1946: Yankees Avoid Upset by Miami with Late TD Drive

The lowly Miami Seahawks were at 1-6 in the inaugural All-America Football Conference season as they faced the powerful New York Yankees on November 3, 1946. The Seahawks had many players from Southern schools on their roster, but they were under-financed and had played only one home game thus far, which was delayed by a hurricane. Head Coach Jack Meagher was gone after six games and Hamp Pool replaced him. Pool began shifting personnel, moving tackle Don Reece to fullback, his natural position, and speedy end Lamar Davis to defensive halfback.

The Yankees were 5-2-1 and clearly established as the best team in the new league’s Eastern Division. Coached by Ray Flaherty, who had led the Washington Redskins to two NFL titles, the team ran a single-wing offense and had two effective tailbacks in Ace Parker (pictured above), a former NFL star with Brooklyn, as a capable passer and rookie Spec Sanders, who was better at running the ball. The line was solid with tackles Bruiser Kinard and Nate Johnson, and ends Jack Russell and Bruce Alford were good receivers.

There were 18,880 fans in attendance at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees took the opening kickoff and drove 75 yards to a touchdown, scored by back Lloyd Cheatham on a 15-yard pass from tailback Bob Perina. Harvey Johnson added the extra point. Miami responded with a 90-yard series ending when Don Reece powered in for a TD from inside the one yard line and Dick Erdlitz converted to tie the score at 7-7.

Shortly thereafter, Harvey Johnson kicked an 18-yard field goal that put the home team back in the lead. Still in the opening period, Miami FB Stan Koslowski fumbled the ball away and New York cashed in when Ace Parker recovered and ran 22 yards for touchdown. Johnson’s PAT put the Yankees ahead by ten points.

The score remained 17-7 throughout the second quarter as the defenses, aided by good punting, took control. Three minutes into the third quarter, the floodlights were turned on but the teams still were stymied on offense. Finally, in the fourth quarter a long pass from QB Kay Eakin to end Lamar Blount advanced the Seahawks into New York territory and Reece ran for a 13-yard TD. Erdlitz’s point after narrowed the score to 17-14.

The Yankees had to kick the ball away, but Parker booted a punt toward the coffin corner that went out of bounds at the Miami one. The Seahawks remained pinned deep in their territory and, kicking from his own end zone, Eakin boomed a punt that traveled all the way to the New York 31. Miami then got a break when LB Al Wukits intercepted a pass by Spec Sanders and returned it 14 yards to the New York 24. Three plays later, QB Cotton Price threw into the end zone to HB Monk Gafford for a 19-yard touchdown. Erdlitz again added the extra point and, with five minutes left to play, the Seahawks were ahead by 21-17.

Facing a potential major upset, Parker rallied the Yankees to a 71-yard drive in 11 plays. Parker threw to end Jack Russell for a 10-yard TD with 22 seconds left, Johnson converted, and New York won the hard-fought game by a final score of 24-21.

The Yankees led in total yards (375 to 214), with 210 of that total coming on the ground, and first downs (15 to 10). New York also turned the ball over twice, to one by the Seahawks.

New York recovered from the close call to win four of the remaining five games and breeze to the Eastern Division title with a 10-3-1 record. The Yankees lost the AAFC Championship game to the Cleveland Browns.

The Seahawks continued to struggle and finished at the bottom of the division at 3-11. Don Reece's two touchdowns against the Yankees were his only ones of the season and the running game continued to be the league’s least productive. Kept afloat by infusions of cash from the other owners, and lacking fan support, the franchise was sold and relocated to Baltimore in 1947.

1947: Browns Defeat Yankees for Second AAFC Championship

The second Championship game of the All-America Football Conference on December 14, 1947 featured the same two teams as the first, the Cleveland Browns and New York Yankees. The Browns had beaten New York in four of five meetings thus far in the AAFC’s two-year existence, which included the ’46 title game and the first regular season matchup in ’47 in Cleveland. They rallied to overcome a 28-0 deficit and salvage a tie a few weeks earlier in New York.

The powerful Browns, coached by the innovative Paul Brown, had compiled a 12-1-1 record in topping the Western Division once again. QB Otto Graham (pictured above) was named MVP by the league and was the AAFC’s top passer while end Mac Speedie, with 67 catches and 1146 yards, was the preeminent receiver and had an able counterpart in end Dante Lavelli. FB Marion Motley rushed for 889 yards with an impressive 6.1-yard average. The league’s highest-scoring team, Cleveland was equally tough on defense.

New York, under the direction of Head Coach Ray Flaherty, operated a single-wing offense that featured tailback Spec Sanders, the AAFC’s leading rusher (1432 yards) and scorer (19 touchdowns, 114 points). Diminutive and fast HB Buddy Young added another 712 yards on the ground and the line was good on both sides of the ball. The Yankees put together an 11-2-1 record in topping the Eastern Division.  

There were 61,879 fans in attendance at Yankee Stadium on a cold day with the temperature near freezing. The turf was frozen, which seemed to affect the home team more than the visitors from Cleveland, and the teams agreed to wear cleats rather than sneakers.

The Yankees had the first possession and quickly found that Cleveland had made defensive adjustments to prevent a repeat of New York’s 28-point first half performance in the previous meeting. Late in the first quarter, following an exchange of punts, the Browns put together a 67-yard drive that was highlighted by a 51-yard carry by Marion Motley and culminated in a touchdown on a quarterback sneak by Otto Graham, who had also completed five of his first six passes. Lou Groza kicked the extra point.

