1950 NFL Championship Game: LA Rams and Cleveland Browns

1950 NFL Championship Game: LA Rams and Cleveland Browns

Thursday, December 26, 2013 3:47:36 AM

Cards for SOM Football

"No Mistake By The Lake"
Teams from the 1950 NFL Championship Game (Carded for SOM Football)
-Initial Publication Date 12/25/2013

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I got a few complaints about doing previous Fifties teams over Seventies stuff- so I thought I would do a couple more. 

Teams from the 1950 NFL Championship Game (Carded for SOM Pro Football)


This was, of course the "Greater Game" before the Greatest Game, and if the 1958 version proved that professional football was ready for TV, the 1950 version showed the value of the 'two-platoon' system. Fans have reaped the benefits ever since. 1950 was the first year of bigger and more specialized pro rosters. The first play of this game featured an outcome we see all the time in modern football (think Matt Forte) - Cleveland LB Tony Adamle got caught in a crossing play and lost LA HB Glenn Davis as he came out of the backfield. Davis was the fastest man on the field. The play went for 82 yards and a touchdown, and forced the Browns out of the "umbrella" defense they had thought up to slow down one of NFL history's best offenses.

From that point on the game was a series of haymaker blows, featuring big plays on both sides. A couple of key interceptions by the Browns redoubtable secondary were the final difference in the contest, and Lou Groza won it on a kick at the buzzer. The game established the Browns as a great team in the NFL and not just the AAFC, and it continued a great run at their helm by Hall of Fame QB Otto Graham.

Fred

Cleveland: (Otto Graham, Marion Motley, Dub Jones, Mac Speedie, Dante Lavelli)

1950 Cleveland Browns cards for Strat-O-Matic Pro Football

Los Angeles: (Bob Waterfield, Norm van Brocklin, Glenn Davis, Tom Fears, 'Crazy Legs' Hirsch)

1950 Los Angeles Rams cards for Strat-O-Matic Pro Football