

Offseason

NFL Draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	College
1988 Indianapolis Colts draft
3	76	Chris Chandler *	Quarterback	Washington
4	104	Michael Ball	Cornerback	Southern
5	129	John Baylor	Cornerback	Southern Mississippi
9	243	Jeff Herrod	Linebacker	Mississippi
10	270	O'Brien Alston	Linebacker	Maryland
11	297	Donnie Dee	Tight end	Tulsa
12	308	Aatron Kenney	Wide receiver	Wisconsin–Stevens Point
12	327	Tim Vesling	Placekicker	Syracuse
Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Undrafted free agents

1988 Undrafted Free Agents of note
Player	Position	College
Christopher Coyne	Center	Delaware
Stoney Polite	Running back	North Carolina A&T
Richie Sims	Defensive back	Louisiana Tech
Michael Summers	Running back	South Carolina State

Personnel

Staff

**1988 Indianapolis Colts staff**
	Front office President and treasurer – Robert Irsay Vice president and general manager – Jim Irsay Assistant general manager – Bob Terpening Director of player personnel – Jack Bushofsky Head coaches Head coach – Ron Meyer Assistant head coach – Tom Lovat Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator – John Becker Running backs – Leon Burtnett Receivers – Chip Myers Offensive line – Tom Lovat Assistant offensive line – Keith Rowen			Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – George Hill Defensive line – John Marshall Linebackers – Rick Venturi Secondary – George Catavolos Special teams coaches Special teams – Keith Rowen Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Tom Zupancic

Roster

**1988 Indianapolis Colts roster**
Quarterbacks (QB) 17 Chris Chandler 7 Gary Hogeboom 12 Ricky Turner Running backs (RB) 20 Albert Bentley KR 29 Eric Dickerson 34 George Wonsley Wide receivers (WR) 86 Roy Banks 87 Mark Bellini 85 Matt Bouza 80 Bill Brooks 49 James Pruitt 83 Clarence Verdin PR Tight ends (TE) 81 Pat Beach 84 Mark Boyer 88 John Brandes LS 48 Donnie Dee		Offensive linemen (OL) 62 Brian Baldinger T/G 71 Kevin Call T 69 Randy Dixon G 53 Ray Donaldson C 75 Chris Hinton T 60 Dan McQuaid T 65 Joel Patten T 64 Ben Utt G Defensive linemen (DL) 79 Harvey Armstrong NT 72 Byron Darby NT 75 Jon Hand DE 90 Ezra Johnson DE 73 Joe Klecko NT 99 Donnell Thompson DE		Linebackers (LB) 97 O'Brien Alston OLB 50 Duane Bickett OLB 54 Jeff Herrod ILB 55 Barry Krauss ILB 56 Orlando Lowry OLB 93 Cliff Odom ILB 56 Fredd Young ILB Defensive backs (DB) 31 Michael Ball CB/S 38 Eugene Daniel CB 21 John Holt SS 28 Chuckie Miller CB 39 Mike Prior FS 26 Craig Swoope SS 27 Keith Taylor CB/S 42 Willie Tullis CB Special teams 4 Dean Biasucci K 3 Rohn Stark P				Practice squad NONE Reserve 36 John Baylor CB (IR) -- Glen Collins DE (IR) 37 Chris Goode CB (IR) 47 Freddie Robinson S (IR) 10 Jack Trudeau QB (IR) Rookies in italics

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 4	Houston Oilers	L 14–17 (OT)	0–1	Hoosier Dome	57,251
2	September 11	Chicago Bears	L 13–17	0–2	Hoosier Dome	60,503
3	September 19	at Cleveland Browns	L 17–23	0–3	Cleveland Stadium	75,148
4	September 25	Miami Dolphins	W 15–13	1–3	Hoosier Dome	59,638
5	October 2	at New England Patriots	L 17–21	1–4	Sullivan Stadium	58,050
6	October 9	at Buffalo Bills	L 23–24	1–5	Rich Stadium	76,018
7	October 16	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	W 35–31	2–5	Hoosier Dome	53,135
8	October 23	at San Diego Chargers	W 16–0	3–5	Jack Murphy Stadium	37,722
9	October 31	Denver Broncos	W 55–23	4–5	Hoosier Dome	60,544
10	November 6	New York Jets	W 38–14	5–5	Hoosier Dome	59,233
11	November 13	at Green Bay Packers	W 20–13	6–5	Lambeau Field	53,492
12	November 20	at Minnesota Vikings	L 3–12	6–6	Metrodome	58,342
13	November 27	New England Patriots	W 24–21	7–6	Hoosier Dome	58,157
14	December 4	at Miami Dolphins	W 31–28	8–6	Joe Robbie Stadium	45,236
15	December 10	at New York Jets	L 16–34	8–7	The Meadowlands	46,284
16	December 18	Buffalo Bills	W 17–14	9–7	Hoosier Dome	59,908
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 4

