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1951 Detroit Lions
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Record: 7-4-1, Finished 2nd in NFL National Division
NFL Season Summary
Scored 336 points (28.0/g), 2nd of 12 in the NFL.
Allowed 259 points (21.6/g), 5th.
Differential of 77 points (6.4/g), 4th.
Expected W-L: 7.8-4.2.
Takeaway/Giveaway Differential -2 (-0.2/g), 7th.
Coached by Buddy Parker (7-4-1)
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1951 Statistics / Starters & Roster / Games & Schedule / Team Draftees
Starters
Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE · Hide Non-primary Starters| Pos | Age | Yrs | GS | Summary of Player Stats | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offensive Starters | Complete Team Stats | |||||
| QB | Bobby Layne* | 25 | 3 | 12 | 152 for 332, 2,403 yards, 26 td, 23 int, & 61 rushes for 290 yards and 1 td | Chicago Bears / 1st / 3rd pick / 1948 |
| FB | Pat Harder | 29 | 5 | 0 | 101 rushes for 380 yards, 6 td, & 17 catches for 193 yards and 2 td | Chi/Pit Cards/Steelers / 1st / 2nd pick / 1944 |
| LH | Doak Walker*+ | 24 | 1 | 0 | 79 rushes for 356 yards, 2 td, & 22 catches for 421 yards and 4 td | New York Bulldogs / 1st / 3rd pick / 1949 |
| RH | Bob Hoernschemeyer* | 26 | 5 | 0 | 132 rushes for 678 yards, 2 td, & 23 catches for 263 yards and 3 td | New York Giants / 11th / 94th pick / 1947 |
| LE | Dorne Dibble | 22 | Rook | 0 | 30 catches for 613 yards, 6 td | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 33rd pick / 1951 |
| LT | Jim Martin | 27 | 1 | 0 | 1 fumble recovered | Cleveland Browns / 2nd / 26th pick / 1950 |
| LG | Lou Creekmur*+ | 24 | 1 | 0 | Philadelphia Eagles / 26th / 243rd pick / 1948 |
|
| C | LaVern Torgeson | 22 | Rook | 0 | Detroit Lions / 5th / 58th pick / 1951 |
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| C | Les Bingaman*+ | 25 | 3 | 0 | 1 fumble recovered | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 15th pick / 1948 |
| RG | Dan Rogas | 25 | Rook | 0 | Cleveland Browns / 6th / 74th pick / 1951 |
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| RT | Gus Cifelli | 25 | 1 | 0 | Detroit Lions / 19th / 239th pick / 1950 |
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| RE | Leon Hart*+ | 23 | 1 | 0 | 35 catches for 544 yards, 12 td, & 4 rushes for -6 yards and 0 td | Detroit Lions / 1st / 1st pick / 1950 |
| Defensive Starters | ||||||
| LDE | Jim Doran | 24 | Rook | 0 | 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered | Detroit Lions / 5th / 55th pick / 1951 |
| LDT | Floyd Jaszewski | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | Detroit Lions / 6th / 70th pick / 1950 |
| MG | Les Bingaman*+ | 25 | 3 | 0 | 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 15th pick / 1948 |
| RDT | John Prchlik | 26 | 2 | 0 | Boston Yanks / 30th / 277th pick / 1947 |
|
| RDE | Ed Berrang | 29 | 2 | 0 | 1 interception, 3 fumbles recovered | Washington Redskins / 5th / 48th pick / 1949 |
