In the National Conference Playoff, the Lions defeated the Rams 31–21 in front of nearly 50,000 spectators at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, playing in fog. The win sent the Lions back to the NFL Championship Game against the Cleveland Browns, which was the first of four championship games the two teams would play against each other during the decade. The Lions defeated the Browns by a score of 17–7 to win the second title in franchise history. The next year saw the Lions enjoy one of the greatest seasons in franchise history. They would draft future Hall of Fame linebacker Joe Schmidt in the seventh round of the 1953 NFL Draft. The Lions went 10–2, which was good for first place in the renamed Western Conference. In addition, the team had seven Pro Bowlers, eight All-Pros, and swept their division rivals Chicago and Green Bay in four consecutive weeks. The Lions faced the Browns in the 1953 NFL Championship Game, in which Layne found Jim Doran for a 33-yard game-winning touchdown in the final minutes to win 17–16. In 1954, the Lions would finish with a 9–2–1 record. They faced the Browns in the NFL Championship Game for a third consecutive season. This time, however, the Browns destroyed the Lions 56–10, ruining their shot at a three-peat.