1945: Rams Edge Redskins Thanks to Odd Safety to Win NFL Championship

The NFL Championship game on December 16, 1945 featured a postseason newcomer, the Cleveland Rams, against the Washington Redskins, a team that regularly contended for the title.

The Rams had never had a winning season since coming into the league in 1937, but topped the Western Division with a 9-1 record in ’45. Head Coach Adam Walsh implemented the T-formation and had the good fortune of having rookie QB Bob Waterfield  (pictured above) to operate it. The first-year player out of UCLA was the league MVP after performing well not only as a passer, but as a defensive back, kicker, and overall team leader. Halfbacks Fred Gehrke and Jim Gillette and FB Don Greenwood fueled the ground attack while end Jim Benton led the NFL with 1067 yards on his 45 catches.

The Washington Redskins, coached by Dudley DeGroot, topped the Eastern Division for the fourth time in six seasons with an 8-2 tally. QB Sammy Baugh was well-established as the league’s outstanding passer, having set a record with his 70.3 completion percentage during the season, and there were good receivers led by HB Steve Bagarus. However, Baugh had been injured in the season finale against the Giants and was not at his best.

There were 32,178 fans in attendance on a bitterly cold and windy day at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland. The field had been covered with bales of hay in the days leading up to the game, and there were also big piles of snow on the sidelines.

The Redskins had the game’s first possession and punted. Cleveland moved the ball well in its initial series as Fred Gehrke ran for a 16-yard gain and Bob Waterfield completed two passes to Jim Benton, who was covered by rookie HB Bob DeFruiter. The second was good for 30 yards to the Washington 15, but the Redskins held the Rams up at their five yard line, with Jim Gillette stopped short on a fourth down play to regain possession. On second down, Sammy Baugh, dropping back into his end zone and feigning a punt, threw a pass that hit the goal post and bounced back. Under the rules at the time, the play was declared a safety and the home team had an early 2-0 lead.

Baugh was injured shortly thereafter and returned to play for only a few minutes during the second half. Following an interception by Washington LB Ki Aldrich early in the second quarter, QB Frank Filchock, subbing for Baugh, threw long to Steve Bagarus (pictured at left) for a 38-yard touchdown. Joe Aguirre added the extra point and Washington was ahead by 7-2.

With less than four minutes to play in the first half, Waterfield connected with Jim Benton for a 37-yard TD that capped a six-play, 70-yard series in which Gillette had a 19-yard run and Benton caught a pass for 14 yards. Waterfield’s extra point attempt was partially blocked and hit the crossbar, but it bounced over and the Rams took a 9-7 lead.

The Rams had another chance with a minute remaining in the first half when LB Pat West intercepted a pass, but Aldrich picked off another Waterfield throw and the score remained unchanged at halftime.

In the first series of the third quarter, Waterfield threw a long, arching pass that Jim Gillette caught for a 44-yard touchdown that concluded an 81-yard series. This time the extra point attempt failed but the Rams were in front by 15-7.

Late in the period, a Waterfield punt had the Redskins starting from their five yard line, but they moved effectively down the field. Following a 15-yard carry by DeFruiter, Filchock threw to Bagarus for a 50-yard gain that set up an eight-yard TD pass to wide-open FB Bob Seymour. Aguirre added the point after to make it a one-point contest.

Washington had two chances in the fourth quarter, but Aguirre missed field goals from 31 and 44 yards. The first followed a Filchock pass to end Les Dye that gained 44 yards to the Cleveland 31 and three running plays that picked up seven more yards. With time running out, Filchock threw long from deep in his own territory and DB Albie Reisz intercepted to nail down the 15-14 win for the Rams.

Cleveland gained more total yards (372 to 214) and led in first downs as well (14 to 8). The Redskins were held to 35 rushing yards on 34 attempts while the Rams were well balanced with 180 yards on the ground and 192 through the air. Cleveland turned the ball over three times, to two suffered by Washington. But the game came down to two plays involving the goal posts, with one leading to a safety and the other a kick that just made it over the crossbar for an extra point.

Bob Waterfield completed 14 of 27 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns, giving up two interceptions, and was excellent with his play-calling and punting, too. Jim Gillette (pictured at right) rushed for 101 yards on 17 carries and also caught two passes for 45 yards and a TD. Jim Benton had 9 catches for 125 yards and a score.

Sammy Baugh ended up completing just one of six throws for seven yards. In his place, Frank Filchock was 8-of-14 for 172 yards and two touchdowns as well as two interceptions. Steve Bagarus caught three passes for 95 yards and a TD. HB Merl Condit led the rushers by gaining 18 yards on 9 attempts.

The Rams, having lost money despite putting together a championship season, left for Los Angeles the following year and placed second to the Bears with a 6-4-1 record. They next reached the Championship game in 1949. Washington went into a long period of decline, dropping to 5-5-1 in 1946 and not reaching the postseason again until 1971.

