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1953 Detroit Lions

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Record: 10-2-0, Finished 1st in NFL West Division
NFL Season Summary

1953 NFL Champions

Scored 271 points (22.6/g), 5th of 12 in the NFL.
 Allowed 205 points (17.1/g), 2nd.
 Differential of 66 points (5.5/g), 5th.
 Expected W-L: 7.9-4.1.

 Takeaway/Giveaway Differential +11 (0.9/g), 2nd.

Simple Rating System: Total 3.4, Offense: -0.6, Defense: 4.0, SoS: -2.1, versus averages of 0.0.

Coached by Buddy Parker

Training Camp: Eastern Michigan University (Ypsilanti, Michigan)


League Champion

Starters

ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+),Hide Non-primary Starters
Pos Age Yrs GS Summary of Player Stats Drafted (tm/rnd/yr)
 Offensive Starters
QB Bobby Layne* 27 5 11 125 for 273, 2,088 yards, 16 td, 21 int, & 87 rushes for 343 yards and 0 td Chicago Bears / 1st / 3rd pick / 1948
FB Ollie Cline 28 5 0 42 rushes for 169 yards, 0 td, & 10 catches for 126 yards and 1 td Chicago Bears / 14th / 122nd pick / 1948
K Doak Walker*+ 26 3 0 12 of 19 field goals & 27 of 29 extra points New York Bulldogs / 1st / 3rd pick / 1949
RH Bob Hoernschemeyer 28 7 0 101 rushes for 482 yards, 7 td, & 23 catches for 282 yards and 2 td New York Giants / 11th / 94th pick / 1947
LE Cloyce Box 30 4 0 16 catches for 403 yards, 2 td Washington Redskins / 20th / 178th pick / 1948
LT Charlie Ane 22 Rook 0 1 fumble recovered Detroit Lions / 4th / 49th pick / 1953
LG Harley Sewell 22 Rook 0 3 fumbles recovered Detroit Lions / 1st / 13th pick / 1953
C Vince Banonis 32 11 0 Chicago Cardinals / 4th / 29th pick / 1942
RG Dick Stanfel*+ 26 1 0 Detroit Lions / 2nd / 19th pick / 1951
RT Ollie Spencer 22 Rook 0 1 fumble recovered Detroit Lions / 6th / 73rd pick / 1953
RE Leon Hart 25 3 0 25 catches for 472 yards, 7 td, & 1 rush for 2 yards and 0 td Detroit Lions / 1st / 1st pick / 1950
 Defensive Starters
LDE Jim Cain 26 4 0 0 interceptions, 3 fumbles recovered Chicago Cardinals / 7th / 70th pick / 1949
LDT Thurman McGraw 26 3 0 1 interception, 0 fumbles recovered Detroit Lions / 2nd / 27th pick / 1950
MG Les Bingaman*+ 27 5 0 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered Detroit Lions / 3rd / 15th pick / 1948
RDT John Prchlik 28 4 0 Boston Yanks / 30th / 277th pick / 1947
RDE Jim Doran 26 2 0 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered Detroit Lions / 5th / 55th pick / 1951
LLB Joe Schmidt 21 Rook 0 2 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered Detroit Lions / 7th / 85th pick / 1953
RLB LaVern Torgeson 24 2 0 5 interceptions, 3 fumbles recovered Detroit Lions / 5th / 58th pick / 1951
LDH Jim David 26 1 0 4 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered Detroit Lions / 22nd / 261st pick / 1952
P Bob Smith 28 5 0 40 punts for a 41.2 average, 0 blocked Washington Redskins / 24th / 219th pick / 1947
KR Jack Christiansen*+ 25 2 0 10 kick returns for a 18.3 average and 0 td Detroit Lions / 6th / 69th pick / 1951
PR Yale Lary* 23 1 0 13 punt returns for a 8.8 average and 1 td Detroit Lions / 3rd / 34th pick / 1952
 Special Teams Starters
K Doak Walker*+ 26 3 0 12 of 19 field goals & 27 of 29 extra points New York Bulldogs / 1st / 3rd pick / 1949
P Bob Smith 28 5 0 40 punts for a 41.2 average, 0 blocked Washington Redskins / 24th / 219th pick / 1947
PR Yale Lary* 23 1 0 13 punt returns for a 8.8 average and 1 td Detroit Lions / 3rd / 34th pick / 1952
KR Jack Christiansen*+ 25 2 0 10 kick returns for a 18.3 average and 0 td Detroit Lions / 6th / 69th pick / 1951

