1951 NFL season
Encyclopedia
The 1951 NFL season was the 32nd regular season of the National Football League
. Prior to the season, Baltimore Colts
owner Abraham Watner faced financial difficulties, and thus gave his team and its player contracts back to the league for $50,000. However, many Baltimore fans started to protest the loss of their team. Supporting groups such as its fan club
and its marching band
remained in operation and worked for the team's revival (which eventually led to a new Baltimore team in 1953
).
For the first time, the NFL Championship Game was televised across the nation. The DuMont Television Network
paid $75,000 to broadcast the game. Viewers coast-to-coast watched the Los Angeles Rams
defeat the Cleveland Browns
24–17.
In the penultimate regular games of the season in Week Eleven December 9, the Lions held the Rams to field goals five times, and the lone L.A. touchdown wasn't enough to keep Detroit from winning 24–22. Meanwhile, wins by the Bears and the 49ers made a four team National Conference race, with Lions (7–3–1) in front of the Rams and Bears (both 7–4–0) and the 49ers (6–4–1) with one game left. But for the tying scores that had been made by the mediocre Yanks, the Lions and 49ers would have been 8–3 and 7–4. Detroit, which had lost at home to San Francisco a week before, would face them again on the coast on December 16 in Week Twelve. The Lions led by 3 points in San Francisco with one quarter left, but lost the game 21–17, along with the National Conference title as both teams finished 7–4–1. The Bears were stunned by the Cardinals, 24–14, finishing 7–5–0. The Los Angeles Rams, who had been tied with the Green Bay 14–14 at halftime, poured on four touchdowns in the second half for a 42–14 win, an 8–4–0 record, and the right to host Cleveland in the 1951 NFL championship. At Yankee Stadium, only 6,658 spectators turned out to watch the last game ever for the New York Yanks
, who lost to the crosstown Giants 27–17.
Note: The NFL did not officially count tie games in the standings until 1972
, Los Angeles
, December 23, 1951
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. Prior to the season, Baltimore Colts
Baltimore Colts (1947-50)
The Baltimore Colts were a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The first team to bear the name Baltimore Colts, they were members of the All-America Football Conference from 1947–1949, and then joined the National Football League for one season before folding...
owner Abraham Watner faced financial difficulties, and thus gave his team and its player contracts back to the league for $50,000. However, many Baltimore fans started to protest the loss of their team. Supporting groups such as its fan club
Fan club
A fan club is a group that is dedicated to a well-known person, group, idea or sometimes even an inanimate object . Most fan clubs are run by fans who devote considerable time and resources to supporting them. There are also "official" fan clubs that are run by someone associated with the person...
and its marching band
Marching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
remained in operation and worked for the team's revival (which eventually led to a new Baltimore team in 1953
1953 NFL season
The 1953 NFL season was the 34th regular season of the National Football League. The names of the American and National conferences were changed to the Eastern and Western conferences....
).
For the first time, the NFL Championship Game was televised across the nation. The DuMont Television Network
DuMont Television Network
The DuMont Television Network, also known as the DuMont Network, DuMont, Du Mont, or Dumont was one of the world's pioneer commercial television networks, rivalling NBC for the distinction of being first overall. It began operation in the United States in 1946. It was owned by DuMont...
paid $75,000 to broadcast the game. Viewers coast-to-coast watched the Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
defeat the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
24–17.
Major rule changes
- No offensive tackle, guard, or center would be eligible to catch or touch a forward pass.
- Aluminum shoe cleats are banned.