The Yankees came right back as the game headed into the second quarter. Buddy Young (pictured at left) and Spec Sanders spearheaded an advance that reached the Cleveland five yard line before stalling, primarily as a result of the poor footing, and Harvey Johnson kicked a 12-yard field goal. Cleveland had two more chances to score, but Groza missed two field goals and the score remained 7-3 at halftime.

In the third quarter, DHB Tom Colella intercepted a Sanders pass and returned it to the New York 41. Motley ran for 16 yards, tosses by Graham to HB Edgar “Special Delivery” Jones and HB Lewis Mayne picked up another 19 yards and, three plays later, Jones ran four yards for a TD. Lou Saban, who had booted 10 extra points during the regular season, successfully converted.

As the game headed into the fourth quarter, the Yankees drove to the Cleveland 18, but Young fumbled a lateral and Saban recovered at the 31. Another New York series highlighted by a 22-yard carry by Sanders reached the 23 but was blunted by a penalty for unnecessary roughness that moved the Yankees out of range for a score. Cleveland held on to win by a final score of 14-3.

The Browns had the edge in total yards (284 to 212) and first downs (15 to 13). The Yankees turned the ball over three times, to one suffered by Cleveland. The Browns gained 172 yards on the ground, with 109 generated by FB Marion Motley (pictured below) on 13 carries. Otto Graham completed 14 of 21 passes for 112 yards, giving up no interceptions, and also ran the ball four times for 21 yards and a touchdown. Mac Speedie had four pass receptions for 25 yards and Dante Lavelli gained 37 yards on his three catches.

Suffering from a bad ankle, Spec Sanders was held to just 40 yards on 12 carries and failed to score a touchdown for the first time all season. He also completed 7 of 17 passes for 89 yards and was intercepted once. Buddy Young rushed for 69 yards on 16 attempts and caught two passes for a team-leading 25 yards, but fumbled twice.

“Neither team could play its best on that field,” said Paul Brown. “However, we tried to take advantage of the conditions by creating one-against-one situations on our pass patterns, and this worked pretty well on Otto Graham’s flat tosses.”

“I can’t overemphasize how much that slick footing cost us,” summed up Coach Flaherty for the Yankees.

The Browns went on to an even better season in 1948, compiling a perfect 14-0 record and winning a third AAFC Championship. They met Buffalo, not the Yankees, for the title as New York dropped to 6-8 and a third place finish in the Eastern Division.

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.

1937: Sammy Baugh Debuts as Redskins Defeat Giants

The Redskins were in a new location, and had a highly-touted rookie passing tailback debuting as well, as they hosted the New York Giants for their season-opening game on September 16, 1937. After five years in Boston, owner George Preston Marshall had shifted the franchise to Washington in the offseason. Coached by Ray Flaherty, the Redskins topped the Eastern Division the previous year and retained some outstanding talent in FB Cliff Battles, ends Wayne Millner and Charley Malone, and tackle Turk Edwards. To the mix was being added tailback Sammy Baugh (pictured at right).

Baugh was a consensus All-American at Texas Christian and the Redskins made him their first draft choice for the ’37 season. He had agreed to a contract a week before taking the field against the Giants. Ever the promoter, owner Marshall had the Texas native arrive in Washington wearing a ten gallon hat and cowboy boots, which were not his usual attire. But the 6’2”, 180-pound Baugh brought a strong and accurate throwing arm, something the club had been lacking, plus a variety of other skills.

The Giants were coming off of a 5-6-1 record in 1936, their first losing season after winning three consecutive Eastern Division titles and one NFL Championship. Head Coach Steve Owen’s team was rebuilding with many rookies on the roster but also had established stars such as C/LB Mel Hein, QB Ed Danowski, and FB Tuffy Leemans.

There were 24,942 fans in attendance for the Thursday night game at Griffith Stadium. In the first quarter, Baugh excited the crowd with a hard-thrown pass to wingback Ernie Pinckert. The Redskins, who were without the injured Cliff Battles, put together the first scoring drive of the contest, advancing 70 yards to a 19-yard field goal by Riley Smith.

New York twice drove into scoring territory in the second quarter, but the Giants were stopped at the Washington 12 the first time and then at the one foot line. Taldon “Tilly” Manton missed a field goal try from 30 yards but was successful on another from 13 yards that tied the score.

That was it until the fourth quarter, when Smith intercepted a Jim Neill pass and returned it 58 yards for a touchdown. He also added the extra point.  Shortly thereafter, Baugh passed the Redskins into New York territory and, when the drive stalled, Smith kicked an 18-yard field goal to seal the 13-3 win.

The Giants outgained Washington by 311 yards to 221 and also had more first downs (17 to 15). Each team turned the ball over twice, although one of New York’s led directly to a score.

Sammy Baugh, who played a full sixty minutes, completed 11 of 16 passes for 115 yards, with completions to Charlie Malone, Ernie Pinckert, and end Bob McChesney. Riley Smith (pictured below) accounted for all of Washington’s points with his interception return touchdown, two field goals, and extra point. For the Giants, Ed Danowski was successful on 6 of 11 throws for 69 yards. Tuffy Leemans injured his ankle in the second quarter, but still gained a total of 72 yards to lead both teams.

