1952 Season

East Division

With the introduction of the Buffalo Hammers and Pittsburgh Shamrocks into the AFL, many were skeptical if they were able to compete at the same level of the other 6 teams. The NYPL was seen as a mid-tier league at best, and the level of play in the Midwest was far better. In fact, some sports pundits were claiming that Detroit or even Cleveland would win the East Division due to the disparity between the two leagues. Even if Buffalo and Pittsburgh were on par in skill level, Detroit was set to make a huge step up after two years of disappointment. Those who picked Cleveland to win the East were quickly disappointed, as they lost 9 games in a row to secure the first overall draft pick in 1953, in a season they would love to forget. RB Perry Ferguson took a huge step back in his second season, resulting in fellow second-year QB Ronnie Hart to carry more of the offensive load for the Crows, and with the majority of offensive playmakers either in the first or second seasons in the league it did not turn out well for them. The Crows only scored above 16 points 3 times all season, winning only the first game of the season against Columbus. Their defense took a major step back as well, allowing almost 25 points a game that contributed a league-worst -83 point differential. If Detroit was known for anything at this point in the AFL’s young existence, they would be known for falling way short of any expectations put upon them. After two disappointing seasons falling short and an overhaul of their coaching staff, many expected the Knights to improve upon their 3-7 records over the past two years, but only ended up having another 3-7 disappointment of a season. There were some bright spots on the team, with RB Jeffery Spears getting his second All-Star selection, WR Lloyd Lawson stepping up as the #1 receiver to his first All-Star selection, and LB Jerry Flowers leading the defense to their fewest points allowed since the foundation of the league. However, a multitude of accusations were flung around as to why the team is still not performing well. Whether it be that the new coaches were too inexperienced with the pro game, QB Roy Woodward not fitting the fast-paced offense, or that the team didn’t mesh together, the Knights struggled throughout the year and many have suggested that they continue to disassemble the team for the future. With the only other two teams stumbling over themselves, the two newcomers to the league in Buffalo and Pittsburgh fought tooth and nail for the inaugural East Division title. They both would clinch the playoffs, but only one would win the division and get the home field advantage for the playoff game for the championship. Coming into the final 4 games of the year, both teams were tied at 4-2 apiece and had already drawn in their 2 games against each other, with Buffalo easily defeating Pittsburgh 31-16 in week 2 and the Shamrocks narrowly beating the Hammers 3 weeks later 20-17. Despite the similar records, the teams played very differently this season. Buffalo was led by veteran QB Don Melton, who torched secondaries with players like WRs Ben Farrell and Bob Weaver to throw to, leading the league with 15 passing TD’s, which was the most the league had seen up to this point. Melton handedly won MVP honors this year, but it was not enough distance to put between themselves and the Shamrocks. Pittsburgh focused heavily on the run offensively, with RB Marion Waters leading the charge on the majority of snaps. Recent acquisition QB Clarence Stanley proved more effective at the position than former starter Leslie Snow, already having the experience of taking a team well above expectations with the Rivermen last season. The Shamrocks best weapon wasn’t on the offensive, but their potent defense. Young defensive duo DLs Archie Webber and Roy Forbes terrorized the offensive line wherever they went, and Rookie of the Year winner LB Barry Moore paired well with LB Alex Lee, as the tandem led the league in tackles and Lee led the league in forced fumbles. Spearheading his way through opposing receivers, quite literally, was S Raymond Waters, whose unorthodox method of hitting receivers before they could catch the ball caused quite the controversy across the league. Coming into the final two weeks of the season, both teams were still tied with each other, and had to count on the other losing at least 1 of their 2 remaining games to clinch the division title. However, both Buffalo and Pittsburgh won out, and the league was forced to look for some way to break the tie between the teams, since they also shared the same division record of 5-1, which was the backup plan in case there was a tie. Ultimately, point differential was going to be the deciding factor, as the Hammers’ high-flying offense helped them barely clinch the East, with Buffalo having a +66 over Pittsburgh’s +40. The league got what it wanted when it accepted both teams, as they had each made the playoffs in their inaugural seasons in the league. 

