Browns 5 Most All-Time Memorable Wins Against the Rams

1. Browns 30, Rams 28, Dec. 24, 1950 NFL championship game at Cleveland

Lou Groza’s 16-yard field goal with 20 seconds left made the Browns champs in their first NFL campaign and put an exclamation point on what they had already proven during the regular season: that for the previous four years they had been one of pro football’s elite teams, regardless of what league they had played in.

Los Angeles led 28-20 before the Browns pulled to within one (there were no two-point conversions then) on Otto Graham’s 14-yard touchdown pass to Rex Bumgardner and Groza’s extra point with 4:35 left, capping a 65-yard drive.

The Browns quickly got the football back but gave it up on Graham’s fumble at the Rams’ 24 with about three minutes to go. Cleveland forced a punt, and with 1:50 remaining, took over on its 32.

Graham’s 14-yard run and his completions of 13 yards to Bumgardner, 16 yards to Dub Jones and 12 yards to Bumgardner set up the game-winning boot by Groza, a Hall of Fame member for not only his kicking but also for his play at offensive tackle.

Graham had connected with Jones for a 27-yard first-quarter scoring strike, and with fellow Hall of Famer Dante Lavelli on touchdown passes of 37 and 39 yards in the second and third quarters, respectively. The Browns failed to get off the extra point kick try following Lavelli’s first TD, the missing point which almost cost them the game.

The game was played in near-freezing temperatures and stiff winds, with occasional light snow, but both offenses flourished, as Los Angeles totaled 418 yards and the Browns 414.

Graham completed 22 of 33 passes for 298 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. He also ran 12 times for 99 yards. Lavelli finished with 11 receptions for 128 yards and Jones with four catches for 80 yards.

Rams quarterback Bob Waterfield was 18-of-31 for 312 yards and a touchdown, but he threw four interceptions. Browns defensive back Warren Lahr had two of the picks. Ironically, Hall of Famer Waterfield was the Cleveland Rams quarterback and threw two TD passes during their 15-14 win over the Redskins in the 1945 NFL championship game.

The title game between division champions was the lone postseason game in those days. NFL fans got a bonus, however, as the Browns — with a 10-2 regular season record — finished in a first-place American Division tie with the New York Giants, and the Rams (9-3) tied the Chicago Bears for first in the National Division. Thus, division title playoff games were required, with the Browns posting an 8-3 win over the Giants in Cleveland, and the Rams besting the Bears 24-14 in L.A.

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Related TopicsBrownsNFL Week 7Rams

Mike Peticca

Mike Peticca covered the Indians and Cavaliers for The Associated Press from 1976 to 1998 and the Browns from 1976 to 1995. The Akron native doubled as a Plain Dealer sports writer for several years, and then covered high school, college and professional teams for The PD until 2013. He is a longtime baseball Hall of Fame voter.

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