1938 Chicago Bears season

Last updated

1938 Chicago Bears season
Head coach George Halas
Home stadium Wrigley Field
Results
Record6–5
Division place3rd NFL Western
PlayoffsDid not qualify

The 1938 Chicago Bears season was their 19th regular season completed in the National Football League. They finished third in the Western Division and did not make the championship game. The Bears started the season well, winning 4 of their first 5 games. However, two upset losses to the Cleveland Rams, two losses to the Detroit Lions, and a loss to Green Bay prevented the Bears from competing in the West.

Contents

Season highlights

The Bears could not repeat their success of 1937. Although their attack was basically the same, except at running back. Bronko Nagurski and Keith Molesworth retired and the rushing attack was not as effective. Joe Maniaci, a back acquired from Brooklyn, joined the team and led the squad in rushing with 345 yards but his low 3.6 average yards per carry was emblematic of the Bears problems running the ball. Bill Karr again led the team in receiving, catching 14 passes for 253 yards and 4 touchdowns. Les McDonald played well at end and second year end Dick Plasman also contributed. The Bears "vertical" passing attack, led again by Bernie Masterson and Ray Buivid, had a league best 17.0 yards per reception, but the club's quarterbacks only had a 36.5 completion percentage. The Bear defense did not play as well as in 1937 either, giving up 14 or more points five times, or the same number of times as in the past two season combined. The biggest disappointment, overall, were the two losses to Cleveland. Cleveland only won 4 games all year, two against the Bears, and had the worst defense in the league, allowing 215 points for the year. In the first Cleveland game, the Bears were totally outplayed, falling behind 14–0 and failing to mount a serious comeback. The second loss was a back and forth affair, with the lead changing hands 7 times. The Bears gave up a 21–16 fourth quarter lead, losing 23–21 at home. As the only team in the league running the T-formation, it is no surprise the other teams kept using the Single Wing and its variants. Lacking a complete T-formation quarterback, the Bears offense was inconsistent and, at times, quite unimpressive.

Schedule

GameDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendanceRecapSources
1September 11 Chicago Cardinals W 16–131–0 Soldier Field 20,000 Recap
2September 18at Green Bay Packers W 2–02–0 City Stadium 15,172 Recap
September 23Colored All-StarsW 51–0 Soldier Field 6,000 [1]
3October 2at Philadelphia Eagles W 28–63–0 Municipal Stadium 22,245 Recap
4October 9at Cleveland Rams L 7–143–1 Shaw Stadium 8,000 Recap
5October 16at Chicago Cardinals W 34–284–1 Wrigley Field 21,614 Recap
6October 23 Cleveland Rams L 21–234–2 Wrigley Field 18,705 Recap
7October 30 Detroit Lions L 7–134–3Wrigley Field24,346 Recap
8November 6at Green Bay Packers L 17–244–4 City Stadium 40,208 Recap
9November 13 Washington Redskins W 31–75–4 Wrigley Field 21,817 Recap
10November 20at Brooklyn Dodgers W 24–66–4 Ebbets Field 26,416 Recap
11 November 24 at Detroit Lions L 7–146–5 Briggs Stadium 26,287 Recap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Non-league game in italics.

Standings

NFL Western Division
WLTPCTDIVPFPASTK
Green Bay Packers 830.7276–2223118L1
Detroit Lions 740.6366–2119108L1
Chicago Bears 650.5453–5194148L1
Cleveland Rams 470.3643–5131215W1
Chicago Cardinals 290.1822–6111168W1
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
NFL Eastern Division
WLTPCTDIVPFPASTK
New York Giants 821.8005–2–119479W1
Washington Redskins 632.6674–2–2148154L1
Brooklyn Dodgers 443.5003–2–3131161T1
Philadelphia Eagles 560.4553–5154164W2
Pittsburgh Pirates 290.1822–679169L6
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

Roster

Future Hall of Fame players

Other leading players

Players departed from 1937

References

  1. George Strickler, "Bears Roll Up 51 Points and Stars Get None," Chicago Tribune, Sept. 24, 1938, p. 17.