1938 Green Bay Packers season

1938 Green Bay Packers season
Head coach	Curly Lambeau
Home stadium	City Stadium Wisconsin State Fair Park
Results
Record	8–3
Division place	1st NFL Western
Playoffs	Lost NFL Championship (at Giants) 17–23
←  1937 Packers seasons 1939  →

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]}

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] [6]} Since then, they are winless in six attempts against the Buffalo Bills in western New York, the latest on October 30, 2022.

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record
1	September 11	Cleveland Rams	W 26–17	1–0
2	September 18	at Chicago Bears	L 0–2	1–1
3	September 25	Chicago Cardinals	W 28–7	2–1
4	September 28	vs. Chicago Cardinals ^	W 24–22	3–1
5	October 9	Detroit Lions	L 7–17	3–2
6	October 16	Brooklyn Dodgers	W 35–7	4–2
7	October 23	Pittsburgh Pirates	W 20–0	5–2
8	October 30	at Cleveland Rams	W 28–7	6–2
9	November 6	Chicago Bears	W 24–17	7–2
10	November 13	at Detroit Lions	W 28–7	8–2
11	November 20	at New York Giants	L 3–15	8–3

^ Played at Buffalo, New York, on Wednesday night. ^[5]

Playoffs

Round	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue
Championship	December 11	at New York Giants	L 17–23	0–1	Polo Grounds

Standings

NFL Western Division
view talk edit	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.

NFL Eastern Division
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	PF	PA	STK
New York Giants	8	2	1	.800	5–2–1	194	79	W1
Washington Redskins	6	3	2	.667	4–2–2	148	154	L1
Brooklyn Dodgers	4	4	3	.500	3–2–3	131	161	T1
Philadelphia Eagles	5	6	0	.455	3–5	154	164	W2
Pittsburgh Pirates	2	9	0	.182	2–6	79	169	L6

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

References

1. "Lions upset by Eagles; Packers win title". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. December 5, 1938. p. 11.
2. Burton, Lewis (December 11, 1938). "Packers, Giants meet for title". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 1B.
3. Burton, Lewis (December 12, 1938). "Giants defeat Packers, 23-17 for pro title". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 13.
4. Gannon, Pat (December 12, 1938). "Giants' early attack defeats Green Bay for title, 23 to 17". Milwaukee Journal. p. 4, part 2.
5. "Engebretsen's goal beats Cards". Milwaukee Sentinel. September 29, 1938. p. 12.
6. "Field goal wins for Green Bay". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. September 29, 1938. p. 29.

Further reading

• Cliff Christl, The Greatest Story in Sports: Green Bay Packers, 1919–2019. 4 volumes. Stevens Point, WI: KCI Sports Publishing, 2021.
• Larry D. Names, The History of the Green Bay Packers: The Lambeau Years, Part Two. Wautoma, WI: Angel Press of Wisconsin, 1989.
• Arch Ward, The Green Bay Packers. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1946.

External links

• Sportsencyclopedia.com