Following a 2-2 start, the Redskins went on to lose only one more game and demolished the Giants in New York in the final week to win the Eastern Division with an 8-3 record. They defeated the Bears for the NFL Championship. New York placed second in the division at 6-3-2.

Sammy Baugh set a NFL record with 81 pass completions and led the league by throwing for 1127 yards. To cap his outstanding first season, he passed for 335 yards and three touchdowns in the title game against Chicago. He would go on to play 16 seasons in the NFL, switching from single-wing tailback to T-formation quarterback at mid-career, and owned most of the league’s passing records by the end while also excelling as a safety on defense and punter. Baugh would ultimately be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a charter member in 1963.

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.

1949: Hornets Edge Bills in AAFC Season-Opening Game

The All-America Football Conference’s Chicago franchise had undergone significant alteration coming into the 1949 season. The league had installed new ownership and the nickname was changed from Rockets to Hornets. Ray Flaherty was brought in to coach the team, and he had experienced success with the NFL Redskins and AAFC Yankees. Most importantly, there were many new players on the roster, including ten alone who had come from the defunct Brooklyn Dodgers. For a team that was coming off a miserable 1-13 record, it could only be an improvement.

The Hornets opened the regular season on August 26 against the Buffalo Bills. The Bills had nearly been sold and relocated to Houston in the offseason, but strong community support kept the team in place. Head Coach Red Dawson’s club was coming off a 7-7 campaign in ’48 that was good enough to tie for first place in the mediocre Eastern Division and had advanced to the league title game, only to be pummeled by the mighty Cleveland Browns. QB George Ratterman had skillfully guided the productive offense, but he was holding out in a salary dispute and was thus unavailable for the first game of the new season. Untested backup QB Jim Still started in his place.

There were 23,800 in attendance at Soldier Field for the Friday night game. The Hornets unveiled a single-wing attack, taking advantage of the presence of tailbacks Bob “Hunchy” Hoernschmeyer (pictured at top), who was returning to the team after a hiatus with the Dodgers; Johnny Clement, formerly of the NFL Steelers; and Bob Chappuis, another Brooklyn refugee.

It was the Bills getting on the board first on a touchdown pass from Jim Still to end Al Baldwin that covered 18 yards. Not only did it put the visitors ahead by 7-0 after Chet Adams added the extra point, but it marked an AAFC-record seventh straight game, stretching back to the previous season, in which Baldwin (pictured below) had scored a TD.

The Hornets scored twice in the second quarter on big plays to take the lead. Bob Hoernschemeyer passed to wingback Ray Ramsey on a play that covered 63 yards for a touchdown. Johnny Clement then connected with wingback Paul Patterson for a 35-yard TD. With both PATs successfully added, Chicago led at halftime by a 14-7 tally.

Neither club scored during the third quarter. Buffalo had difficulty moving on offense while the Hornets proved to be adept at turning the ball over. The Bills got a break in the fourth quarter when a bad snap on a punt gave them possession on the Chicago 38. The series culminated in a 13-yard run by HB Chet Mutryn that, with the successful extra point, tied the score.

Late in the fourth quarter the Hornets had the ball in scoring territory and Jim McCarthy booted a 21-yard field goal that broke the deadlock. Chicago held on to win by a final tally of 17-14.

The Hornets significantly outgained Buffalo (305 yards to 193), with the Bills only able to generate 66 yards through the air. The visitors had the edge in first downs (9 to 7) and Chicago turned the ball over six times (two interceptions and four fumbles) to three suffered by Buffalo.

It was an encouraging – if sloppy – start for the Hornets, who were thrashed by the 49ers the following week but won their next two and had a 4-3 record before the bottom fell out. They lost their remaining games and ended up at 4-8, tying them for fifth in the division-less AAFC with the Los Angeles Dons.

Bob Hoernschmeyer and Johnny Clement continued to handle the bulk of the playing time at tailback. Hoernschmeyer threw more passes (167 to 114) for more yards (1063 to 906) but Clement was more accurate (50.9 to 41.3). Each passed for six touchdowns. Hoernschmeyer also led the team in rushing with 456 yards, with Clement next at 388.

Buffalo had George Ratterman back in the fold in short order and, after getting off to a 1-4-1 start that cost Coach Ramsey his job, finished strong. The Bills ended up with a 5-5-2 record that placed them fourth and gave them a spot in the playoffs. They lost to the Browns in the first round.

Al Baldwin’s streak of games with touchdown receptions ended the week following the opening game. He ranked second for the year in the AAFC with 53 pass receptions, 719 yards, and 7 scoring catches (tied with Dante Lavelli and Mac Speedie of the Browns). 

1947: Improved Bills Upset Yankees in Season-Opening AAFC Contest

The New York Yankees, defending champions of the All-America Football Conference’s Eastern Division, opened their second season on August 31, 1947 at Buffalo. New York, running a single-wing offense under Head Coach Ray Flaherty, had gone 10-3-1 before losing a close-fought title game to the Cleveland Browns to cap the AAFC’s first year. The Yankees lost veteran tailback Ace Parker to retirement but still had the league’s best running tailback in Spec Sanders. They also had plenty of talent across the board and had also added a talented rookie in the diminutive (5’5”, 170) but fast HB Buddy Young out of Illinois.

