Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Was actually going to make this simply a "1947: Steelers (8-4) vs Forty Niners (8-4-2)" thread, but after looking at both leagues' standings from that year, I thought I make this into a combined PRs instead. Going to assume most of you will have Cards & Browns in your top-2, which ought to bring us back to the spirit of that old "Cards vs Browns, '47" thread.

Halas's Bears didn't make playoffs, and did fail to at least split with Cards, but did beat both the two other 8-4 teams (Eastern playoff-participants, Eagles & Steelers)...by a combined 89-14!! Perhaps it should have been they playing the Cards for the NFLC (yet again)! Maybe...(just maybe)...at least one of you makes it Cards #1, Bears #2 in these combined rankings with the notion that Browns weren't elite "just yet" in the AAFC's sophomore season.

Shaw/Albert's Forty Niners can be seen as the AAFC's equivalent to the Bears - 8 wins and 4 losses, losing twice to their division as well as league-champ. But unlike Bears looking '2nd-best' in their league, can't really say same for SF in that they also got swept by the other division-champ, the 11-2-1 Yankees! Forty Niners were, however, 1-0-1 against the also 8-4-2 Bills.

Considering AAFC being "weaker", could a 6-5-1 Green Bay team get the 6-spot (Browns being only AAFC team above them)? Bears, in the opener, are the only above-500 they beat in '47, but how about losing to Cards twice, Steelers, Bears (in their second game), and Eagles by only a combined 13 pts? Not bad. And neither were last year's Champs (now in a new city), Rams. They win at Pitt in their opener, 48-7, beat Cards 27-7 (losing their rematch to them by just 7), lose at Philly by just 7, get pounded at home to Bears by 20 but at least avenge things at Wrigley penultimate week.

Okay, pre-SB era/AAFC experts...shuffle 'em up!

Okay, pre-SB era/AAFC experts...shuffle 'em up!

....of which I am absolutely NOT one of those experts. I'm sort of winging this. Its very interesting to look back on this season though and compare the strengths of each league.

1. Browns... sure they were in the weaker league but they were that good and that roster was stacked.
2. Cardinals
3. Bears
4. Yankees... This was Spec Sanders' otherworldly season. Buddy Young cracked 700 rushing yards in his rookie year as well. Strong late season games... tie vs. Browns and win vs. Bills
5. Eagles
6. Steelers... the single wing's last hurrah
7. Packers
8. Rams... yes they were 6-6 but a split with both Chicago teams gets this spot. That western division was tough. If they were in the AAFC I think they would be a stronger team than Buffalo or SF.

I'm clearly no expert either but I wouldn't think it'd take one to place both Chi-town teams and Cleveland in the top-3. The most curious part of this exercise for me is where to place Yanks/Eagles/Steelers amongst each other. If Cleveland was "already" NFL-contender-caliber, then I'd imagine '47 Yankees not being too far behind. They did tie Browns late and as for their other meeting with them earlier - they gave them a good game (Groza kicking game's final 3 pts in the 4th Q to make it 26-17). San Fran? Not here in '47 but each of the following two years you can compare them to NFL powers. Not even an 'honorable mention' on this top-8 but worth a mention: 7-7 LA Dons. They handed Browns their only loss (at Cleveland). A respectable team at least in the AAFC.

My list could end up being similar to yours, Chris. Only not so sure where to place NYY/Phi/Pit for the 4-thru-6 spots, and also not sure to place Browns or Cards at #1. Green Bay & Rams at #7 & #8 respectively (boxing out SF)? Yes.