1941: Down by 17 at the Half, Packers Rally to Defeat Redskins

The Green Bay Packers were 9-1 and in a battle with the Chicago Bears in the NFL Western Division as they took on the Washington Redskins in their season finale on November 30, 1941. Head Coach Curly Lambeau’s team benefited from the passing of tailback Cecil Isbell and the pass receiving of superb end Don Hutson (Hutson, left, and Isbell pictured above). Isbell could run, too, and the stable of backs led by FB Clarke Hinkle was a good one.

Washington, coached by Ray Flaherty, had lost three straight games after starting the season at 5-1 and the Redskins were now 5-4 as they hosted the Packers. TB Sammy Baugh, who split time with Frank Filchock, was one of the NFL’s most productive passers and the team benefited from the addition of C/LB Ki Aldrich, who was obtained through a trade with the Cardinals.

It was a warm day at Griffith Stadium with 35,594 fans in attendance. The Redskins took the opening kickoff and drove 67 yards. Tailback Frank Filchock completed passes for first downs to back Roy Zimmerman and end Joe Aguirre. The series was capped by Filchock running for a 10-yard touchdown on a fake reverse. Aguirre kicked the extra point.

Green Bay managed one first down in response as Cecil Isbell threw to end Don Hutson for 15 yards, but the Packers had to punt. Washington again moved the ball on offense, with FB Bob Seymour (pictured at left) the standout, advancing 50 yards before Bob Masterson kicked a 28-yard field goal.

Heading into the second quarter, the Redskins expanded their lead. Sammy Baugh entered the game for Washington and made a big play on defense as he intercepted an Isbell pass and returned it to near midfield. Following a nine-yard run by FB Andy Farkas, Baugh threw long for Seymour and it was complete for a 41-yard TD. A bad snap from center nearly thwarted the extra point attempt, but Baugh grabbed the ball and Ki Aldrich was able to make the kick. The home team was up by a 17-0 score.

The Packers got two first downs before Isbell was twice tossed for losses and then Aldrich intercepted a pass and returned it 41 yards to the Green Bay 41. The Packers got the ball back when Farkas fumbled, gave it back up on another interception, and regained it once more on a fumble by Seymour. TB Hal Van Every threw to HB Andy Uram for a 30-yard gain with less than a minute remaining in the first half, but after TB Tony Canadeo picked up a first down, the clock ran out with the score unchanged.

Green Bay had been unable to sustain drives in the first half, but the result was very different in the third quarter. First, LB George Svendsen recovered a Farkas fumble at the Green Bay 28 and Isbell proceeded to pass the Packers down the field. Reaching the Washington 15, he then ran seven yards for a first down and the series concluded with his throw to Hutson for a touchdown from eight yards out. Hutson’s try for the extra point missed, but the visitors were on the board.

The Redskins responded by once again moving the ball effectively, but Filchock’s pass from his own 45 was intercepted by Svendsen, who returned it 45 yards to the Washington three. FB Clarke Hinkle hit the line twice without success before Isbell, facing third-and-goal, again connected with Hutson for a three-yard TD. This time Hutson successfully converted and the Packers were down by just 17-13 heading into the final period.

Following a short possession by the Redskins, Green Bay started the next series at its own 33. Isbell ran for five yards and then hit on short passes to Hutson and HB Herm Rohrig. He then went long for Hutson and the result was a 40-yard touchdown. Hutson again added the PAT and the visitors were up by 20-17.

On the ensuing kickoff, back Ray Hare fumbled at his three, recovered, and retreated into his end zone for a safety that increased the Green Bay lead to five points. Washington was unable to come back despite Baugh’s best efforts. In a series that started from the Washington 14, “Slingin’ Sammy” passed the team down the field with completions to end Al Krueger and McChesney. But after getting to the Green Bay 16, the Packers held and the Redskins turned the ball over on downs. Getting one last shot in the final minute, Baugh threw a desperation pass that Uram picked off to seal the 22-17 win for the Packers.

Green Bay led in total yards (388 to 331) while the Redskins had more first downs (18 to 14). Washington turned the ball over five times, to four suffered by the Packers, who gave up three interceptions in the first half, but none during the second half comeback. Don Hutson caught 9 passes for 135 yards and three touchdowns, all on throws from Cecil Isbell.

The Packers ended up tied with the Bears on top of the Western Division with a 10-1 record. They had split with Chicago during the regular season, but it was the Bears handily coming out on top in the playoff for the division title. Washington ended up at 6-5, placing third in the Eastern Division.

Don Hutson led the NFL in pass receiving (58), pass receiving yards (738), and TD receptions (10), as well as touchdowns overall (12, tied with George McAfee of the Bears) and scoring (95 points, a new NFL record). He was recipient of the Joe F. Carr Trophy as league MVP. Cecil Isbell topped the circuit in pass attempts (206), completions (117), yards (1479), and TD passes (15), among other categories. Both were consensus first-team All-NFL selections.