Buffalo was 3-10-1 in 1946 but had made some changes. While still coached by Red Dawson, the team’s nickname had been changed from Bisons to Bills. A promising rookie quarterback had been signed in George Ratterman (pictured above), mostly a backup to Heisman Trophy-winning Johnny Lujack at Notre Dame but a star in the College All-Star Game upset of the Chicago Bears, the defending NFL Champions (Young also was a key player for the All-Stars). He had good ends to throw to in holdover Fay King and newcomer Al Baldwin, and there was talent at running back, most notably up-and-coming HB Chet Mutryn.

There were 32,385 fans at War Memorial Stadium in what was at the time the largest pro football crowd in Buffalo history. A Sanders pass to FB Eddie Prokop reached the Buffalo four yard line to set up New York’s first touchdown of the game as Prokop then carried for the remaining four yards. However, later in the first quarter Buffalo LB Vic Kulbitski intercepted a Sanders pass to set up the home team’s first TD. Ratterman passed to Mutryn for 19 yards and finished the series with a one-yard quarterback sneak.

The teams traded touchdowns again in the second quarter, this time with Buffalo scoring first when Ratterman connected with King on a 39-yard pass play. Sanders ran for a 17-yard TD and, with all extra points successfully added, the halftime tally was even at 14-14.

In the third quarter, Buddy Young showed off his speed in the open field as he took a pass from Sanders for a 50-yard touchdown. Following the long scoring play, the Bills responded with a scoring drive. End Alton Coppage made two outstanding catches of Ratterman passes, the second moving the ball to the New York one from where HB George Koch powered in for the TD.

With the score tied at 21-21 heading into the fourth quarter, tailback Frank Sinkwich passed the Yankees into scoring territory and Harvey Johnson kicked a 15-yard field goal to put New York ahead.

Ratterman led the Bills back on a drive that concluded with a fourth down scoring pass of eight yards to Mutryn in the corner of the end zone with six minutes remaining. The touchdown proved to be decisive, but the finish was dramatic as the Yankees again drove into Buffalo territory with time running down. A pass from Sanders moved them to the 10 yard line but a throw intended for FB Lloyd Cheatham at the three fell incomplete as time ran out. The Bills pulled off the upset by a score of 28-24.

George Ratterman had a successful debut, completing 9 of 13 passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns. For the Yankees, Buddy Young (pictured at left) rushed for 81 yards on 13 carries and added the 50-yard pass receiving TD.

The Bills continued to both play and draw well and were in contention until losing badly to the Yankees in New York by a score of 35-13 in the next-to-last week of the season. They finished second with a record of 8-4-2. New York was 11-2-1 to again top the East – and again fell to the powerful Browns.

Ratterman went on to have a solid rookie season, throwing for 1840 yards with 22 touchdowns. Chet Mutryn rushed for 868 yards while averaging 6.2 yards per carry and leading the AAFC in kickoff returns (32.9 avg).

Spec Sanders had a spectacular season, rushing for 1432 yards and scoring 19 touchdowns while generating 2265 all-purpose yards. Buddy Young put together a fine first year, running for 712 yards on 116 carries (6.1 avg.) and catching 27 passes for 303 more yards. His rushing total placed fifth in the league, behind the fourth-ranked Mutryn who also finished second to Sanders in total yards with 1933.

1942: Redskins Upset Undefeated Bears for NFL Championship

Coming into the NFL Championship game on December 13, 1942, it appeared that the contest would be a mismatch. Even though the Eastern Division-champion Washington Redskins were 10-1, they were 22-point underdogs facing the Western Division’s Chicago Bears. The team known as “The Monsters of the Midway” had won the last two NFL Championships, was 11-0 during the regular season, and was the winner in 39 of its last 40 games. Not lost on anyone in attendance was the 73-0 thrashing Chicago had put on the Redskins in the title game two years earlier.

The Bears kept winning even as World War II military duty pulled several key players off of the roster. Stars such as HB George McAfee, fullbacks Norm Standlee and Bill Osmanski, ends Ken Kavanaugh and Dick Plasman, and tackle Joe Stydahar missed all or part of the season (Osmanski and Stydahar received furloughs that allowed them to participate in the title game). Even the owner and head coach, George Halas, had departed for the navy on November 1. While the “Papa Bear” was on leave and present for the game, assistants Hunk Anderson and Luke Johnsos co-coached the club in his absence.

Washington, coached by Ray Flaherty, still had the league’s best passer to direct its double-wing attack in tailback Sammy Baugh. The receiving corps was strong and FB Andy Farkas was the top ground-gainer. The defense, anchored by tackle “Wee Willie” Wilkin, had played well all year and was particularly impressive down the stretch. The Redskins allowed just one touchdown in their final four games.(Pictured at top, left to right, are #44 Farkas, #33 Baugh, & #41 Dick Todd)

There were 36,006 fans in attendance at Washington’s Griffith Stadium, site of the 73-0 contest of 1940. It was very different this time as they witnessed a scoreless first quarter, with the Bears twice getting inside the Washington 30 but coming up empty. In the first instance, Lee Artoe missed on a 46-yard field goal attempt and the second time they fumbled the ball away.

In the second quarter, the Redskins had possession at midfield following a nine-yard run by blocking back Cecil Hare and a Baugh pass to wingback Dick Todd. However, an apparent mixup between Todd and Farkas on which was to receive the direct snap caused a fumble - Artoe picked the ball up on the bounce and the 230-pound tackle rumbled 50 yards for a touchdown. However, he missed the extra point attempt and the score remained 6-0.

