1953: Third Quarter Explosion Propels Rams to Win Against Lions

The Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions both had 4-1 records and were battling for control of the NFL’s Western Conference as they faced each other on November 1, 1953. The Lions were the reigning league champions, having topped LA in a playoff to win the conference in ’52, but more recently the Rams had beaten them in Detroit two weeks earlier.

Under Head Coach Hamp Pool, Los Angeles had a high-powered offense that featured the passing of QB Norm Van Brocklin, primarily to star end Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch, and the running of FB “Deacon Dan” Towler and HB Skeets Quinlan (pictured above). The Lions were coached by Buddy Parker and featured a rugged defense, with the line anchored by MG Les Bingaman and the opportunistic backfield led by safety Jack Christiansen. QB Bobby Layne provided leadership as well as passing ability to the offense and the stable of backs was a good one.

There was a then-record regular season crowd of 93,761 fans on hand at the Memorial Coliseum. The Lions had the opening possession and drove 78 yards in 11 plays, culminating in HB Doak Walker’s 38-yard field goal. The Rams responded by advancing into Detroit territory as Dan Towler had runs of 21 and 17 yards. But after reaching the 15, Jack Christiansen intercepted a throw by Norm Van Brocklin and ran it back 92 yards for a touchdown. Walker added the extra point and, in stunning fashion, the Lions were ahead by 10-0 midway through the opening period.

In the second quarter, the Rams put together a 10-play, 58-yard series. Van Brocklin completed three passes, two to Crazylegs Hirsch, and Skeets Quinlan ran effectively, finishing the drive with a five-yard run around end for a TD. Ben Agajanian’s try for the extra point was blocked, and the score remained 10-6 in favor of the visitors.

On LA’s next possession, Quinlan broke a 31-yard run to the Detroit 35, Towler carried for nine, and Van Brocklin threw to end Bob Boyd for 16 yards to set up an 18-yard field goal by Agajanian that made it a one-point game. However, HB Jug Girard took the ensuing kickoff and returned it 85 yards to the LA 15 before finally being caught from behind. Four plays later, Bobby Layne tossed a pass to end Leon Hart for a three-yard touchdown, Walker converted, and the Lions held a 17-9 lead that they took into halftime.

Los Angeles struck quickly in the early minutes of third quarter when Quinlan ran around end for a spectacular 74-yard touchdown. Agajanian’s kick again made it a one-point contest at 17-16. The Lions came right back with a 65-yard advance to the LA 6. However, Walker was stopped for a seven-yard loss and Layne, heavily pressured when attempting to pass, was intercepted by safety Herb Rich, who returned it 36 yards. While Detroit immediately got the ball back when DHB Jim David picked off Quinlan’s option pass and returned it 21 yards to the Los Angeles 43, two plays later LB Don Paul intercepted a Layne throw, returned it 15 yards, and lateraled to DHB Woodley Lewis who went the remaining 45 yards for a 60-yard TD. In dramatic fashion, the Rams were ahead by 23-17.

It got worse for the Lions on the next series when Layne was again picked off, and this time it was DHB Jack Dwyer returning it 31 yards for another touchdown. LA was in control by a score of 30-17.

Frustrations boiled over in the fourth quarter when the Lions became enraged due to an altercation between Jim David and LA’s Bob Boyd that led to David being ejected and, when players and coaches took to the field in protest, an additional 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Shortly thereafter, the Rams added to their lead when Van Brocklin connected with HB Vitamin T. Smith for a 54-yard TD and Agajanian converted. The Lions scored one more time late in the game with QB Tom Dublinski spelling Layne, driving 63 yards to a one-yard touchdown carry by HB Bob “Hunchy” Hoernschemeyer, but it was of no consequence as the Rams won by a final score of 37-24.

LA led in total yards (392 to 255) although the Lions had more first downs (19 to 14). The Rams ran the ball especially well, gaining 222 yards on 33 carries. Both teams turned the ball over four times apiece, with Detroit’s ultimately proving more costly.

Skeets Quinlan was the rushing star with 130 yards on 12 carries that included two touchdowns. Dan Towler (pictured at left) contributed 79 yards on 14 attempts and also had two pass receptions for 21 yards. Norm Van Brocklin completed 10 of 18 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown while being intercepted twice. Crazylegs Hirsch had four catches for 51 yards while Vitamin Smith gained 63 yards on his two receptions that included a TD.

For the Lions, Bobby Layne, who was harried by the LA defense, was successful on just five of 17 throws for 50 yards and a TD while giving up three interceptions. He also ran the ball for a team-leading 65 yards. In relief, Tom Dublinski was five of nine for 68 yards and was picked off once. Leon Hart topped the receivers with three catches for 29 yards and a touchdown.

“The turning point came in the third quarter when our defense really put the pressure on Layne and helped us make interceptions,” explained LA's Coach Pool.

The win put the Rams a game ahead of Detroit at 5-1, and seemingly in command in the Western Conference race, but they faltered, winning only one of their next four games (which included a tie). Detroit didn’t lose again and topped the conference with a 10-2 record while the Rams ended up third at 8-3-1 (the 49ers, who swept their season series with Los Angeles, placed second with a 9-3 tally). The Lions repeated as NFL Champions, defeating the Browns by a score of 17-16.

Skeets Quinlan ended up rushing for 705 yards on 97 carries, for a gaudy 7.3-yard average gain, and scored four rushing touchdowns. The yardage total ranked third in the league rushing standards, while Dan Towler was second with 879 yards on 152 attempts (5.8 avg.) and seven TDs.

1950: Layne & Walker Lead Lions to Win Against Steelers

The Detroit Lions were coming off of a big opening-week win as they hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 24, 1950. Coached by Bo McMillin, the Lions had not had a winning season in five years, but there were several promising newcomers on the roster. QB Bobby Layne (pictured above) was obtained from the New York Bulldogs, HB Bob “Hunchy” Hoernschemeyer came over from the defunct AAFC, and the rookie crop included the last two Heisman Trophy winners, HB Doak Walker and end Leon Hart. There were also good young veterans such as end Cloyce Box, MG Les Bingaman, and DHB Don Doll. Detroit thrashed Green Bay the previous week by a score of 45-7.

The Steelers, under the guidance of Head Coach John Michelosen, were operating out of the NFL’s last remaining single-wing offense. They also had a tough defense with a line anchored by DE Bill McPeak who was joined by rookie DT Ernie Stautner. Pittsburgh put up seven points in losing to the Giants in the opening game.

There were 19,600 fans in attendance at Briggs Stadium. The contest was a defensive struggle, although Detroit moved the ball more effectively. In the first quarter, the Lions missed a scoring opportunity when Doak Walker missed a 35-yard field goal attempt. Interceptions of Bobby Layne passes in Pittsburgh territory, at the two and the 20, kept the Lions off the board as well. Finally, Detroit advanced the ball to the Pittsburgh five when time ran out and the game remained scoreless at halftime.

In the third quarter, and following a fumble by Detroit FB Ollie Cline at the Pittsburgh 28, the Steelers struck for the game’s first score. TB Bob Gage had runs of 10 and 18 yards before passing to end Elbie Nickel for a 43-yard touchdown. Joe Geri added the extra point.

The Steelers had another shot when DB Jim Finks intercepted a pass by QB Fred Enke at midfield and returned it to the Detroit 25. A second-down pass by back Charlie Seabright for Gage in the end zone just missed the mark and, on fourth down, Geri was wide on a 27-yard field goal attempt.

Now the Lions put together an 80-yard drive that culminated in a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter when Layne threw to Walker, who just pulled away from safety Lynn Chandnois for an 11-yard touchdown. Walker also added the game-tying point after.

Neither team seemed capable of adding points during the final period, and when the Lions were forced to punt with three minutes remaining to play, a tie appeared likely. But, in the game’s pivotal play, Gage fumbled after fielding the kick when hit by Detroit end Dick Rifenberg and end Barney Hafen recovered at the Pittsburgh 15. The home team managed to pick up three yards in three plays before Doak Walker came on to boot a 20-yard field goal and the Lions held on to win by a final score of 10-7.

Detroit had significant edges in total yards (372 to 176) and first downs (24 to 8). But while the Lions outgained Pittsburgh’s single-wing attack on the ground (265 to 54), the Steelers had more yards through the air (122 to 107). Detroit also turned the ball over five times, to two by Pittsburgh.