	1	2	3	4	Total
Dolphins	7	0	0	6	13
• Colts	3	9	0	3	15

Date: September 25
Location: Hoosier Dome, Indianapolis
Game start: 1:00 p.m.
Game weather: Indoors (dome)

^[2]

Week 9 vs Broncos

Week Nine: Denver Broncos (4–4) at Indianapolis Colts (3–5)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Broncos	0	10	0	13	23
Colts	21	24	3	7	55

at Hoosier Dome, Indianapolis, Indiana

Date: October 31
Game time: 8:00 p.m. CDT
Game weather: Indoors (dome)
Game attendance: 60,544
TV announcers (ABC): Al Michaels
Box Score, Box Score

Game information

First quarter

IND – Eric Dickerson 12-yard run (Dean Biasucci kick), 9:41. Colts 7–0.
IND – Eric Dickerson 11-yard run (Dean Biasucci kick), 5:39. Colts 14–0.
IND – Eric Dickerson 1-yard run (Dean Biasucci kick), 0:16. Colts 21–0.

Second quarter

IND – Dean Biasucci 31-yard field goal, 13:22. Colts 24–0.
IND – Eric Dickerson 41-yard run (Dean Biasucci kick), 11:47. Colts 31–0.
DEN – Steve Sewell 2-yard pass from John Elway (Rich Karlis kick, 9:54. Colts 31–7.
IND – Bill Brooks 53-yard pass from Gary Hogeboom (Dean Biasucci kick), 7:08. Colts 38–7.
DEN – Rich Karlis 27-yard field goal, 1:00. Colts 38–10.
IND – Clarence Verdin 40-yard pass from Chris Chandler (Dean Biasucci kick), 0:22. Colts 45–10.

Third quarter

IND – Dean Biasucci 27-yard field goal, 6:34. Colts 48–10.

Fourth quarter

IND – Albert Bentley 4-yard run (Dean Biasucci kick), 11:49. Colts 55–10.
DEN – Vance Johnson 7-yard pass from Gary Kubiak (kick failed), 6:07. Colts 55–17.
DEN – Steve Sewell 48-yard pass from Gary Kubiak (Rich Karlis kick), 5:39. Colts 55–23.

Top passers

DEN – John Elway – 15/27, 158 yards, TD
IND – Chris Chandler – 10/13, 167 yards, TD

Top rushers

DEN – Ricky Nattiel – 1 rush, 29 yards
IND – Eric Dickerson – 21 rushes, 159 yards, 4 TD

Top receivers

DEN – Steve Sewell – 6 receptions, 82 yards, 2 TD
IND – Bill Brooks – 3 receptions, 108 yards, TD

Standings

AFC East
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Buffalo Bills⁽²⁾	12	4	0	.750	7–1	10–2	329	237	L1
Indianapolis Colts	9	7	0	.563	5–3	7–5	354	315	W1
New England Patriots	9	7	0	.563	5–3	7–5	250	284	L1
New York Jets	8	7	1	.531	3–5	6–7–1	372	354	W2
Miami Dolphins	6	10	0	.375	0–8	3–9	319	380	L1

Awards and records

Eric Dickerson, Led AFC (tied), Touchdowns, 15 TD's ^[3]

External links

NFL Films – 1988 Indianapolis Colts – "A Test of Character" on YouTube

References

^ "Jack Trudeau replaced Gary Hogeboom as the starting quarterback... - UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
^ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Oct-15.
^ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 447

[1] "Jack Trudeau replaced Gary Hogeboom as the starting quarterback... - UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved 6 August 2023.

[2] Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Oct-15.

[3] NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 447

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1988 Indianapolis Colts season