The Redskins responded some two minutes later as Baugh passed to wingback Wilbur Moore for a 38-yard touchdown. Bob Masterson’s extra point attempt was successful and the Redskins took a 7-6 lead into halftime.

Washington put together a long scoring drive in the third quarter that proved to be decisive. Farkas returned a punt 30 yards to give the Redskins good field position at their 44 yard line and he then keyed the drive with his running and capped it with a one-yard TD against the massed Bears defense. Meanwhile, Baugh made a key defensive play after Chicago drove to the Washington 12 yard line as he intercepted a pass in the end zone.

In the fourth quarter, the Bears came close to scoring thanks to a 79-yard drive that took them to the Redskins’ one. An apparent touchdown by HB Hugh Gallarneau was nullified by a backfield-in-motion penalty. Chicago proceeded to turn the ball over on downs and in the end it was Washington running out the clock and coming away with the NFL Championship by a score of 14-6.

In a game dominated by defense, the Bears had more total yards (188 to 170) and first downs (10 to 9). Chicago was only able to gain 69 of that total on the ground, on 41 carries, and also turned the ball over four times, to two by Washington. The line play, both offensive and defensive, was outstanding throughout the game for the Redskins.


Washington’s passing game was largely kept in check as Sammy Baugh completed 5 of 13 passes for 66 yards, but one was good for a touchdown while two were intercepted. He also contributed the one big interception and was effective with his punting. Wilbur Moore (pictured at right), who caught the scoring pass, was the team’s leading receiver with two receptions for 41 yards. Andy Farkas ran for 46 yards on 13 carries that included a TD while FB Bob Seymour contributed 34 yards on 14 attempts.

Sid Luckman had a poor day throwing against the Redskins defense as he went to the air 11 times and completed 5 for just nine yards and had two picked off. QB Charlie O’Rourke, who relieved in the fourth quarter, was good on 4 of 6 throws for 110 yards. HB Ray “Scooter” McLean caught 3 passes for 26 yards while HB Frank Maznicki had one catch for 39 yards to go along with his 14 yards on 5 rushing attempts. Bill Osmanski was the team’s top ground gainer with 36 yards on 13 carries.

The loss put an end to Chicago’s hopes of posting an undefeated season all the way to the championship as well as three consecutive titles. The win not only brought the Redskins their second NFL title but provided some measure of payback for the big defeat of two years earlier. As Sammy Baugh said afterward in his Texas drawl, “I guess this kinda makes up for that thing in 1940, don’t it?”

The two teams met again for the title in 1943, with the Redskins tying the Giants atop the Eastern Division at 6-3-1 and winning the resulting playoff and Chicago going 8-1-1 to beat the Packers out in the Western Division by a game. The Bears won easily this time by a 41-21 score for their third NFL Championship in four years.

1940: Redskins Beat Bears, Setting Stage for Title Game Showdown

The teams best positioned to vie for the NFL Championship met in Week 9 of the regular season at Washington’s Griffith Stadium on November 17, 1940. The Redskins, coached by Ray Flaherty, were 7-1 and had lost for the first time the week before at Brooklyn. Washington had the league’s best passer in tailback Sammy Baugh, who split time with his capable backup, Frank Filchock, in operating the team’s double-wing offense. The receiving corps of ends Charley Malone and Wayne Millner was a good one, as was HB Dick Todd (pictured at right), a solid receiver as well as runner, and FB Jimmy Johnston.

The Bears, owned and coached by George Halas, utilized the T-formation and had added an outstanding group of rookies, most notably HB George McAfee, end Ken Kavanaugh, tackle Lee Artoe, and center Clyde “Bulldog” Turner to a solid core of young veterans that included QB Sid Luckman, FB Bill Osmanski, HB Ray Nolting, G Dan Fortmann, and T Joe Stydahar. Chicago came into the contest at 6-2, also having lost its last game at Detroit.

There was a crowd of 35,331 in attendance at Griffith Stadium. The Bears took the lead following McAfee’s recovery of a fumble by Washington back Bob Hoffman at the Chicago 38. Nolting and McAfee made long gains on runs that got the ball to the Washington 30. Jack Manders capped the drive by kicking a 33-yard field goal and the Bears held a 3-0 lead late in the first quarter.

Baugh completed a nine-yard pass to Millner to end the opening period, and with substitutions gave way to Filchock for the second quarter. Filchock (pictured below) was effective as he completed passes to end Bob Masterson for first downs. They set up a touchdown throw to Todd, who caught the ball at the Chicago 22 and dodged five defenders on his way to the end zone. Bo Russell kicked the extra point and Washington had a four-point lead. It would prove to be enough, but barely.


The Bears dominated the second half but couldn’t score. Four times they had the ball inside the Washington 15 yard line and came up empty. Sammy Baugh affected the outcome more with his leg than his arm thanks to some outstanding punts that kept Chicago from starting drives in good field position.

The Redskins had a chance to extend their lead when Baugh completed a pass to wingback Ed Justice to the Chicago 13. But his throw into the end zone on the next play was intercepted by DB Solly Sherman. McAfee punted 77 yards with the ball going out of bounds at the Chicago three. Baugh punted it back to the Bears’ 33. Chicago’s drive lasted five plays and the Bears had to turn the ball over on downs.