Bobby Layne completed 10 of 24 passes for 78 yards but also ran for 118 yards on 15 carries. Doak Walker (pictured at right), who scored all of Detroit’s points, contributed 87 yards on 16 rushing attempts. For the Steelers, Bob Gage was successful on 8 of 22 passes with a touchdown while rushing for 45 yards on 11 carries, although the pivotal fumble on the punt diminished an otherwise solid performance.

The Lions split their next two games and were at 3-1 before losing four straight. They finished strong for a 6-6 record that placed fourth in the National Conference. Pittsburgh also went 6-6, tying for third with the Eagles in the American Conference. With the league’s lowest-scoring offense, the Steelers maintained the pattern established in the contest against Detroit as the defense typically kept games close.  

Bobby Layne led the league in pass attempts (336) and yards (2323). His 16 touchdown passes ranked fourth, and he added another four TDs carrying the ball as he ran for 250 yards. Doak Walker continued to be a prolific scorer, leading the NFL with 128 points. He accounted for 11 touchdowns, 8 field goals, and 38 extra points and received first-team All-NFL honors from the Associated Press and UPI as well as selection to the Pro Bowl.  

1959: Late Score Propels Steelers Past Browns

Following a slow start, the Pittsburgh Steelers were at 3-4-1 as they faced the Cleveland Browns on November 22, 1959. Head Coach Buddy Parker’s club had lost some close contests but upset the Giants in New York the previous week. QB Bobby Layne (pictured at right), in his twelfth year, was still a formidable competitor and leader and had a good group of receivers led by second-year end Jimmy Orr. HB Tom “The Bomb” Tracy was reliable carrying the ball and the defense tough and typically stingy. The Steelers had beaten the Browns in the season’s opening game.

Cleveland was, as usual, a strong contender in the Eastern Conference in its 14^th season under Head Coach Paul Brown. The Browns were coming off of five straight wins and at 6-2 were tied for first place with the Giants. The ground game was the NFL’s best, led by FB Jim Brown and including fleet HB Bobby Mitchell, who had gained 232 yards against Washington a week earlier. QB Milt Plum was competent and had a good veteran receiving corps led by flanker Ray Renfro.

There were 68,563 fans in attendance at Municipal Stadium. The Browns had the first possession and put together a drive that included two first downs, but came up empty when Lou Groza was wide to the right on a 48-yard field goal attempt.

On Pittsburgh’s second possession, the Steelers drove 94 yards in 16 plays that extended into the early stages of the second quarter. It nearly came to an end twice, but a defensive holding penalty on a punt from the Pittsburgh 11 gave the visitors a first down and, forced to go into punt formation again, they got another break when Bobby Luna dropped the snap but managed to recover and ran 11 yards for a first down. Jimmy Orr made an outstanding catch on an option throw by flanker Ray Mathews while double-covered by safety Junior Wren and DHB Jim Shofner for a 38-yard gain to the Cleveland six. Tom Tracy ran for a four-yard touchdown and Bobby Layne added the extra point for a 7-0 advantage.

The Steelers put together another long scoring drive on their next possession, taking 17 plays to advance 72 yards. Tracy and HB Tom Barnett ran effectively and Layne had a 19-yard pass completion with a roughing-the-passer penalty tacked onto the end of it. The series again ended with Tracy (pictured below) running for a TD, this time from one yard on a fourth down play.

Down by 14-0 with less than three minutes remaining in the first half, the Browns advanced 80 yards in response. It took just five plays, the biggest a run by Jim Brown that covered 40 yards and the last a pass from Milt Plum to Ray Renfro for a 32-yard touchdown. Groza’s attempt for the point after missed to the left and the halftime score was 14-6.

The Steelers attempted to add to their lead in the third quarter, but Layne’s 31-yard field goal try was blocked by DE Paul Wiggin. Cleveland had a shot at a field goal late in the period but Groza was again unsuccessful, this time from 48 yards.

The Browns appeared to take control in the fourth quarter, scoring two touchdowns. Plum passed to Renfro for a 27-yard TD and Groza added the point after. Shortly thereafter Plum, not known for his deep passing, went long for Renfro once more and it resulted in a 70-yard touchdown, with Groza again successfully converting. Cleveland was ahead by 20-14.

Meanwhile, Cleveland’s defense kept Pittsburgh in check on offense but, behind by six points and with time running down, the Steelers put together a scoring drive after regaining possession at their own 17 following a Cleveland punt. Layne threw to Orr for 17 yards and a roughing-the-passer penalty on the Browns added another 15. Another pass was incomplete, but Layne then connected with Orr again for 19 yards, and while the receiver fumbled at the end of the play, Mathews recovered to maintain possession at the Cleveland 33. Tracy ran up the middle for 16 yards and, two plays later and with 40 seconds left to play, Layne threw to end Gern Nagler under the goal post for a 17-yard touchdown that completed the 82-yard, six-play series. Layne added the all-important extra point.

There was still a chance for the Browns in the remaining time, and Plum passed them into Pittsburgh territory, but Groza missed a 49-yard field goal attempt on the final play and the Steelers came away winners by a final score of 21-20.

The Browns had the edge in total yards (387 to 338) while Pittsburgh had more first downs (21 to 16). Running the ball more than twice as often as Cleveland (47 carries to 22), the Steelers led in rushing yards (182 to 126) while the Browns, playing catch-up for most of the game, had 261 net passing yards to Pittsburgh’s 156. There were no turnovers and, while there were just seven penalties (four on Cleveland, three on the Steelers), the Browns and their supporters complained about the timing and effect of some of the penalties assessed on them, in particular the roughing-the-passer calls that sustained critical Pittsburgh drives.  

Bobby Layne completed 12 of 20 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown with none intercepted. Tom Tracy rushed for 99 yards on 24 carries that included two TDs. Three receivers had four catches apiece for the Steelers, with Jimmy Orr gaining 86 yards on his and Gern Nagler compiling 63 yards plus the game-winning TD.

Milt Plum was successful on 17 of 29 throws for 269 yards and three touchdowns and also had none picked off. Jim Brown gained 111 yards on 15 rushing attempts, although Bobby Mitchell was held to just 15 yards on 7 carries. Ray Renfro (pictured at left) accumulated 161 yards on 5 pass receptions, three of which went for TDs. End Billy Howton also caught a team-leading five passes, for 77 yards. It was a rough day for Lou Groza, who missed three field goals plus an extra point.

The second straight upset win on the road evened Pittsburgh’s record at 4-4-1 and the Steelers won again the next week, and twice in their last three games, to finish fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 6-5-1 tally. As for the Browns, the loss dropped them out of a tie for first place in the Eastern Conference and was the first of three straight that saw them fall out of contention and end up tied for second in the conference with Philadelphia at 7-5.

Bobby Layne ranked second in the NFL with 20 touchdown passes, although first with 21 interceptions, and his 142 completions and 1986 yards gained placed fifth. He was named to the Pro Bowl, as was Jimmy Orr with his 35 catches for 604 yards (17.3 avg.) and five TDs. Tom Tracy was the NFL’s fourth-ranked rusher as he gained 794 yards on 199 carries (4.0 avg.) that included three touchdowns.

1954: 49ers Withstand Late Rally to Defeat Lions

A showdown between two undefeated NFL Western Conference teams, the San Francisco 49ers (3-0-1) and Detroit Lions (3-0), occurred in San Francisco on October 24, 1954. The 49ers, coached by Buck Shaw, had an outstanding backfield with HB Hugh McElhenny (pictured at right) providing breakaway speed and FB Joe Perry and HB John Henry Johnson formidable power. End Billy Wilson was a fine receiver although QB Y.A. Tittle was playing with a broken left hand.

Detroit had won the last two NFL Championships and was still a powerful club that won its last two games by a combined score of 56-3. Head Coach Buddy Parker’s offense was directed by fiery QB Bobby Layne and contained a good group of runners operating behind an excellent line as well as capable receivers. The defense was solid, particularly with big middle guard Les Bingaman, LB Joe Schmidt, and a defensive backfield led by safety Jack Christiansen and thus dubbed “Chris’ Crew”.

An overthrow crowd of 61,000 fans was in attendance at Kezar Stadium. The 49ers had the game’s first possession and struck quickly. Joe Perry ran for 10 yards and then Hugh McElhenny broke away for a 60-yard touchdown run. Gordie Soltau added the extra point to give San Francisco the early 7-0 advantage.