1960: Texans Edge Broncos as Late Field Goal Attempt Fails

The Dallas Texans of the new American Football League were coming off of three straight losses and had a 2-4 record as they faced the Denver Broncos on October 30, 1960. Owned by the league’s founder, Lamar Hunt, and coached by Hank Stram, the Texans had a good defense and an exciting all-purpose weapon on offense in rookie HB Abner Haynes (pictured above). Split end Chris Burford was good, too, but QB Cotton Davidson lacked consistency and passing accuracy.

Denver, coached by Frank Filchock, was less talented overall but had a better record at 4-2. QB Frank Tripucka, a 32-year-old CFL veteran, directed the attack with little ground support (especially at fullback), other than ex-Green Bay HB Al Carmichael. Unheralded end Lionel Taylor was coming on as a possession receiver.

It was a cold, clear day at Bears Stadium with 13,002 fans in attendance. The Texans took the opening kickoff and drove into Denver territory with Abner Haynes and FB Jack Spikes running effectively. But facing second-and-11 at the 17, Cotton Davidson’s deflected pass was intercepted by safety Al Romine. However, Dallas got the ball back two plays later when Al Carmichael fumbled and LB Ted Greene recovered at the Denver 37. The Texans didn’t come up empty, scoring in four plays. The biggest was a screen pass from Davidson to Haynes that covered 34 yards and Spikes scored a touchdown standing up from a yard out. Spikes, who doubled as placekicker, added the extra point and the visitors led by 7-0.

The teams exchanged punts before the Broncos put together a 61-yard drive in three plays. Frank Tripucka threw to end Lionel Taylor for 14 yards and, after another long pass was almost picked off, Carmichael (pictured below), making up for the earlier fumble, broke away for a 47-yard TD. Gene Mingo converted to tie the score.

As the game moved into the second quarter, a three-and-out series by the Texans ended with a punt and the Broncos did the same. However, DB Clem Daniels fumbled the kick and OT Eldon Danenhauer recovered for Denver at the Dallas 31. Tripucka completed passes to Gene Mingo, a halfback as well as kicker, and Carmichael to reach the 16, but Taylor lost two yards on an end-around and Tripucka’s next two aerials were overthrown. Mingo attempted a 26-yard field goal that was wide to the right and the home team came up empty.

The clubs again traded punts before the Texans put together an eight-play, 64-yard drive. Haynes ran the ball five times for 19 yards and caught a swing pass for another ten, and his last carry of three yards was good for a touchdown. Spikes added the point after to put Dallas back in front by 14-7.

The Broncos drove into Dallas territory on their next series. Tripucka passed to Mingo for 18 yards to midfield on a third-and-eight play and two defensive holding penalties on the Texans helped keep the drive alive. But after reaching the 24, HB Bob Stransky fumbled after catching a pass and DT Ray Collins recovered for Dallas. The first half ended with Dallas still in front by seven.

Denver started the third quarter off with a short possession and punted. Starting from their 20, the Texans moved methodically down the field. Davidson threw to Chris Burford for 15 yards to convert a third-and-seven situation and, after Haynes and Spikes ran the ball to the Denver 22, Davidson completed a third-down pass to Haynes for 14 yards to give the visitors a first-and-goal at the eight. Davidson’s first down pass was incomplete, but he connected with Haynes on second down for a five-yard gain to the three.  Spikes plowed down to the one and, electing to go for it on fourth down, Davidson kept the ball on a quarterback sneak but was stopped a foot short of the goal line.

The Broncos ran three times and punted, and the Texans regained possession at the Denver 49. Once again the Texans chipped away as Spikes gained eight yards and Haynes six. Davidson threw to Burford for a 25-yard gain to the ten yard line but the drive stalled at the four and Spikes booted an 11-yard field goal. Dallas was now up by 17-7.

On Denver’s second play following the ensuing kickoff, Tripucka’s pass was intercepted by Daniels at the Broncos’ 26. However, the opportunity for the Texans to pad the lead was lost when Haynes fumbled and DE Chuck Gavin recovered for the Broncos at the Denver 16.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, a Tripucka bomb was intercepted by CB Duane Wood at the Dallas 10. The Texans picked up nine yards and punted, but retained possession when Carmichael fumbled and OT Jerry Cornelison recovered at his 42. Two plays later, CB John Pyeatt intercepted a throw by Davidson to give the Broncos the ball at their 24.

It didn’t look promising when Tripucka was sacked on first down by DE Paul Miller for a ten-yard loss, but after Mingo gained back four yards, on third-and-16 Tripucka threw to Carmichael for 22 yards. Carmichael picked up another five yards shortly thereafter and then Tripucka connected with HB Bob McNamara on a play that covered 55 yards for a touchdown. Mingo converted and the Broncos were now three points behind with 8:48 to play.

