1948 Chicago Cardinals season

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1948 Chicago Cardinals season
Head coach Jimmy Conzelman
Home field Comiskey Park
Results
Record 11–1–0
Division place 1st Western
Playoff finish Lost NFL Championship

The 1948 Chicago Cardinals season was the 29th season in franchise history. The franchise appeared in the NFL Championship for the second consecutive year. The Cardinals, however, lost to the Eagles, 7–0 in Philadelphia. The Cardinals made their final postseason appearance before relocating to St. Louis in 1960. It would be another 26 years before they would return to postseason.

The Cardinals scored 395 points in 1948 (32.9 points per game), the most in the NFL, and the second most all-time in a 12-game season.[1] The Cardinals also led the league in offensive yards, yards per play, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.[2] The team's plus-169 point-differential remains the best in franchise history.[3]

The 1948 NFL season produced more points-per-game per team than any other season, and according to Cold Hard Football Facts:

"Jimmy Conzelman's Chicago Cardinals were the best of the bunch. They led the NFL in scoring that year (32.9 [points-per-game]) and they produced what was probably the greatest four-week stretch of offense in pro football history. From October 17 to November 7, the 1948 Cardinals beat the Giants 63–35; the Boston Yanks, 49–27; the L.A. Rams 27–22; and the Lions, 56–20. That's a four-week average of 48.8 [points-per-game] for those of you keeping score at home.

"Yes, turnovers were common in 1948, so maybe that fact made life easier for offense. The Cardinals, for example, picked off 23 passes in 12 games. But they scored just two defensive touchdowns all year, while adding four on special teams. Mostly, they ripped off touchdowns, a remarkable 47 on offense. They kicked a mere eight field goals.

"Mostly, the offense was virtually unstoppable and it didn't settle often for the cheap, soccer-style field goals that pad offensive team totals today."[4]

The Cardinals had three players in the top six in rushing in 1948: halfbacks Charley Trippi (690 yards), and Elmer Angsman (638), and fullback/linebacker/placekicker Pat Harder (554).[5] Harder led the league in scoring in 1948, with 110 points (6 rushing touchdowns, 7 field goals, and 53 extra points).[6] He was named the league's MVP by United Press International.

Offseason

NFL Draft

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Regular season

Schedule

Week Date Opponent Result Record
1 September 24, 1948 Philadelphia Eagles W 21–14 1–0
2 October 4, 1948 Chicago Bears L 17–28 1–1
3 October 10, 1948 at Green Bay Packers W 17–7 2–1
4 October 17, 1948 at New York Giants W 63–35 3–1
5 October 24, 1948 Boston Yanks W 49–27 4–1
6 October 31, 1948 at Los Angeles Rams W 27–22 5–1
7 November 7, 1948 Detroit Lions W 56–20 6–1
8 November 14, 1948 at Pittsburgh Steelers W 24–7 7–1
9 November 21, 1948 Los Angeles Rams W 27–24 8–1
10 November 25, 1948 at Detroit Lions W 28–14 9–1
11 December 5, 1948 Green Bay Packers W 42–7 10–1
12 December 12, 1948 at Chicago Bears W 24–21 11–1

[7]

Standings

NFL Western Division
W L T PCT DIV PF PA STK
Chicago Cardinals 11 1 0 .917 7–1 395 226 W10
Chicago Bears 10 2 0 .833 7–1 375 151 L1
Los Angeles Rams 6 5 1 .545 3–5 327 269 W3
Green Bay Packers 3 9 0 .250 2–6 154 290 L7
Detroit Lions 2 10 0 .167 1–7 200 407 L3

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

Roster

Chicago Cardinals roster
Quarterbacks

Running Backs

Wide Receivers

Tight Ends

 Offensive Linemen

Defensive Linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive Backs

Special Teams

 Reserve Lists

Practice Squad

Rookies in italics

Postseason

NFL Championship Game

The 1948 National Football League Championship game was the 16th NFL title game played. The game was a rematch of the previous year's championship game between the Chicago Cardinals, champions of the Western Division and the Philadelphia Eagles. The game was played at Philadelphia's Shibe Park on December 19, 1948. The Eagles won the game by a score of 7–0.[8]

Awards and records

  • Led NFL, Points Scored, 395 [9]
  • Led NFL, Total Yards Gained, 4,705 [9]
  • Led NFL, Rushing Yards, 2,560 [9]
  • Pat Harder, NFL Scoring Leader, 110 points [10]

Milestones

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References

  1. ↑ Second only to the 1950 Rams, Pro-Football-Reference.com: In a single season, from 1947 to 1960, in the NFL, in the regular season, sorted by descending Points For.
  2. ↑ Pro-Football-Reference.com: 1948 NFL Standings, Team & Offensive Statistics
  3. ↑ Pro-Football-Reference.com: In a single season, from 1940 to 2012, playing for the Ari (StL/Chi) Cardinals, in the regular season, sorted by descending Points Differential.
  4. ↑ Cold, Hard Football Facts: The Spirit of '48
  5. ↑ Pro-Football-Reference.com: 1948 NFL Leaders and Leaderboards
  6. ↑ Pro-Football-Reference.com: Pat Harder
  7. ↑ 1948 Chicago Cardinals
  8. ↑ 1948 NFL Standings & playoff Scores
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 456
  10. ↑ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 474
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