The Lions turned the ball over on the third play of their ensuing series when Bobby Layne fumbled the snap and DE Jack Brumfield recovered at the Detroit 33. Y.A. Tittle missed on two passes but a defensive holding call on third down kept the 49ers alive. Tittle threw to Billy Wilson for 11 yards and Perry rumbled for five before the drive stalled and Soltau kicked a 20-yard field goal.

Down by 10 points, the Lions couldn’t move on offense and had to punt. McElhenny ran for nine yards and Tittle then threw a play option pass to John Henry Johnson that picked up 34 yards to the Detroit 24. The six-play, 67-yard advance ended with Johnson running 12 yards for a TD and Soltau’s point after had the home team leading by 17-0.

Detroit put together an 80-yard drive that took 19 plays and stretched into the second quarter. HB Bob Hoernschemeyer converted a third-and-four situation with an eight-yard run and FB Lew Carpenter gained four yards on a fourth-and-two play at the San Francisco 20 and five yards when facing third-and-four at the ten. Layne completed six passes, the last to end Jim Doran for a seven-yard touchdown. Doak Walker converted and the score was narrowed to 17-7.

On the first play following the kickoff, the Lions got the ball back when McElhenny fumbled and DE Jim Cain recovered at the San Francisco 36. However, the visitors lost ground and came up empty when Jim Martin’s long field goal attempt fell short. The 49ers had to punt after a short series and Detroit again turned the ball over when Hoernschemeyer fumbled after catching a short pass and safety Johnny Williams recovered at the Detroit 28. Tittle immediately threw to end Bill Jessup for 17 yards and the four-play series concluded with a Tittle pass to Wilson (pictured below) for an eight-yard TD. Soltau converted and once again the 49ers had a 17-point lead at 24-7.

Carpenter took off on a 20-yard run to spark the next drive for the Lions and Layne threw to end Dorne Dibble for 23 yards to the San Francisco 41. A pass to Walker and a run by Hoernschemeyer picked up 11 yards in all but Brumfield and DT Leo Nomellini dumped Layne for a 10-yard loss and, after two long passes fell incomplete, Martin again missed a long try for a field goal.

The Niners immediately advanced into Detroit territory on first down when Johnson took a pitchout and ran for 31 yards to get just past midfield. Perry blasted up the middle for 14 yards, but penalties blunted the promising drive and it was Soltau’s turn to miss a long try for three points.

With time running short in the first half, Layne took to the air and completed successive passes to end Jug Girard for 15 yards, FB Bill Bowman for 11, and Girard again for 26 to the San Francisco 28. Walker kicked a 36-yard field goal and the score was 24-10 at halftime.

The teams traded punts to start the third quarter before the Lions drove 76 yards in 10 plays. The big play came after a penalty and sack put the visitors in a second-and-33 hole at the Detroit 13 as Layne tossed a pass over the middle to Walker that gained 55 yards to the San Francisco 32. Layne was sacked by DT Bob Toneff, which not only resulted in a loss of eight yards but knocked the quarterback out of the game.  Backup QB Tom Dublinski came in and threw a screen pass to Hoernschemeyer for 15 yards and the halfback followed up with a 12-yard carry on third-and-three. Two more passes by Dublinski were incomplete and a third down toss to Carpenter came up a foot short of a first down. Going for it on fourth down, Dublinski connected with Doran in the end zone for a three-yard touchdown and, with Walker’s conversion, the Lions were only seven points behind at 24-17.

McElhenny gave the 49ers good starting field position at the 50 thanks to a 41-yard kickoff return and Johnson followed up with runs of 13 and 9 yards as San Francisco moved methodically down the field. Tittle completed successive nine-yard passes to McElhenny and Perry and Johnson concluded the 13-play series with a one-yard TD. Soltau again added the extra point to extend the Niners’ lead to 31-17.

The Lions were driving as the period came to an end thanks to a Dublinski screen pass to Bowman for 28 yards and a run by Carpenter for 10. However, the series stalled at the San Francisco 25 and Dublinski’s fourth-and-six pass was incomplete. The 49ers took just three plays to move 75 yards to another score.  McElhenny ran for 34 yards on first down, Perry gained six more up the middle, and then Tittle fired long to Wilson, who raced past Jack Christiansen on the way to a 37-yard touchdown. Soltau’s extra point kick hit the crossbar and was no good, but the home team held a 20-point lead at 37-17.

Detroit responded quickly following Girard’s 34-yard kickoff return. Dublinski threw to Walker for 24 yards and then to Dibble for 27 down to the San Francisco two. From there, Hoernschemeyer ran the remaining distance for a TD and Walker’s PAT narrowed the margin to 37-24 with over twelve minutes still to play.

A three-and-out series forced the 49ers to punt and the Lions put together a 77-yard drive in 12 plays. Dublinski completed seven passes, the longest to Dibble for 19 yards. Another throw to Carpenter was good for seven yard in a fourth-and-inches situation at the San Francisco 19 and it was Walker gathering in a pass from Dublinski for a 12-yard touchdown. Walker converted to make it a six-point game.

The 49ers advanced to midfield before having to punt. Christiansen returned the kick 47 yards to the San Francisco 47, but an incomplete pass was followed by Dublinski being sacked by Brumfield for a loss of 14 yards. Another pass was knocked down and the visitors punted. They never got the ball back as Johnson ran for five yards on a third-and-three play and McElhenny gained 16 yards for another first down. San Francisco held on to win by a final score of 37-31. 

Detroit had the edge in total yards (443 to 424) and first downs (27 to 23). The 49ers were especially effective at running the ball, gaining 270 yards. They also recorded four sacks to none by the Lions. Detroit turned the ball over twice and San Francisco once.

Hugh McElhenny gained 126 yards on just seven carries and had the one long touchdown. John Henry Johnson contributed 83 yards on 11 attempts, along with three pass receptions for 45 yards, and Joe Perry gained 51 yards on 15 rushes. Y.A. Tittle completed 13 of 25 passes for 157 yards with two touchdowns and none intercepted. Billy Wilson had four catches for 74 yards and both of the aerial TDs.

For the Lions, Bobby Layne was successful on 17 of 29 throws for 212 yards and a TD with none picked off before having to leave the game. In his place, Tom Dublinski was 14 of 24 for 177 yards and tossed two touchdowns while also giving up no interceptions. Lew Carpenter rushed for 56 yards on 11 carries. Doak Walker (pictured at right) was most effective as a receiver out of the backfield, gaining 129 yards on seven receptions that also included a score. Dorne Dibble gained 91 yards on his three catches.

While the win pulled the 49ers ahead of the Lions, they lost their next three games to fall back into the pack in the Western Conference and ended up in third place with a 7-4-1 record. Meanwhile, Detroit bounced back to reel off five consecutive wins, including a 48-7 thrashing of San Francisco at home, and topped the conference for the third straight year at 9-2-1. There was no third straight NFL title, however, as the Lions were overwhelmed by the Cleveland Browns in the championship game.

Part of San Francisco’s slump came due to the loss of Hugh McElhenny the next week to a shoulder separation, depriving the offense of his speed in the open field. He ended up rushing for 515 yards on just 64 carries for a staggering 8.0 average gain in six games. Joe Perry had a MVP season as he led the league with 1049 yards on 173 attempts (6.1 avg.) and scored eight touchdowns, and John Henry Johnson was runner-up with 681 yards on 129 carries (5.3 avg.) and nine TDs. Perry was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection, and both he and Johnson were chosen to the Pro Bowl.

Bobby Layne came back to pass for 1818 yards and 14 touchdowns while Tom Dublinski started four contests and was successful on 77 of 138 passes (55.8 %) for 1073 yards and eight TDs, giving up seven interceptions. Doak Walker was a consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl choice, accumulating 1093 all-purpose yards. Pass receiving accounted for 564 yards of that total, on 32 catches (17.6 avg.). He was also the league’s second-ranked scorer with 106 points.

1953: Lions Rally to Edge Browns and Repeat as NFL Champs

The NFL Championship game on December 27, 1953 featured a rematch of the previous year’s participants, the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns. The Lions won that contest and were looking to repeat as champions against the Cleveland team that was now appearing in its eighth straight title game (four in the All-America Football Conference, four in the NFL).

