1950 NFL Championship Game

none November 2019 February 2024 nflc 1950 Los Angeles Rams Cleveland Browns Joe Stydahar Paul Brown National American LA CLE 9–3 10–2 28 30 14 0 14 0 7 6 7 10 December 24, 1950 Cleveland Municipal Stadium Cleveland, Ohio 29,751 ABC Harry Wismer, Red Grange Rams: Dan Reeves (owner), Tex Schramm (administrator), Joe Stydahar (coach), Tom Fears, Elroy Hirsch, Norm Van Brocklin, Bob Waterfield Browns: Paul Brown (coach/gm), Len Ford, Frank Gatski, Otto Graham, Lou Groza, Dante Lavelli, Marion Motley, Mac Speedie, Bill Willis USA 1 Cleveland 41.506 -81.700 Location in the United States bottom 5 290 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.http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1950/12/25/page/75/article/browns-win-title-in-final-20-seconds Chicago Daily Tribune Prell Edward Browns win title in final 20 seconds December 25, 1950 1, part 4https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PORXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OfYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3288%2C3376839 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington Associated Press Browns win pro title; Groza's kick thriller December 25, 1950 25 This was the first NFL championship game played between two expansion teams. In their first NFL season after four years in the rival All-America Football Conference, the Cleveland Browns defeated the Los Angeles Rams, 30–28.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jAgNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PmoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5661%2C4472794 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Sell Jack Groza's field goal beats Rams, 30-28 December 25, 1950 32https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nmFOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KQAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3808%2C4289954 Toledo Blade Ohio Marthey Larry Groza gives Browns last-minute 30-28 triumph December 25, 1950 26 The championship was the first of three won by Cleveland in the 1950s under head coach Paul Brown behind an offense that featured quarterback Otto Graham, fullback Marion Motley, and ends Dante Lavelli and Mac Speedie. Cleveland began the season with a win against the Philadelphia Eagles, who had won the previous two NFL championships. The Browns won all but two of their regular-season games, both losses coming against the New York Giants. Cleveland ended the season with a 10–2 win–loss record, tied with the Giants for first place in the American Conference, forcing a playoff that the Browns won, 8–3. Los Angeles, meanwhile, finished the season 9–3, tied with the Chicago Bears for first place in the National Conference, forcing a playoff that the Rams won 24–14. Thus, the Championship Game would see the Browns play host to the Rams The formation of the Browns and the AAFC, combined with poor home attendances and heavy financial losses, had seen the Rams leave Cleveland for Los Angeles four years earlier. with the Browns being four-point favorites.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=49cbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HU4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=4046%2C3543458 Pittsburgh Press United Press Rams, Browns battle for NFL title December 24, 1950 19 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nWFOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KQAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2935%2C3839424 Toledo Blade Ohio Browns 4-point pick for title Associated Press December 24, 1950 1, section 4 The game began with a long touchdown pass from Rams quarterback Bob Waterfield to halfback Glenn Davis on the first play from scrimmage, giving Los Angeles an early lead. Cleveland tied the game later in the first quarter with a touchdown from Graham to Dub Jones, but the Rams quickly went ahead again on a Dick Hoerner touchdown run. Cleveland scored two unanswered touchdowns in the second and third quarters, retaking a 20–14 lead. A pair of Rams touchdowns in the third quarter, however, gave Los Angeles a two-possession advantage going into the final