1950 Cleveland Browns season

Infobox NFL_season
team = Cleveland Browns
year = 1950
coach = Paul Brown
stadium = Cleveland Stadium
record = 10–2–0
division_place = 1st NFL American
playoffs = Won NFL Championship (1)The 1950 Cleveland Browns season was the team's first season with the National Football League. The Browns' first NFL game was against the two-time defending champion Philadelphia Eagles. The overwhelming consensus at the time was that the Eagles would blow the Browns off the field; there were still many who thought the Browns were merely the dominant team in a minor league. However, the Browns were determined to prove they belonged. They shredded the Eagles' vaunted defense for 487 yards of total offense en route to a 35-10 blowout.

Regular Season

Behind a potent offense that included future Hall of Famers Otto Graham, Marion Motley and Dante Lavelli, the Browns picked up right where they left off in the AAFC. After going 10-2 in the regular season, the Browns defeated the New York Giants 8-3 in a playoff game and then beat Cleveland's previous NFL tenants, the Rams (who were now in Los Angeles), 30-28, in the NFL Championship game. Since the NFL does not recognize the AAFC's records, this technically makes the Browns the most successful expansion team in league history. However, the 1950 Browns were not an expansion team in any sense of the term.

eason Schedule

eason Standings

Roster

Postseason

NFL Championship Game

The Browns had been the AAFC's most dominant team, winning all four of its championships. The Rams, who left Cleveland after the 1945 season for Los Angeles, were making their second straight appearance in an NFL title game. [Harry Jones, "Groza's Field Goal Is Signal for Celebration", Cleveland Plain Dealer December 24, 1950, Plain Dealer Browns' History Database Accessed 12/12/2007, http://www.cleveland.com/brownshistory/plaindealer/index.ssf?/browns/more/history/19501224BROWNS.html]

*First Quarter
**LA-Davis 82 yard pass from Waterfield (Waterfield kick)
**LA-Hoerner 3 yard run (Waterfield kick)
**Cle-Jones 31 yard pass from Graham (Groza kick)
*Second Quarter
**Cle-Lavelli 35 yard pass from Graham (conversion pass failed)
*Third Quarter
**Cle-Lavelli 39 yard pass from Graham (Groza kick)
**LA-Hoerner 1 yard run (Waterfield kick)
**LA-Brink 6 yard fumble return (Waterfield kick)
*Fourth Quarter
**Cle-Bumgardner 14 yard pass from Graham (Groza kick)
**Cle- Groza 16 yard field goal

References

* [http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cle/1950.htm Browns on Pro Football Reference]
* [http://www.jt-sw.com/football/pro/stats.nsf/Annual/1950-cle Browns Stats on jt-sw.com]
* [http://www.jt-sw.com/football/pro/results.nsf/Teams/1950-cle Browns Schedule]
* [http://www.databasefootball.com/teams/teamyear.htm?tm=CLE&lg=nfl&yr=1950 Browns on Database Football]