Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-12-07
P|ayoff Berth Certain
# Giants and Eagles
Are Defeated Today
BY the Assoeiatsd Press

NEW YORK, Dec. 6.-Shooting
for their seventh straight divi-
s.onal title, the Cleveland Browns
are strong favorites to defeat the
Chicago Cardinals tomorrow and
clinch at least tie for the Ameri-
can Conference championship Of
the National Football League.
The Browns can clinch a place
In the playod if they win and both
New York and Philadelphia lose.
New York and Philadelphia each
has a GA record, while the
Browns have 7-3 mark. So a
Cleveland victory. and losses by
New York and Philadelphia, would
send the Browns into the cham
pionship playoff game and a
chance to regain the title they
lost last year.
After tomorrow. there'll be only
one game left to play-so both
New York and Philadelphia must
win to stay in contention.
Eagles Hosts to Dallas.
The injury riddled Giants,
butchered last week in Pittsburg.
63-7, entertain the Washington
Redskins, while Philadelphia plays
host to Dallas.
Of the records, Philadelphia
has the better chance Of winning.
Its opponent has won only once
In 10 starts. But then the Texans.
having tasted victory in their last
outing. could be back for more.
In the National Conference.
meanwhile. the situation should
be much clearer by nightfall.
In this race, Detroit seems to
have the edge. The Lions are tied
with Los Angeles leach 7-3) for
the top spot, but the schedule
favors the Detroiters in the last
two games.
Lions Meet Bears.
Tomorrow the Lions play host
to the Chicago Bears, a team with
a mediocre AS record but one
which has played some good foot
ball this season-especially two
weeks ago when they upset the
Lions. 24-23.
Los Angeles. the hottest club in
the circuit with six straight wins,
plays host to a rugged Green Bay
team which also has title aspira-
tons.
Green Bay (6-4) is tied for
the runnerup slot in the National
Conference with San Francisco.
just a game behind Detroit and
Los Angeles. San Francisco, which
has cooled with the weather, en-
tertains that red-hot Pittsburgh
team which walloped the Giants,
63-7, last week.
Browns Want Title.
Cleveland really wants to win
this years championship. After
taking the All-America Conference
title for four straight years. and
then winning the National League
crown in 1850. the Browns were
beaten in the playoffs for the first
time last year by the Rams.
They're determined to win back
that crown. and make it six pro
football titles in seven years.
Anyway, Paul Browns well-co-
ordinated team will flash the best
offense in the league at the
Cardinals. And it's doubted If the
Chicagoans. WHO have such per-
formers as Charlie Trippi, Ollie
Matson and little Billy (Criss)
Cross. can stop them.
If Philadelphia gets past Dallas,
then the Eagles will wind up
against Washington hoping the
Giants can knock off the Browns.
Detroit, which hasn't won al
title since 1885. will go all out
against the Bears. After the
Chicagoans. the Lions have the
oft-beaten Texans as their final
opponents.
Los Angeles dosen't have it that
easy. After meeting Green Bay to-
morrow. the Rams play Pittsburgh
next week. And if there's a team
with mayhem in mind-it's Pitts
burgh.