The Texans managed to convert two third downs as they ran the clock down to just over three minutes on their next series, but after reaching the Denver 47 they had to punt. Tripucka came out throwing, completing six passes, two of them on third down plays, to get the Broncos to the Dallas 21. McNamara dropped a pass at the 15 and Carmichael lost a yard on a draw play, setting up a 29-yard game-tying field goal attempt by Mingo. The kick was wide to the left and Dallas came away with a 17-14 win.

The Texans had the edge in total yards (308 to 302) and first downs (19 to 13). Denver turned the ball over five times, to four suffered by Dallas, while the Broncos recorded four sacks, to two by the Texans.

Abner Haynes was typically productive in his all-purpose role, rushing for 81 yards on 27 carries that included a touchdown, catching 7 passes for 96 yards, and returning two kickoffs for 38 yards. Cotton Davidson completed 12 of 23 throws for 187 yards and gave up two interceptions. Chris Burford contributed 78 yards on four pass receptions. Jack Spikes (pictured below) gained 50 yards on 18 rushes that included a TD and also kicked a field goal in addition to both extra points.

For the Broncos, Frank Tripucka was successful on 14 of 31 aerials for a TD as well as two interceptions. Al Carmichael ran for 61 yards on six attempts that included a touchdown and also caught three passes for 40 yards. Gene Mingo had a team-leading four receptions for 50 yards in addition to 42 rushing yards on 8 attempts, but missed both of his field goal tries. Bob McNamara had the most receiving yards with 55 on his lone scoring catch.

The team’s fortunes shifted as the season continued. Dallas went on to win its next two games, including the rematch with the Broncos, and finished strong for an overall 8-6 record that placed second in the Western Division. Meanwhile, Denver didn’t win another game, while tying one, and ended up at the bottom of the division at 4-9-1.

Abner Haynes had a spectacular first year, leading the AFL in rushing with 875 yards on 156 carries (5.6 avg.) and in all-purpose yards (2100) thanks to his team-leading 55 catches for 576 yards, 215 yards on 14 punt returns (a league-leading 15.4 avg.), and 19 kickoff returns that totaled 434 yards. He scored 12 touchdowns and was named AFL Player of the Year by UPI.

Al Carmichael ran for 211 yards on 41 attempts (5.1 avg.) and added 616 yards on 32 pass receptions (19.3 avg.), scoring a total of seven TDs, before a leg injury ended his season in the tenth game. Gene Mingo had better kicking performances as he led the AFL with 18 field goals, a 64.3 field goal percentage, and 123 points. Frank Tripucka led the league in pass attempts (478), completions (248), and yards (3038), but also interceptions (34). 

1939: Giants Beat Redskins for Eastern Title as Late FG Attempt Leads to Dispute

The New York Giants hosted the Washington Redskins on December 3, 1939 in a season-ending matchup to determine who would win the Eastern Division and advance to the NFL Championship game. Head Coach Steve Owen’s Giants were the defending league champions and had an 8-1-1 record, having played Washington to a scoreless tie early in the year. While the offense was effective with QB Ed Danowski throwing the ball and FB Tuffy Leemans (pictured above) running it, the defense was especially tough against both the run and the pass.

The Redskins, coached by Ray Flaherty, were also 8-1-1. A roster that contained outstanding talent in tailbacks Sammy Baugh and Frank Filchock, FB Andy Farkas, tackle Turk Edwards, and end Wayne Milner was supplemented by the addition of talented rookies that included backs Dick Todd and Wilbur Moore.  Even though the game was in New York and the Giants had reached the top the previous year, Washington was considered to be the favorite coming into the contest.

There were 62,404 fans at the Polo Grounds, which was the second largest crowd to see a NFL game up to that time. Many of the fans were from Washington, who had arrived by train and paraded to the stadium in colorful array.

There was occasional rain and the field was muddy. In the first series of the game, wingback Ward Cuff had a 26-yard run and nearly went the distance but stumbled and was caught by defenders at the Washington 40. FB Kink Richards ran twice for eight yards and, after an incomplete pass, Cuff kicked a 40-yard field goal. The Giants were up by 3-0 at three minutes into the first quarter.

The Redskins came right back and advanced to the New York 28. However, rookie Bo Russell missed a field goal attempt from 35 yards. Washington was further damaged by a rash of injuries that sidelined several key players in the early going, including Baugh, Farkas, and Edwards. The loss of Baugh not only had an effect on the team’s passing attack, but the punting as well.

In the second quarter, a poor punt by Jimmy Johnston gave the Giants good field position at their own 45. Two plays, one of which was a pass from Tuffy Leemans to end Will Walls for 19 yards, got the ball to the Washington 19. But another pass was intercepted by Dick Todd in his end zone and he got the ball out to the three.