Detroit, coached by Buddy Parker, still featured fiery QB Bobby Layne (pictured above) surrounded by a capable group on offense and a rugged defense, and had added outstanding rookies that included tackles Charlie Ane and Ollie Spencer plus G Harley Sewell on offense and LB Joe Schmidt on defense. The Lions went 10-2 in winning the Western Conference, including victories in their last six contests.

The Browns, under the guidance of the innovative Paul Brown, had new ownership but continued to win with an almost machine-like consistency. QB Otto Graham remained the key to the offense, and while star end Mac Speedie defected to Canada, end Dante Lavelli was still available and two second-year players, end Pete Brewster and HB Ray Renfro, picked up the slack. FB Harry "Chick" Jagade was the successor to the fading Marion Motley and the defense gave up the fewest points in the league (162). Star MG Bill Willis was back in action, having missed the previous month due to injury. Cleveland topped the Eastern Conference with an 11-1 record, not losing until the season finale when they had already wrapped up first place. Despite losing to the Lions the previous year, the Browns were the favorites coming into the rematch.

There were 54,577 fans in attendance at Briggs Stadium, where the field was slippery in some spots. In the first play from scrimmage, the Browns were penalized back to their 19 yard line. Following a carry by Chick Jagade, LB LaVern Torgeson forced Otto Graham to fumble and MG Les Bingaman recovered for the Lions at the Cleveland 12. Detroit kept the ball on the ground, with Bobby Layne converting a fourth-and-one situation via a quarterback sneak and, after HB Bob “Hunchy” Hoernschemeyer gained nothing, HB Doak Walker dove for a touchdown from one yard out and then kicked the extra point.

With the help of a penalty, the Browns had good field position near midfield to start their next series. However, Graham overthrew an open receiver on a third down play and Cleveland had to punt. The Lions lost star end Leon Hart with a knee injury and Jim Doran (pictured below), who normally played on defense and had caught only six passes all year, took his place. Doran made his presence known by making a catch for a gain of 27 yards, but after reaching the Cleveland 46, Detroit had to punt, as did Cleveland again in turn.

The Browns got a break on defense late in the opening period when DE Len Ford recovered a fumble by Hoernschemeyer at the Detroit six. The Lions didn’t let down on defense, but in the first play of the second quarter, the Browns came close to a TD when Dante Lavelli dropped a pass in the end zone. Lou Groza kicked a 13-yard field goal to make the score 7-3.

The Lions punted again following their next series but got the ball back when HB Dub Jones fumbled and DE Sherwin Gandee recovered at the Cleveland 25. Detroit couldn’t take advantage of the turnover, as Layne was sacked for a loss of 12 yards on third down and Walker was wide to the left on a 45-yard field goal attempt.

The teams exchanged punts and then interceptions. DHB Jim David picked off a Graham pass and returned it to the Cleveland 20, which set up the next Detroit score. The Lions came close to a touchdown on a trick play when Layne threw a lateral to Walker, who ran to his right, drawing the defense, and then passed it back to Layne for an apparent TD. However, the play was nullified by a 15-yard penalty and Walker ended up kicking a field goal from 23 yards.

With 1:15 left in the first half, QB George Ratterman came in for Graham after Jagade returned the kickoff 29 yards to the Cleveland 49. Ratterman was sacked for a 13-yard loss but also completed a screen pass to Jagade for 19 yards to the Detroit 44. As the seconds ticked away, Groza attempted a 51-yard field goal, but it missed and the score remained 10-3 in favor of the Lions at halftime.

On Cleveland’s first possession of the third quarter following an interception by safety Ken Gorgal, the Browns advanced 51 yards in eight plays. Jagade ran nine yards off tackle for a TD and Groza’s conversion tied the score at 10-10.

Such remained the situation until, in a series that extended into the fourth quarter, the Browns moved the ball effectively and Groza booted another field goal, this time from 15 yards, to put the visitors in front by 13-10.

Detroit followed up with a 14-play possession that reached the Cleveland 26. Layne completed passes to ends Dorne Dibble and Cloyce Box and ran the ball three times himself, but the Lions came up empty when Walker missed a field goal try from 33 yards. With Jagade running well, the Browns advanced from their 20 to the Detroit 33. Groza kicked a 43-yard field goal and the visitors were further ahead by 16-10.

The situation was looking dire for the Lions as they got the ball with four minutes remaining to play and down by six points. But Layne directed the home team on an 80-yard drive in which he completed three passes to Doran. The first came on the initial play of the series and picked up 17 yards, the second converted a third-and-10 situation with an 18-yard gain, and the last was on a perfect pass from Layne after the receiver had sprinted past DHB Warren Lahr into the end zone, making the catch for a 33-yard touchdown. Walker (pictured below) added the all-important extra point to put Detroit in the lead with the clock now down to 2:08. On the ensuing series, rookie DB Carl Karilivacz intercepted a hurried Graham toss to seal the 17-16 win for the Lions. Several fights broke out in the remaining time and Detroit’s Dibble was ejected.

The Lions led in total yards (293 to 191), almost completely grounding Cleveland’s vaunted passing attack (nine net yards), and had the edge in first downs also (18 to 11). Each team turned the ball over four times.

Bobby Layne completed 12 of 25 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown while being intercepted twice. He also rushed for 44 yards on 9 carries. Jim Doran had an outstanding performance as he caught four passes for 95 yards and scored the game-deciding TD (he had none during the regular season). Cloyce Box also had four catches, for 54 yards. Bob Hoernschemeyer rushed for 51 yards on 17 carries.

Otto Graham had an uncharacteristically dreadful performance in which he was successful on just two of 15 throws for 20 yards with no TDs while giving up two interceptions. George Ratterman completed his only pass for 18 yards. Chick Jagade gained 102 yards on 15 rushing attempts that included a score and also had one pass reception for 18 yards, which made him Cleveland’s most productive receiver as well as top rusher. Lou Groza was successful on three of four field goal attempts, tying the then-NFL championship game record.

Detroit’s Coach Parker praised the “terrific team effort” and singled out Jim Doran, saying “Sure, we had to have the touchdown. But that pass he leaped for and got on Cleveland’s 45 made it all possible. It was third down and gave us enough yardage for a first down to keep the ball.”

“Nobody will lose a tougher one,” said Paul Brown in the quiet Cleveland locker room. “We worked five months and lost it all in two minutes.”

As strong as the Browns were, the once-invincible team had now become the first in NFL history to lose three consecutive title games. The clubs met for a third time in the 1954 Championship game, and this time Cleveland thrashed the Lions, gaining a measure of revenge and ending Detroit’s hopes of topping the NFL for a third straight year.

1950: Walker Scores All 24 Points for Lions in Win Against Packers

The Detroit Lions were struggling, having lost four straight games, as they hosted the Green Bay Packers on November 19, 1950. Coached by Bo McMillin for the third year, the Lions were nevertheless assembling talent that would make them a formidable team over the next few seasons. Fiery and talented QB Bobby Layne had been obtained from the New York Bulldogs and HB Bob “Hunchy” Hoernschemeyer arrived from the defunct All-America Football Conference. Rookies included guard Lou Creekmur and the last two Heisman Trophy winners, end Leon Hart from Notre Dame and all-purpose HB Doak Walker (pictured at right) out of Southern Methodist.

Walker had been a high school teammate of Layne in Dallas, Texas and then a three-time All-American at SMU who won the Heisman Trophy as a junior in 1948. An injury hindered his performance in ’49, but he still came in third in the voting for the coveted award. He had been a tremendous all-around talent in college, but at 5’11” and 170 pounds, there were questions as to whether he had the size to succeed as a pro, and there were doubts about his speed as well. But thus far, Walker was productive as a halfback who often caught passes out of the backfield, kick returner, and placekicker and punter.

The Packers had a new head coach in Gene Ronzani, only the second in their history after the departed Curly Lambeau. They had a talented rookie quarterback in Tobin Rote and also benefited from the demise of the AAFC, adding end Al Baldwin and HB Billy Grimes. But the defense was dreadful, and after winning two of their first three games, the Packers were in the midst of a five-game losing streak. They lost badly to the Lions in their previous meeting.

There was a small crowd of 17,752 fans in attendance on a dark and rainy day at Briggs Stadium. The opening period was scoreless, but both offenses cut loose in the second quarter. First, Bobby Layne threw a pass to Doak Walker for a 33-yard touchdown and Walker added the extra point. Green Bay responded with a series highlighted by Tobin Rote passing to HB Jug Girard for a 55-yard gain. Two plays later Rote connected with end Steve Pritko for a three-yard TD and Ted Fritsch tied the score with the PAT.

