1953 NFL Championship game footage

[Bryan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4mvpG0xMiM

Volume 1 of 4

[Bryan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsnW2K01Hcw

The Lions pull off a successful "Home Run Throwback" with Doak Walker completing a 20-yard TD pass play to Bobby Layne at the 4:40 mark of the video...only to be nullified by penalty. I assume its because Layne lined up under center and then became a pass receiver.

Volume 2 of 4

[Bryan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgLh4HVDV3Y

Volume 3 of 4

[Bryan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq3tvLnZpfc

Volume 4 of 4


Just a few quick thoughts on the game. The Lions seemed to be able to move the ball better than the Browns, but they also seemed to be stuck in terrible field position for most of the game. Graham was not incredibly sharp, but his receivers did him no favors. It seemed like they dropped or tipped a majority of Graham's throws. It looked like the Browns blew the coverage on the late TD pass to Jim Doran...the safety went after the short route, leaving Doran with a free run to the end zone. I enjoyed the fights at the end of the game.

[Saban1]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsnW2K01Hcw

The Lions pull off a successful "Home Run Throwback" with Doak Walker completing a 20-yard TD pass play to Bobby Layne at the 4:40 mark of the video...only to be nullified by penalty. I assume its because Layne lined up under center and then became a pass receiver.

Volume 2 of 4

Layne was an ineligible pass receiver. I think that Layne knew that he was, but once he had the ball, ran for the TD and hoped that the refs would not call it.

[JohnR]

Graham said once in an interview about this game that he'd contracted a rash on his throwing hand making it difficult to grip the ball.

[BD Sullivan]

Graham said once in an interview about this game that he'd contracted a rash on his throwing hand making it difficult to grip the ball.

That would definitely explain his un-Otto like performance: 2 of 15 for 20 yards.

[Saban1]

Graham said once in an interview about this game that he'd contracted a rash on his throwing hand making it difficult to grip the ball.

That would definitely explain his un-Otto like performance: 2 of 15 for 20 yards.

Automatic Otto was not so Ottomatic that day.


The Detroit Lions did get a couple of huge breaks in that 1953 title game. On one play, Layne was sacked on about Detroit's own 2 yard line. That would have made it 4th and long for the Lions and Detroit would have had to punt from the back of the end zone. This might have led to good field position and a field goal for Cleveland, or maybe even a safety if the Lions punter had trouble getting the punt off. This could have been huge in a game that was decided by one point, 17 to 16. Cleveland's Don Colo was called for roughing on the play, so instead of punting, Detroit got a first down on the 15 or 20 yard line and was out of trouble.

Was the roughing call good, bad, or nitpicking? Don't know, but it was a big break for Detroit.

After Chick Jagade scored Cleveland's lone TD, Cleveland kicked off and the Lions receiver fumbled the ball. There was a scramble and Cleveland recovered on about the 3 or 4 yard line. Detroit got the ball back because the whistle was blown. Those plays should be included in the footage here.

So, the Detroit Lions got the breaks that day. The Lions were a wonderful football team, but so were the Cleveland Browns.