The Redskins had to punt the ball back and Leemans returned it 12 yards to the Washington 33. Reaching the 22, Leemans then threw to back Len Barnum, who was hauled down at the five. The Giants lost yardage from there, however, due to a motion penalty and Leemans was dropped for a loss. That set up a field goal by 33-year-old veteran Ken Strong from 19 yards and the score remained 6-0 at the half.

Cuff missed a field goal attempt in the third quarter after the Giants drove from the Washington 40 to the 14 following another short punt by the Redskins. New York got the ball back in short order when DB Hank Soar intercepted a pass by tailback Jimmy German and returned it 29 yards to the Washington 19. The Giants, again hurting themselves with penalties, couldn’t move effectively on offense from there and Cuff booted a 15-yard field goal for a 9-0 lead.

Heading into the fourth quarter, the Redskins advanced to the New York 26, but Leemans intercepted a pass to end the threat. The Giants pinned the Redskins back at their five with a punt. Washington moved to the 40 before LB Kayo Lunday intercepted a pass for the Giants. However, a sweep by Soar lost yardage and Barnum’s punt on third down was blocked by tackle Willie Wilkin. The ball bounced back 35 yards before being recovered by guard Clyde Shugart at the New York 19. The Redskins finally got on the board with about six minutes to go as Frank Filchock (pictured below) connected with end Bob Masterson for a 20-yard touchdown. Masterson added the extra point and it was a two-point game.

The Giants again had to punt and Todd returned the kick 30 yards to the New York 44. The Redskins were soon down to the eight, the big play being a pass from Filchock to end Jack Spirida for 21 yards. With the fans in tumult, the Redskins ran one more play and Filchock dove for two yards over tackle.

There were now 45 seconds left on the clock as rookie Bo Russell attempted a 15-yard field goal. The ball was kicked high and appeared to go over the crossbar, but referee Bill Halloran, who was standing behind Russell, signaled that the kick was no good. The ball had sailed above the uprights and that made it difficult to gauge, although it was clearly very close.

Bedlam broke out, as many observers thought the kick was good – in particular, those supporting the visitors. There were about 15,000 Redskins fans on hand, and many were seated in the end zone and ran onto the field. A furious Coach Ray Flaherty charged the referee. After fights and fury, the Giants were finally able to run out the clock with runs into the line and won the game by a final score of 9-7.

The officials sprinted for the club house, but that meant going a distance of over 100 yards. Along the way, Washington wingback Ed Justice took a swing at Halloran. There was some question as to whether Justice actually hit the referee, and he was pulled away before he could inflict any real damage (League President Carl Storck later investigated the incident and determined that Justice hit fans, not Halloran).

“I know it was good,” said an angry Coach Flaherty of the climactic field goal try. “The players know it was good. The other three officials know it was good. The Giants know it was good – Ed Danowski and Ed Widseth said so (Danowski denied the claim). The cops who were guarding the goal posts know it was good. If that fellow (Halloran) has any conscience, he’ll never have another good night’s sleep as long as he lives.”

The ugliness over the call on the field goal attempt aside, New York outplayed the Redskins for most of the game. While Washington led in total yards (202 to 164), much of that came late in the going. The Redskins had just four rushing yards in the first half and 38 for the game. They also turned the ball over four times, all on interceptions, while New York gave up two. The Giants had the edge in first downs (10 to 8).

The Giants, finishing at 9-1-1, went to play the Packers the next week for the league title and lost by a score of 27-0. Washington finished second with an 8-2-1 record but came back to win the division in 1940.

1946: Bears Beat Giants for NFL Championship in Shadow of Scandal

The two teams meeting for the NFL Championship on December 15, 1946 were no strangers to postseason action but were bouncing back from down years in ’45, the last World War II-affected season. The Bears, owned and coached by George Halas who had gone off to the Navy himself, were a solid club led by 30-year-old QB Sid Luckman (pictured at right) and featuring a deep backfield. From a 3-7 showing in 1945 – the team’s first losing record since 1929 – Chicago bounced back to 8-2-1 in topping the Western Division.

Head Coach Steve Owen’s Giants had been 3-6-1 the previous year but rose to the top of the Eastern Division in ’46 at 7-3-1. The addition of tailback Frank Filchock, who had split time with the great Sammy Baugh in Washington for six years, helped rejuvenate the offense while the defense was tough, especially on the line. They had beaten the Bears the previous month, but injuries were a factor as FB Bill Paschal was out with a broken jaw.

There was an extra element of drama before the teams took the field. On the morning of the game, it was revealed that Giants FB/DB Merle Hapes, who was slated to start in place of Paschal, was being suspended by Commissioner Bert Bell for failure to report an attempted bribe for the purpose of throwing the title game. While Hapes had rejected the offer, his failure to inform officials of the offer resulted in his suspension. Filchock, who had also been named, denied being approached and was allowed to play against the Bears.