Shortly thereafter, Green Bay got the ball back again when DHB Bob Forte intercepted an option pass by Walker at the Detroit 30. Rote threw to Al Baldwin for 28 yards and FB Jack Cloud added another touchdown for the Packers as he dove into the end zone from two yards out. Fritsch converted to put Green Bay ahead by seven. With time running out in the first half, Walker kicked a 35-yard field goal and the score was 14-10 in favor of the Packers at halftime.

In the third quarter, Layne threw to Walker again for a 20-yard TD that put the Lions back in front by 17-14, Walker once again successfully kicking the extra point. Layne was injured, however, and Fred Enke came on in relief.

Following the ensuing kickoff, Green Bay advanced 69 yards but Detroit’s defense stopped two runs from the one yard line to force the Packers to turn the ball over on downs. Pinned deep in their own territory, the Lions punted and the Packers regained possession with favorable field position at the Detroit 35. Once again Green Bay moved effectively, but this time a Rote pass into the end zone was intercepted by DHB Don Doll.

Three plays later, the Packers got a break when DT Joe Spencer recovered a fumble at the Detroit 23. Following a running play, Rote completed a pass to HB Larry Coutre for 19 yards. Early in the fourth quarter, Cloud scored again for the Packers, this time plunging into the end zone from a yard out. Fritsch’s PAT gave the visitors a four-point edge.

The Lions put together a 73-yard drive and, with the game down to the last two minutes, Walker struck once more with an eight-yard touchdown catch of an Enke pass. It was Walker again adding the point after and Detroit came away with a 24-21 win, Walker having accounted for every point.

The Lions had the edge in total yards (376 to 309) and first downs (19 to 16). Bobby Layne and Fred Enke combined to pass for 241 yards for the Lions while Tobin Rote (pictured at left) completed 13 of 31 passes for 184 yards in defeat. However, the teams combined for 11 turnovers, with Detroit accounting for six to Green Bay’s five.

The Lions won their next two games before dropping the season finale to end up even with a 6-6 record, which placed fourth in the National Conference. Green Bay won the following week before dropping the last two contests and tying for fifth in the conference with the 49ers at 3-9.

With the 24-point performance, Doak Walker’s scoring total was up to 91 and thus set a new franchise record, besting the 81 points by Bill Dudley the previous year. He went on to lead the NFL with 128 points and was fourth with 1262 all-purpose yards. Walker scored 11 touchdowns (five rushing, six receiving), kicked 8 field goals in 18 attempts, and was 38-of-41 on extra points. Continuing to display the all-around skills that had made him a college legend, he rushed for 386 yards on 83 carries (4.7 avg.), caught 35 passes for 534 yards (15.3 avg.), added another 302 yards returning kicks, and even intercepted a pass on defense that he returned 40 yards. Walker was a first-team All-NFL selection by the Associated Press and UPI and received second-team honors from the New York Daily News. He was also selected for the Pro Bowl.

1956: Lions Hold Off 49ers to Remain Undefeated

The Detroit Lions were undefeated at 5-0 as they faced the San Francisco 49ers on November 4, 1956. Coached by Buddy Parker, the Lions had an offense led by fiery QB Bobby Layne, recovered from a shoulder injury that devastated both him and the team in ’55. Big Leon Hart (6’5”, 255) had been shifted from end to fullback with favorable results and rookie Howard “Hopalong” Cassady, the Heisman Trophy winner out of Ohio State, was at halfback. The tough defense continued to be the key to the team’s success and featured MLB Joe Schmidt and safeties Jack Christiansen and Yale Lary.

The 49ers had a first-year head coach in Frankie Albert, formerly a star quarterback for the team, and were stumbling along at 1-4. Veteran QB Y.A. Tittle had been benched in favor of rookie Earl Morrall but there was still plenty of talent, especially in the backfield and among the receivers. San Francisco had lost a close game to the Lions two weeks earlier in Detroit.

There were 46,706 fans in attendance at Kezar Stadium and they saw a scoreless first quarter. A promising possession for the 49ers ended at the Detroit 10 when FB John Henry Johnson, whose 54-yard carry was the big play in the series, tried to convert a fourth down and was stopped for a four-yard loss.

Early in the second quarter the Lions drove 70 yards in 10 plays. Leon Hart (pictured above), who gained 29 yards on five carries along the way, blasted into the end zone from three yards out to put the visitors on the board. Bobby Layne, now also the team’s placekicker, added the extra point. The lead didn’t hold up for long as HB Joe Arenas took the ensuing kickoff and returned it 90 yards for a TD. Gordie Soltau converted to tie the score.

The Niners then retained possession with a successful onside kick that gave them the ball at the Detroit 47. They advanced 22 yards before Soltau kicked a 30-yard field goal to give San Francisco the lead. Layne kicked a 30-yard field goal for the Lions before the first half was over and the score was tied at 10-10 at halftime.

The Lions went 80 yards to score again in the third quarter, with Hart and “Hopalong” Cassady gaining 58 yards on the ground between them, Layne completed a pass to end Jim Doran for 17 yards, and it was Hart once more reaching paydirt from a yard out. Layne kicked the point after.

San Francisco came right back with a series that led to another Soltau field goal, this time from 40 yards. With five minutes remaining, Hart left the contest with an ankle injury and the Lions began to bog down on offense.

Taking possession at their 11 in the game’s climactic series, the 49ers drove to the Detroit two yard line. But, following a one-yard gain, an apparent dive across the goal line by Johnson was nullified by a penalty. Johnson was tossed for a seven-yard loss on the next play and HB Hugh McElhenny’s option pass into the end zone was intercepted by Jack Christiansen. With less than two minutes remaining, it clinched the win for the Lions by a score of 17-13.

The Lions had the edge in total yards (283 to 246), with 194 yards of that total coming on the ground, and also in first downs (19 to 15). Each team turned the ball over three times.

Leon Hart rushed for 77 yards on 16 carries that included two touchdowns before leaving the game and “Hopalong” Cassady gained 78 yards on 19 attempts. Bobby Layne had trouble with his passing accuracy, completing only 7 of 18 throws for 80 yards, but completions to Jim Doran of 14 and 17 yards kept each of the touchdown drives going. John Henry Johnson (pictured above) accounted for 92 of San Francisco’s 93 rushing yards.

The Lions finally lost for the first time the next week at Washington and ended up second in the Western Conference with a 9-3 record after losing a season-ending game to the Bears in which Layne was knocked out of the contest on a notorious late hit by DE Ed Meadows. San Francisco fell to 1-6 before catching fire and going 4-0-1 to finish out the season at 5-6-1, placing third in the conference.

Bobby Layne was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection as he not only passed well but, thanks to his additional placekicking duties, led the league in scoring with 99 points. Leon Hart was not consistently as strong at fullback as he was against the 49ers, running for 348 yards on 76 carries (4.6 avg.) and five touchdowns. “Hopalong” Cassady was also something of a disappointment, with 97 carries for 413 yards (4.3 avg.) and the less-heralded Gene Gedman supplanted him in the lineup.

John Henry Johnson ran for 301 yards on 80 attempts (3.8 avg.) and remained the third wheel in the San Francisco backfield behind Hugh McElhenny and FB Joe Perry.

1962: Tittle’s 4 TD Passes Propel Giants Past Steelers

The New York Giants, defending champions of the NFL Eastern Conference, were 1-1 as they met the Pittsburgh Steelers, who had the same record, on September 30, 1962. In their second year under Head Coach Allie Sherman, the Giants were an outstanding passing team, with a rejuvenated QB Y.A. Tittle (pictured at right), in his 15^th pro season but second in New York, throwing to split end Del Shofner and Frank Gifford, once a star halfback but, following a year missed due to injury, back as a flanker. The ground game was led by 31-year-old FB Alex Webster, operating behind a good veteran line. The defense was also experienced and a tough and cohesive unit.

Pittsburgh, coached by Buddy Parker for a sixth season, still had QB Bobby Layne, who was a worn but savvy veteran. The offense also featured FB John Henry Johnson and split end Buddy Dial while the defensive line was anchored by DT Ernie Stautner. However, Pittsburgh’s normally good corps of linebackers was depleted by injury and Parker started only two against the Giants, George Tarasovic and Tom Bettis, until Ken Kirk joined them midway through the second quarter while Gene “Big Daddy” Lipscomb, normally a defensive tackle, lined up at middle guard.

