Source: Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson cuts upfield as an Indianapolis Colt in a 14-3 loss to the Denver Broncos on 10/15/1989 in Denver’s Mile High Stadium. (Photo by E. Bakke/Getty Images)
Eric Dickerson’s Halloween Game For The Colts in 1988 Was A Night To Remember
On October 31st, 1988 The Colts were given the opportunity of a lifetime by receiving the chance to be a part of Monday Night Football, the only game on Halloween that year, a chance to play in front of a virgin crowd to primetime football in the Hoosier Dome, the chance to face off against John Elway who refused to play for the Colts when he was the No. 1 pick out of Stanford in 1983, and a chance to matchup against the two-time defending AFC champions, the Denver Broncos.
Talk about hype!
If I attended this game I would have been in full costume by noon.
33 years ago on Halloween, Eric Dickerson, the running back for the Indianapolis Colts at the time had himself a record night against the Broncos with 159 rushing yards, 21 rushing attempts, and 4 touchdowns!
Get this, as the teams headed to the locker room at halftime, the Colts led 45-10. Dickerson had 124 rushing yards, 18 rushing attempts, and all 4 of his touchdowns already.
Dickerson felt the electricity in the stadium.
Click here for the full highlights of Eric Dickersons Halloween night.
When it came time to return for the second half Dickerson received 3 rushing attempts and then his evening was decided to be over:
“I felt like I could have had eight touchdowns that night. Ron Meyer wanted me to stop. I begged him to let me keep playing, but he said, “Nope. Uh-uh. You’re coming out.” I wanted to break the record, but Coach didn’t want to take a chance on me getting hurt, and he pulled me.”
There has been controversy on this quote because reporters say that at first Dickerson said it was his decision to be taken out of the game but as the game was talked about more and more it evolved to be his coach’s decision to remove him from the game. all in all, that doesn’t matter, the performance is what mattered.
Known wide receiver Bill Brooks who is in the Ring Of Honor at Lucas Oil Stadium can still remember the disbelief during the game as Eric Dickerson went bananas against the two-time defending AFC champions.
This game was also noted to be the one-year anniversary for Dickerson being traded to the Colts from the Rams and Dickerson wanted to show the Rams what they were missing out on with his performance on national television.
The Colts showed up. They played relentless defense and handed the ball off to Dickerson to end up dominating Denver 55-23.
The 55 points were a record for Monday Night Football, the four touchdowns by Dickerson tied another mark. The Colts’ takedown of the Broncos could have been even more dramatic if only Dickerson had stayed in the game.
