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1952 Pittsburgh Steelers season
NFL team season
NFL team season
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| team | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| year | 1952 |
| record | 5–7 |
| division_place | 4th NFL American |
| coach | Joe Bach |
| stadium | Forbes Field |
| playoffs | *Did not qualify* |
| shortnavlink | Steelers seasons |
The 1952 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 20th in the National Football League they finished the season with a 5–7 record under head coach Joe Bach, who returned to the organization replacing John Michelosen.
The season was notable in that it was the last year the Steelers used the single-wing formation on offense, switching to the T formation the following year. The Steelers were the last NFL team to use the single-wing as their primary offensive formation.
Regular season
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 28 | [Philadelphia Eagles](1952-philadelphia-eagles-season) | **L** 25–31 | 0–1 | |||||||||||||
| October 4 | [Cleveland Browns](1952-cleveland-browns-season) | **L** 20–21 | 0–2 | |||||||||||||
| October 12 | at [Philadelphia Eagles](1952-philadelphia-eagles-season) | **L** 21–26 | 0–3 | |||||||||||||
| October 19 | [Washington Redskins](1952-washington-redskins-season) | **L** 24–28 | 0–4 | |||||||||||||
| October 26 | at [Chicago Cardinals](1952-chicago-cardinals-season) | **W** 34–28 | 1–4 | |||||||||||||
| November 2 | at [Washington Redskins](1952-washington-redskins-season) | **W** 24–23 | 2–4 | |||||||||||||
| November 9 | [Detroit Lions](1952-detroit-lions-season) | **L** 6–31 | 2–5 | |||||||||||||
| November 16 | at [Cleveland Browns](1952-cleveland-browns-season) | **L** 28–29 | 2–6 | |||||||||||||
| November 23 | [Chicago Cardinals](1952-chicago-cardinals-season) | **W** 17–14 | 3—6 | |||||||||||||
| November 30 | [New York Giants](1952-new-york-giants-season) | **W** 63–7 | 4–6 | |||||||||||||
| December 7 | at [San Francisco 49ers](1952-san-francisco-49ers-season) | **W** 24–7 | 5–6 | |||||||||||||
| December 14 | at [Los Angeles Rams](1952-los-angeles-rams-season) | **L** 14–28 | 5–7 |
Game summaries
Week 1 (Sunday September 28, 1952): [[Philadelphia Eagles]]
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Game time:
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 22,501
- Referee:
- TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
- Philadelphia – Grant 84 pass from Burk (Walston kick)
- Philadelphia – Ziegler 4 pass from Burk (Walston kick)
- Pittsburgh – Finks 20 run (kick blocked)
- Philadelphia – FG Walston 32
- Pittsburgh – Modzelewski 1 run (kick blocked)
- Philadelphia – Ziegler 3 run (Walston kick)
- Pittsburgh – Finks 1 run (Kerkorian kick)
- Philadelphia – Pihos 25 pass from Burk (Walston kick)
- Pittsburgh – Mathews 27 pass from Finks (kick blocked)
Week 2 (Saturday October 4, 1952): [[Cleveland Browns]]
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Game time:
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 27,923
- Referee:
- TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
- Pittsburgh – Nickel 10 pass from Finks (kick failed)
- Cleveland – Motley 68 pass from Graham (Groza kick)
- Pittsburgh – Nickel 30 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
- Pittsburgh – Finks 1 run (Kerkorian kick)
- Cleveland – Jones 17 pass from Graham (Groza kick)
- Cleveland – Howard 57 pass from Graham (Groza kick)
Week 3 (Sunday October 12, 1952): [[Philadelphia Eagles]]
at Shibe Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Game time:
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 18,648
- Referee:
- TV announcers:
'Scoring drives:
- Philadelphia – FG Walston 25
- Philadelphia – FG Walston 20
- Pittsburgh – Chandnois 93 kick return (Kerkorian kick)
- Philadelphia – Brewer 1 run (Walston kick)
- Pittsburgh – Mathews 25 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
- Pittsburgh – Nickel 54 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
- Philadelphia – Grant 17 pass from Enke (Walston kick)
- Philadelphia – FG Walston 24
- Philadelphia – FG Walston 19
Week 4 (Sunday October 19, 1952): [[Washington Redskins]]
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Game time:
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 22,605
- Referee:
- TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
- Washington – Williams 62 punt return (LeBaron kick)
- Washington – Heath 1 run (LeBaron kick)
- Pittsburgh – Nickel 6 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
- Pittsburgh – FG Kerkorian 36
- Pittsburgh – Hays 1 interception (Kerkorian kick)
- Washington – Taylor 11 pass from Gilmer (LeBaron kick)
- Pittsburgh – Nickel 36 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
- Washington – Taylor 43 pass from LeBaron (LeBaron kick)
Week 5 (Sunday October 26, 1952): [[Chicago Cardinals]]
at Comiskey Park, Chicago, Illinois
- Game time:
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 20,395
- Referee:
- TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
- Pittsburgh – Chandnois 28 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
- Pittsburgh – Mathews 70 punt return (kick blocked)
- Pittsburgh – Nickel 5 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
- Pittsburgh – Sulima 13 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
