Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

With the Steelers leading 7 to 3, the Lions were trying for a score late in the first half. Tom Bettis intercepted a pass from Milt Plum in the Steelers End Zone and returned it to the 16 yard line. I was hoping Pittsburgh would just run out the clock. Instead Carl Brettschneider intercepted a pass from Ed Brown which led to a touchdown and the Lions lead 10 to 7. It turned the game around and the Lions won 17 to 10.

conace21 wrote: ↑Sat Dec 20, 2025 12:25 pm

JuggernautJ wrote: ↑Sat Dec 20, 2025 4:36 am That string of scoreless victories was finally broken on November 4, by the Pittsburgh Pirates (soon to become the Steelers) on a trick-play punt return in which Harp Vaughn fielded the kick then lateraled the ball across the field to Joe Skladany who ran the ball in for a touchdown.

It wasn't a punt return. It was a pass out of the punt formation. The Pro Football Chronicle mentioned it, since they had an article on Detroit's string of shutouts. Dutch Clark was right there covering Skladany, but tried for the interception and missed.

Pro Football Reference also shows it to be a pass play.

Interesting.
The book Lions Pride specifically says it was a punt return (page 40):
"Pittsburgh never crossed midfield except for its TD, a 62 yard punt return by Joe Skladany, who caught a cross-field from Harp Vaughn, who fielded the punt."

The Scrapbook History of Pro Football quotes a contemporary article that only says it was a 22 yard pass from Vaughn to Skladany who then ran the remaining 40 yards for the TD (no mention of the circumstances).

I wonder how Lions Pride got it wrong.
I guess they should've had you as a proof reader!
Thanks for the correction.

Richard, did you see the game yesterday? I didnt see it, what happened on the OPI plays? What happened on the non-Goff TD?
Pick plays?

Wow ... Detroit should have won, just looked at the play-by-play for this last drive. Big penalty on TeSlaa for OPI ... should have just given the ball to Gibbs at the one yard line.

One wild game. To me the real killer wasn't the back-to-back OPI in last 30 seconds, wiping out the winning TD on 2 consecutive plays (for my money, the first one on TeSlaa's pick was pretty damn cheesy), it was Gainwell's head's-up play in the last few seconds of the first half that turned a Lions lead into a tie. Jeezus, that was deflating as hell.

And of course there was DK Metcalf's altercation with a Lions fan wearing a blue wig. What pissed off DK? Well, the fan had the temerity to call him by his full name---DeKaylin Zecharius Metcalf---which I suppose would be enough to set anybody off. (Hey, Connie Mack's real name was Cornelius McGillicuddy, though there's no record of him taking a swing at someone because of it.) Refs didn't see it so they didn't flag it, but dumbass DK is probably gonna get a hefty fine and game suspension once the league office weighs in.

Lions can still get in as a WC--beat Vikes and Bears while GB has to lose their last 2 games.

JuggernautJ wrote: ↑Sat Dec 20, 2025 4:36 am In 1934 the Lions opened the season with 7 (Seven!) consecutive shut out victories (still the record).
During that streak no opponent had even gotten inside the Lions 22 yard line... but...

That string of scoreless victories was finally broken on November 4, by the Pittsburgh Pirates (soon to become the Steelers) on a trick-play punt return in which Harp Vaughn fielded the kick then lateraled the ball across the field to Joe Skladany who ran the ball in for a touchdown.
It was the only time Pittsburgh crossed midfield all day. The Lions won the game 40-7 but the scoreless streak was broken.

I'd say that's a "Notable" Detroit vs. Pittsburgh NFL game (even if it was "pre-Steelers").

That Nov. 4, 1934 game was even more notable than I originally thought. The Lions set a still-standing record for most rushing yards by a team in a game (though the figures I've seen vary from 413 to 426 yards). Dem's a white lotta yards, especially in light of how puny the Lions' ground game was yesterday against the Steelers.

Not terribly interested in the outcome, but I am glad the officials got the call right. We have seen a number of games where the defining call(s) are missed or there are errors made.

I saw a lot of complaints that forward progress should have been called inside the 1-yard line. Okay fine, but the play was fourth down, and the ball would have went back over to Pittsburgh. The penalty on Detroit would have been declined. Maybe there is several seconds left, but the Steelers still likely emerge with the win. Even if they take a safety and kickoff, at worst... the game is over.