Top 3 and WORST 3 NFLCGs; pre-SB, that is

[74_75_78_79_]

Yes, you can include the 1932 tie-breaker between the Bears and the soon-to-be Lions. Not included are the final four NFL title games like both GB/Dallas affairs which, if included, may very well be the top-two. '68 Colts over Browns, 34-0, a candidate for "worst" if included. '69 no angel either.

Here are mine...(home-team in CAPS)...

Top 3
1) 1950 - BROWNS 30, Rams 28
2) 1937 - Redskins 28, BEARS 21
3) 1953 - LIONS 17, Browns 16

Honorable mention: Instead of '51 Rams over Browns, 24-17, I'm going to go '45 Rams over Redskins, 15-14! The strange final score and even stranger safety at game's beginning (which led to a rules change)! 'Greatest Game Ever Played'? Nah.

Worst 3
1) 1932 - BEARS 9, Spartans 0. Olden days equivalent to the Super Bowl being played in an arena! Can't ever have that!
2) 1934 - "Sneakers Game" GIANTS 30, Bears 13. Reeks of what-if 13-0 Bears also played in sneakers! 8-5 G-men with the serious advantage 2nd-half!
3) 1955 - Browns 38, RAMS 14

(dis)Honorable mention: I guess Bears over Redskins, 41-21, in '43.

73-0?? 56-10? 59-14? What makes a game the "worst" with me isn't necessarily the most-lopsided of games, but just merely lopsided but more-so...boring! Unless you're a fan of the losing team, or hate the one winning, a game like Bears over Pats (SBXX), SF over Broncos (SBXXIV), Cowboys over Bills (SBXXVII) becomes more 'exciting' than a Wash over Buf (XXVI) or Den over Atl (XXXIII) if only because it makes you wonder how many points the winner will end up scoring and how big a lead at final whistle; could it end in a...shut-out ('39, '61, '64)??

[Brian wolf]

It may have been a boring game but the 1942 NFL Championship game was a sweet win for the Redskins that kept the Bears from three-peating. A great game for Baugh as well, who won his second championship. The best game of the 40s was either the 1945 NFL Championship game or the 1947 game ...

I believe, despite the fumbles and offensive lapses, the 58 Championship game still had the best drama over any other game of the 50's with other close games like the 51 Rams win over Cleveland and maybe the 53 Lions win over Cleveland, being close behind.

The 1966 NFL Championship and 1968 AFL Championship were the best games of the 1960s, though many people like the 67 Ice Bowl or 60 Championship as well.

[lastcat3]

I imagine if a known copy of the Ice Bowl existed and people were able to watch the regular broadcast (instead of just the documentary style specials they have of the game for anybody who wasn't able to watch it live) most would likely think the game was pretty dull and hard to watch at times due to the fact that the weather conditions didn't really allow the teams to run their offenses like they could have. THe Packers started off the game with a couple quick scores then pretty much got completely shut down until the final drive. And Dallas was really able to do even less offensively with their lone td's coming off a sack that resulted in a fumble recovery for a touchdown. And a play where there fullback through a pass for a touchdown.

People would probably need to be a real big fan of bad weather games in order to really enjoy the Ice Bowl that much. the '66 Green Bay/Dallas game probably would have been considered a much more enjoyable game to watch.

[TanksAndSpartans]

Great question @74_75_78_79_. I needed to think about this one for a few days.

Here are mine...(home-team in CAPS)...

Top 3
1) 1933 - BEARS 23, Giants 21 (Bronko Nagurski running (and passing) with a game saving tackle by Red Grange)

2) 1948 - EAGLES 7, Cardinals 0 (Invincible ('06) had an exchange (roughly): "Van Buren scoring that touchdown in the snow got me through 30 years at that factory."

3) 1951 - RAMS 24 Browns 17 (An all-time great team with a great finish - Fears 73-yd pass from Van Brocklin (Waterfield kick))

Honorable mention: 1952 - Lions 17, BROWNS 7 (Never get tired of watching the Doak Walker 67-yd TD run)

Worst 3
1) 1946 Bears 24 GIANTS 14

I stopped at one. I didn't like this one because of the scandal, otherwise I liked all these games. I highly recommend Pro Football Championships Before the Super Bowl by Joseph Page for a book on the subject. Jerry Izenberg, from my old hometown newspaper, also had a book: Championship: The NFL Titles Games Plus Super Bowl.