- Chicago Cardinals – Matson 33 pass from Panciera (Geri kick)
- Pittsburgh – Ferry 71 fumble run (Kerkorian kick)
- Chicago Cardinals – Matson 41 pass from Panciera (Geri kick)
- Chicago Cardinals – Matson 47 pass from Panciera (Geri kick)
- Chicago Cardinals – Cross 4 run (Geri kick)
Week 6 (Sunday November 2, 1952): [[Washington Redskins]]
at Griffith Stadium, Washington, DC
- Game time:
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 25,866
- Referee:
- TV announcers:
Scoring Drives:
- Pittsburgh – Dodrill 35 blocked field goal return (Kerkorian kick)
- Washington – LeBaron 2 run (Rykovich kick)
- Pittsburgh – FG Kerkorian 23
- Pittsburgh – Mathews 70 punt return (Kerkorian kick)
- Pittsburgh – Rogel 1 run (Kerkorian kick)
- Washington – Safety, Finks tackled in end zone by Hennessey
- Washington – Taylor 40 pass from LeBaron (LeBaron kick)
- Washington – Justice 13 pass from LeBaron (Buksar kick)
Week 7 (Sunday November 9, 1952): [[Detroit Lions]]
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Game time:
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 26,170
- Referee:
- TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
- Detroit – FG Walker 16
- Detroit – Girard 1 run (Walker kick)
- Detroit – Box 46 pass from Layne (Walker kick)
- Pittsburgh – Rogel 3 run (kick failed)
- Detroit – Girard 31 run (Walker kick)
- Detroit – Bailey 9 run (Layne kick)
Week 8 (Sunday November 16, 1952): [[Cleveland Browns]]
at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
- Game time:
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 34,973
- Referee:
- TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
- Cleveland – Lavelli 22 pass from Graham (Groza kick)
- Cleveland – Safety, Finks tackled in end zone by Young
- Cleveland – FG Groza 11
- Cleveland – FG Groza 34
- Cleveland – Lavelli 22 pass from Graham (Groza kick)
- Pittsburgh – Mathews 33 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
- Pittsburgh – Butler 7 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
- Cleveland – Graham 2 run (Groza kick)
- Pittsburgh – Mathews 38 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
- Pittsburgh – Nickel 9 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
Week 9 (Sunday November 23, 1952): [[Chicago Cardinals]]
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Game time:
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 18,330
- Referee:
- TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
- Pittsburgh – FG Kerkorian 23
- PIttsburgh – Modzelewski 6 run (Kerkorian kick)
- Chicago Cardinals – Paul 9 pass from Panciera (Geri kick)
- Pittsburgh – Finks 1 run (Kerkorian kick)
- Chicago Cardinals – Cross 38 pass from Panciera (Geri kick)
Week 10 (Sunday November 30, 1952): [[New York Giants]]
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Game time:
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 15,140
- Referee:
- TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
- Pittsburgh – Chandnois 91 kick return (Kerkorian kick)
- Pittsburgh – Chandnois 5 run (Kerkorian kick)
- Pittsburgh – Nickel 21 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
- Pittsburgh – Mathews 42 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
- Pittsburgh – Hensley 25 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
- New York Giants – Stribling 55 lateral from Scott after 15 pass from Landry (Poole kick)
- Pittsburgh – Hensley 60 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
- Pittsburgh – George Hays 3 run with blocked punt (Mathews kick)
- Pittsburgh – Butler 20 pass from Kerkorian (Kerkorian kick)
- Pittsburgh – Modzelewski 3 run (Kerkorian kick
Notes: Tom Landry was brought in as a 3rd string quarterback for New York to complete the game for the entire 2nd half.
Week 11 (Sunday December 7, 1952): [[San Francisco 49ers]]
at Kezar Stadium, San Francisco, California
- Game time:
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 13,886
- Referee:
- TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
- Pittsburgh – Rogel 3 run (Kerkorian kick)
- San Francisco – Soltau 6 pass from Albert (Soltau kick)
- Pittsburgh – FG Kerkorian 19
- Pittsburgh – Finks 1 run (Kerkorian kick)
- Pittsburgh – Chandnois 48 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
Week 12 (Sunday December 14, 1952): [[Los Angeles Rams]]
at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
- Game time:
- Game weather:
- Game attendance: 71,130
- Referee:
- TV announcers:
Scoring drives:
- Los Angeles – Fears 10 pass from Van Brocklin (Waterfield kick)
- Los Angeles – Lane 42 interception return (Waterfield kick)
- Pittsburgh – Hogan 15 interception return (Kerkorian kick)
- Pittsburgh – Nickel 13 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
- Los Angeles – Hirsch 65 pass from Van Brocklin (Waterfield kick)
- Los Angeles – Fears 5 pass from Van Brocklin (Waterfield kick)
Standings
Roster
K
T/DT T G T/G G/T/MG C
DE MG DT DE DT DE
MLB MLB OLB OLB/C
S CB/WR CB S/CB
P
G (Military) S (Military) WR (IR) [[Image:Injury icon.svg|7px]]
References
References
- [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eHxIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4WoDAAAAIBAJ&dq=rooney%20halas%20easy&pg=4195%2C2226761 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search]
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