1933 NFL Championship Game
The NFL Championship game in 1933 was the first edition of the endgame of the National Football League. On December 17, 1933 defeated the Chicago Bears, Masters of Western Division, the New York Giants, the champions of the Eastern Division, at Wrigley Field Chicago before 26,000 spectators with 23-21.
Prehistory
In the early days of the NFL, there were no playoffs, since the beginning of 1920, the League team with the best win / loss ratio was a master. This method led, for example, 1932 strange results as Chicago Bears with only seven wins ( to a defeat, ie rate of .875, plus six draws) won the championship, although the Green Bay Packers ten wins (and three losses, ie rate of .769, this will be a draw) could boast. To counteract these questionable results, and to the spectators in the former Great Depression something to offer, it was decided that an NFL Final Game ( " NFL Championship Game" ) to stage.
For this, the NFL teams were divided into Eastern and Western Division, so that the two table First contested the newly created NFL final match, the forward pass was facilitated ( the rule was abolished, that the thrower must stand at least five yards behind the line of scrimmage ), and walked off the football, the ball leading team could start the next down with 10 yards distance from the foul line, instead of directly to the foul line. This makes the game should be made more dynamic and attractive.
First league champions of the Western Conference were the Chicago Bears lost to the running backs Bronko Nagurski, Red Grange and Jack Manders, who won ten games, achieved a draw and two. Winner of the Eastern Conference were the New York Giants at the running back trio Harry Newman, Ken Strong and Bo Molenda (11 wins, three defeats). Without the final game, the Bears ( .833 win rate ) would have been in front of the Giants ( .786 ) NFL champions.
Game
After two quick field goals by running back / kicker Jack Manders, the Bears went 6-0 in the lead. The Giants countered with the first touchdown of the NFL playoff history when Harry Newman a 28- yard throw from quarterback Red Badgro caught in the end zone: after Ken Strong converted the extra point, New York led 7-6. After another field goal by Manders Chicago went with a narrow 9-7 lead in the half-time break.
After the break, scored Giants running back Max Krause for a 61- yard run the second touchdown for New York, and after another good extra point by Strong led the Giants with 14-9. The Bears captured the lead back, as Bronko Nagurski threw an 8- yard touchdown throw to end Billy Karr: after a successful extra point by Manders was it 16-14 for Chicago. In the fourth quarter of New York countered with a third touchdown when Harry Newman tossed from eight yards to Ken Strong in the end zone, so after Manders ' good extra point, the Giants led 21-16. Chicago won the playoff, as Nagurski antäuschte a run, but threw to End Bill Hewitt, who in turn a legal Lateralpass on the other end Billy Karr threw, ran into the end zone: Manders ' extra point marked the final score of 23-21 for Chicago.
The victorious Bears not only won the first NFL championship game, but also the then large sum of 210 U.S. dollars per capita. The Giants got $ 140 per player.
Follow
After the game league and fans were agreed that they had seen a worthy final match. Until 1966 was carried out continuously an NFL Championship Game, the forerunner of today's Super Bowl.