There were 40,916 fans in attendance on a sunny afternoon at Pitt Stadium. Pittsburgh had first possession and drove 84 yards in 12 plays, the highlight of which was a 36-yard carry by John Henry Johnson. HB Joe Womack ran for the last seven yards and a touchdown. Lou Michaels added the extra point and the Steelers held the early 7-0 advantage.

The Giants responded with a good drive of their own, but it stalled in Pittsburgh territory and Don Chandler kicked a 23-yard field goal. CB Brady Keys returned the ensuing kickoff 55 yards with a sensational run to give the Steelers good field position at the New York 40. A two-yard loss on an end-around was followed by a 15-yard penalty against the Giants for defensive holding. Bobby Layne (pictured at left) finished the series off with a throw to flanker Red Mack in the corner of the end zone for a 28-yard TD. Michaels again converted and the home team was up by a 14-3 lead at the end of a quarter of play.

Early in the second quarter, safety Jim Patton intercepted a Layne pass and returned it ten yards to the Pittsburgh 38. The Giants advanced to the two, but after being backed up five yards by a penalty, Y.A. Tittle threw to HB Paul Dudley for an 11-yard touchdown. Chandler added the PAT and Pittsburgh’s lead was narrowed to 14-10.

Once again Keys made an outstanding kickoff return for the Steelers, running it back 57 yards this time to the New York 39. They moved inside the ten but they lost sizable yardage to a holding penalty and sack, and settled for a 41-yard Michaels field goal.

In the final two minutes of the half, the Giants came up with a big play when Tittle connected with Alex Webster (pictured at right) on a screen pass, and he went the distance for a 58-yard touchdown. Chandler’s extra point tied the score at 17-17.

The Steelers fought back in what proved to be a wild close to the first half. End Harlon Hill dropped a pass at the New York two and Michaels attempted a 53-yard field goal that was blocked, but HB Dick Hoak recovered for Pittsburgh and ran to the New York 17. With the clock down to seven seconds, the Steelers again lined up for an apparent kick, but instead tried a fake. The resulting pass by holder and backup QB Ed Brown was intercepted in the end zone by safety Allan Webb and the score remained tied at halftime.

Early in the third quarter, Keys intercepted a Tittle pass at his own 43 and the Steelers took advantage as Michaels capped the ensuing series with a 33-yard field goal. The home team was back in front by 20-17. 

New York responded with a scoring drive of its own. Tittle passed the Giants down the field and threw to a well-covered Frank Gifford, who pulled the pass away from safety Clendon Thomas for a 27-yard TD. Chandler’s conversion put the visitors in front for the first time by a score of 21-20. The Steelers threatened again late in the period, but a Michaels field goal try from 42 yards was short.

In the early seconds of the fourth quarter, Tittle threw to split end Del Shofner for a 16-yard touchdown. The Steelers fought back, helped by penalties on New York for roughing the passer and pass interference, and Johnson leaped the last yard for a TD. Michaels was good on the extra point to put Pittsburgh four points behind.

As the time wound down in the game, and with the home crowd cheering wildly, the Steelers again drove into scoring position. But after reaching the New York 16, a Layne pass into the end zone that was intended for Buddy Dial was instead intercepted by CB Erich Barnes to seal the 31-27 win for the Giants.

New York accumulated the most total yards (427 to 317) although the Steelers held the edge in first downs (23 to 19). Pittsburgh did a good job defensively against New York’s running game, at least until the fourth quarter, holding the Giants to 95 yards on 27 attempts while gaining 175 yards themselves. However, the Steelers also turned the ball over three times, including the climactic interception in the fourth quarter, to one suffered by New York. The Giants also recorded three sacks while Pittsburgh had none.

Y.A. Tittle completed 17 of 29 passes for 332 yards and four touchdowns while giving up one interception. Alex Webster led the Giants with 77 rushing yards on nine carries and also in pass receiving with 5 catches for 101 yards and a TD. Frank Gifford gained 99 yards on four receptions that included a score. 

  

For the Steelers, Bobby Layne was successful on 12 of 23 throws for 166 yards and a TD as well as two interceptions. John Henry Johnson rushed for 113 yards on 20 attempts that included a touchdown. TE Preston Carpenter had 5 receptions for 44 yards while Buddy Dial accumulated 70 yards on his four catches. Brady Keys (pictured below) averaged 36.8 yards on five kickoff returns that included two of 55 and 57 yards.

Two weeks later, the teams met again at Yankee Stadium and Pittsburgh prevailed, but it was the only loss for the Giants the rest of the way. New York posted a 12-2 record to again top the Eastern Conference, although the Giants still came up short against Green Bay in the NFL title game. The Steelers were a mediocre 3-4 at the season’s halfway point before catching fire and winning six of their last seven games to place second in the conference at 9-5. They appeared in the Playoff Bowl, the postseason exhibition game for second place teams during that era, and lost to Detroit.

Y.A. Tittle received MVP honors from United Press International as well as consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl recognition as he passed for 3224 yards and a league-record 33 touchdown passes (Houston’s George Blanda passed for 36 in the AFL in 1961, a mark that Tittle would match in ’63). Alex Webster rushed for 743 yards on 207 carries (3.6 avg.) and caught 47 passes for another 477 yards (10.1 avg.), for 1220 yards from scrimmage and a total of nine TDs.

In his last season, Bobby Layne threw for 1686 yards and nine touchdowns and left the NFL as the career leader in several major passing categories. John Henry Johnson enjoyed a big year in his ninth season, rushing for 1141 yards and gaining selection to the Pro Bowl.

1952: Lions Defeat Browns for NFL Championship

The Detroit Lions traveled to Cleveland to take on the Browns for the NFL Championshi p on December 28, 1952. The Lions, who had last achieved a league title 17 years before, had started off slowly with two losses in their first three games, but then won eight of their last nine contests to finish tied with the Rams atop the National Conference with a 9-3 record. Head Coach Buddy Parker’s club had a fine offense directed by QB Bobby Layne and featuring HB Bob “Hunchy” Hoernschemeyer, veteran FB Pat Harder, and end Cloyce Box, and they had versatile Doak Walker available at halfback, who had missed most of the season due to injury. The defense was strong and tough, anchored by mammoth MG Les Bingaman and featuring an excellent secondary with halfbacks Jim David and Yale Lary and safeties Jack Christiansen and Don Doll. The Lions had defeated the Rams, defending NFL Champions, in the playoff to determine the conference’s representative for the NFL Championship game.

Cleveland, coached by Paul Brown, had yet to fail to reach a league title game in the franchise’s existence, either in the All-America Football Conference or, since 1950, the NFL. The Browns had finally lost one the previous year, to Los Angeles, but again topped the American Conference at 8-4. QB Otto Graham continued to direct the offense with skill, FB Marion Motley was productive after coming back from a knee injury, and the defense was solid behind DE Len Ford and MG Bill Willis. However, they had lost to the Lions during the regular season, and were without key players in end Mac Speedie and HB Dub Jones due to injuries.

There were 50,934 fans in attendance at Municipal Stadium. The first quarter was scoreless, with both teams missing field goals – Cleveland’s Lou Groza from 29 yards and Pat Harder of the Lions from 38 yards out.

Late in the opening period, a bad punt by Cleveland’s Horace Gillom that traveled only 22 yards gave the Lions good field position at the 50. Bobby Layne threw to Cloyce Box for ten yards and then kept the ball himself and ran 13 yards with the help of an outstanding block by Pat Harder on Len Ford. Four plays into the second quarter, end Bill Swiacki caught a pass for a 14-yard gain that reached the Cleveland two. A penalty backed Detroit up five yards, but after Walker made it back to the two on a sweep, Layne sneaked over from there for a touchdown. Harder successfully added the extra point and the Lions were in front by 7-0.

On the next series, Gillom made up for his earlier shank with a 62-yard punt that pinned the Lions back at their 12 and they stayed holed up in their own territory for the remainder of the half. The Browns failed to take advantage, however, as Groza missed two more field goal attempts in the second quarter, from 44 yards and then, with ten seconds remaining, from 47 yards. The score remained unchanged at halftime.

The Browns took the second half kickoff and drove to the Detroit 25, but a pass by Graham that went off HB Ken Carpenter’s fingers was intercepted by Jim David to end the threat. Midway through the third quarter, the Lions got the ball at their 30 following a punt by the Browns. Two plays later, after a four-yard carry by Harder, Walker broke through the line and ran 67 yards for a TD.