The news had already broken publicly before the game was played and some in the record crowd of 58,346 at the Polo Grounds booed Filchock when the Giants took the field. Things did not start out well for the home team as the Bears scored twice in the first nine minutes. First, following a fumble recovery by LB Stu Clarkson, Luckman threw to end Ken Kavanaugh for a 21-yard touchdown and then HB Dante Magnani intercepted a Filchock pass and returned it 19 yards for a TD. The Bears were ahead by 14-0.

The Giants got on the board before the opening period was over. Filchock, playing with a broken nose, capped a 52-yard drive by tossing a pass to end Frank Liebel that covered 38 yards for a touchdown and Chicago’s margin was cut to 14-7. It remained that way through a scoreless second quarter.

New York got a break in the third quarter when Bears FB Joe Osmanski fumbled and end Jim Lee Howell recovered for the Giants at the Chicago 20. Three plays later, Filchock threw a five-yard TD pass to FB Steve Filipowicz and, with the successful extra point, it was a tie game at 14-14 heading into the final period.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Bears drove into New York territory as Luckman passed to HB George McAfee for 17 yards and end Jim Keane for 16. With the ball at the 19, Halas gave the word to his star quarterback, who rarely ran the ball, to utilize a specially-designed play that he was holding for the right occasion. Luckman faked a handoff to McAfee on an apparent sweep and, with the defense shifting accordingly, he trotted to his right with the ball at his hip and then took off on a bootleg. It worked to perfection as Luckman, who hadn’t scored a rushing touchdown during the regular season, broke a tackle at the 10 and made it to the end zone. The TD put the Bears back in front and seemed to deflate the Giants. Frank Maznicki added a 26-yard field goal before it was all over and Chicago came away with the NFL Championship in the hard-fought game by a score of 24-14.

Total yards were virtually even, with the Giants holding the edge at 248 to 245. New York also had 13 first downs to Chicago’s 10. However, New York also turned the ball over a staggering eight times, to three turnovers by the Bears.

Sid Luckman completed 9 of 22 passes for 144 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, had the one key rushing TD, and also had a good day kicking the ball, with his seven punts averaging 42.4 yards and helping the Bears in the battle for field position. Chicago’s top four rushers were all bunched together, with HB Hugh Gallarneau leading the way with 24 yards on 6 carries, FB Bill Osmanski gaining 23 yards on 9 attempts, brother Joe Osmanski carrying 8 times for 20 yards, and FB Don Perkins adding 18 yards on four rushes. George McAfee only ran for two yards on 6 carries but led the club in pass receiving with four catches for 57 yards. Ken Kavanaugh had 53 yards and a TD on his two receptions.

Frank Filchock (pictured below with Coach Steve Owen) was under a heavy rush from the Bears defense throughout the contest and had to utilize his mobility to find time to throw. As it was, he was successful on 9 of 26 of those throws for 128 yards with two touchdowns but also six interceptions. With injuries, plus a suspension, affecting the available backs, wingback George Franck led the Giants in rushing with 55 yards on 6 attempts. End Jim Poole caught four passes for 40 yards and Steve Filipowicz, in addition to his 9 carries for 20 yards, gained 41 yards and scored a TD on two pass receptions.

In the trial of Alvin Paris, the gambler who attempted to fix the game, Filchock admitted to having lied about not being approached to throw the contest, having rejected the offer and wanting an opportunity to prove himself in the game (he was generally given credit for playing well, despite the interceptions). Commissioner Bell indefinitely suspended both Hapes and Filchock, although both were eventually reinstated (in 1954 and 1950, respectively). They played in Canada in the interim but, except for one appearance by Filchock at the end of the 1950 season with the Colts, neither was active in the NFL again. Filchock went on to both play and coach in the CFL and eventually became the first head coach of the new American Football League’s Denver Broncos in 1960.

The Bears went 8-4 in 1947 and finished second to their crosstown rivals, the Chicago Cardinals, in the Western Division. New York dropped much further, going all the way to the bottom of the Eastern Division at 2-8-2. Neither club appeared again in the postseason until 1950, when each tied for first in their respective divisions. Having met in four title games, they would next face off against each other in a NFL Championship game in 1956.  

1960: Chargers Come From Behind to Beat Broncos, Clinch Division Title

The Los Angeles Chargers had an 8-4 record and seemed poised to win the Western Division in the first year of the new American Football League as they hosted the Denver Broncos on December 10, 1960. Under Head Coach Sid Gillman, they started slowly and were 2-3 before winning six of their next seven games to take control of the division. The club developed a quick-striking offense guided by NFL-castoff QB Jack Kemp (pictured at right) and featuring rookie HB Paul Lowe. However, fielding an exciting and winning team was not enough to bring fans to the huge Memorial Coliseum, and the Chargers regularly played before a large expanse of empty seats.