Regular season highlights
In Week One September 30, the defending champions, the Cleveland Browns, opened with a loss, falling to their old AAFC rival in San Francisco, 24–10; the Giants tied the Steelers 13–13 in a Monday night game on national radio. Week Four (October 21) in Detroit, the Lions had a 24–17 win cancelled when the New York Yanks tied the game, which would be important later. In Week Five (October 28), The Browns beat the Giants 14–13 on a missed extra point, putting Cleveland half a game ahead to lead the National Conference. In Detroit, the Bears' Ed Sprinkle blocked a punt that Bill Wightkin fell on in the end zone for a 28–23 victory, while the Rams lost 44–17 to the 49ers, giving the Bears the lead in the American. Week Seven (November 11) saw the Browns trailing the Eagles at home before preserving their American Conference lead with a 20–17 win. The Rams' 45–21 win over the Cardinals, and the Bears' 41–28 loss to the Lions, gave the Rams and Bears 5–2–0 records. In Week Eight (November 18), the Giants hosted a rematch with the Browns and lost again, 10–0; the New Yorkers would finish 9–2–1, with both losses courtesy of the 11–1–0 Browns. Week Nine began with a Thursday night game in Detroit, which beat Green Bay 52–35 to raise its record to 6–2–1. On (November 25), the Bears lost 42–21 at Cleveland, and the Rams lost 31–21 at Washington, and both fell to 6–3–0, giving the Lions the National Conference lead. Meanwhile, the New York Yanks played spoiler again, tying the 49ers 10–10 while staying winless at 0–7–2. As with Detroit's earlier tie with the Yanks, the 49ers would regret having a win taken away later. In Week Ten (December 2), the 49ers beat the Lions 20–10, while the Rams triumphed over the Bears 42–17, giving L.A. the top spot in a tight National Conference race. The New York Yanks finally won a game, 31–28 at Green Bay.In the penultimate regular games of the season in Week Eleven December 9, the Lions held the Rams to field goals five times, and the lone L.A. touchdown wasn't enough to keep Detroit from winning 24–22. Meanwhile, wins by the Bears and the 49ers made a four team National Conference race, with Lions (7–3–1) in front of the Rams and Bears (both 7–4–0) and the 49ers (6–4–1) with one game left. But for the tying scores that had been made by the mediocre Yanks, the Lions and 49ers would have been 8–3 and 7–4. Detroit, which had lost at home to San Francisco a week before, would face them again on the coast on December 16 in Week Twelve. The Lions led by 3 points in San Francisco with one quarter left, but lost the game 21–17, along with the National Conference title as both teams finished 7–4–1. The Bears were stunned by the Cardinals, 24–14, finishing 7–5–0. The Los Angeles Rams, who had been tied with the Green Bay 14–14 at halftime, poured on four touchdowns in the second half for a 42–14 win, an 8–4–0 record, and the right to host Cleveland in the 1951 NFL championship. At Yankee Stadium, only 6,658 spectators turned out to watch the last game ever for the New York Yanks
New York Yanks
The New York Yanks American football team played in the National Football League under that name in the 1950 and 1951 seasons. In 1949, Boston Yanks owner Ted Collins had requested the NFL to fold his Boston team and give him a new one in New York City...
, who lost to the crosstown Giants 27–17.
Conference races
| Week | NATIONAL | AMERICAN | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 teams (Bears, DET, LA, SF) | 1–0–0 | PHILADELPHIA EAGLES | 1–0–0 |
| 2 | DETROIT LIONS | 2–0–0 | PHILADELPHIA EAGLES | 2–0–0 |
| 3 | 5 teams (Bears, Det., GB, L.A.,S.F.) | 2–1–0 | NEW YORK GIANTS | 2–0–1 |
| 4 | Tie (Bears, Rams) | 3–1–0 | NEW YORK GIANTS | 3–0–1 |
| 5 | CHICAGO BEARS | 4–1–0 | CLEVELAND BROWNS | 4–1–0 |
| 6 | CHICAGO BEARS | 5–1–0 | CLEVELAND BROWNS | 5–1–0 |
| 7 | Tie (Bears, Rams) | 5–2–0 | CLEVELAND BROWNS | 6–1–0 |
| 8 | Tie (Bears, Rams) | 6–2–0 | CLEVELAND BROWNS | 7–1–0 |
| 9 | DETROIT LIONS | 6–2–1 | CLEVELAND BROWNS | 8–1–0 |
| 10 | LOS ANGELES RAMS | 7–3–0 | CLEVELAND BROWNS | 9–1–0 |
| 11 | DETROIT LIONS | 7–3–1 | CLEVELAND BROWNS | 10–1–0 |
| 12 | LOS ANGELES RAMS | 8–4–0 | CLEVELAND BROWNS | 11–1–0 |
Final standings
W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points AgainstNote: The NFL did not officially count tie games in the standings until 1972
NFL Championship Game
Los Angeles 24, Cleveland 17 at Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park, that is home to the Pacific-12 Conference's University of Southern California Trojans football team...
, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, December 23, 1951