Colts Break Precedent, Win Opener, 14-3

The Indianapolis Colts, the NFL’s worst team last year, won a season opener for the first time in nine years Sunday, beating Cleveland, 14-3, with an uncharacteristic dominating defense.

“I wanted to make something happen,” said linebacker Chip Banks, who had four of the Colts’ 11 sacks of Bernie Kosar. The 11 sacks tied a franchise record and was one short of the NFL mark. “We wanted to apply a lot of pressure, and we blitzed a lot.

“It was an awesome team effort. Kosar began to look confused,” said Banks, a first-round draft pick out of USC by the Browns in 1982 who gave a lot of the credit to a trio of rookies--Steve Emtman, Quentin Coryatt and Ashley Ambrose.

“The rookies fired up us older guys. They’re really exciting players, and they’ve boosted our confidence,” said Banks. “Emotionally, they’re really fun to play with.”

The victory was the Colts’ first in a season opener since the franchise moved from Baltimore in 1984. It also was the first for the team’s new coach, Ted Marchibroda, who is in his second stint with the Colts.

“It was a win this ballclub deserves, but it didn’t just happen today,” said Marchibroda, who won three AFC East titles with the Baltimore Colts from 1976 through ’78 and inherited a team that won only one game last season.

“It started in July in training camp. The defense played an outstanding game. I’ve said that in order to win, you need a tough, aggressive, physical defense. Banks was the individual, but there certainly were a lot of others.”

Rookie Rodney Culver rushed for one touchdown and Mark Herrmann, a former Ram backup playing in place of injured Jeff George, passed to Cleveland reject Reggie Langhorne for another. But it was the defense, led by Banks, that never gave Kosar any room. The 11 sacks by the Colts, who had only 29 the entire season last year, were a career-worst for the Browns’ quarterback.