1952 Pittsburgh Steelers season

1952 Pittsburgh Steelers season
Head coach	Joe Bach
Home field	Forbes Field
Results
Record	5–7
Division place	4th NFL American
Playoff finish	did not qualify

The 1952 Pittsburgh Steelers finished 5–7 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	Time (ET)	Result
1	September 28, 1952	Philadelphia Eagles		L 31–25
2	October 4, 1952	Cleveland Browns		L 21–20
3	October 12, 1952	at Philadelphia Eagles		L 26–21
4	October 19, 1952	Washington Redskins		L 28–24
5	October 26, 1952	at Chicago Cardinals		W 34–28
6	November 2, 1952	at Washington Redskins		W 24–23
7	November 9, 1952	Detroit Lions		L 31–6
8	November 16, 1952	at Cleveland Browns		L 29–28
9	November 23, 1952	Chicago Cardinals		W 17–14
10	November 30, 1952	New York Giants		W 63–7
11	December 7, 1952	at San Francisco 49ers		W 24–7
12	December 14, 1952	at Los Angeles Rams		L 28–14

Game summaries

Week 1 (Sunday September 28, 1952): Philadelphia Eagles

	1	2	3	4	Total
Eagles	14	3	7	7	31
Steelers	0	12	0	13	25

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

	1	2	3	4	Total
Browns	7	0	14	0	21
Steelers	6	7	7	0	20

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

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	0	7	7	7	21
Eagles	3	10	0	13	26

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

	1	2	3	4	Total
Redskins	14	0	7	7	28
Steelers	7	10	0	7	24

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

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	0	20	7	7	34
Cardinals	0	0	7	21	28

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

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	7	10	7	0	24
Redskins	7	0	0	16	23

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

	1	2	3	4	Total
Lions	3	7	7	14	31
Steelers	0	0	6	0	6

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

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	0	0	14	14	28
Browns	9	6	7	7	29

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

	1	2	3	4	Total
Cardinals	0	7	0	7	14
Steelers	10	0	0	7	17

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

	1	2	3	4	Total
Giants	0	0	7	0	7
Steelers	14	14	7	28	63

at Polo Grounds, New York, New York

• 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

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	7	3	14	0	24
49ers	7	0	0	0	7

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

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	0	0	7	7	14
Rams	0	14	7	7	28

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

NFL American Conference
	W	L	T	PCT	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Cleveland Browns	8	4	0	.667	7–3	310	213	L1
Philadelphia Eagles	7	5	0	.583	6–4	252	271	L1
New York Giants	7	5	0	.583	5–4	234	231	W1
Pittsburgh Steelers	5	7	0	.417	4–5	300	273	L1
Chicago Cardinals	4	8	0	.333	3–7	172	221	L2
Washington Redskins	4	8	0	.333	4–6	240	287	W2

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