period. Cleveland responded with a diving touchdown catch by Rex Bumgardner in the final minutes of the game, followed by a field goal by placekicker Lou Groza with 28 seconds left to win, 30–28. Lavelli set a then championship-game record with 11 receptions, and Waterfield's 82-yard pass to Davis on the first play of the game was then the longest scoring play in championship history. Los Angeles had 407 total yards to Cleveland's 373, but Cleveland had five interceptions, compared to just one for the Rams. The Browns' Warren Lahr had two interceptions in the game. After the game, NFL Commissioner Bert Bell called the Cleveland Browns "the greatest team ever to play football". Background 1950 NFL playoffs Before the 1950 season, the NFL added three teams from the All-America Football Conference (AAFC), a competing league that went out of business as part of a peace deal negotiated in 1949.Piascik 2007 141 After the addition of the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Colts, and San Francisco 49ers, the NFL reorganized its Eastern and Western divisional structure into the American and National conferences.Piascik 2007 141National Grid League Really Gobbled AAC https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hzwNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WGoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6094,882777&dq=american+national+conference+national+league&hl=en October 26, 2013 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette March 4, 1950 Associated Press Philadelphia 10 The Browns were placed in the American Conference with a group of teams mostly from the old Eastern Division, while the 49ers and Colts went into the National Conference with teams from the old Western Division. Under NFL rules at the time, the teams with the best records in each conference after the 12-game regular season were to play each other in the NFL championship to determine the winner of the league.History: NFL Champions http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/champions.aspx Pro Football Hall of Fame October 26, 2013 The 1950 season ended with ties for first place in both the American and National conferences, forcing two playoff games for spots in the championship.Piascik 2007 173–174 The Browns tied with the New York Giants for the best record in the American Conference, while the Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears tied atop the National Conference.Piascik 2007 173–174 It was the first time in league history that both of the NFL's conferences (or divisions) ended in a tie for first place.Piascik 2007 174 The Browns defeated the Giants 8–3 in their playoff, and the Rams beat the Bears 24–20 to set up a Rams-Browns championship.Piascik 2007 175–176 Cleveland Browns The Browns had been the AAFC's most dominant team, winning all four of its championships between its founding in 1946 and 1949 under head coach Paul Brown.Piascik 2007 62–64, 81–83, 118–120, 144–146 The team, however, was seen by some NFL owners and sportswriters as merely the best squad in an inferior league.Piascik 2007 153, 157, 160, 162 NFL commissioner Bert Bell scheduled a matchup between the Browns and the two-time defending champion Philadelphia Eagles in the first game of the season, played a day before the league's other games.Piascik 2007 160 A crowd of 71,237 people saw the game, an attendance record in Philadelphia and the ninth-largest in professional football history at the time.Piascik 2007 163 After Cleveland won the game, NFL commissioner Bert Bell named Browns quarterback Otto Graham the game's most valuable player and gave him a trophy, calling the Browns "the greatest team to ever play the game".Piascik 2007 165 Cleveland lost for the first time in the third week of the season against the Giants.Piascik 2007 168 That was followed by victories over the Chicago Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers, but Cleveland lost again to the Giants in the sixth week of the season.Piascik 2007 168 The team proceeded to win all of its remaining games, however, thanks in large part to an offense led by Graham, fullback Marion Motley, ends Mac Speedie and Dante Lavelli, and