The Broncos came into the game at 4-7-1, meanwhile, having started off respectably at 4-2 before losing five of their next six, with a tie interspersed. Head Coach Frank Filchock’s team had far more penurious ownership than the Chargers and were esthetically lacking in their ugly brown and gold (more appropriately yellow) uniforms with the infamous vertically-striped socks. QB Frank Tripucka, a veteran of both the NFL and CFL (as was Filchock), passed often, mostly to end Lionel Taylor. HB/PK Gene Mingo was another notable performer, but at this point Denver was a losing team that was playing out the schedule – and looking to be a spoiler. LA had won the first meeting of the two teams in Denver by a close score of 23-19.

There was a typically sparse turnout of 9928 at the Coliseum for the Saturday game. Denver took the early lead thanks to a 41-yard field goal by Mingo and added to it when Tripucka connected with Taylor for a 49-yard touchdown.

However, the Chargers came right back with Kemp throwing to FB Howie Ferguson for a 39-yard TD and, before the first quarter was over, gained the lead on a three-yard run by Lowe that made it 14-10.

Mingo put the Broncos back in front in the second quarter with a one-yard plunge and added the extra point that made it 17-14. It was Mingo adding more points with a 12-yard field goal before flanker Royce Womble caught a 12-yard scoring pass from Kemp to again put LA in the lead at 21-20. 41-year-old placekicking specialist Ben Agajanian added a 23-yard field goal to make it a four-point game before Mingo kicked another three-pointer, this time from 13 yards near the end of the first half, and the Chargers narrowly led by 24-23 at halftime.

The game continued to be a close, back-and-forth affair until midway through the fourth quarter. In the third quarter, Denver went back in front thanks to a pass play from Tripucka to end Jim Greer that covered 21 yards. Agajanian booted a field goal of 40 yards for the Chargers to start off the final period and Mingo responded in kind from 28 yards. The Chargers were behind by 33-27 with just under seven minutes remaining.

In the key play of the game, the Chargers took advantage of a shanked 20-yard punt by George Herring, who was reacting to a fierce rush led by DB Bob Zeman, giving them possession on the Denver 35. San Diego methodically drove to a touchdown with Kemp going in from a yard out. Agajanian’s extra point put LA in front by a point at 34-33.

LA then scored again thanks to an interception less than two minutes later as DE Maury Schleicher picked off a deflected Tripucka pass and returned it five yards to the Denver 20. Kemp followed up with a 15-yard TD throw to end Don Norton running a slant pattern behind the goal post, effectively finishing off the Broncos. The Chargers won the game by a score of 41-33 and clinched a berth in the AFL title game.

The Chargers had actually lost out on two additional scores before finally putting the feisty Broncos away. Zeman picked up a fumble and ran 52 yards for an apparent TD, but the play had been whistled dead. The other occurred when Mingo fielded a kickoff but fumbled on his three yard line. The ball rolled into the end zone and the Chargers appeared to recover but an offside penalty negated the play.

Denver outgained the Chargers with 391 yards to 347, although Los Angeles had more first downs (22 to 20) and fewer turnovers (two, to four by the Broncos). Denver also sacked Kemp four times while the Chargers got to Tripucka once.


Paul Lowe (pictured at left) rushed for 106 yards on 19 carries that included a touchdown. Jack Kemp completed 15 of 32 passes for 205 yards with three TDs and two intercepted. Don Norton had 5 catches for 81 yards and a score.

For Denver, Frank Tripucka went to the air 35 times and completed 17 for 291 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions apiece. Lionel Taylor (pictured below) typically paced the pass receivers as he recorded 9 catches for 171 yards and a TD, and as a result increased his league-leading season total to 88, which exceeded the existing NFL record of 84 that was set by Tom Fears of the Rams ten years earlier. FB Dave Rolle carried the ball 17 times for 68 yards and Gene Mingo added 37 yards on 12 attempts, one of which was a touchdown that was part of the 21 points in all that he scored.


The Chargers ended the regular season with a 10-4 record and went on to lose the first AFL Championship game to the Houston Oilers. Following the season, the franchise relocated to San Diego. The Broncos were last in the Western Division at 4-9-1.

By the system in use at the time, Jack Kemp led the AFL in passing (by today’s system, he ranked fourth) while placing second in attempts (406), completions (211), yards (3018), and completion percentage (52.0). He also led the league by averaging 7.4 yards per attempt while he tossed 20 touchdown passes but also 25 interceptions. Leading him in most categories was Frank Tripucka, who topped the AFL in attempts (478), completions (248), yards (3038), and interceptions (34).

Paul Lowe placed second among the new league’s rushers with 855 yards on just 136 carries, giving him an AFL-best 6.3 yards-per-carry. He scored eight rushing TDs (as did Kemp). Lionel Taylor finished at the top of the pass receivers for the first of five times (four consecutive) with 92 catches. His 1235 yards ranked third and 12 touchdown receptions tied for second with Houston’s Bill Groman. Gene Mingo led the AFL in scoring with 123 points that included a league-leading 18 field goals. He also scored six touchdowns and 33 extra points.

