The Chicago Cardinals were at 6-1 and leading the NFL
Western Division as they hosted the Green Bay Packers on November 16, 1947. Coached
by Jimmy Conzelman, the Cards boasted a fine backfield that included QB Paul
Christman, halfbacks Elmer Angsman and Charley Trippi, and FB Pat Harder, plus
two good receivers in ends Mal Kutner (pictured at right) and Bill Dewell.
The Packers came into the game at 4-3 and were desperate
for a win that would keep them in contention. Head Coach Curly Lambeau had
installed the T-formation with QB Jack Jacobs directing it, but they lacked the
kind of big-play ability that had fueled past success.
There were 40,086 fans in attendance at Comiskey Park. On
their first series, the Cardinals drove 61 yards in 10 plays as Pat Harder and HB
Marshall Goldberg combined for 24 yards on the ground and Paul Christman
completed a pass to Bill Dewell for 15 yards. Another throw, to Mal Kutner, was
good for a 20-yard touchdown as the receiver split the two defensive backs and
caught the ball in full stride. Harder added the extra point and Chicago had a
7-0 lead.
The Packers moved the ball well on their next series,
starting off at their 30 and taking advantage of passes from Jack Jacobs to ends
Clyde Goodnight and Nolan Luhn to reach the Chicago 31, garnering three first
downs along the way. The drive stalled and Ted Fritsch kicked a 35-yard field
goal to narrow the margin to 7-3.
Fritsch made a big play on defense as he intercepted a
Christman pass at the Chicago 28 and, following a Jacobs to Luhn completion to
the one, it was Fritsch carrying off tackle for the last yard and a touchdown.
Ward Cuff kicked the extra point and the visitors were ahead by 10-7.
The Packers punted on their next series and, following a
68-yard boot by Jacobs, the Cards again turned the ball over, this time on a
fumble by HB Bill deCorrevont that G Dick Wildung recovered at the Chicago 36.
The Packers were unable to move the ball in three plays, but Fritsch booted a
44-yard field goal to extend the lead.
Green Bay continued to dominate, but Fritsch missed field
goal attempts from 35 and 42 yards. The score remained 13-7 at the half.
Early in the third quarter, DB Ken Keuper intercepted a
pass and returned it 28 yards to give Green Bay good starting field position at
the Chicago 45. Goodnight pulled in a pass for 13 yards and running plays
advanced the ball to the 19. After a three-yard loss, Jacobs threw to HB Bob
Forte for a 22-yard TD. The Packers carried a 20-7 lead into the fourth quarter
and appeared to be in command.
The Cardinals, quiet on offense for most of the game and
having penetrated Green Bay territory just three times thus far, put together a
57-yard drive following a Green Bay punt. Harder and HB Elmer Angsman ran
effectively and Christman, who had completed only 6 of 20 passes, had key
completions. Harder capped the series by running for the last four yards and a
touchdown – for good measure, he also added the extra point that made it a
six-point game.
After a short possession by the Packers that resulted in
a punt, Chicago again had another impressive series, going 66 yards. Harder and
Angsman combined for 21 yards on the ground and Christman threw to Kutner for
22 yards to the Green Bay 23. Another Christman completion to Kutner was good
for a 23-yard TD, with Harder adding the all-important extra point to put the
home team up by one.
There were just over five minutes remaining, and Green
Bay still had a chance to pull out a win. The Packers moved 57 yards in the
last minute-and-a-half, primarily on three passes to Luhn (pictured below), including a
spectacular reception that gained 29 yards to the Chicago 15. The Packers chose
to go with the usually reliable Cuff for the field goal rather than risk
another pass, but Cuff missed a 23-yard field goal that sailed wide to the left
with 21 seconds left on the clock. The Cardinals came away with a 21-20 win.
Chicago had the edge in total yards (269 to 249) and
first downs (16 to 15). The fourth quarter heroics obscured the fact that they
turned the ball over four times, to one suffered by Green Bay. Jack Jacobs
threw one interception while Paul Christman was picked off three times. Mal
Kutner was the standout on offense as he caught 5 passes for 100 yards and two
touchdowns.
For the Cardinals, the win over Green Bay made it four
straight, and while they lost their next two contests, they ended up winning
the Western Division with a 9-3 record. Chicago defeated the Eagles for the NFL
Championship. Meanwhile, the second one-point defeat for the Packers essentially
dropped them out of contention and they ended up in third place at 6-5-1.
Mal Kutner led the NFL with 944 yards on his 70 pass
receptions, averaging 22.0 yards per catch and scoring eight touchdowns. Pat
Harder led the league in scoring with 102 points and field goals with seven –
tied with Bob Waterfield and also Ward Cuff, whose miss at the end of the game
was so costly to the Packers.