tackle/placekicker Lou Groza.Piascik 2007 169–173 Cleveland's offense was fourth in the NFL in scoring, with 310 points.1950 Cleveland Browns Statistics & Players https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cle/1950.htm Pro Football Reference October 30, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131105122921/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cle/1950.htm November 5, 2013 dead The defense, meanwhile, finished second in points allowed, with 144. Cleveland played all of its games against American Conference opponents, aside from two matchups against the other former AAFC teams, the Colts and the 49ers. Cleveland's record was 10–2 at the end of the regular season, leaving the team tied with the Giants and forcing a playoff to determine the conference winner. The Browns won a coin toss to determine home-field advantage.Piascik 2007 173 The game, played in cold weather at Cleveland Stadium, was a low-scoring affair that the Browns won 8–3 on a pair of Groza field goals and a safety.Piascik 2007 174–175 Los Angeles Rams The Rams began the season with a loss to the Chicago Bears.1950 Los Angeles Rams Statistics & Players https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/ram/1950.htm Pro Football Reference October 31, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131023042520/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/ram/1950.htm October 23, 2013 live Victories over the New York Yanks and 49ers followed, but the team fell to 2–2 with a loss to the Eagles in the fourth week of the season. Los Angeles then went on a six-game winning streak that included a 70–27 blowout of the Colts and a 65–24 win over the Detroit Lions. The Rams lost the second-to-last game of the season, again against the Bears, and finished with a 9–3 record. That tied the Rams with the Bears atop the National Conference, forcing a playoff that Los Angeles won, setting up a championship matchup with the Browns in Cleveland.Piascik 2007 176 The Rams, who left Cleveland after the 1945 season for Los Angeles, were making their second straight appearance in an NFL title game.Piascik 2007 176 The Rams had one of the most potent offenses in NFL history in 1950 under head coach Joe Stydahar.Piascik 2007 176 It featured Bob Waterfield and Norm Van Brocklin at quarterback, Tom Fears and Bob Boyd at end, and Elroy Hirsch at halfback.Piascik 2007 176 The Rams averaged 309 passing yards per game, a record that stood until 1984.Piascik 2007 176 The team's running unit, led by Dick Hoerner, Vitamin Smith, and Dan Towler, averaged more than 140 yards a game.Piascik 2007 177 Los Angeles averaged 38.8 points per game in 1950, an NFL record that still stood as of 2018.Piascik 2007 176 Los Angeles ended the regular season first in the NFL in points scored, with 466. The team was ninth of 13 teams in points allowed, however, with 309. Game summary While the Rams were unmatched offensively, the Browns' defense gave up half as many points during the regular season.Piascik 2007 177 Cleveland coach Paul Brown announced before the game that he would employ an umbrella defense against the Rams, similar to the one the Giants had used effectively against the Browns.Piascik 2007 178 His plan was to show Los Angeles the umbrella formation at first but switch back to the team's usual formation soon after.Piascik 2007 178 He abandoned the umbrella defense after the Rams scored a touchdown on their first play.Piascik 2007 178 Rams 14 0 14 0 Browns 7 6 7 10 December 24 Cleveland Stadium 1:30 p.m. EST 29,751 dry, 29 F, 28 mph on wind, Ronald Gibbs Source: Pro Football Reference yes 1 LAR Glenn Davis 82-yard pass from Bob Waterfield (Bob Waterfield kick) LAR 7–0 1 CLE Dub Jones 27-yard pass from Otto Graham (Lou Groza kick) 7–7 1 LAR Dick Hoerner 3-yard rush (Bob Waterfield kick) LAR 14–7 2 CLE Dante Lavelli 37-yard pass from Otto Graham (kick failed) LAR 14–13 3 CLE Dante Lavelli 39-yard pass from Otto Graham (Lou Groza kick) CLE 20–14 3 LAR Dick Hoerner 1-yard rush (Bob Waterfield kick) LAR 21–20 3 LAR Larry Brink 6-yard fumble return (Bob Waterfield kick) LAR 28–20 4 CLE Rex Bumgardner 14-yard pass from Otto Graham (Lou Groza kick) LAR 28–27 4 CLE Lou Groza 16-yard field goal CLE 30–28 yes The championship game took place on Christmas Eve in Cleveland a week after the conference playoffs.Jones Harry Groza's Field Goal Is Signal for Celebration http://www.cleveland.com/brownshistory/plaindealer/index.ssf?