1952 NFL playoffs

Last updated

1952 NFL playoffs
DatesDecember 21-28, 1952
Season 1952
Teams3
Games played2
NFL Championship Game site
Defending champions Los Angeles Rams
Champions Detroit Lions
Runners-up Cleveland Browns
Conference
runners-up

The 1952 National Football League season resulted in a tie for the National Conference championship between the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams, requiring a one-game playoff. This conference championship game was played on December 21 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit; the winner then traveled to play the American Conference champion Cleveland Browns on December 28 in the NFL Championship Game. The Lions won both games, 31–21 over the Rams and 17–7 at Cleveland.

Contents

Tournament bracket

National Conference playoff NFL Championship
A Cleveland 7
N Los Angeles 21 N Detroit17
N Detroit31

National Conference championship

Detroit Lions 31, Los Angeles Rams 21
Period1234Total
Rams0701421
Lions7710731

at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan

  • Date: December 21, 1952
Game information
Scoring
  • DET Harder 12 run (Harder kick) DET 7–0
  • DET – Harder 4 run (Harder kick) DET 14–0
  • LA  Fears 14 yard pass from Van Brocklin (Waterfield kick) DET 14–7
  • DET Hart 24 yard pass from Walker (Harder kick) DET 21–7
  • DET – field goal Harder 43 DET 24–7
  • LA  Towler 5 yard run (Waterfield kick) DET 24–14
  • LA  – Smith 56 yard punt return (Waterfield kick) DET 24–21
  • DET Hoernschemeyer 9 yard run (Harder kick) DET 31–21

The Rams and Lions had matched up two times in the 1952 season, with Detroit having won each time (17–14, 24–16). The defending champion Rams did not have the services of rookie sensation Night Train Lane, who injured his ankle in the season finale. Three-point favorites at home in muddy fog, Detroit prevailed over the Rams to return to the NFL Championship for the first time in 17 years. Pat Harder had two touchdown runs to bolster a 14-7 lead before kicking extra points on two Lions touchdowns in the second half to go with a field goal, with Bob Hoernschemeyer closing out the scoring for good on a 9-yard run. Detroit had four interceptions from Bobby Layne, but Los Angeles lost two fumbles and suffered a late fourth quarter interception thrown by Bob Waterfield while being outgained in both rushing and passing. Harder set a new record for point scored by one player in a playoff game with 19, eclipsing the old record of 18 held by Andy Farkas (1943). Paul Hornung would tie the record in 1961 before it was later broken in 1995. [1] [2] [3] [4]

NFL Championship game

The 1952 NFL Championship Game was held in Cleveland and was won by the Lions, 17–7.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Waterfield</span> American football player and coach (1920–1983)

Robert Stanton Waterfield was an American football player and coach. A skilled player, he played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons, primarily as a quarterback, but also as a safety, kicker, punter and sometimes return specialist with the Cleveland / Los Angeles Rams. He played college football for the UCLA Bruins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1965. His No. 7 jersey was retired by the Rams in 1952. He was also a motion picture actor and producer.

The 1960 NFL season was the 41st regular season of the National Football League.

The 1950 NFL season was the 31st regular season of the National Football League. The merger with the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) expanded the league to 13 teams. Meanwhile, television brought a new era to the game. The Los Angeles Rams became the first NFL team to have all of its games – both home and away – televised. The Washington Redskins became the second team to put their games on TV. Other teams arranged to have selected games televised.

The 1952 NFL season was the 33rd regular season of the National Football League. Prior to the season, the legacy of the Dayton Triangles, the final remaining Ohio League member and the franchise then known as the New York Yanks owner Ted Collins sold his team back to the NFL. A few days later, a new team was then awarded to an ownership group in Dallas, Texas, after it purchased the assets of the Yanks.

The 1958 NFL season was the 39th regular season of the National Football League.

The 1951 NFL Championship Game was the National Football League's 19th championship game, played December 23 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew Stafford</span> American football player (born 1988)

John Matthew Stafford is an American football quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia and was selected first overall by the Detroit Lions in the 2009 NFL draft. Ranking in the top 12 of all-time in pass attempts, pass completions, passing yards and passing touchdowns, Stafford is currently fifth all-time in passing yards per game and is the fastest player in NFL history to have reached 40,000 career passing yards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1950 NFL Championship Game</span>

The 1950 NFL Championship Game was the 18th National Football League (NFL) title game, played on Sunday, December 24 at Cleveland Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio.

The 1952 NFL Championship Game was the 20th annual championship game, held on December 28 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio.