With 25 seconds left in the game, QB Bob Snyder passed from midfield to McAfee at the 12, who was stopped by Todd a foot short of a game-winning touchdown. Chicago called for a timeout to stop the clock and suffered a five-yard penalty. Luckman threw a pass that was batted away by Wilkin. With fans pouring onto the field, Luckman threw again, this time intended for end Ed Manske in the end zone, but it fell incomplete. Washington’s 7-3 margin in the second quarter remained the final score.

The Bears won the statistical battle as they outgained the Redskins (297 yards to 169) and had more first downs (16 to 11). They both out-rushed (149 to 44) and out-passed (148 to 125) Washington. However, they also turned the ball over one more time than the Redskins (three to two). Sammy Baugh completed 11 of 17 passes for 98 yards

Afterward, many of the Bears insisted that the receiver had been interfered with in the end zone on the climactic play of the game. This led Washington owner George Preston Marshall to state for publication that “the Bears are front-runners, quitters. They’re not a second-half team, just a bunch of cry-babies.”

Washington lost to the Giants the next week, but defeated the Eagles in the season finale to win the Eastern Division with a 9-2 record. The Bears won their final two games to finish at 8-3 atop the Western Division. Halas brought in his offensive consultant of long standing, Stanford Head Coach Clark Shaughnessy, in the period leading up to the NFL Championship game to design some new plays for the rematch with Washington. He also made certain that his players were well aware of owner Marshall’s comments about them in the wake of the 7-3 loss. The result in the title game was very different – a monumental 73-0 shellacking of the Redskins, the seeds of which were sown in the earlier meeting.

1946: Browns Defeat Yankees for First AAFC Championship

The first season of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) culminated in the Championship game at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium on December 22, 1946. There were 41,181 fans in attendance on a cold and windy day to see if the Browns could cap their outstanding initial year with a title.

Under Head Coach Paul Brown, Cleveland had roared through the Western Division for a 12-2 record. QB Otto Graham (pictured above), a rookie ex-single wing tailback out of Northwestern, had proven adept at operating in the T-formation. Ends Mac Speedie and Dante Lavelli were outstanding, as was the running game led by FB Marion Motley and HB Edgar “Special Delivery” Jones. The Browns were every bit as sound defensively and did not allow an opponent to score in double digits in the first six games of the season (eight overall). In short, they scored the most points (423) and gave up the fewest (137).

The New York Yankees won the Eastern Division with a 10-3-1 tally under Head Coach Ray Flaherty, who had twice led the NFL’s Redskins to titles. Operating a single-wing offense, they had former Brooklyn star Ace Parker as the passing tailback and rookie Orban “Spec” Sanders, the AAFC’s leading rusher (709 yards). Other ex-NFL veterans who contributed heavily were G Bruiser Kinard and FB/LB Pug Manders. End Jack Russell led the receiving corps.

The Browns had not lost to an Eastern Division team during the course of the 14-game season, including the Yankees, a club they defeated twice (once by shutout). They were heavy favorites coming into the game – which proved to be a motivating factor for New York.


It was the Yankees scoring first in the opening period. Following FB/DB Eddie Prokop’s interception of a Graham pass that he returned to the Browns’ 34 yard line, Parker threw a 16-yard pass to Russell and Sanders ran 14 yards to the four. The Cleveland defense held and New York came away with a 21-yard field goal by Harvey Johnson (pictured at left).

A Cleveland drive to the Yankees’ three yard line came up empty, but the Browns came back in the second quarter with a 70-yard possession that was capped by a two-yard run by Motley. Graham completed five passes for 55 yards along the way. The score was 7-3 at the half.

Following a missed field goal attempt by Cleveland’s Lou Groza, the Yankees regained the lead in the third quarter thanks to an 80-yard possession that ended with Sanders plowing in for a touchdown, also from two yards out. The extra point attempt was missed, holding New York to a lead of 9-7.

It seemed as though the two-point margin might be enough for the upset, but the Browns put together a drive in the fourth quarter that culminated in a Graham pass to Lavelli for a 16-yard touchdown. Along the way, “Special Delivery” Jones made a shoestring catch to keep the drive alive at the New York 42. After missing on a pass intended for Speedie at the goal line, Graham threw to Lavelli who lateraled to HB Don Greenwood for an eight-yard gain. Following a seven-yard run by Jones and an 11-yard gain on a lateral to HB Tom Colella, Graham threw the TD pass.

New York wasn’t done yet, and Sanders returned the ensuing kickoff to the Cleveland 45. Tackle Lou Rymkus threw Prokop for a 12-yard loss, but Parker regained the yardage on a pass to end Perry Schwartz. However, Parker’s next throw was intercepted by Graham to snuff out the threat. The Browns won by a score of 14-9.

Cleveland outgained the Yankees (325 yards to 146) and had the edge in first downs (18 to 10). The vaunted New York rushing attack was held to just 65 yards on 29 attempts. The Yankees turned the ball over twice, while the Browns did so once on the early interception.

One of Cleveland’s problems was that Lou Groza, suffering from an ankle injury in the season finale against Brooklyn, had an uncharacteristically bad day kicking the ball, missing field goal attempts from 20, 42, and 48 yards. Chet Adams also was wide on a 37-yard try.


