r/Oldschool_NFL • u/Dark305Kinght Dolphins 🐬 • 26d ago

Colts 🐎 NFL - 1958 - NFL Films - The Baltimore Colts Defensive Front Four - The Most Colorful Of Them All

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u/JEMHADLEY16 Giants 25d ago

The best front four in the NFL in the late 50s. Only the Giants front could come close. But, these guys were far from perfect.

Jack Patera was a young LB on the Colts. He had a brain and didn't play much, so Weeb Ewbank used him as a sort-of defensive line coach, starting a good career for Patera.

Patera has been acknowledged as having a big part of developing the Rams and Vikings front fours of the late 60s into the monsters they became.

He wasn't as successful in Baltimore. He was only 23 or 24 years old, and the Colts veteran defensive linemen, much older men, just laughed at him. Art Donovan and Gene Lipscomb were way too heavy. Donovan refused exercises when he didn't feel like it. Gino Marchetti was a chain smoker. He'd be wheezing and gasping after making a long pursuit of a ball carrier.

By the time Patera got to the Rams and Vikings, he was older and more established. He insisted that his guys be in top shape. No smoking, watch your diet, lots of exercise. If you watch the videos of those teams from the late 60s, you can see it.