West Division

While the East was effectively set in stone by week 8, the West was extremely tight going into the final 4 weeks of the season. 3 games separated first from last, and it was anyone’s guess as to who would make the playoffs. Cincinnati was the only team that was consistently at the top of the division, as first-year starters QB Lester Parker and RB Billy Garcia made huge strides to improve the Rivermen from potential flukes to potential contenders, with Parker winning Offensive Player of the Year and Garcia providing a solid option when Parker didn’t or couldn’t throw to either WR Alfred Dunn or TE Floyd Rankin. Parker took over from previous starter Lee Christian, who was benched mid–way through last season to the now-Pittsburgh Shamrocks starter QB Clarence Stanley, and had a lot on his shoulders after being primed for the past 2 years. He lived up to the expectations put upon him, eventually throwing 11 TD’s throughout the season, good enough for 2nd most all season. WR Alfred Dunn played even better in his second season, flourishing into a star with a younger QB able to utilize his incredible catching ability effectively. Tri-Cities was in second place, looking like they won the trade with Detroit. QB Gilbert Clay was looking like an early MVP candidate with the addition of WR George Payne forming a potent tandem with WR John McLean. A dominating 24-13 win over Cincinnati was seen as a sign of things to come, with many proclaiming that the Hawks were back in their championship form. However, things went south after their week 5 loss to Columbus, as their next game against Chicago would be their final win of the season. A multitude of injuries to the offensive line significantly hampered any offensive production, as the Hawks failed to score more than 10 points in their final 4 games as they fell right out of the playoffs. Columbus was the team furthest down the standings, and remained at the bottom until the end of the season, though this season was a major improvement over the previous two years. QB Johnnie Sellers looks like he is on the verge of breaking out as a star, but was held back by the offense’s over-reliance on the run game. RB Rip Rooney was the primary offensive weapon and was an upgrade over former starter Martin Quinn, but was not good enough on his own to carry the team. He did finish second in Rookie of the Year voting though, and will be a huge boon to the offense in the rebuilding team. DB Johnathan Moon was one of the few bright spots on the defense, as he was the lone Buckeye named to the All-Star team. Rookie LB Howard Treadaway was a major boost in the linebacking core, and he finished 5th in the league in tackles. However, it was not all good news for Columbus this year. Owner Randolf Durant had come to an agreement to sell the Buckeyes to Washington D.C.-based real estate developer Bernard McCullough, who will move the team to the nation’s capital for the 1953 season. Columbus would have one last laugh as the Buckeyes, as K Darrell Hoffman kicked the game-winner against the Rivermen to potentially spoil their division title. The Chicago Hogs were that team to spoil the run, as they caught fire after a mediocre 3-3 start to the year. After losing their week 7 against Tri-Cities, the Hogs won their final 4 games of the year to clinch a playoff berth, including beating Cincinnati in week 10 to help their chances at winning the division. QB Alfred Walton proved during the last half of the season why he deserved the awards he won so far, but only finished third in both MVP and Offensive Player of the Year voting this year. Chicago did have an award-winner this year, as second-year phenom DL Eric Forbes was the driving force to the Hogs’ turnaround, winning Defensive Player of the Year as he led the league in tackles, forced fumbles, and fumble recoveries to get the Hogs moving offensively and increasing his presence defensively. Unfortunately for Chicago, they would not be able to win the West, as the division also came down to a tiebreaker like with the East. Cincinnati would win on point differential, winning the West Division by 13 points and hosting a playoff game for the first time

Awards:

Most Valuable Player: BUF QB Don Melton  

Offensive Player of the Year: CIN QB Lester Parker

Defensive Player of the Year: CHI DL Eric Forbes

Rookie of the Year: PIT LB Barry Moore

Coach of the Year: CIN Dean Perkins

East Division Play-Off: Pittsburgh Shamrocks @ Buffalo Hammers

Previous Matchups: W2 - PIT 16-31 BUF, W5 - BUF 17-20 PIT

The two new additions have been neck-and-neck all year, with Buffalo narrowly coming out on top to win the division. However, these two teams have one last bout against each other this year for a spot in the championship. Buffalo’s offense has been hard to beat all year, and MVP QB Don Melton looks to extend his legacy by winning a title in his first year of a new league. With weapons like RB Calvin Townsend and WR’s Bernard Clarke and Bob Farrell, it was hard to stop them all year. Pittsburgh’s defense has been focal to their run, and it doesn’t look like they give an extra inch since their last meeting in week 5. DL Archie Webber was making his case for Defensive Player of the Year, and he’ll be out for revenge to prove that he should have won that award. Teammates like DL Roy Forbes and LB’s Alex Lee and Barry Moore have contributed greatly to their defensive campaign, and RB Marion Waters has carried the rock enough to help the team to where they are. The Hammers offense has slowed recently, and I think that gives just enough edge to the Shamrocks to punch their ticket to the title game.

My Pick: Pittsburgh

West Division Play-Off: Chicago Hogs @ Cincinnati Rivermen

Previous Matchups: W2 - CHI 20-33 CIN, W10 - CIN 10-17 CHI

After their matchup in week 10, Chicago is the team coming in hot, while Cincinnati is coming in slightly cold and having lost the magic they had earlier in the year. The Hogs did look a bit off in the beginning of the season, but have looked to be back in form ready for the playoffs. QB Alfred Walton was pushing for another award this year, but came just short due to some of the offensive weapons not contributing as much, as his two top targets of WR Nicholas Kramer and TE Glenn Chambers are reaching the end of their primes and aren’t as athletic as they used to be. Second-year RB Brian Bruce has taken up a lot of the rushing duties from RB Johnnie Hendrix, and has generally done well in his role, but did struggle early in the year getting used to being the starter instead of splitting time. Chicago had the yips, and whether or not they get them again in the playoff will determine whether or not they win. Cincinnati was hot all year, but they did lose their last 2 games in heartbreaking fashion, so QB Lester Parker’s performance in this game determines if the Rivermen will gain steam or get run over by the Hogs. In my opinion, the Hogs are simply the better team that got off to a cold start, and will take down the Rivermen in the playoffs once again to advance to the championship game.

My Pick: Chicago