Evening star., 1950-12-10
Eagles and Giants,
Bears and Lions Meet
In Other Vital Games

Deadlocked with the New York
Giants for the American Confer
ence lead in q struggle for place
in the National Football League
title play-off, the Cleveland
Browns are receding nine-point
favorites to repat their earlier 20
IA victory over the Redskins at
Griffith Stadium today in the
final game of the regular season
for both teams. The Browns had
been two-touchdown favorites
earlier in the week.
One of the tightest finishes in
NFL history finds the Chicago
Bears and Los Angeles Rams in
another photo finish for the Ma
tional Conference crown. The
Rams completed their schedule
last week and the Bears must
whip the Detroit Lions in Chicago
today to tie and force divisional
play-off.
Another Big One.
The third game of a triple-fea-
ture is slated at Philadelphia
where the New York Giants, stale
mated with the Browns. tangle
with the erst-while champion
Eagles. The Giants must win to
assure themselves of tie. If
necessary. the play-of games next
week will be at Cleveland and Los
Angeles, with league champion
ship game pushed back to Decem-
ber "a on the home field Of the
American Conference winner.
With the blue chips on the
line. Coach Paul Brown is ex-
pected to have Cleveland ready
for bruising windup. It will be
the Browns first taste of Sammy
Baugh's passing. but the veteran
Texan hardly could do better
than Harry Gilmer in the first
game. which wasn't enough to
halt the potent Browns.
The big reason for the Red
skins defeat in the first game was
240-pound Marion Motley. a bone
cracking Negro fullback, who
picked up 178 Of the 258 yards
gained on the ground by the
Browns. The Redskins have tried
to devise a way of stopping Mot
ley, but he seems to have too
much sheer power for them.
Biggest Crowd of Years Due.
The seasons biggest crowd, pos
sibly 10000. is expected at the
game, which could develop into an
aerial battle between loquacious
Otto Graham of the Browns and
Baugh. However, Otto threw only
13 passes against the Redskins in
Cleveland and completed six for
a mere IS yards. One was a four
yard touchdown toss to Dante
Lavelli, one of his favorite tar
gets. The Redskins kept a close
watch on both Lavelli and Mac
Speedie at Cleveland. but couldn't
stop Motley. If they throttle Gra-
hams passes as well today, they'll
have chance.
The Redskins ball-carrying
crew, Bill Dudley. Eddie Saenz,
Rob Goode and Charley Justice,
seems to be in fairly good physi-
cal condition after a months
siege OF injuries. 1t probably will
be used only in an auxiliary role
to Baugh's passes unless the Red
skins spot some unforeseen weak
ness in Cleveland's defense.
The Giants, who like the
Browns. have won their last five
in a row. are given a good chance
to beat the Eagles again. Steve
Ovens squad handed the Browns
two setbacks this year, the first
time the Browns ever lost twice
in one season to a club. They de-
feated the Eagles. 7-3, in the mud
two weeks ago and an encore
would give the Giants the distinc-
ton Of beating both 1949 pro
champions twice.
Bears Have To Win.
The Bears, upset last week by
the Chicago Cardinals, are favor
ties over the air-minded Lions. It
is expected to be an aerial duel
between Johnny Lujack of the
Bears and Bobby Layne of De-
troit. Layne has the edge in pass
receivers with Cloyce Box, third
in league standings, and the ev-
asive Doak Walker, for targets.
The Bears must win. A tie
won't help. as the winner is de-
cided on the percentage of games
won and lost. and the Rams are
one up in the win column.
Two more games are on the
schedule, the New York Yanks
playing host to the Baltimore
Colts, while Green Bay plays the
Forty Miners at San Francisco
D. c. HondbuIIers Win
The Washington YMCA hand
pail team beat the Wilmington