Head coach Adam Walsh Division place 1st NFL Western | Record 9–1 Playoff finish Won NFL Championship | |
Home field Cleveland Municipal Stadium
League Park | ||
The 1945 Cleveland Rams season was the team's eighth year with the National Football League and the ninth and final season in Cleveland. Led by the brother tandem of head coach Adam Walsh and general manager Chile Walsh, and helmed by future Hall of Fame quarterback Bob Waterfield, the Rams franchise finished 9-1 before winning its first NFL Championship by defeating the Washington Redskins, 15-14, at Cleveland Stadium. Other stars on the team included receiver Jim Benton and back Jim Gillette, who gained more than 100 yards in the title game.
Contents
- Standings
- Week 4 at Green Bay Packers
- Week 5 at Chicago Bears
- NFL Championship Game vs Washington Redskins
- Awards and records
- Roster
- References
One month after winning the championship, team owner Dan Reeves, frustrated by continuing financial losses and anxious of the startup in the coming year of the All-America Football Conference Cleveland Browns, moved the team to Los Angeles, marking the first and still only time an NFL champion has played the following season in another city.
Standings
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
Week 4: at Green Bay Packers
at East Stadium, Green Bay, Wisconsin
CLE – Benton 17 pass from Waterfield (kick failed)
GB – Comp 1 run (Hutson kick)
GB – Fritsch 3 run (Hutson kick)
CLE – Colella 6 pass from Waterfield (Waterfield kick)
CLE – Greenwood 1 run (Waterfield kick)
CLE – Colella 5 run (Waterfield kick)
Week 5: at Chicago Bears
at Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois
CLE – Greenwood 11 run (kick failed)
CLE – Colella 3 run (Waterfield kick)
CLE – Gehrke 10 run (Waterfield kick)
CHI – Margarita 1 run (Gudauskas kick)
CHI – Margarita 42 pass from Luckman (Gudauskas kick)
CHI – Gallameau 2 run (Gudauskas kick)
CLE – Greenwood 8 run (Waterfield kick)
CLE – Benton 21 pass from Waterfield (Waterfield kick)
CLE – Colella 18 pass from Reisz (Waterfield kick)
NFL Championship Game: vs. Washington Redskins
In the first quarter, the Redskins had the ball at their own 5-yard line. Dropping back into the end zone, quarterback Sammy Baugh threw, but the ball hit the goal post (which at the time were on the goal line instead of at the back of the end zone) and bounced back to the ground in the end zone. Under the rules at the time, this was ruled as a safety and thus gave the Rams a 2–0 lead.
In the second quarter, Baugh suffered bruised ribs and was replaced by Frank Filchock. Filchock threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Steve Bagarus to give the Redskins a 7–2 lead. But the Rams scored just before halftime when rookie quarterback Bob Waterfield threw a 37-yard touchdown pass to Jim Benton. Waterfield's ensuing extra point was partially blocked, with the ball teetering on the crossbar, but it dropped over to give Cleveland a 9–7 lead.
In the third quarter, the Rams increased their lead when Jim Gillette scored on a 44-yard touchdown reception, but this time the extra point was missed. The Redskins then came back to cut their deficit to 15–14 with Seymour's 8-yard touchdown catch from Filchock. In the fourth quarter, Washington kicker Joe Aguirre missed two field goals attempts, of 46 and 31 yards, that could have won the game.
Awards and records
Roster
Bold denotes player on the roster on the official NFL roster at the end of 1945 season.