Now down by 14-0, the Browns got back into the game with a 68-yard scoring drive that took 12 plays. Graham completed two passes to end Dante Lavelli and once each to Gillom, HB Ray Renfro, and end Pete Brewster along the way, and FB Harry “Chick” Jagade (pictured at left) ran effectively, running for the final seven yards and a touchdown. Groza’s extra point halved the Detroit lead at 14-7.

Twice in the fourth quarter, the Browns drove inside the Detroit 10 and came up empty. First, early in the period Marion Motley ran 42 yards to the five yard line. However, the home team moved backward from that point as the Lions came through with big defensive plays. Motley was tossed for a five-yard loss by Don Doll and Graham was sacked twice for losses totaling 13 yards. A fourth-down pass was batted down by LB Dick Flanagan to end the threat.

The Lions got a break when a punt was muffed by Carpenter and LB Jim Martin recovered at the Cleveland 23. It resulted in a series that ended when Harder kicked a 36-yard field goal. Layne briefly fumbled the snap for the kick but was able to get it down in time and the visitors were ahead by ten points.

Graham passed the Browns back down the field before Motley ran for 15 yards to the Detroit eight. Again the Lions stiffened on defense, and a fourth down pass went through Renfro’s hands at the goal line. While the ball was caught by Brewster in the end zone, no defender had touched it in between and, under the rules at that time, it was an illegal catch and, thus, incomplete. That was the last gasp for the Browns as Detroit won by a final score of 17-7.

Cleveland dominated the game statistically, outgaining the Lions by 384 yards to 258 and compiling 22 first downs to Detroit’s 10. 227 of the Browns’ yardage total came on the ground, to 199 for Detroit. However, the Browns turned the ball over twice, to none suffered by the Lions, and Detroit recorded four sacks to one by Cleveland. Detroit’s pass rush, led by DE Jim Doran, was effective and harassed Otto Graham throughout the contest in addition to the sacks.

Bobby Layne didn’t throw often but was efficient when he did, completing 7 of 9 passes for 68 yards and no touchdowns, but also none intercepted. In addition, he ran the ball for 47 yards and a TD on 9 carries. With the long scoring carry, Doak Walker (pictured at right) compiled 97 rushing yards on 10 attempts. Walker and Pat Harder each caught two passes, with Harder’s 18 yards leading the club. Cloyce Box was used mostly as a decoy throughout the contest, most notably drawing two defenders on Walker’s touchdown run, and was limited to one catch for 10 yards.

For the Browns, Otto Graham was successful on 20 of 35 throws for 191 yards and had one intercepted. Chick Jagade ran for 104 yards on 15 carries that included a TD and Marion Motley contributed 74 yards on six attempts. HB Rex Bumgardner, Ray Renfro, and Dante Lavelli each hauled in four passes, for 43, 26, and 33 yards, respectively, while Pete Brewster gained 53 yards on his two receptions. Lou Groza had a rough day, missing all three of his field goal attempts.

The game marked the first of three straight meetings between the Lions and Browns for the NFL Championship. Detroit won again in 1953 by the narrowest of margins and the Browns routed the Lions in ’54.

1948: Cards Shut Out College All-Stars

The 15^th annual College All-Star Game on August 20, 1948 featured the Chicago Cardinals, defending NFL Champions, against a highly-regarded group of All-Stars coached by Notre Dame’s Frank Leahy. The All-Stars had won the last two games by identical 16-0 scores and the Cardinals came into the contest as underdogs, which was certainly an oddity in the history of the series.

The Cardinals, playing in their home town, were coached by Jimmy Conzelman and known for their outstanding offensive backfield that featured QB Paul Christman, FB Pat Harder, and halfbacks Charlie Trippi (pictured above) and Elmer Angsman operating out of the T-formation.

The past two winning All-Star teams had utilized the T-formation but Coach Leahy made a controversial decision in deciding to split his squad into T-formation and single wing groups. There was plenty of depth for both, with four T-formation quarterbacks (most notably Bobby Layne of Texas and Notre Dame’s Johnny Lujack) and three single wing tailbacks on the roster.

There was a crowd of 101,220 in attendance at Soldier Field under a full moon for the Friday night contest. The All-Stars got the first break early in the contest when C Dick Scott of Navy recovered a fumble by Charlie Trippi in Chicago territory.  However, they were unable to move the ball as Johnny Lujack threw two incomplete passes and Charlie Conerly of Mississippi punted into the end zone for a touchback.

The Cards responded impressively by going 80 yards in 15 plays.  Only one was a pass as Chicago moved methodically down the field, with the longest gain 19 yards on a lateral from Paul Christman to Elmer Angsman. Angsman finished the series as he punched over for a touchdown from two yards out and Pat Harder added the extra point.

The All-Stars threatened in the second quarter but turned the ball over on downs at the Chicago 32 yard line. The collegians got a break shortly thereafter when HB Boris “Babe” Dimancheff fumbled and the All-Stars recovered at the Chicago 27. Shifting to the single-wing, they advanced ten yards and again came away empty.

The Cards responded with another impressive drive, going 83 yards in nine plays. Three were Christman (pictured at right) pass completions, to Angsman and ends Bill Dewell and Mal Kutner. They scored on a 14-yard run by HB Vic Schwall on a quick-opener and Harder again successfully converted.

The All-Stars recovered yet another fumble by the Cards and Michigan end Len Ford ran 55 yards for what would have been a touchdown under NFL rules. However, they were using college rules for the All-Star Game and the ball was returned to the point of recovery. The tally remained 14-0 in favor of the Cardinals at the half.

The All-Stars provided some excitement in the scoreless third quarter, putting together an 84-yard drive. Notre Dame HB Bill Gompers ran for 20 yards on a sweep and Conerly tossed a lateral to Lujack who proceeded to fire a long pass to end Dan Edwards for a 44-yard gain. Two big defensive plays by DB Marshall Goldberg kept the All-Stars out of the end zone, however, the big one a stop of FB Floyd Simmons, another Notre Dame participant, at the one foot line on fourth down.

The Cards made it a rout in the fourth quarter. First, LB Vince Banonis intercepted a pass by Illinois QB Perry Moss and returned it 31 yards for a touchdown. Then LB Bill Blackburn recovered a fumble by Bobby Layne that set up a 13-yard scoring pass from QB Ray Mallouf to Trippi four plays later. Harder kicked both extra points and that was more than enough as the Cardinals came away with a big 28-0 win.

It was the most decisive score thus far in the history of the series. Passing yardage was practically even (133 to 132 yards, in favor of Chicago) but the Cardinals had 200 rushing yards, almost twice the total amassed by the collegians. The Cards fumbled the ball away three times, all in the first half. However, they only punted three times and the defense did a fine job of keeping the All-Star attack in check.

The win for the defending NFL champs was the eighth thus far, with the All-Stars having won five and two ending in ties. Center Jay Rhodemyre of Kentucky was voted the most valuable player by his All-Star teammates.

Chicago went on to have another outstanding season, topping the Western Division with an 11-1 record. However, they lost the NFL Championship game to the Philadelphia Eagles in blizzard conditions.

1951: Layne Throws 4 TD Passes as Lions Win Showdown with Bears

The Detroit Lions, under first-year Head Coach Buddy Parker, had won the first two games of the 1951 NFL season before slumping to 0-2-1. Bouncing back to win at Green Bay, they faced the Chicago Bears, a team they had lost to two weeks earlier at home, on November 11 with a 3-2-1 record in an important National Conference showdown.

Fourth-year QB Bobby Layne (pictured at right), originally drafted by the Bears out of Texas before moving on to Detroit by way of the New York Bulldogs, directed an offense that included halfbacks Bob Hoernschemeyer and Doak Walker and big (6’5”, 265) end Leon Hart. With a tough defense, the Lions had the look of a team on the rise.

Chicago was leading the conference at 5-1. Guided by owner and head coach George Halas, the Bears utilized a solid running game behind an outstanding line while sore-shouldered Johnny Lujack and Steve Romanik split time at quarterback.

There was a crowd of 46,210 in attendance at Wrigley Field. On the opening series, Layne threw twice to end Dorne Dibble, first for a 47-yard gain and then for a 26-yard touchdown just two minutes into the contest.

