| 1961 Detroit Lions season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | George Wilson |
| Results | |
| Record | 8–5–1 |
| Division place | 2nd NFL Western |
| Playoff finish | Won NFL Playoff Bowl (vs. Eagles) 38–10 |
| |
The 1961 Detroit Lions season was the 32nd season in franchise history. Detroit was runner-up in the Western conference at 8–5–1, then won a second Playoff Bowl game against the Philadelphia Eagles that was played in the Orange Bowl, 38–10.[1]
This was also the first season that the silhouetted blue lion logo appeared on the helmets.
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 17 | atGreen Bay Packers | W 17–13 | 1–0 |
32,150
|
| 2 | September 24 | atBaltimore Colts | W 16–15 | 2–0 |
49,825
|
| 3 | October 1 | San Francisco 49ers | L 0–49 | 2–1 |
38,065
|
| 4 | October 8 | Chicago Bears | L 17–31 | 2–2 |
53,854
|
| 5 | October 15 | Los Angeles Rams | W 14–13 | 3–2 |
53,295
|
| 6 | October 22 | Baltimore Colts | L 14–17 | 3–3 |
48,447
|
| 7 | October 29 | at Los Angeles Rams | W 28–10 | 4–3 |
54,019
|
| 8 | November 5 | at San Francisco 49ers | T 20–20 | 4–3–1 |
46,267
|
| 9 | November 12 | atSt. Louis Cardinals | W 45–14 | 5–3–1 |
54,123
|
| 10 | November 19 | atMinnesota Vikings | W 37–10 | 6–3–1 |
57,808
|
| 11 | November 23 | Green Bay Packers | L 9–17 | 6–4–1 |
43,272
|
| 12 | December 3 | at Chicago Bears | W 16–15 | 7–4–1 |
51,017
|
| 13 | December 10 | Minnesota Vikings | W 13–7 | 8–4–1 |
42,655
|
| 14 | December 17 | Philadelphia Eagles | L 24–27 | 8–5–1 |
44,231
|
| NFL Western Conference | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
W | L | T | PCT | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| Green Bay Packers | 11 | 3 | 0 | .786 | 9–3 | 391 | 223 | W1 | |
| Detroit Lions | 8 | 5 | 1 | .615 | 7–4–1 | 270 | 258 | L1 | |
| Chicago Bears | 8 | 6 | 0 | .571 | 7–5 | 326 | 302 | W2 | |
| Baltimore Colts | 8 | 6 | 0 | .571 | 6–6 | 302 | 307 | W1 | |
| San Francisco 49ers | 7 | 6 | 1 | .538 | 6–5–1 | 346 | 272 | L1 | |
| Los Angeles Rams | 4 | 10 | 0 | .286 | 3–9 | 263 | 333 | L1 | |
| Minnesota Vikings | 3 | 11 | 0 | .214 | 3–9 | 285 | 407 | L2 | |
| Detroit Lions roster | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running backs Wide receivers Tight ends |
Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen |
Linebackers
Defensive backs Special teams |
Reserve lists
rookies in italics | |||
The Playoff Bowl matched the runners-up of the two conferences to determine third place in the league. It was played in January at the Orange BowlinMiami, Florida, the week following the NFL Championship game. This season's participants, Detroit and Philadelphia, had met three weeks earlier in the last game of the regular season, a three-point Eagles' road win,[2][3] and were slightly favored in Miami.[4]
This was the second year for the game and the Lions repeated as winners;[1] it is classified by the NFL as an exhibition game, rather than postseason.
| Round | Date | Opponent | Result | Venue | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playoff Bowl | January 6, 1962 | Philadelphia Eagles | W 38–10 | Orange Bowl | 25,612 |
![[icon]](https://akarinohon.com/text/taketori.cgi/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} |
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| Franchise |
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| Stadiums |
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| Culture |
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| Lore |
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| Rivalries |
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| Division championships (9) |
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| League championships (4) |
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| Media |
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| Current league affiliations |
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Formerly the Portsmouth Spartans (1930–1933) | |
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Bold indicates NFL Championship (1920–69) or Super Bowl (1966–present) victory |
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