1956 Cleveland Browns season
The 1956 Cleveland Browns season was the team's eleventh season, and seventh season with the National Football League.
1956 Cleveland Browns season | |
---|---|
Head coach | Paul Brown |
Home field | Cleveland Stadium |
Local radio | WGAR |
Results | |
Record | 5–7 |
Division place | T-4th Eastern |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Pro Bowlers | None |
This was the first season in which the Browns missed the playoffs, and its first season with a losing record. The Browns lost seven games in 1956, after having lost a total of only 17 over the previous ten seasons combined.
Exhibition schedule
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | August 10 | vs. College All-Stars at Chicago | W 26–0 | |
2 | August 19 | at San Francisco 49ers | L 17–28 | |
3 | August 24 | at Los Angeles Rams | L 6–17 | |
4 | September 1 | Green Bay Packers | L 20–21 | |
5 | September 7 | at Detroit Lions | L 0–17 | |
6 | September 15 | vs. Detroit Lions at Akron | L 14–31 | |
7 | September 21 | at Chicago Bears | W 24–14 |
Regular season
Schedule
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 30 | at Chicago Cardinals | L 7–9 | 0–1 | |
2 | October 6 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | W 14–10 | 1–1 | |
3 | October 14 | New York Giants | L 9–21 | 1–2 | |
4 | October 21 | at Washington Redskins | L 9–20 | 1–3 | |
5 | October 28 | Pittsburgh Steelers | L 16–24 | 1–4 | |
6 | November 4 | at Green Bay Packers | W 24–7 | 2–4 | |
7 | November 11 | Baltimore Colts | L 7–21 | 2–5 | |
8 | November 18 | at Philadelphia Eagles | W 16–0 | 3–5 | |
9 | November 25 | Washington Redskins | L 17–20 | 3–6 | |
10 | December 2 | Philadelphia Eagles | W 17–14 | 4–6 | |
11 | December 9 | at New York Giants | W 24–7 | 5–6 | |
12 | December 16 | Chicago Cardinals | L 7–24 | 5–7 |
Week 1 at Chicago
The post Otto Graham era begins with a 9-7 loss to the Cardinals in Chicago. Cleveland's only score comes on a 46-yard touchdown pass from George Ratterman to Ray Renfro in the first quarter. But Pat Summerall's third field goal, a nine-yarder with 29 seconds remaining, won it for the Cardinals and broke a twelve-game losing streak to the Browns.[3] The Cardinals later won the season finale.
Standings
NFL Eastern Conference | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | CONF | PF | PA | STK | ||
New York Giants | 8 | 3 | 1 | .727 | 7–3 | 264 | 197 | W1 | |
Chicago Cardinals | 7 | 5 | 0 | .583 | 7–3 | 240 | 182 | W1 | |
Washington Redskins | 6 | 6 | 0 | .500 | 5–5 | 183 | 225 | L2 | |
Cleveland Browns | 5 | 7 | 0 | .417 | 4–6 | 167 | 177 | L1 | |
Pittsburgh Steelers | 5 | 7 | 0 | .417 | 4–6 | 217 | 250 | W1 | |
Philadelphia Eagles | 3 | 8 | 1 | .273 | 3–7 | 143 | 215 | L3 |
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
References
- Livingston, Pat (October 7, 1956). "Steelers bow, 14-10". Pittsburgh Press. p. 1, section 4.
- "Browns edge Pitt Steelers". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. October 7, 1955.
- "Grid Cardinals upset champion Browns, 9-7". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. October 1, 1956. p. 25.