Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Washington, of course, split with the defending as well as Champs-to-be, Browns. Washington won their game opening week and at Cleveland. It would be a rare good season for DC in midst of that Baugh-to-George Allen drought.

The Bears, on the other hand, swept Gillman’s Rams who, of course, would go on to play Cleveland in the title game due to they finishing ahead by a mere half-game (8-3-1 to 8-4-0)! Halas announced, during the season, that he would step down at season’s end only to return yet again, for a final stint, by decade’s end. The Rams/Bears race is quite similar to Chargers/Raiders of ’63. Both Bears & Raiders start the season slow yet sweep their respective division-winner (respective division-winner each HC'd by Sid, that is), then rally to the finish but only to come up just a tad shy. A shame we never got to see a Paul Brown-vs-George Halas title game showdown! '55, of course, wasn’t the only time it almost happened that very decade.

Chi & Wash didn’t play each other in ’55 (nor did Chi play Clev, nor Wash play LA). So who do you think was better between both 8-4 squads? Seems to me that both were better than the actual title game participant, Rams.

Looking at the rosters, I think the Bears were clearly more talented. A HOF coach with two HOFers also on the staff as well as Clark Shaughnessy. Two HOFers on offense, as well as Harlon Hill and Rick Casares, Four HOFers on defense, as well as Joe Fortuatno. The Bears led the NFL in rushing by a fairly wide margin, and their 4.9 YPC was well above the league average. The Redskins had outstanding players in Brito and Drazenovich, LeBaron was a pretty good QB, but the rest of the team was average at best. If I were an opposing team, I'd much rather face the 1955 Redskins instead of the 55 Bears or Rams.

Kuharich HC'd himself not just this particular team, but yet another 'island' winning season with Philly in '66, leading them to a - FWIW - 'Playoff Bowl'-berth against the Colts.