Otto Graham completed 16 of 27 passes for 213 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Dante Lavelli and Mac Speedie each caught six passes, with Lavelli gaining 87 yards and scoring a TD while Speedie had 71 yards. Marion Motley (pictured at right) ran for 98 yards on 13 attempts that included a 51-yard carry in the third quarter and a score.

Ace Parker, who came under a strong pass rush throughout the game, was successful on 8 of 18 passes for 81 yards and had the one late interception. Spec Sanders was the leading rusher for the Yankees with 55 yards on 14 carries and a TD. Jack Russell caught 5 passes for 58 yards.

The championship season was just the beginning for the Browns, who would dominate the AAFC in its four years of existence before moving on to the NFL.

The game was the last for Ace Parker, who had starred for six years in the NFL before coming to the AAFC. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1972.

1940: Bears Demolish Redskins 73-0 for NFL Title

The NFL Championship game on December 8, 1940 remains the most one-sided in pro football history. It represents an astounding domination of one championship-caliber team by another. It also served as a demonstration of the capabilities of the revamped T-formation which, over the coming decade, would replace the single-wing as the offense of choice for most pro football teams.

There were 36,034 fans at Washington’s Griffith Stadium to see the Redskins, champions of the Eastern Division, take on the first place team in the Western Division, the Chicago Bears. The Redskins, under Head Coach Ray Flaherty, ran a double-wing offense and had the league’s best passer, tailback Sammy Baugh, to direct it. He had good receivers to throw to in ends Wayne Millner and Charley Malone, and FB Jimmy Johnson and HB Dick Todd were both effective receivers out of the backfield as well. In an era when defenses operated with three defensive backs, Washington typically sent four receivers down the field, and Baugh could usually find an open one.

Chicago, under the direction of George Halas, the owner and head coach, had been using variations of the T-formation for several years, but had recently refined it. He had an outstanding quarterback to operate it in Sid Luckman, a second-year ex-tailback out of Columbia. The club also had rookie HB George McAfee, who had quickly laid claim to being the best open-field runner in the league, Ray Nolting at the other halfback spot, and FB Bill Osmanski, as well as a stable of capable players who could spell them. The line was anchored by another rookie, center Clyde “Bulldog” Turner, and contained other eventual Hall of Famers in guard Danny Fortmann and tackle Joe Stydahar.

The two teams had met three weeks previously in Washington and the Redskins won by a score of 7-3. Also owning a better record (9-2 to Chicago’s 8-3), they were the favorites coming into the title contest. However, the motivational seeds had been sown after that earlier game when several of the Bears complained about a referee’s call that had nullified a potential game-winning touchdown. Washington’s imperious owner, George Preston Marshall, publicly referred to the Bears as “cry-babies” and “first-half ballplayers” – quotes that the Chicago players took careful note of.

Not only was there a motivational element to fuel the Bears, but Halas had been meeting with his offensive consultant, Stanford’s Head Coach Clark Shaughnessy, and several new plays were developed to attack the Redskins’ defense (primarily counter plays to take advantage of the tendency of the linebackers to shift toward the man-in-motion). The club was well-prepared and sky-high emotionally upon arrival in Washington.

It didn’t take long for the Bears to strike. On the second play of the game, Osmanski took a handoff, found a big hole at left tackle, cut to the sideline, and ran 68 yards for a touchdown (pictured at top). The last two Redskins with an opportunity to catch him were taken out in a single block by end George Wilson. Chicago was up by 7-0 less than a minute into the first quarter.

Washington came right back, however, getting a good kickoff return and then running the ball effectively. On a third down play, Baugh passed for the first time and had Malone open for what would have been an easy touchdown – he dropped it and the Redskins came up empty. Chicago responded by driving 80 yards in 17 plays. Only one was a pass, and it was to McAfee for 15 yards to the Washington two yard line. Shortly thereafter, Luckman scored on a quarterback sneak from less than a yard out.

The Bears got the ball back at the Redskins’ 42, and on the first play Luckman pitched out to FB Joe Maniaci, who went the distance. It was 21-0 after one quarter of play. Baugh was pulled out of the game and played little the rest of the way. The Bears scored just once in the second quarter, as Luckman connected with end Ken Kavanaugh for a 30-yard TD, and the quarterback was rested during the second half.

Chicago poored it on in the third quarter, adding another 26 points, three on interceptions that were returned for touchdowns (15 yards by end Hamp Pool, 34 yards by McAfee, and 24 by Turner). The offense also contributed a 23-yard scoring run by Nolting. Two of the extra point attempts failed, but it didn’t matter as the Bears were leading 54-0 with a quarter to go.

HB Harry Clarke made it 60-0 in the fourth quarter with a 44-yard touchdown run, followed by a failed extra point attempt, and as there was now a shortage of footballs due to PAT attempts sailing into the stands (there were just a dozen balls available for the game), for the remaining scores Halas told the team to run plays for the extra point attempts (under the rules of the time, they still counted for just one point). FB Gary Famiglietti ran for a two-yard TD, followed by a successful pass from QB Solly Sherman to Maniaci, and Clarke ended the scoring with a one-yard touchdown, after which the pass for the extra point fell incomplete. The lead was large enough, in any event, as the Bears became NFL Champions by a score of 73-0.

