1957 NFL Championship Game

none November 2013 nflc 1957 File:1957 NFL Championship Game Program.jpg Cleveland Browns Detroit Lions Paul Brown George Wilson Eastern CLE Western DET 9–2–1 8–4 0 7 7 0 14 17 14 14 14 59 December 29, 1957 Briggs Stadium Detroit, Michigan 55,263 NBC Van PatrickKen ColemanRed Grange NBC Ray ScottBill McColgan Browns: Paul Brown (coach/gm), Jim Brown, Len Ford, Lou Groza, Henry Jordan, Mike McCormack Lions: Jack Christiansen, Lou Creekmur, Frank Gatski, John Henry Johnson, Yale Lary, Bobby Layne, Joe Schmidt USA 1 Detroit 42.332 -83.069 Location in the United States bottom 5 290 USA Michigan 1 Detroit  42.332 -83.069 Location in Michigan 5 160 The 1957 NFL Championship Game was the 25th annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL), held on December 29 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Iy8zAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BpoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1972%2C7530083 Reading Eagle Pennsylvania United Press Berry Jack Lions overcome many obstacles on way to title December 30, 1957 14https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5tZQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=byUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6958%2C3573582 Milwaukee Journal Johnson Chuck Rote's passes, play calling smash Cleveland, 59 to 14 December 30, 1957 7, part 2 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fcVRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8GoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6947%2C4717014 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Sell Jack Lions crush Browns, 59 to 14, to win title December 30, 1957 18 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=43U_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=ylQMAAAAIBAJ&pg=909%2C3837182 Toledo Blade Ohio Jones Eddie T. Browns show off collapsing defense December 30, 1957 11 http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1957/12/30/page/33/article/lions-crush-browns-59-14-win-title Chicago Tribune Strickler George Lions crush Browns, 59-14; win title December 30, 1957 1, part 4https://www.si.com/vault/1958/01/06/568678/all-hail-the-lusty-lions Sports Illustrated Maule Tex Tex Maule All hail the lusty Lions January 6, 1958 8 The Detroit Lions (8–4), winners of the Western Conference in a playoff the previous week,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=d8VRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8GoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7216%2C3734897 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Associated Press Lions thrilling rally wins playoff, 31-27 20 hosted the Cleveland Browns (9–2–1), champions of the Eastern Conference. Detroit had won the regular season game 20–7 three weeks earlier on December 8, also at Briggs Stadium, but lost quarterback Bobby Layne with a broken right ankle late in the first half.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=a8VRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8GoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6964%2C1289531 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Associated Press Lions lose Layne but win, 20-7 December 9, 1957 26 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xVlIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0wAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7109%2C2368668 Toledo Blade Ohio Jones Eddie T. Lions roar back into title chase December 9, 1957 18 Reserve quarterback Tobin Rote, a starter the previous year with Green Bay, filled in for Layne and won that game with Cleveland, the next week at Chicago, and the tiebreaker playoff game at San Francisco. It was the fourth pairing of the two teams in the championship game; they met previously in 1952, 1953, and 1954. The Browns, idle the previous week, were favored by three points,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jXBIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bRAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4028%2C4146029 Milwaukee Sentinel Lea Bud Bud Lea Lions face Browns for pro title December 29, 1957 1Chttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Ii8zAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BpoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4651%2C6836643 Reading Eagle Pennsylvania Associated Press Browns oppose Detroit today for NFL title December 29, 1957 24http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1957/12/29/page/23/article/browns-3-point-favorites-in-n-f-l-playoff-today Chicago Tribune Strickler George Browns 3-point favorites in NFL playoff today December 29, 1957 1, part 2 but the home underdog Lions scored two touchdowns in each quarter and won in a rout, 59–14. Until 2006, this was the last time that major professional teams from Michigan and Ohio met in a postseason game (or series) in any sport. This was the last NFL playoff game played in the city of Detroit other than Super Bowl XL until 2024 as the Lions' other two home playoff games prior (1992 and 1994) were at the Silverdome in suburban Pontiac. This also remains as the Lions' fourth and most recent league title and most recent championship appearance (including the Super Bowl) as of , starting a sixty-nine year championship drought for the Lions, which is currently the second-longest championship drought in the NFL, and the fourth-longest championship drought in the four major North American sports leagues.https://www.si.com/mlb/2023/11/02/here-are-longest-championship-droughts-four-major-north-american-sports-rangers-world-series Salvador Joseph Here Are the Longest Championship Droughts in the Four Major North American Sports Sports Illustrated November 2, 2023 December 16, 2024 Starting lineups Hall of Fame‡ #FFCC00 Detroit Position ClevelandOffenseJim Doran LE Pete BrewsterLou Creekmur‡ LT Lou Groza‡Harley Sewell LG Herschel ForesterFrank Gatski‡ C Art HunterStan Campbell RG Fred RobinsonKen Russell RT Mike McCormack‡Steve Junker RE Preston CarpenterTobin Rote QB Tommy O'ConnellGene Gedman LHB Ray RenfroHopalong