The 1950 National Football League playoffs took place after the 1950 regular season ended with a tie for first place in both the American and National conferences. The ties forced one-game playoffs to determine who would play in the NFL championship game. It was the only time in the NFL's championship game era that two such tiebreaker playoff games were needed in the same year. The Cleveland Browns and New York Giants tied for first place in the American Conference, while the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams tied for first place in the National Conference. The Browns proceeded to beat the Giants 8–3, and the Rams beat the Bears 24–14 in their playoff game. Cleveland then beat the Rams in the championship game the following week. The home teams won all three games in this postseason.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1969 Minnesota Vikings season</span> NFL team season

The 1969 season was the Minnesota Vikings' ninth season in the National Football League (NFL) and their third under head coach Bud Grant. With a 12–2 record, the best in the league, the Vikings won the NFL Central division title, to qualify for the playoffs for the second year in a row. This was the first of three consecutive seasons as the best team in the NFL for the Vikings. They beat the Los Angeles Rams in the Western Conference Championship Game, and the Cleveland Browns in the final NFL Championship Game before the merger with the American Football League. With these wins, the Vikings became the last team to possess the Ed Thorp Memorial Trophy, introduced 35 years earlier in 1934.

The 1950 Cleveland Browns season was the team's first in the National Football League (NFL) after playing the previous four years in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC), which folded after the 1949 season. The Browns finished the regular season with a 10–2 win–loss record and beat the Los Angeles Rams to win the NFL championship. It was Cleveland's fifth consecutive championship victory, the previous four having come in the AAFC.

The 1952 Cleveland Browns season was the team's third season with the National Football League and seventh season overall. They were 8–4 in the regular season and won the American Conference. Cleveland hosted the NFL Championship Game, but lost 17–7 to the Detroit Lions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1951 Los Angeles Rams season</span> NFL team season

The 1951 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 14th year in the National Football League and the sixth season in Los Angeles. In 1951, the Rams had an up-and-down season, never winning more than three games in a row, but were able to win eight games and clinch the National Conference after defeating the Green Bay Packers during Week 12 of the season. Los Angeles also led the National Football League in attendance for the second time while in Southern California; the first of 10 consecutive seasons leading the league in attendance. The Rams' largest crowd during the 1951 campaign was 67,186 against the Cleveland Browns during Week 2.

The 1950 San Francisco 49ers season was the franchise's 1st season in the National Football League and their 5th overall. After playing the previous four years in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC), which folded after the 1949 season, the 49ers, Baltimore Colts, and Cleveland Browns all joined the NFL from the AAFC.

The 1957 Detroit Lions season was the franchise's 28th season in the National Football League (NFL) and their 24th as the Detroit Lions. Under first-year head coach George Wilson, the Lions won their fourth and most recent NFL title.

The 1953 Detroit Lions season was the franchise's 24th season in the National Football League. The Lions won their second consecutive and third overall National Football League (NFL) championship. In their fourth year under head coach Buddy Parker, the Lions compiled a 10–2 record during the regular season, outscored opponents 271 to 205, finished in first place in the NFL's Western Division, and defeated the Cleveland Browns 17–16 in the NFL Championship Game at Briggs Stadium in Detroit.

The 1952 Detroit Lions season was the franchise's 23rd season in the National Football League. The Lions won their second National Football League (NFL) championship, having won their first championship 17 years earlier in 1935. The team's co-captains were halfback Robert Hoernschemeyer and defensive tackle John Prchlik, and defensive end Jim Doran was selected as the team's most valuable player. In their third year under head coach Buddy Parker, the 1952 Lions compiled a 9–3 record during the regular season, finished in a tie with the Los Angeles Rams for first place in the NFL's National Conference, defeated the Rams in a tiebreaker game, and defeated the Cleveland Browns, 17–7, in the 1952 NFL Championship Game at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jared Goff</span> American football player (born 1994)

Jared Thomas Goff is an American football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the California Golden Bears, setting Pac-12 Conference season records for passing yards and passing touchdowns. Goff was selected first overall by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2016 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Los Angeles Rams season</span> 85th season in franchise history, 5th Super Bowl appearance

The 2021 season was the Los Angeles Rams' 84th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 85th overall, their 55th in the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second playing their home games at SoFi Stadium and their fifth under head coach Sean McVay.

References

  1. "Divisional Round - Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions - December 21st, 1952". Pro-Football-Reference.com .
  2. 1952: The Dawning of Motown’s Gridiron Empire profootballresearchers.com
  3. "Daily News from New York, New York". December 22, 1952.
  4. "NFL Points Scored Single Game Playoffs Leaders". Pro-Football-Reference.com .