/browns/more/history/19501224BROWNS.html October 19, 2013 Cleveland Plain Dealer December 24, 1950 https://web.archive.org/web/20131020054535/http://www.cleveland.com/brownshistory/plaindealer/index.ssf?/browns/more/history/19501224BROWNS.html October 20, 2013 dead The weather was dry, with 28 mph on winds and a temperature of 29 F. On the Rams' first play after the opening kickoff, Waterfield passed to Glenn Davis for an 82-yard touchdown, giving Los Angeles an early 7–0 lead.Piascik 2007 178 Martin was covering Davis, but slipped on the slick turf, leaving the receiver open.Piascik 2007 178 Graham and the Browns' offense responded with a drive later in the first quarter that evened the score, but the Rams went ahead again by a touchdown on a three-yard Hoerner rush.Piascik 2007 178 Cleveland scored a second touchdown in the second quarter, this time a 37-yard pass from Graham to Lavelli.Piascik 2007 178 Groza's extra point attempt failed, however, because of a high snap, putting the Browns behind by one point.Piascik 2007 178 Waterfield missed a 15-yard field goal attempt at the end of the first half, leaving the score at 14–13 at halftime.Piascik 2007 178 Cleveland took the lead again in the third quarter on a 39-yard touchdown pass to Lavelli, his second of the day.Piascik 2007 179 The Rams responded with a touchdown run by Hoerner and another touchdown quickly thereafter when Motley fumbled and Los Angeles's Larry Brink took it into the end zone.Piascik 2007 179 Down 28–20 as the fourth quarter began, Cleveland was helped by interceptions by Thompson and Lahr that put its offense in good field position.Piascik 2007 179 On a drive with 10 minutes left to play, Cleveland went for fourth down three times and made the necessary yards each time, advancing to the Los Angeles 14-yard line.Piascik 2007 179 From there, Graham threw a touchdown pass to Bumgardner, who dove to catch it in the corner of the end zone.Piascik 2007 179 After several more defensive stands, the Browns had the ball back and drove toward the Rams' end zone as the game drew to a close.Piascik 2007 179 Graham fumbled, however, and the Rams recovered with three minutes left.Piascik 2007 180 Cleveland's defense held, and Los Angeles punted, giving the Browns the ball back at their own 31-yard line with 1:49 left in the game.Piascik 2007 180 Graham scrambled up the middle for 16 yards on the first play, and then turned to his receivers.Piascik 2007 180 A pass to Bumgardner and two to Jones on the sidelines, followed by another to Bumgardner, put the ball at the Los Angeles 11-yard line.Piascik 2007 180 Graham ran a quarterback sneak on the next play to place the ball at the middle of the field in preparation for a field goal.Piascik 2007 181 After a time out, Groza came in and kicked the field goal with 0:28 left on the clock to put Cleveland ahead 30–28.Piascik 2007 181 The Rams fumbled the ensuing kickoff and the Browns recovered, appearing to seal the victory.Piascik 2007 181 The officials ruled that Groza had kicked prematurely, however, and Los Angeles returned his rekick to their 46-yard line.Piascik 2007 181 An interception by Lahr on a sideline pass stopped the drive and gave Cleveland the win.Piascik 2007 182 After the game, Bert Bell called the Browns "the greatest team ever to play football."Piascik 2007 182 Brown later remembered it as the best game he ever saw, pointing to the success both teams had passing the ball at a time when the emphasis was shifting across the league from running to passing.Piascik 2007 182 Cleveland and Los Angeles played again in the 1951 championship, which the Rams won, 24–17.Cleveland Browns Franchise Encyclopedia https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cle/ Pro Football Reference November 1, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131018094523/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cle/ October 18, 2013 live The Browns went