1952 NFL playoffs

The 1952 National Football League season resulted in a tie for the National Conference championship between the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams, requiring a one-game playoff. This conference championship game was played on December 21 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit; the winner then traveled to play the American Conference champion Cleveland Browns on December 28 in the NFL Championship Game. The Lions won both games, 31–21 over the Rams and 17–7 at Cleveland.

1952 NFL playoffs

Dates	December 21–28, 1952
Season	1952
Teams	3
Games played	2
NFL Championship Game site	Cleveland Municipal Stadium Cleveland, Ohio
Defending champions	Los Angeles Rams
Champions	Detroit Lions
Runners-up	Cleveland Browns
Conference runners-up	Los Angeles Rams
NFL playoffs ← 1950 1957 →

Tournament bracket

	National Conference playoff					NFL Championship
						A	Cleveland	7
	N	Los Angeles	21			N	Detroit	17
	N	Detroit	31

National Conference championship

Detroit Lions 31, Los Angeles Rams 21

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Rams	0	7	0	14	21
Lions	7	7	10	7	31

at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan

• Date: December 21, 1952

Game information

Scoring DET – Harder 12 run (Harder kick) DET 7–0 DET – Harder 4 run (Harder kick) DET 14–0 LA  – Fears 14 yard pass from Van Brocklin (Waterfield kick) DET 14–7 DET – Hart 24 yard pass from Walker (Harder kick) DET 21–7 DET – field goal Harder 43 DET 24–7 LA  – Towler 5 yard run (Waterfield kick) DET 24–14 LA  – Smith 56 yard punt return (Waterfield kick) DET 24–21 DET – Hoernschemeyer 9 yard run (Harder kick) DET 31–21

The Rams and Lions had matched up two times in the 1952 season, with Detroit having won each time (17–14, 24–16). The defending champion Rams did not have the services of rookie sensation Night Train Lane, who injured his ankle in the season finale. Three-point favorites at home in muddy fog, Detroit prevailed over the Rams to return to the NFL Championship for the first time in 17 years. Pat Harder had two touchdown runs to bolster a 14–7 lead before kicking extra points on two Lions touchdowns in the second half to go with a field goal, with Bob Hoernschemeyer closing out the scoring for good on a 9-yard run. Detroit had four interceptions from Bobby Layne, but Los Angeles lost two fumbles and suffered a late fourth quarter interception thrown by Bob Waterfield while being outgained in both rushing and passing. Harder set a new record for point scored by one player in a playoff game with 19, eclipsing the old record of 18 held by Andy Farkas (1943). Paul Hornung would tie the record in 1961 before it was later broken in 1995.

NFL Championship game

Further information: 1952 NFL Championship Game

The 1952 NFL Championship Game was held in Cleveland and was won by the Lions, 17–7.