| LLB | Dick Flanagan | 25 | 3 | 0 | 2 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Chicago Bears / 10th / 83rd pick / 1948 |
| MLB | Bob Momsen | 22 | Rook | 0 | 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Detroit Lions / 7th / 80th pick / 1951 |
| RLB | LaVern Torgeson | 22 | Rook | 0 | 1 interception, 0 fumbles recovered | Detroit Lions / 5th / 58th pick / 1951 |
| LDH | Don Doll* | 25 | 2 | 0 | 1 interception, 2 fumbles recovered | Detroit Lions / 9th / 67th pick / 1948 |
| RDH | Bob Smith | 26 | 3 | 0 | 3 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | Washington Redskins / 24th / 219th pick / 1947 |
| S | Jack Christiansen | 23 | Rook | 0 | 2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Detroit Lions / 6th / 69th pick / 1951 |
| Special Teams Starters | ||||||
| K | Doak Walker*+ | 24 | 1 | 0 | 6 of 12 field goals & 43 of 44 extra points | New York Bulldogs / 1st / 3rd pick / 1949 |
| P | Bob Smith | 26 | 3 | 0 | 49 punts for a 42.5 average, 1 blocked | Washington Redskins / 24th / 219th pick / 1947 |
| PR | Jack Christiansen | 23 | Rook | 0 | 18 punt returns for a 19.1 average and 4 td | Detroit Lions / 6th / 69th pick / 1951 |
| KR | Doak Walker*+ | 24 | 1 | 0 | 15 kick returns for a 27.2 average and 0 td | New York Bulldogs / 1st / 3rd pick / 1949 |
| Age | Pos | G | GS | Wt | Ht | College/Univ | BirthDate | Yrs | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vince Banonis | 30 | C-T-LB | 12 | 0 | 230 | 6-1 | Detroit Mercy | 4/9/1921 | 9 | Chicago Cardinals / 4th / 29th pick / 1942 |
| Ed Berrang | 29 | DE-E | 10 | 0 | 206 | 6-2 | Villanova | 10/14/1922 | 2 | Washington Redskins / 5th / 48th pick / 1949 |
| Les Bingaman*+ | 25 | DG-G | 6 | 0 | 272 | 6-3 | Illinois | 2/3/1926 | 3 | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 15th pick / 1948 |
| Jack Christiansen | 23 | DB | 12 | 0 | 205 | 6-1 | Colorado State | 12/20/1928 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 6th / 69th pick / 1951 |
| Gus Cifelli | 25 | T | 12 | 0 | 244 | 6-4 | Nevada-Reno,Notre Dame | 2/3/1926 | 1 | Detroit Lions / 19th / 239th pick / 1950 |
| Ollie Cline | 26 | FB | 12 | 0 | 200 | 6-0 | Ohio State | 12/31/1925 | 3 | Chicago Bears / 14th / 122nd pick / 1948 |
| Lou Creekmur*+ | 24 | T-G-DG-DT | 12 | 0 | 246 | 6-4 | William & Mary | 1/22/1927 | 1 | Philadelphia Eagles / 26th / 243rd pick / 1948 |
| Pete D'Alonzo | 22 | FB | 12 | 0 | 210 | 5-10 | Villanova | 5/26/1929 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 4th / 44th pick / 1951 |
| Dorne Dibble | 22 | E-DB | 12 | 0 | 195 | 6-2 | Michigan State | 4/26/1929 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 33rd pick / 1951 |
| Don Doll* | 25 | DB | 12 | 0 | 185 | 5-10 | USC | 8/29/1926 | 2 | Detroit Lions / 9th / 67th pick / 1948 |
| Jim Doran | 24 | E-DE | 12 | 0 | 201 | 6-2 | Buena Vista,Iowa State | 8/11/1927 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 5th / 55th pick / 1951 |