on to appear in each championship game between 1952 and 1955, including a win over the Rams in 1955. Officials Referee: Ronald Gibbs Umpire: Samuel Wilson Head linesman: Charlie Berry Back judge: Norman Duncan Field judge: Lloyd Brazil The NFL added the fifth official, the back judge, in 1947; the line judge arrived in 1965, and the side judge in 1978. Final statistics Lavelli caught 11 passes, which set an NFL championship record that stood for eight years.Piascik 2007 182 He had 128 yards and two touchdowns.Piascik 2007 182 The Rams' Fears also had a strong game, with nine receptions for 136 yards.Piascik 2007 183 While Waterfield threw four interceptions, he otherwise performed well, completing 18 passes for 312 yards and a touchdown.Piascik 2007 183 His touchdown pass on the first play of the game to Davis was the longest score ever in a championship at the time.Piascik 2007 183 Graham, meanwhile, had 22 completions for 298 yards and four touchdowns.Piascik 2007 182 Despite a high score, both defenses played well.Piascik 2007 183 Los Angeles was able to hold Motley, Cleveland's most dangerous rusher, completely in check.Piascik 2007 183 The Browns had five interceptions, including two by Lahr, and managed to stop the Rams from building a large lead in the fourth quarter, thanks in part to Len Ford's disruptive play at defensive end.Piascik 2007 183 Team statistics Statistics Cleveland Los AngelesFirst downs2222Rush attempts–yards25–11636–106Rushing touchdowns02Pass completions–yards22–29818–312Passing touchdowns41Total yards373407Interceptions–return yards5–541–11Fumbles–lost3–30–0Turnovers45Penalties–yards3–354–48Sacked–yards5–411–11Punts–average5–38.44–50.8 Individual statistics Passing Player Cmp Att Yds TD INT Cleveland Browns Otto Graham 22 33 298 4 1 Los Angeles Rams Bob Waterfield 18 31 312 1 4 Norm Van Brocklin 0 1 0 0 1 Rushing Player Att Yds TD Cleveland Browns Otto Graham 12 99 0 Marion Motley 6 9 0 Dub Jones 2 4 0 Rex Bumgardner 5 2 0 Los Angeles Rams Dick Hoerner 24 86 2 Vitamin Smith 4 11 0 Glenn Davis 6 6 0 Bob Waterfield 1 2 0 Ralph Pasquariello 1 1 0 Receiving Player Rec Yds TD Cleveland Browns Dante Lavelli 11 128 2 Dub Jones 4 80 1 Rex Bumgardner 4 46 1 Horace Gillom 1 29 0 Mac Speedie 1 17 0 Marion Motley 1 −2 0 Los Angeles Rams Tom Fears 9 136 0 Glenn Davis 2 88 1 Vitamin Smith 3 46 0 Elroy Hirsch 4 42 0 Defense Player Int Yds FumR Yds TD Cleveland Browns Warren Lahr 2 14 0 0 0 Ken Gorgal 1 33 0 0 0 Hal Herring 1 7 0 0 0 Tommy Thompson 1 0 0 0 0 Los Angeles Rams Fred Naumetz 1 11 0 0 0 Larry Brink 0 0 1 6 1 Kick returns Player Ret Yds TD Lng Cleveland Browns Ken Carpenter 3 58 0 28 Los Angeles Rams Vitamin Smith 3 59 0 28 Jerry Williams 1 35 0 35 Tommy Kalmanir 1 32 0 32 Punt returns Player Ret Yds TD Lng Cleveland Browns Cliff Lewis 2 22 0 16 Los Angeles Rams Glenn Davis 1 14 0 14 Tony Kalmanir 1 0 0 0 Kicking Player FG FG Att XP XP Att Punts Yds Cleveland Browns Lou Groza 1 1 3 3 0 0 Horace Gillom 0 0 0 0 5 192 Tommy James 0 0 0 1 0 0 Los Angeles Rams Bob Waterfield 0 1 4 4 4 203 Players' shares The gross receipts for the game, including about $45,000 for radio and television rights, was under $158,000. Each player on the winning Browns team received $1,113, while Rams players made $686 each.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nmFOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KQAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2759%2C4292692 Toledo Blade Ohio Financial score December 25, 1950 26 See also 1950 NFL playoffs References 30em Bibliography Piascik Andy 2007 The Best Show in Football: The 1946–1955 Cleveland Browns Taylor Trade Publishing Lanham, MD 978-1-58979-571-6 External links 1950 NFL Championship Game at Pro-Football-Reference.com Curt Gowdy (narrator), The Way It Was: 1950 NFL Championship Game. Broadcast date: July 9, 1975. (Video.) 41.506 -81.700 type:event title Championship Game, 1950 Category:NFL Championship games Category:Cleveland Browns postseason Category:Los Angeles Rams postseason Category:December 1950 sports events in the United States Category:1950 in sports in Ohio Category:American football competitions in Cleveland Category:1950s in Cleveland