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1962 Detroit Lions season

1962 Detroit Lions season
Head coachGeorge Wilson
Home fieldTiger Stadium
Results
Record11–3
Division place2nd NFL Western
Playoff finishWon NFL Playoff Bowl
(vs. Steelers) 17–10

The 1962 Detroit Lions season was the 33rd season in franchise history. In one of the best regular seasons in their history, the Lions posted an 11–3 record (.786), but finished two games behind the eventual NFL champion Green Bay Packers in the NFL Western Conference. It was the third straight season the Lions finished as runner-up to the Packers in the West. Entering the final weekend, Detroit was one game behind and had won seven consecutive, but were shut out 3–0 by the Chicago Bears.[1] The Lions' three losses, all on the road, were by a total of eight points.

As conference runner-up, Detroit won their third consecutive Playoff Bowl game over the Pittsburgh Steelers, 17–10.[2][3] The third place game was played at the Orange Bowl in Miami on January 6, three weeks after the end of the regular season.[4]

The Lions never trailed by more than seven points at any point in any game during the season, a feat that was not repeated for 48 years. Their 26–14 win over the Packers on Thanksgiving Day in week 11 denied defending champion Green Bay the NFL's first true perfect season.[5] The Lions were up 26–0 in the fourth quarter before Green Bay scored two touchdowns;[6] the Packers had won the first meeting 9–7 in the mud in Green Bay with a late field goal on October 7.[7][8]

After the season, defensive coordinator Don Shula left to become the head coach for the Baltimore Colts for seven years.

  1. ^ "Bears pull the rug out, but it still didn't matter". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). Associated Press. December 17, 1962. p. 26.
  2. ^ "Plum, Webb host Lions to 17-10 win". Milwaukee Sentinel. UPI. January 7, 1963. p. 4, part 2.
  3. ^ "Lions have a plum of a blitz game, too". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). Associated Press. January 7, 1963. p. 12.
  4. ^ "Lions turns back Pittsburgh in NFL Play-off Bowl, 17-10". Milwaukee Journal. press dispatches. January 7, 1963. p. 12, part 2.
  5. ^ Lea, Bud (November 23, 1962). "Lions shatter Packers' streak". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 4, part 2.
  6. ^ "Lions hand Packers first loss, 26 to 14". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. p. 24.
  7. ^ Lea, Bud. "Packers nip Lions at wire, 9-7". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 2, part 2.
  8. ^ Johnson, Chuck (October 8, 1962). "Lions dare Packers to intercept; they do". Milwaukee Journal. p. 10, part 2.

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