1938 Green Bay Packers season
The 1938 Green Bay Packers season was their 20th season overall and their 18th season in the National Football League. The team finished with an 8–3 record in 1938 under head coach Curly Lambeau, earning them a first-place finish in the Western Division.[1][2]
| 1938 Green Bay Packers season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Curly Lambeau |
| Home field | City Stadium Wisconsin State Fair Park |
| Results | |
| Record | 8–3 |
| Division place | 1st NFL Western |
| Playoff finish | Lost NFL Championship Game |
In the championship game at the Polo Grounds, the Packers lost to the New York Giants 23–17,[3][4] the first of only three losses the Packers have in 13 world championship games. The two teams met again in the title game the following year at Wisconsin State Fair Park, with different results.
This season marked the last Packers' win in Buffalo (where they defeated the Chicago Cardinals by two points on a late field goal on a Wednesday night).[5] Since then, they are winless in six attempts against the Buffalo Bills in western New York, the latest on December 14, 2014.
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 11, 1938 | Cleveland Rams | W 26–17 |
| 2 | September 18, 1938 | Chicago Bears | L 2–0 |
| 3 | September 25, 1938 | Chicago Cardinals | W 28–7 |
| 4 | September 28, 1938 | at Chicago Cardinals ^ | W 24–22 |
| 5 | October 9, 1938 | Detroit Lions | L 17–7 |
| 6 | October 16, 1938 | Brooklyn Dodgers | W 35–7 |
| 7 | October 23, 1938 | Pittsburgh Pirates | W 20–0 |
| 8 | October 30, 1938 | at Cleveland Rams | W 28–7 |
| 9 | November 6, 1938 | at Chicago Bears | W 24–17 |
| 10 | November 13, 1938 | at Detroit Lions | W 28–7 |
| 11 | November 20, 1938 | at New York Giants | L 15–3 |
^ Played at Buffalo, New York, on Wednesday night[5]
Playoffs
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Championship | December 11, 1938 | at New York Giants | L 23–17 |
Standings
| NFL Western Division | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | PF | PA | STK | ||
| Green Bay Packers | 8 | 3 | 0 | .727 | 6–2 | 223 | 118 | L1 | |
| Detroit Lions | 7 | 4 | 0 | .636 | 6–2 | 119 | 108 | L1 | |
| Chicago Bears | 6 | 5 | 0 | .545 | 3–5 | 194 | 148 | L1 | |
| Cleveland Rams | 4 | 7 | 0 | .364 | 3–5 | 131 | 215 | W1 | |
| Chicago Cardinals | 2 | 9 | 0 | .182 | 2–6 | 111 | 168 | W1 | |
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
References
- "Lions upset by Eagles; Packers win title". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. December 5, 1938. p. 11.
- Burton, Lewis (December 11, 1938). "Packers, Giants meet for title". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 1B.
- Burton, Lewis (December 12, 1938). "Giants defeat Packers, 23-17 for pro title". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 13.
- Gannon, Pat (December 12, 1938). "Giants' early attack defeats Green Bay for title, 23 to 17". Milwaukee Journal. p. 4, part 2.
- "Engebretsen's goal beats Cards". Milwaukee Sentinel. September 29, 1938. p. 12.