PAUL BROWN REFUSED TO GIVE GREASY A PASS ON HIS COMMENTS
By STEVE KING
Their first game against the Philadelphia Eagles in 1950 – the opener in their debut in the NFL – was historic as the upstart Browns from the All-America Football Conference proved that they could play with the big boys — and then some — as they pummeled the two-time defending league champions 35–10 in their own building.
But the rematch at Cleveland Stadium 2 1/2 months later was not just an ordinary game, either. Rather, it was historic as well.
Though the final score may not indicate it, as the Browns won 13-7 in the next-to-last game of the season, it really stood out. The Browns did not throw a single pass in the game. Yes, you read that correctly in that the Browns ran the ball on every play from scrimmage if it wasn’t a punt or a field-goal attempt.
What in the world was going on?
After the first game between the teams, when the Browns, with a sophisticated, potent passing attack, the likes of which pro football had never seen before, diced up the Eagles to the tune of 346 yards and three touchdowns from quarterback Otto Graham, Philadelphia head coach Earl “Greasy” Neale was still not impressed. He scoffed at the Browns’ domination, saying they were merely a finesse team, and were not tough enough to get down in the trenches and slug it out with his club and win.
Browns head coach Paul Brown was incredulous. He simply could not believe it. His team had won by 25 points and controlled the game from start to finish, and yet the opposing coach still wasn’t a believer? He couldn’t throw out a little praise? Wow!!
Brown knew his team was more than tough enough — and good enough — to beat the Eagles in any way that Neale wanted to play. And he set out to prove it.
That’s why he ordered no passes at all. If it was a physical game the Eagles wanted, then the Browns were going to give it to them. And they did.
It marks the only time in Browns history that they did not throw a single pass in a game. And it is believed to be one of only a few times in the modern history of the NFL that a team did attempt a pass in a game.
The Browns got their only touchdown on a 30-yard interception return by cornerback Warren Lahr in the first quarter, and field goals of 35 and 43 yards by Lou Groza in the second and third quarters, respectively, to take a 13-0 lead and rode out the final quarter to get the win.
The Browns had proven their point, whether Neale ever wanted to admit it or not.
Neale, by the way, had a lot of Ohio ties. He grew up in Parkersburg, W. Va., just across the Ohio River from Marietta, and played pro football in the days before the NFL for the Canton Bulldogs, Massillon Tigers and Dayton Triangles. He coached at Muskingum and Marietta colleges, and an independent pro team, the Ironton Tanks.
Also, he played professional baseball with the Cincinnati Reds.
He is in both the Pro Football and College Football halls of fame.
Ironically, he starred as an end at West Virginia Wesyleyan and caught 14 passes in one game. So, he really didn’t hate the pass after all.
Steve King