The domination was complete statistically, too. The Bears rolled up 519 total yards, to 231 for Washington. The Redskins gained just five net yards on 15 carries, to 381 on 53 attempts by Chicago, and also turned the ball over nine times (eight interceptions, one fumble). The Bears suffered just one turnover, on a fumble.

Bill Osmanski, who started it all, ran for 109 yards on 10 carries. Twelve Bears ran with the ball during the course of the game, with other notable contributors being Harry Clarke (73 yards on 8 carries and two TDs), Ray Nolting (68 yards on 13 attempts and a score), and Joe Maniaci (60 yards on 6 rushes and a TD).


As a whole, the Bears threw ten passes, and Sid Luckman (pictured at left with Halas) was good on three of four attempts for 88 yards and a touchdown. Maniaci was the leading receiver with three catches for 39 yards.

Sammy Baugh was successful on 10 of 17 passes for 102 yards with two intercepted. His capable backup, Frank Filchock, completed 7 of 23 throws for 87 yards and was picked off four times; he also led the Redskins with 20 yards on two carries. Wayne Millner caught 5 passes for 84 yards.

Afterward, Baugh was asked if the result might have been different if Malone had not dropped the sure scoring pass in the first quarter. The laconic Texan reportedly replied, “Yeah, it would have been 73-7.” He also called the game “the most humiliating thing I ever went through on the football field.” Such was Chicago’s total domination.

The Bears went on to repeat as champions in 1941 and, by 1943, had gone to four straight title games and won three of them. They aptly earned the nickname “Monsters of the Midway”. Washington fell short of a rematch in ’41 but won the Eastern Division in 1942 and upset Chicago for the championship to gain at least some measure of revenge for the trouncing in 1940.

1936: Packers Defeat Redskins for NFL Title

The NFL Championship matchup on December 13, 1936 took place at the Polo Grounds in New York even though the Eastern Division had been won by the Boston Redskins. Owner George Preston Marshall, upset at the lack of fan support in the franchise’s home city, had the game moved to a neutral site. The weather was at least cooperative – it was sunny with temperatures in the mid-30s, and 29,545 fans showed up.

The Redskins, under first year Head Coach Ray Flaherty, won the division with a 7-5 record, just ahead of the 6-6 Pittsburgh Pirates. The passing game was ordinary, but not the rushing of star FB Cliff Battles (fourth in the NFL in rushing with 614 yards), plus FB Pug Rentner and tailback Eddie Britt behind a line anchored by tackle Turk Edwards. However, Marshall, the imperious owner, had alienated both fans and press in Boston, especially by raising ticket prices on game days without notice.

The Green Bay Packers were the heavily favored opponents, with an outstanding team that carried the tougher Western Division with a 10-1-1 record under Head Coach Curly Lambeau. Lambeau was the first NFL coach to significantly utilize the passing game, and the Packers had a very good one with tailback Arnie Herber (pictured above) throwing primarily to star second-year end Don Hutson (pictured at bottom). Herber led the league in passing for the third time in his career, and also led in attempts (177), completions (77), yards (1239), and TD passes (11). Hutson set new records in pass receptions (34) and receiving yards (526), and also led the NFL in TD catches (8). Green Bay could run the ball, too, with a backfield led by FB Clarke Hinkle (also an outstanding linebacker on defense).

The tone for the game was set on the tenth play from scrimmage, when Battles, who had gained 18 yards on two carries for the Redskins, was injured and lost for the remainder of the day. On the play, his lateral to blocking back Riley Smith was fumbled and recovered by T Lou Gordon of the Packers on the Green Bay 48 yard line. Three plays later, Herber found Hutson on a long pass that covered 48 yards for the first touchdown of the game.

The Redskins came back in the second quarter with a solid 78-yard drive that culminated in a two-yard TD plunge by Rentner. However, Smith’s extra point attempt was wide, and the score at halftime was 7-6 in favor of the Packers.

Green Bay took the second half kickoff and went 74 yards in six plays. A pass from Herber to veteran HB Johnny McNally (aka Johnny Blood) covered 52 yards and set up an 8-yard scoring pass from Herber to end Milt Gantenbein that extended the Packers lead to 14-6.

Things continued to get worse for Boston as their only healthy center, Frank Bausch, was ejected for fighting. Then, in the fourth quarter, Green Bay effectively put the game out of reach when guard Lon Evans blocked a punt by the unfortunate Riley Smith. The play started at the Redskins 22, and once Hinkle recovered the ball, Green Bay was on the three yard line. Bob Monnett, spelling Herber at tailback, ran two yards for the TD. The final score was 21-6 in favor of the Packers.

Green Bay accumulated 220 total yards (to 130 for Boston) with 153 by passing. Herber accounted for 140 yards through the air as he completed 6 of 15 passes with two touchdowns and an interception. Don Hutson led all receivers with 5 catches for 76 yards and a TD. Clarke Hinkle rushed for 56 yards on 19 attempts.

With Cliff Battles sidelined early, FB Don Irwin led the Redskins in rushing with 37 yards on 13 carries. Rentner was Boston’s top passer with 4 completions in 6 attempts for 60 yards. End Wayne Millner caught two passes, the only Redskin to do so.

George Preston Marshall moved his franchise to Washington for 1937; he also signed a passing tailback from TCU, Sammy Baugh, who would elevate the aerial attack and take the team to the next level. But on this day, it was Curly Lambeau’s Packers at the top of the NFL heap.