| Fred Enke | 27 | QB | 12 | 0 | 208 | 6-1 | Arizona | 12/15/1924 | 3 | Detroit Lions / 7th / 47th pick / 1948 |
| Dick Flanagan | 25 | LB-G-C | 12 | 0 | 216 | 6-0 | Ohio State | 10/31/1926 | 3 | Chicago Bears / 10th / 83rd pick / 1948 |
| Barry French | 29 | G-T | 12 | 0 | 225 | 6-0 | Purdue | 2/12/1922 | 4 | Chicago Bears / 19th / 194th pick / 1944 |
| Pat Harder | 29 | FB-LB | 12 | 0 | 203 | 5-11 | Wisconsin | 5/6/1922 | 5 | Chi/Pit Cards/Steelers / 1st / 2nd pick / 1944 |
| Leon Hart*+ | 23 | E-FB-DE | 12 | 0 | 257 | 6-5 | Notre Dame | 11/2/1928 | 1 | Detroit Lions / 1st / 1st pick / 1950 |
| Jim Hill | 22 | DB | 12 | 0 | 188 | 6-0 | Tennessee | 7/21/1929 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 15th / 178th pick / 1951 |
| Bob Hoernschemeyer* | 26 | B | 11 | 0 | 194 | 5-11 | Indiana,Navy | 9/24/1925 | 5 | New York Giants / 11th / 94th pick / 1947 |
| Floyd Jaszewski | 24 | T | 12 | 0 | 230 | 6-4 | Minnesota | 6/5/1927 | 1 | Detroit Lions / 6th / 70th pick / 1950 |
| Bobby Layne* | 25 | QB | 12 | 12 | 201 | 6-1 | Texas | 12/19/1926 | 3 | Chicago Bears / 1st / 3rd pick / 1948 |
| Jack Lininger | 24 | LB-C | 12 | 0 | 217 | 5-11 | Ohio State | 6/27/1927 | 1 | Detroit Lions / 21st / 202nd pick / 1949 |
| Jim Martin | 27 | G-LB-K | 12 | 0 | 227 | 6-2 | Notre Dame | 4/8/1924 | 1 | Cleveland Browns / 2nd / 26th pick / 1950 |
| Thurman McGraw | 24 | DT-T | 8 | 0 | 235 | 6-5 | Colorado State | 7/17/1927 | 1 | Detroit Lions / 2nd / 27th pick / 1950 |
| Bob Momsen | 22 | MG-G-LB | 12 | 0 | 225 | 6-3 | Ohio State | 5/28/1929 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 7th / 80th pick / 1951 |
| Art Murakowski | 26 | FB-LB | 12 | 0 | 195 | 6-0 | Northwestern | 5/15/1925 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 31st pick / 1950 |
| Lindy Pearson | 22 | HB | 12 | 0 | 198 | 6-0 | Oklahoma | 3/6/1929 | 1 | |
| John Prchlik | 26 | DT-T | 12 | 0 | 234 | 6-4 | Yale | 7/20/1925 | 2 | Boston Yanks / 30th / 277th pick / 1947 |
| Dan Rogas | 25 | G-DT-T | 12 | 0 | 230 | 6-1 | Tulane | 8/9/1926 | Rook | Cleveland Browns / 6th / 74th pick / 1951 |
| Clarence Self | 26 | DB-HB | 12 | 0 | 181 | 5-8 | Wisconsin | 10/10/1925 | 2 | Chicago Cardinals / 12th / 105th pick / 1948 |
| Bob Smith | 26 | DB-HB-WB | 12 | 0 | 191 | 6-1 | Iowa,Tulsa | 8/20/1925 | 3 | Washington Redskins / 24th / 219th pick / 1947 |
| Bill Swiacki | 29 | E | 12 | 0 | 195 | 6-2 | Columbia,Holy Cross | 10/2/1922 | 3 | Boston Yanks / 16th / 142nd pick / 1946 |
| LaVern Torgeson | 22 | LB-C | 12 | 0 | 215 | 6-0 | Washington State | 2/28/1929 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 5th / 58th pick / 1951 |
| Doak Walker*+ | 24 | HB-DB | 12 | 0 | 173 | 5-11 | SMU | 1/1/1927 | 1 | New York Bulldogs / 1st / 3rd pick / 1949 |
| Bruce Womack | 22 | G | 3 | 0 | 210 | 6-3 | West Texas A&M | 5/12/1929 | Rook | Detroit Lions / 29th / 344th pick / 1951 |
| Team Total | 25.0 | 12 | 213.0 | 6-1.1 | 1.8 |