Cassady RHB Lew CarpenterJohn Henry Johnson‡ FB Jim Brown‡DefenseDarris McCord LDE Bill QuinlanRay Krouse LDT Bob GainGil Mains RDT Don ColoGene Cronin RDE Len Ford‡Bob Long LLB Galen FissJoe Schmidt‡ MLB Vince CostelloRoger Zatkoff RLB Walt MichaelsCarl Karilivacz DB Junior WrenJack Christiansen‡ DB Ken KonzYale Lary‡ DB Warren LahrJim David DB Don Paul Players in the Hall of Fame Of those listed above, Lions' QB Bobby Layne was injured earlier in the month and did not play, and future Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Henry Jordan was a rookie for the Browns. Game summary First half The Browns won the opening coin toss and elected to receive. Detroit forced Cleveland to punt on their opening possession, getting the ball at their own 11. The Lions converted four straight first downs, including a Tobin Rote 20-yard pass to Steve Junker that put them into Brown territory. They would convert on a Jim Martin 31-yard field goal to take the early 3–0 lead. The Browns would give the ball right back after a Tommy O'Connell interception by Bob Long that was returned 17 yards. The Lions, helped by a Rote 17-yard rush, punched it in with a quarterback sneak to go up 10–0. On the kickoff return, Milt Campbell fumbled it over to Detroit. Detroit would capitalize with a Gene Gedman 1-yard score. The Browns would get on the board with a Jim Brown 29-yard touchdown. The two teams traded punts before the Lions got the ball at their own 13. They got down to the Browns 26-yard line, and looked to kick a field goal on 4th and 11. However, Rote, as the holder, took the snap and threw it to Junker in the endzone for the 26-yard touchdown pass to go up 24–7. On their responding drive, the Browns attempted a trick play with halfback Chet Hanulak, however his pass was intercepted. Detroit gave the ball right back with a Junker fumble, but an O'Connell errant throw was picked off by Terry Barr, who returned it 19 yards for the touchdown. The Browns benched O'Connell in favor of Milt Plum, who was immediately intercepted on his third pass of the game in Lions' territory. Detroit punted, before a Browns fumble put them in range for a field goal try. However, the 44-yard kick was no-good, setting the halftime score at 31–7.1957 WORLD PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME December 29, 1957 Second half Detroit punted on their first possession of the second half, as Cleveland took the ball 80-yards to score on a Lew Carpenter 5-yard touchdown run. On their first drive, Rote took a deep shot to Jim Doran who hauled it in at the Browns' 42 and proceeded to run it all the way for the 78-yard touchdown score. The Browns punted on their next drive before the Lions extended their lead with a Rote–Junker 23-yard touchdown pass to go up 45–14. Plum was intercepted on the third play of their ensuing drive, as Detroit ran it up with another Rote touchdown pass, this time to Dave Middleton. The Browns took their next drive into Detroit territory, before a sack forced them back 40 yards behind the first-down marker which resulted in a turnover on downs. Both teams traded punts before Detroit scored their last touchdown of the game on a Jerry Reichow pass to Howard Cassady. Scoring summary Sunday, December 29, 1957 Kickoff: 2:00 p.m. EST First quarter DET – FG Jim Martin, 31 yards, 3–0 DET DET – Tobin Rote 1-yard run (Martin kick), 10–0 DET DET – Gene Gedman 1-yard run (Martin kick), 17–0 DET Second quarter CLE – Jim Brown 29-yard run (Lou Groza kick), 17–7 DET DET – Steve Junker 26-yard pass from Rote (Martin kick), 24–7 DET DET – Terry Barr 19-yard interception (Martin kick), 31–7 DET Third quarter CLE – Lew Carpenter 5-yard run (Groza kick), 31–14 DET DET – Jim Doran 78-yard pass from Rote (Martin kick), 38–14 DET DET – Junker 23-yard pass from Rote (Martin kick), 45–14 DET Fourth quarter DET – Dave Middleton 32-yard pass from Rote (Martin kick), 52–14 DET DET – Howard Cassady 17-yard pass from Jerry Reichow (Martin kick), 59–14 DET Officials Referee: Ron Gibbs Umpire: Joe Connell Head linesman: Dan Tehan Back judge: Cleo Diehl Field judge: Don Looney 4em Alternate: George Rennix Alternate: James Beiersdorfer Alternate: Charlie Berry Alternate: Chuck Sweeney The NFL had five game officials in 1957; the line judge was added in 1965 and the side judge in 1978. Players' shares The gross receipts for the game, including radio and television rights, were just under $594,000, the highest to date. Each player on the winning Lions team received $4,295, while Browns players made $2,750 each. Lions' last title Curse of Bobby Layne The Lions have not appeared in an NFL championship game (including the Super Bowl) since this title 1957 3, making it the longest active championship round appearance drought in the league. It was their last postseason appearance until 1970, and their last postseason home game and victory until 1992. 1992 was also the first time the Lions advanced as far as the NFC Championship game, losing the NFC Championship Game 41–10 to the Washington Redskins, who went on to win Super Bowl XXVI. They would advance to the NFC Championship game again 32 years later in 2024, where they would fall to the San Francisco 49ers 34–31 after leading by as many as 17 points, which is the closest the Lions have ever gotten to a Super Bowl to date. The only team in the four major North American leagues with a longer active championship round appearance drought are the NBA’s Sacramento Kings, who last appeared in a championship series in 1951 as the Rochester Royals, six years before Detroit’s last championship. Video Daniel G. Endy (ed.), "Detroit Lions vs. Cleveland Browns in Football's World Championship: Part 1," Earl Gillespie and Chris Schenkel, narrators. YouTube.com | Part 2 See also 1957 NFL playoffs References 2 42.332 -83.069 type:event title Championship Game, 1957 Category:NFL Championship games Category:Cleveland Browns postseason Category:Detroit Lions postseason NFL Championship Category:December 1957 sports events in the United States Category:1957 in Detroit Category:American football competitions in Detroit