1966 Detroit Lions season

The 1966 Detroit Lions season was their 37th in the league. The team failed to improve on their previous season's output of 6–7–1, winning only four games. They missed the playoffs for the ninth straight season and incurred their second losing record in a row.

1966 Detroit Lions season
Head coach	Harry Gilmer
Home field	Tiger Stadium
Local radio	WWJ
Results
Record	4–9–1
Division place	6th NFL Western
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Pro Bowlers	Dick LeBeau, Roger Brown, Pat Studstill
AP All-Pros	Pat Studstill

Roster

1966 Detroit Lions roster
Quarterbacks 16 Milt Plum 14 Karl Sweetan Running backs 31 Amos Marsh 34 Tom Nowatzke Wide receivers 89 Gail Cogdill 87 John Henderson 81 Bill Malinchak 25 Pat Studstill P Tight ends 80 Jim Gibbons 88 Ron Kramer		Offensive linemen 54 Ed Flanagan C 75 John Gordy G 66 Bob Kowalkowski G 70 Daryl Sanders T 73 Roger Shoals T 72 J. D. Smith T Defensive linemen 76 Roger Brown DT 74 Larry Hand DE 71 Alex Karras DT 78 Darris McCord DE 82 Jerry Rush DT		Linebackers 59 Ernie Clark 67 Wally Hilgenberg 53 Mike Lucci 55 Wayne Walker Defensive backs 44 Dick LeBeau CB 21 Bruce Maher S 47 Wayne Rasmussen FS 27 Bobby Thompson CB 48 Tom Vaughn FS Special teams 1 Garo Yepremian K		Reserve lists currently vacant rookies in italics

Regular Season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Attendance
1	September 11	Chicago Bears	W 14–3	1–0	52,225
2	September 18	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 3–17	1–1	35,473
3	September 25	Atlanta Falcons	W 28–10	2–1	47,615
4	October 2	at Green Bay Packers	L 14–23	2–2	50,861
5	October 9	Los Angeles Rams	L 7–14	2–3	52,793
6	October 16	at Baltimore Colts	L 14–45	2–4	60,238
7	October 23	at San Francisco 49ers	L 24–27	2–5	36,745
8	October 30	Green Bay Packers	L 7–31	2–6	56,954
9	November 6	at Chicago Bears	T 10–10	2–6–1	47,041
10	November 13	at Minnesota Vikings	W 32–31	3–6–1	43,939
11	November 20	Baltimore Colts	W 20–14	4–6–1	52,383
12	November 24	San Francisco 49ers	L 14–41	4–7–1	53,189
13	December 4	at Los Angeles Rams	L 3–23	4–8–1	40,039
14	December 11	Minnesota Vikings	L 16–28	4–9–1	43,022
15	Bye

• A bye week was necessary in 1966, as the league expanded to an odd-number (15) of teams (Atlanta); one team was idle each week.

Game summaries

Week 1

1 2 3 4 Total Bears 3 0 0 0 3 • Lions 0 14 0 0 14 Date: September 11 Location: Tiger Stadium, Detroit, MI Game weather: 67 °F (19 °C); wind 7 mph (11 km/h)

Scoring summary Q1 CHI LeClerc 38 yard field goal CHI 3–0 Q2 DET Nowatzke 6 yard run (Walker kick) DET 7–3 Q2 DET Studstill 25 yard pass from Plum (Walker kick) DET 14–3

Week 6 at Baltimore Colts

Week Six: Detroit Lions (2–3) at Baltimore Colts (2–2)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Lions	0	0	7	7	14
Colts	7	17	7	14	45

at Memorial Stadium, Baltimore

• Date: October 16
• Game weather: 64 °F (18 °C)
• Box Score

Game information

First Quarter Baltimore– Tony Lorick 5-yard rush (Michaels kick), Colts 7–0. Second Quarter Baltimore – Tom Matte 28-yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Michaels kick), Colts 14–0. Baltimore – John Mackey 51-yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Michaels kick), Colts 21–0. Baltimore – Lou Michaels 47-yard field goal, Colts 24–0. Third Quarter Detroit – Pat Studstill 4-yard pass from Milt Plum (Walker kick), Colts 24–7. Baltimore – Jimmy Orr 3-yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Michaels kick), Colts 31–7. Fourth Quarter Baltimore – Raymond Berry 17-yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Michaels kick), Colts 38–7. Detroit – Pat Studstill 99-yard pass from Karl Sweetan (Walker kick), Colts 38–14. Baltimore – Willie Richardson 5-yard pass from Gary Cuozzo (Michaels kick), Colts 45–14. Top Passers Lions – Milt Plum: 16/28, 107 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT Colts – Johnny Unitas: 18/27, 218 yds, 4 TD Top rushers Lions – Amos Marsh: 11 car, 36 yds Colts – Tom Matte: 13 car, 73 yds. Top receivers Lions – Pat Studstill: 6 rec, 141 yds. 2 TD Colts – Jimmy Orr: 6 rec, 78 yds. 1 TD

Standings

NFL Western Conference
	W	L	T	PCT	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Green Bay Packers	12	2	0	.857	10–2	335	163	W5
Baltimore Colts	9	5	0	.643	7–5	314	226	W1
Los Angeles Rams	8	6	0	.571	6–6	289	212	L1
San Francisco 49ers	6	6	2	.500	5–5–2	320	325	L1
Chicago Bears	5	7	2	.417	4–6–2	234	272	W1
Detroit Lions	4	9	1	.308	3–8–1	206	317	L3
Minnesota Vikings	4	9	1	.308	4–7–1	292	304	L1

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.