1955 Pittsburgh Steelers season

Last updated

1955 Pittsburgh Steelers season
Head coach Walt Kiesling
Home field Forbes Field
Results
Record4–8
Division place6th NFL Eastern
Playoff finishdid not qualify

The 1955 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 23rd in the National Football League.

National Football League Professional American football league

The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams, divided equally between the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC). The NFL is one of the four major professional sports leagues in North America, and the highest professional level of American football in the world. The NFL's 17-week regular season runs from early September to late December, with each team playing 16 games and having one bye week. Following the conclusion of the regular season, six teams from each conference advance to the playoffs, a single-elimination tournament culminating in the Super Bowl, which is usually held in the first Sunday in February, and is played between the champions of the NFC and AFC.

Contents

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentTime (ET)Result
1September 26, 1955 Chicago Cardinals W 14–7
2October 2, 1955at Los Angeles Rams L 27–26
3October 9, 1955 New York Giants W 30–23
4October 15, 1955 Philadelphia Eagles W 13–7
5October 23, 1955at New York Giants W 19–17
6October 30, 1955at Philadelphia Eagles L 24–0
7November 5, 1955at Chicago Cardinals L 27–13
8November 13, 1955 Detroit Lions L 31–28
9November 20, 1955at Cleveland Browns L 41–14
10November 27, 1955 Washington Redskins L 23–14
11December 4, 1955 Cleveland Browns L 30–7
12December 11, 1955at Washington Redskins L 28–17

Game summaries

Week 1 (Monday September 26, 1955): Chicago Cardinals

1234Total
Cardinals00077
Steelers007714

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 26,359
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

Jack Edward O'Brien is an American former college and professional football player who was an end in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons during the mid-1950s. O'Brien played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL.

Jim Finks American and Canadian football player and coach, sports executive

James Edward Finks was an American football and Canadian football player, coach, and executive.

Arthur Michalik was a linebacker in the NFL, and 3 time National Wrestling Alliance, PNW Tag Team Champion. High School Teacher and football coach at La Quinta High School when it opened in 1963 and Pacifica High School, Garden Grove, CA. He may be best known as the man who is inadvertently responsible for the invention of the FACE MASK in pro football. In a game against the Cleveland Browns in 1953, he smashed his elbow into the face of Otto Graham who was already on the ground, with the play over. The blow caused Graham to suffer a slight concussion and a gash on his face, that split the corner of his lips toward the cheek, requiring 15 stitches to close. Graham took them without Novocaine and Browns Head Coach Paul Brown returned him to the field to finish the game with a plexiglass bar added to his helmet for protection.

Week 2 (Sunday October 2, 1955): Los Angeles Rams

1234Total
Steelers00131326
Rams01701027

at Los Angeles Coliseum, Los Angeles, California

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 46,185
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

  • Los Angeles – Towler 1 run (Richter kick)
  • Los Angeles – FG Richter 12
  • Los Angeles – Boyd 74 pass from Van Brocklin (Richter kick)
  • Pittsburgh – Chandnois 8 run (Michalik kick)
  • Pittsburgh – Finks 1 run (kick failed)
  • Pittsburgh – Chandnois 2 run (kick failed)
  • Los Angeles – Fears 17 pass from Van Brocklin (Richter kick)
  • Pittsburgh – McCabe 50 fumble run (Michalik kick)
  • Los Angeles – FG Richter 32
Lynn Chandnois American player of American football

Lynn Chandnois was an American football player who earned All-American honors for the Michigan State Spartans in 1949, won the NFL Player of the Year award for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1952, and played twice in the Pro Bowl.

Week 3 (Sunday October 9, 1955): New York Giants

1234Total
Giants737623
Steelers06101430

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 29,422
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

Ben Agajanian American football player

Benjamin James "The nameless Wonder" Agajanian was an American football player, primarily a placekicker in the National Football League, the All-America Football Conference and American Football League.

Edward Nelson Bernet is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Southern Methodist University, and played professionally for the National Football League's Pittsburgh Steelers in 1955, then returned to his hometown in 1960 to play for the American Football League's Dallas Texans.

Fran Rogel Player of American and Canadian football

Francis Stephen Rogel was an American football fullback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL.

Week 4 (Saturday November 15, 1955): Philadelphia Eagles

1234Total
Eagles07007
Steelers706013

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 33,413
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

  • Pittsburgh – Finks 1 run (Michalik kick)
  • Philadelphia – Bawel 42 interception (Bielski kick)
  • Pittsburgh – Chandnois 2 run (kick failed)

Week 5 (Sunday October 23, 1955): New York Giants

1234Total
Steelers676019
Giants773017

at Polo Grounds, New York, New York

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 27,365
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

  • Pittsburgh – Mathews 21 run (kick failed)
  • New York Giants – Rote 5 pass from Heinrich (Agajanian kick)
  • Pittsburgh – Finks 2 run (Michalik kick)
  • New York Giants – Schnelker 16 pass from Conerly (Agajanian kick)
  • New York Giants – FG Agajanian 45
  • Pittsburgh – Chandnois 4 run (kick failed)
Ray Mathews American football player

Raymond Dyral Mathews was an American football halfback and end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for Clemson University.