1960: Broncos Defeat Patriots as AFL Debuts

The fourth, and ultimately most successful, organization to be known as the American Football League (AFL) had its regular season debut on September 9, 1960 as the Boston Patriots played host to the Denver Broncos. There were 21,597 fans in attendance at Boston University’s Nickerson Field (on the site of the former Braves Field) on a muggy Friday night as Patriots tackle Tony Discenzo booted the opening kickoff to the Broncos.

The Patriots, coached by Lou Saban and having badly beaten the Broncos in a preseason game a few weeks earlier, were considered to be heavy favorites coming into the opening game. Their biggest problem had been securing a home field (a chronic issue that would not be fully resolved until 1971, when the club moved to Foxboro, Massachusetts), having been turned down by Boston College, Harvard University, and baseball’s Red Sox, who owned Fenway Park. With help from the mayor, Boston University was prevailed upon to make its stadium available.


As for Denver, Head Coach Frank Filchock, a former NFL quarterback who went to the CFL, had been coaching with Saskatchewan and followed his general manager, Dean Griffing, to Colorado. Filchock recruited Frank Tripucka, a product of Notre Dame who had also played in the NFL and CFL, as an assistant coach but by the time the season rolled around Tripucka was the starting quarterback. As was the case with several of the AFL teams, money was tight and the Broncos wore uniforms that had been discarded by a defunct college all-star contest known as the Copper Bowl and became the joke of the league: mustard yellow (charitably called gold) jerseys with brown pants and helmets and vertically-striped brown and yellow socks.

The Broncos wasted no time in showing off some razzle-dazzle in returning the Patriots’ opening kickoff as HB Bob McNamara handed off to HB Al Carmichael, who had once returned a kickoff 106 yards for the Packers, on a reverse; Carmichael made it to his 17 yard line. Denver kept the ball on the ground, with Carmichael running five yards on the first play from scrimmage, and had to punt.

36-year-old QB Ed “Butch” Songin, a local product from Boston College who had also played briefly in Canada, completed the AFL’s first pass, to end Jim Colclough. There was no scoring until late in the period when Gino Cappelletti, who had played collegiately at the University of Minnesota and briefly in the CFL after going undrafted by the NFL, kicked a 35-yard field goal that put the Patriots up by 3-0.

Denver got on the board in the second quarter when Tripucka threw a swing pass to Carmichael who dashed 59 yards for a touchdown and the score stood at 7-3 at halftime.

The Broncos scored on another big play in the third quarter as HB Gene Mingo returned a punt 76 yards for a TD; however the exhausted Mingo, who also was the team’s placekicker, missed the ensuing extra point attempt.

Both defenses played well, and the Patriots made a big play defensively in the fourth quarter when DB Chuck Shonta intercepted a pass and returned it 52 yards to set up a 10-yard touchdown pass from Songin to Colclough. The Broncos held on, however, and won by a final score of 13-10.


Denver outgained the Patriots with 323 total yards to 219, and especially held an edge in rushing yards with 149 to 79. Gene Mingo was the top rusher, gaining 66 yards on 8 attempts. Al Carmichael was the all-around star, leading the Broncos with 130 yards on 6 pass receptions, including the one TD, while adding 24 yards on 9 carries and returning two kickoffs for a total of 54 yards. Frank Tripucka completed 10 of 15 passes for 180 yards with a TD and an interception.

Butch Songin went to the air 24 times and had 12 completions for 145 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions (both by Denver safety Goose Gonsoulin, on his way to leading the AFL with 11). FB Jim Crawford led the team in rushing with 29 yards on 8 carries; HB Larry Garron was right behind at 26 yards on 7 attempts. Jim Colclough caught 4 passes for 42 yards and a TD; Crawford also had 42 receiving yards on his two receptions.

Ultimately, both teams completed the season at the bottom of their respective divisions. The Patriots had a 5-9 record, while Denver was 4-9-1.

Gene Mingo led the AFL in scoring (123 points) and field goals (18) while contributing 33 extra points and six touchdowns; his 76-yard punt return was the longest in the league’s first season. Denver ranked at the bottom in team rushing and Frank Tripucka went to the air often, leading the league in passing attempts (478), completions (248), and yards (3038) - he also led the circuit by throwing 34 interceptions.


By the passer rating system then in use in the AFL, Butch Songin ranked fourth and behind Tripucka in third. However, by the modern system he ranked second (70.9) and his Denver counterpart seventh, and had a far better touchdown-to-interception ratio (22 TDs and 15 INTs to Tripucka’s 24 touchdowns and 34 interceptions). Gino Cappelletti scored just 60 points in ’60, but he would be shifted from the defensive backfield to offensive end and become the all-time scoring leader in the AFL’s ten-year history.