Playoff Bowl 1963

January 6, 1963- Detroit Lions 17 Pittsburgh Steelers 10

In 1962, the Pittsburgh Steelers were led by three former Detroit Lions greats. Former Lions’ head coach, Buddy Parker, was named coach of the Steelers in 1957 and over the next eight years he led the Steelers to five non-losing seasons. Hall of Fame quarterback Bobby Layne (formerly of the Lions) quarterbacked the team through three of those campaigns, leading the Steelers to a 9-5 mark in 1962, which was the best season record in Steelers' 39 year history. In 1962, Layne threw for 1686 yards and Buddy Dial had 981 receiving yards. John Henry Johnson (another former Lion) rushed for 1124 yards. That Pittsburgh single season record stood until Franco Harris eclipsed it in 1975. The Detroit Lions finished second in the West for the third straight year with an 11-3 record. They were paced by Milt Plum’s 2378 passing yards at quarterback.

Appearing in the Runner-Up Bowl for the third consecutive year, the Lions beat Pittsburgh, 17-10. The Sunday contest attracted 36,284 fans at the Orange Bowl. The game was televised nationally by CBS. Three Steelers were injured in the contest, including running back, Johnson. Despite three interceptions and two missed field goals, Detroit held on to win as Milt Plum hit 16 of 29 passes for 274 yards. For Pittsburgh, quarterback Ed Brown was 5 of 12 for 82 yards and old pro Bobby Layne connected on 4 of 8 for 69 yards. The Lions defense sacked Steeler quarterbacks six times, snared two interceptions and blocked a field goal in the win.

The Lions scored first in the opening period on a 27 yard Wayne Walker field goal. The Steelers countered moving 76 yards on 11 plays that ended in a Dick Hoak 6 yard touchdown run. Just before half, the Loins' Carl Brettschneider intercepted a Brown pass a returned it 32 yards to the Steelers 34. Plum then hit Ken Webb for a 20 yard touchdown and the Lions had a 10-7 halftime lead. Half way through the 3^rd quarter, Lou Michaels kicked a 40 yard field goal to tie the score at 10-10. Late in the third quarter, Detroit drove 80 yards on four plays. Plum hit Dan Lewis on a 74 yard pass play and Webb plunged in for the winning score. The final was 17-10.

But, the game is best remembered for a uniform innovation. The Steelers first used their trademark black helmets in this game. In 1962, Republic Steel, located in Cleveland, came to the Steelers and suggested the team use the Steelmark as a helmet logo. The Steelmark is the symbol created by the American steel industry. The Steelers liked the idea presented by Republic Steel even though that company was based in the city of their bitterest rival. The next step was to petition the American Iron and Steel Institute for permission to change the word "Steel" inside the Steelmark to "Steelers." Now, the logo was complete. But when the helmet logos arrived, the Steelers weren't convinced they looked all that good when added to a solid gold helmet. As a result, equipment manager Jack Hart was instructed to put the logo only on one side of the helmet, the right side, for the tenth game of the 1962 season, a home game against the Washington Redskins. Because of the interest generated by having the logo on only one side of their helmets and because of their team's new success, the Steelers decided to leave it that way permanently. The Steelers wanted to do something special for their first postseason game, so they changed the color of their helmets from gold to black, which helped to highlight the new logo. Today's helmet reflects the way the logo was originally applied and it has never been changed.

MIAMI, Fla. (AP) Sharp-shooting Milt Plum passed the favored Detroit Lions to a 17-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday in a brawling defensive battle between the National Football League's division runners-up.

Going to the air when the surprisingly tough Steeler defenders contained Detroit's running attack, Plum threw for one touchdown and pitched the Lions into position for another and a field goal by Wayne Walker.

Thus, the Lions proved for the third straight year that they're football's third best team. They beat the Cleveland Browns 17-16 in the first of the pro Playoff Bowl games in 1961 and clobbered the Philadelphia Eagles 38-10 last year.

But the Steelers swamped by Detroit in their regular season game, 45-7, forced the Lions into a supreme effort and confirmed the belief that they have come on to be the league's most improved team.

Pittsburgh also went to the air. On the throwing of Ed Brown, the Steelers fought the Lions to a 10-10 standstill in the third quarter and threatened twice after Detroit had gone into its ultimate 17-10 lead.

Detroit scored on a 20-yard pass from Plum to Ken Webb, a 2-yard plunge by Webb, and a 27-yard field goal by Walker. Dick Hoak drove 6 yards for Pittsburgh's touchdown and Lou Michaels booted a field goal from the 40.

The hitting was so hard that four players were knocked out in a brief period covering a few plays in the third quarter. Once, John Henry Johnson, Pittsburgh's big fullback, got up after being flattened and wandered into Detroit's huddle. A gang battle almost broke out in the same period after Johnson and Wayne Walker collided, then squared off in fighting pose.

A crowd of 36,284 turned out in balmy weather, a little more than the 35,000 which Pete Rozelle, NFL commissioner, said would be necessary if the pros are to bring the game to the Orange Bowl again next year.

Plum, who was voted the game’s most valuable player whipped Brown in a first-half passing duel as the Lions moved ahead 10-7.

Twice in the opening period, Plum passed Detroit deep into Steeler territory to the 19 and 18 and Walker tried for field goals. He missed the first one from the 29 and hit the second from the 27. Pittsburgh didn't get outside its 40 until the middle of the second quarter.

After the game, Johnson was placed under observation for a possible concussion. Willie Daniel of the Steelers came out with a broken jaw and Pittsburgh's Dan James chipped an ankle bone.

Detroit's Ken Webb catches 20 yard touchdown pass

The Steelers' Dick Hoak is stopped by the Lions

The actual helmet worn by Layne in the Playoff Bowl on display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Scoring Summary

Second Quarter

DET- FG Walker 20

PITT- Hoak 6 run (Michaels kick)

DET- Webb 20 yard pass from Plum (Walker kick)

Third Quarter

PITT- FG Michaels 40

DET- Webb 2 run (Walker kick)

Attendance: 36,284

RETURN