Week 6 (Sunday October 30, 1955): Philadelphia Eagles

1234Total
Steelers00000
Eagles00141024

at Connie Mack Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 31,164
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

  • Philadelphia – Wegert 29 run (Bielski kick)
  • Philadelphia – Pihos 1- pass from Burk (Bielski kick)
  • Philadelphia – Wegert 2 run (Bielski kick)
  • Philadelphia – FG Bielski 50

Week 7 (Saturday November 5, 1955): Chicago Cardinals

1234Total
Steelers3100013
Cardinals10143027

at Comiskey Park, Chicago, Illinois

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 23,310
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

  • Pittsburgh – FG Weed 30
  • Chicago Cardinals – FG Summerall 21
  • Chicago Cardinals – Summerall 26 interception (Summerall kick)
  • Pittsburgh – FG Weed 23
  • Pittsburgh – Mathews 21 pass from Finks
  • Chicago Cardinals – Nagler 34 pass from McHan (Summerall kick)
  • Chicago Cardinals – Mann 18 pass from McHan (Summerall kick)
  • Chicago Cardinals – FG Summerall 34

Week 8 (Sunday November 13, 1955): Detroit Lions

1234Total
Lions01410731
Steelers0702128

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 34,441
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

  • Detroit – Middleton 30 pass from Layne (Walker kick)
  • Detroit – Carpenter 34 pass from Gilmer (Walker kick)
  • Pittsburgh – O'Brien 6 pass from Finks (Weed kick)
  • Detroit – FG Walker 23
  • Detroit – Walker 21 pass from Stits (Walker kick)
  • Pittsburgh – Chandnois 1 run (Weed kick)
  • Detroit – Stits 7 interception
  • Pittsburgh – Mathews 47 pass from Marchibroda (Weed kick)
  • Pittsburgh – Marchibroda 8 run (Weed kick)

Week 9 (Sunday November 20, 1955): Cleveland Browns

1234Total
Steelers770014
Browns71413741

at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 53,509
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

  • Pittsburgh – Nickel 16 pass from Finks (Weed kick)
  • Cleveland – Konz 15 interception (Groza kick)
  • Cleveland – Lavelli 6 pass from Graham (Groza kick)
  • Pittsburgh – Nickel 30 pass from Marchibroda (Weed kick)
  • Cleveland – Lavelli 42 pass from Graham (Groza kick)
  • Cleveland – Modzelewshi 3 run (kick blocked)
  • Cleveland – Graham 4 run (Groza kick)
  • Cleveland – Bassett 5 run (Groza kick)

Week 10 (Sunday November 27, 1955): Washington Redskins

1234Total
Redskins779023
Steelers070714

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 21,760
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

  • Washington – Elter 20 run (Hecker kick)
  • Pittsburgh – Mathews 61 pass from Finks (Weed kick)
  • Washington – Elter 33 run (Janowicz kick)
  • Washington – FG Janowicz 13
  • Washington – Scudero 49 punt return (kick failed)
  • Pittsburgh – Watson 62 pass from Finks (Weed kick)

Week 11 (Sunday December 4, 1955): Cleveland Browns

1234Total
Browns101010030
Steelers00077

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 31,101
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

  • Cleveland – Graham 4 run (Groza kick)
  • Cleveland – FG Groza 16
  • Cleveland – Renfro 46 pass from Graham (Groza kick)
  • Cleveland – FG Groza 22
  • Cleveland – Brewster 17 pass from Graham (Groza kick)
  • Cleveland – FG Groza 46
  • Pittsburgh – O'Malley recovered blocked kick in end zone (Weed kick)

Week 12 (Sunday December 11, 1955): Washington Redskins

1234Total
Steelers0143017
Redskins7071428

at Griffith Stadium, Washington, DC

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 20,547
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:

  • Washington – Elter 22 run (Janowicz kick)
  • Pittsburgh – Rogel 1 run (Weed kick)
  • Pittsburgh – Mathews 29 pass from Finks (Weed kick)
  • Pittsburgh – FG Weed 9
  • Washington – Thomas 11 pass from LeBaron
  • Washington – Atkeson 5 pass from LeBaron (Janowicz kick)
  • Washington – Janowicz 3 run (Janowicz kick)

Standings

NFL Eastern Conference
WLTPCTCONFPFPASTK
Cleveland Browns 921.8187–2–1349218W2
Washington Redskins 840.6676–4246222W1
New York Giants 651.5454–5–1267223W2
Philadelphia Eagles 471.3644–5–1248231L1
Chicago Cardinals 471.3643–6–1224252L2
Pittsburgh Steelers 480.3334–6195285L7

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

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References