1932 Portsmouth Spartans season
# 1932 Portsmouth Spartans season

In 1932, the Portsmouth Spartans appeared in the league championship game, the first playoff game in NFL history, losing to the Chicago Bears 9–0. With a record of 6–1–4 in 1932, the Spartans finished in a tie for the NFL title with the Chicago Bears. It was the first time in history that the season ended with two teams atop the league's standings. (Ties were omitted in calculating winning percentage.) Both games during the season between Portsmouth and Chicago had ended in ties; to determine a sole champion, the league office arranged for the first playoff game in NFL history.

The game was originally scheduled to be played at Wrigley Field, the Bears' home stadium. Due to severe blizzards and sub-zero wind chill throughout the week, the game was moved indoors to Chicago Stadium. The arena allowed only an 80-yard field (end lines) that came right to the walls, and the goal posts were moved from the end lines to the goal. The Bears won 9–0, scoring the winning touchdown on a two-yard pass from Bronko Nagurski to Red Grange in the fourth quarter. Attendance for the game was 11,198.

With the loss, Portsmouth dropped to third in the final league standings, behind the runner-up Green Bay Packers (10–3–1).

## Season

### Schedule

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | September 25 | New York Giants | W 7–0 | 1–0 | Universal Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | October 2 | Chicago Cardinals | T 7–7 | 1–0–1 | Universal Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | October 9 | at Green Bay Packers | L 10–15 | 1–1–1 | City Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | October 16 | at Staten Island Stapletons | T 7–7 | 1–1–2 | Thompson Stadium | Recap |
| 5 | October 20 | at Staten Island Stapletons | W 13–6 | 2–1–2 | Thompson Stadium | Recap |
| 6 | October 30 | at New York Giants | W 6–0 | 3–1–2 | Polo Grounds | Recap |
| 7 | November 6 | at Brooklyn Dodgers | W 17–7 | 4–1–2 | Ebbets Field | Recap |
| 8 | November 13 | at Chicago Bears | T 13–13 | 4–1–3 | Wrigley Field | Recap |
| 9 | November 20 | Boston Braves | W 10–0 | 5–1–3 | Universal Stadium | Recap |
| 10 | November 27 | Chicago Bears | T 7–7 | 5–1–4 | Universal Stadium | Recap |
| 11 | December 4 | Green Bay Packers | W 19–0 | 6–1–4 | Universal Stadium | Recap |
| Playoff | December 18 | at Chicago Bears | L 0–9 | 6–2–4 | Chicago Stadium | Recap |

## Standings

NFL standings :

| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | STK |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Chicago Bears $^1$ | 7 | 1 | 6 | .875 | 160 | 44 | W3 |
| Green Bay Packers | 10 | 3 | 1 | .769 | 152 | 63 | L2 |
| Portsmouth Spartans $^1$ | 6 | 2 | 4 | .750 | 116 | 71 | L1 |
| Boston Braves | 4 | 4 | 2 | .500 | 55 | 79 | W2 |
| New York Giants | 4 | 6 | 2 | .400 | 93 | 113 | L1 |
| Brooklyn Dodgers | 3 | 9 | 0 | .250 | 63 | 131 | L4 |
| Chicago Cardinals | 2 | 6 | 2 | .250 | 72 | 114 | L5 |
| Staten Island Stapletons | 2 | 7 | 3 | .222 | 77 | 173 | L1 |

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

$^1$ The Bears and Spartans records include the result of the 1932 NFL Playoff Game; thus, the Spartans are ranked third behind the Packers.

## Playoff Game

Chicago Bears 9, Portsmouth Spartans 0