Roster

ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+),
No. Age Pos G GS Wt Ht College/Univ BirthDate Yrs AV Drafted (tm/rnd/yr)
50 Charlie Ane 22 LT 12 0 260 6-2 USC 1/25/1931 Rook 6 Detroit Lions / 4th / 49th pick / 1953
51 Vince Banonis 32 C 12 0 230 6-1 Detroit Mercy 4/9/1921 11 6 Chicago Cardinals / 4th / 29th pick / 1942
65 Les Bingaman*+ 27 MG 12 0 272 6-3 Illinois 2/3/1926 5 18 Detroit Lions / 3rd / 15th pick / 1948
80 Cloyce Box 30 LE 12 0 220 6-4 Louisiana Tech,West Texas A&M 8/24/1923 4 6 Washington Redskins / 20th / 178th pick / 1948
88 Jim Cain 26 LDE 12 0 202 6-1 Alabama 10/1/1927 4 8 Chicago Cardinals / 7th / 70th pick / 1949
32 Lew Carpenter 21 12 0 220 6-1 Arkansas 1/12/1932 Rook 1 Detroit Lions / 8th / 97th pick / 1953
24 Jack Christiansen*+ 25 KR 12 0 205 6-1 Colorado St. 12/20/1928 2 18 Detroit Lions / 6th / 69th pick / 1951
33 Ollie Cline 28 FB 12 0 200 6-0 Ohio St. 12/31/1925 5 6 Chicago Bears / 14th / 122nd pick / 1948
76 Lou Creekmur*+ 26 12 0 246 6-4 William & Mary 1/22/1927 3 10 Philadelphia Eagles / 26th / 243rd pick / 1948
25 Jim David 26 LDH 12 0 178 5-11 Colorado St. 12/2/1927 1 8 Detroit Lions / 22nd / 261st pick / 1952
87 Dorne Dibble 24 12 0 195 6-2 Michigan St. 4/26/1929 2 3 Detroit Lions / 3rd / 33rd pick / 1951
83 Jim Doran 26 RDE 7 0 201 6-2 Buena Vista,Iowa St. 8/11/1927 2 8 Detroit Lions / 5th / 55th pick / 1951
42 Bob Dove 32 4 0 222 6-2 Notre Dame 2/21/1921 7 2 Washington Redskins / 5th / 40th pick / 1943
19 Tom Dublinski 23 qb 7 1 212 6-2 Utah 8/8/1930 1 1 Detroit Lions / 8th / 93rd pick / 1952
86 Blaine Earon 26 6 0 195 6-1 Duke 1/15/1927 1 2 Detroit Lions / 19th / 226th pick / 1952
85 Sonny Gandee 24 8 0 216 6-1 Ohio St. 2/27/1929 1 2 Detroit Lions / 9th / 106th pick / 1952
26 Gene Gedman 21 12 0 195 5-11 Indiana 1/9/1932 Rook 3 Detroit Lions / 2nd / 25th pick / 1953
23 Jug Girard 26 11 0 176 5-11 Wisconsin 1/25/1927 5 1 Green Bay Packers / 1st / 7th pick / 1948
34 Pat Harder 31 5 0 203 5-11 Wisconsin 5/6/1922 7 1 Chi/Pit Cards/Steelers / 1st / 2nd pick / 1944
82 Leon Hart 25 RE 12 0 257 6-5 Notre Dame 11/2/1928 3 6 Detroit Lions / 1st / 1st pick / 1950
14 Bob Hoernschemeyer 28 RH 12 0 194 5-11 Indiana,Navy 9/24/1925 7 6 New York Giants / 11th / 94th pick / 1947
21 Carl Karilivacz 23 12 0 188 6-0 Syracuse 11/20/1930 Rook 2 Detroit Lions / 23rd / 277th pick / 1953
28 Yale Lary* 23 PR 11 0 185 5-11 Texas A&M 11/24/1930 1 12 Detroit Lions / 3rd / 34th pick / 1952
22 Bobby Layne* 27 QB 12 11 201 6-1 Texas 12/19/1926 5 11 Chicago Bears / 1st / 3rd pick / 1948
84 Gil Mains 24 3 0 243 6-2 Murray St. 12/17/1929 Rook 2 Detroit Lions / 20th / 237th pick / 1952
62 Jim Martin 29 8 0 227 6-2 Notre Dame 4/8/1924 3 1 Cleveland Browns / 2nd / 26th pick / 1950
73 Thurman McGraw 26 LDT 11 0 235 6-5 Colorado St. 7/17/1927 3 8 Detroit Lions / 2nd / 27th pick / 1950
74 Bob Miller 24 12 0 242 6-3 Virginia 12/11/1929 1 2 Detroit Lions / 5th / 58th pick / 1952
75 John Prchlik 28 RDT 11 0 234 6-4 Yale 7/20/1925 4 8 Boston Yanks / 30th / 277th pick / 1947
56 Joe Schmidt 21 LLB 12 0 220 6-1 Pittsburgh 1/19/1932 Rook 8 Detroit Lions / 7th / 85th pick / 1953
66 Harley Sewell 22 LG 12 0 230 6-1 Texas 4/18/1931 Rook 6 Detroit Lions / 1st / 13th pick / 1953
40 Bob Smith 28 P 12 0 191 6-1 Tulsa,Iowa 8/20/1925 5 8 Washington Redskins / 24th / 219th pick / 1947
36 Bob L. Smith 24 3 0 205 6-0 Texas A&M 2/28/1929 Rook 1 Cleveland Browns / 4th / 41st pick / 1951
78 Ollie Spencer 22 RT 12 0 245 6-2 Kansas 4/17/1931 Rook 6 Detroit Lions / 6th / 73rd pick / 1953
63 Dick Stanfel*+ 26 RG 12 0 236 6-3 San Francisco 7/20/1927 1 12 Detroit Lions / 2nd / 19th pick / 1951
53 LaVern Torgeson 24 RLB 11 0 215 6-0 Washington St. 2/28/1929 2 8 Detroit Lions / 5th / 58th pick / 1951
37 Doak Walker*+ 26 K 12 0 173 5-11 SMU 1/1/1927 3 12 New York Bulldogs / 1st / 3rd pick / 1949
Team Total 25.6 12 215.4 6-1.4 2.7