NFL Championship Game, 1955

Infobox NFLChamp
year=1955


caption=
visitor=Cleveland Browns
home=Los Angeles Rams
visitor_qtr1=3
visitor_qtr2=14
visitor_qtr3=14
visitor_qtr4=7
visitor_total=38
home_qtr1=0
home_qtr2=7
home_qtr3=0
home_qtr4=7
home_total=14
date=December 26, 1955
stadium=Los Angeles Coliseum
city=Los Angeles, CA
network=NBC
announcers=|The 1955 National Football League Championship Game was held at the Los Angeles Coliseum between the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Browns and the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Rams. The 23rd NFL title game was played in front a crowd of 87,695 on December 26, 1955. This was the first NFL championship game televised by NBC.

Game Summary: First Half

The Browns' Lou Groza kicks off and tackles Rams rookie ball carrier Ron Walker himself to start the game. The next Rams drive is stopped at the Browns 12 when Kenny Konz intercepts a Norm Van Brocklin pass. Browns quarterback Otto Graham moves Cleveland to the L.A. 26 where Groza's FG gives the Browns a 3-0 first quarter lead. The Browns score again when DB Don Paul intercepts Van Brocklin's pass on the Browns 30 and races 70 yards to a touchdown, making the score 10-0. The Rams answer back when Van Brocklin, on the Cleveland 33 heaves a pass to Skeets Quinlan for a 67-yard TD, pulling the Rams to within 3 points, 10-7. Late in the second period, Van Brocklin throws his third interception of the half. Tom James picks off the pass and carries the ball back to midfield with time running out. The next play is the turning point of the game. Otto Graham hits Dante Lavelli with a 50-yard TD passdown the sidelines and the Rams, who were driving to go ahead of the Browns by halftime, are now down 17-7!

Second Half

Graham becomes the real star of the game. After moving the Browns from the L.A. 46, Graham runs around right end from the 19 and scores himself to put the Browns ahead 24-7. On the Ram's next possession, Sam Palumbo intercepts Van Brocklin at the Ram 36. Graham drives the Browns to the 4, then takes it in himself on a QB sneak and Groza's XP makes the score 31-7 with two minutes left in the third quarter. In the final period, Graham tosses a 35-yard TD pass to Ray Renfro and Groza's XP gives the Browns an insurmountable 38-7 lead! Late in the game, Ron Waller scores on a four-yard running play and Les Richter's XP ends the scoring for the day. Cleveland head coach Paul Brown sends in QB George Ratterman to replace Graham who was playing his last game in the NFL, and the Browns established themselves as the team of the 1950s.

coring summary

*CLE - FG, Groza 26
*CLE - Paul 65 interception (Groza kick)
*LA - Quinlan 67 pass from Van brocklin (Richter kick)
*CLE - Lavelli 50 pass from Graham (Groza kick)
*CLE - Graham 15 run (Groza kick)
*CLE - Graham 1 run (Groza kick)
*CLE - Renfro 35 pass from Graham (Groza kick)
*LA - Waller 4 run (Richter kick)

References

[http://www.cleveland.com/brownshistory/plaindealer/index.ssf?/browns/more/history/19551226BROWNS.html] Chuck Heaton, "87,695 See Browns Keep Title", Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 26, 1955, Browns history database retrieved December 12, 2007