Chicago battled back with Steve Romanik completing a 54-yard touchdown pass to end John Hoffman early in the second quarter. Doak Walker returned the ensuing kickoff 51 yards to set up his 10-yard field goal that gave the Lions a three-point lead. A fumble by Romanik was recovered by DE Ed Berrang for the Lions at the Detroit 27. Layne connected on three passes to Leon Hart of 11, 25, and a TD-scoring 17 yards.

Berrang, who had a big day defensively, intercepted a deflected pass by Romanik shortly thereafter and returned it to the Chicago nine. From there, Layne threw to Hart (pictured below) for a nine-yard TD. The Lions went into halftime with a 24-7 lead.

The Bears proved to be mistake-prone and repeatedly hurt themselves. Meanwhile, Layne had outstanding pass protection which proved especially significant during Detroit’s 17-point second quarter.

Chicago FB Fred “Curley” Morrison returned the second half kickoff 86 yards to the Detroit 10. Johnny Lujack tossed a touchdown pass from there to end Gene Schroeder in a bid to get the Bears back into the game. However, another drive by the Bears into scoring territory came up empty when rookie safety Jack Christiansen intercepted a Lujack pass in the end zone. The Lions then proceeded to go 80 yards to score again on a three-yard run by FB Pat Harder.

Down 31-14 in the fourth quarter, Chicago scored as Lujack threw to end Jim Keane for a seven-yard touchdown. But once more the Lions responded in kind, with Harder catching a pass from Layne for a 15-yard TD and then adding a 43-yard field goal. HB George Gulyanics ran four yards for a touchdown for the Bears, but the outcome had long been decided. Detroit won by a convincing score of 41-28.

The Lions led in total yards (436 to 377) and first downs (24 to 21). They also benefited from six Chicago turnovers while turning the ball over just twice themselves. Bobby Layne had a big day as he completed 16 of 30 passes for 259 yards and four touchdowns. Johnny Lujack was successful on 14 of 20 throws for 187 yards for the Bears.

The defeat of the Bears put them in a tie with the Rams at 5-2 atop the National Conference while Detroit pulled to within a half-game of first with a 4-2-1 record. The battle for the conference title went down to the last week, with San Francisco also in the mix. In the end, it was the Rams on top at 8-4 and Detroit and the 49ers tied for second with 7-4-1 records. Chicago, upset by their cross-town rivals, the Cardinals, in the season finale, ended up fourth at 7-5.

Bobby Layne ranked first in the NFL in pass attempts (332), completions (152), yards (2403), and touchdown passes (26) – although he also ranked first with 23 interceptions, tied with Adrian Burk of the Eagles. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the first of five times in his Hall of Fame career.

Leon Hart caught 35 passes for 544 yards and 12 touchdowns, receiving consensus first-team All-Pro honors as well as Pro Bowl recognition. Rookie Dorne Dibble ranked second in yards per catch (20.4) on 30 receptions for 613 yards, six of which went for TDs. 

1951: Christiansen’s 2 Punt Return TDs Cap Detroit Win Over Packers

The Detroit Lions had gotten off to a rocky start in the 1951 NFL season, winning their first two games but then losing two of their next three, with a tie in between. However, by the time they hosted the Green Bay Packers on November 22 the Lions had won three consecutive road games and, at 5-2-1, was in contention in the National Conference.

Detroit had a new head coach in Buddy Parker and plenty of rising talent on both sides of the ball. 25-year-old QB Bobby Layne, in his second season with the club, was thriving under Parker’s direction. Halfbacks Doak Walker and Bob “Hunchy” Hoernschemeyer were effective cogs in the backfield, big (6’5”, 262) end Leon Hart provided an excellent target for Layne’s passes, and the line had been revamped just before the winning streak commenced. The defensive line was anchored by middle guard Les Bingaman and the backfield, which over the course of the decade would become the unit’s special strength, was taking shape with the addition of rookie safety Jack Christiansen (pictured above), who also was an outstanding punt returner.

Meanwhile, the Packers, under Head Coach Gene Ronzani, were in trouble. They had lost three straight, including at home against the Lions, and were 3-5. Second-year QB Tobin Rote was a capable passer and outstanding runner – he was far more productive than any of the team’s running backs, which was at the root of Green Bay’s offensive problems.

There were 33,452 in attendance at Briggs Stadium for the Thanksgiving Day game. Detroit started off the scoring in an eventful first quarter with Walker kicking a 20-yard field goal. Green Bay responded by driving 75 yards, capped by a touchdown pass from Rote to end Carl Elliott that covered 15 yards.

The Lions came right back as Layne threw to Hoernschemeyer for a 17-yard TD, but the Packers scored again when Rote connected once more with Elliott for a 43-yard gain that set up a one-yard scoring run by the quarterback. Green Bay was ahead by 14-10 after one period of play.

In the second quarter, Rote tossed another scoring pass, this time covering 48 yards to HB Don Moselle, and Fred Cone’s extra point extended the Packers’ margin to 21-10. The rest of the half was all Detroit, however, as Layne completed two touchdown passes to Hart, of 33 and 19 yards, and in between connected with Walker for a 35-yard TD. At halftime, Layne had tossed four scoring passes and the Lions were ahead by ten points at 31-21.

The game turned into a rout in the third quarter. Three plays into the second half, Hoernschemeyer ran around left end and then cut back for an 82-yard touchdown. The Packers finally got on the board again when Rote threw to end Ray Pelfrey for a 42-yard TD.

However, with the score at 38-28, any hopes for a Green Bay comeback were extinguished by two big punt returns by Christiansen. First, the rookie fielded a kick at his 29 and returned it 71 yards for a TD. A few minutes later, and still in the third quarter, he returned another punt all the way, this time going 89 yards.

The Packers scored one more touchdown in the fourth quarter, on a 35-yard pass from QB Bobby Thomason to Elliott, but the result had been rendered a foregone conclusion by Christiansen’s punt returns. Detroit set a new franchise record for points in a game in winning by a score of 52-35.

The statistics were closer than the final score as the Lions outgained Green Bay by 478 yards to 458 and the Packers had the edge in first downs, 20 to 19. Green Bay actually had more rushing yards (179 to 172) and Detroit’s lead in passing yardage was not all that great (306 to 279). However, the two big punt returns for touchdowns, combined with four turnovers (to one by Detroit) and 10 penalties (the Lions were flagged four times) made the difference.

Bobby Layne completed 20 of 36 passes for 296 yards and the 4 touchdowns with one intercepted. Thanks to the long scoring run, Bob Hoernschemeyer gained 99 yards on just seven carries and also caught 5 passes for 48 yards and a TD. Jack Christiansen tied his own record for punts returned for touchdowns in a game with two and also set records with 175 yards on punt returns and a 43.8-yard average (both long since broken).


For the Packers, Tobin Rote (pictured above) was productive on the ground, rushing 15 times for 131 yards and a TD, and also threw for 201 yards and three touchdowns. Ray Pelfrey caught 4 passes for 103 yards and a touchdown.

The Lions just came up short of winning the National Conference as they lost two of their last three games, both to the 49ers. Their 7-4-1 record tied for second with San Francisco, a half game behind the Rams at 8-4. Green Bay kept on losing and finished fifth in the conference at 3-9.


Bobby Layne (pictured at left) had 24 TD passes after his four-touchdown performance and ended up with a league-leading 26, which put him just two short of the existing NFL record. He also led the league in pass attempts (332), completions (152), yards (2403), percentage of TD passes (7.8) and, reflecting his gambling style of play, interceptions (23, tied with Adrian Burk of the Eagles). He was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his Hall of Fame career.

Doak Walker, who scored 16 points in the game, had 82 after the win over the Packers to put him in the league lead. While he led the NFL in scoring as a rookie in 1950, in the end he finished third in ’51 with 97 points. His 1270 all-purpose yards ranked third as well.

Tobin Rote set a season rushing record for quarterbacks with 523 yards that lasted until 1971. He also passed for 1540 yards with 15 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.

With the two touchdowns on punt returns against the Packers, Jack Christiansen, who had already had a two-TD day returning punts against the Rams, became the first player in NFL history to return two punts for touchdowns in a game as well as do it twice in a season. He ranked second in the league with a 19.1 average (Buddy Young of the New York Yanks barely beat him out with a 19.3-yard average). Christiansen went on to average 12.8 yards over the course of his Hall of Fame career and scored eight touchdowns returning punts. He also intercepted the first two of an eventual 46 passes.