1952 Pittsburgh Steelers season

The 1952 Pittsburgh Steelers finished to a semi-respectable 5–7 finish under head coach Joe Bach, who returned to the organization replacing John Michelosen.

The season was notable in that it was the last year the Steelers used the single-wing formation on offense, switching to the T formation the following year. The Steelers were the last NFL team to use the single-wing as their primary offensive formation.

Week 1 (Sunday September 28, 1952): Philadelphia Eagles
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania


 * Game time:
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 22,501
 * Referee:
 * TV announcers:

Scoring drives:


 * Philadelphia – Grant 84 pass from Burk (Walston kick)
 * Philadelphia – Ziegler 4 pass from Burk (Walston kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Finks 20 run (kick blocked)
 * Philadelphia – FG Walston 32
 * Pittsburgh – Modzelewski 1 run (kick blocked)
 * Philadelphia – Ziegler 3 run (Walston kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Finks 1 run (Kerkorian kick)
 * Philadelphia – Pihos 25 pass from Burk (Walston kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Mathews 27 pass from Finks (kick blocked)

Week 2 (Saturday October 4, 1952): Cleveland Browns
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania


 * Game time:
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 27,923
 * Referee:
 * TV announcers:

Scoring drives:


 * Pittsburgh – Nickel 10 pass from Finks (kick failed)
 * Cleveland – Motley 68 pass from Graham (Groza kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Nickel 30 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Finks 1 run (Kerkorian kick)
 * Cleveland – Jones 17 pass from Graham (Groza kick)
 * Cleveland – Howard 57 pass from Graham (Groza kick)

Week 3 (Sunday October 12, 1952): Philadelphia Eagles
at Shibe Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania


 * Game time:
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 18,648
 * Referee:
 * TV announcers:

'Scoring drives:


 * Philadelphia – FG Walston 25
 * Philadelphia – FG Walston 20
 * Pittsburgh – Chandnois 93 kick return (Kerkorian kick)
 * Philadelphia – Brewer 1 run (Walston kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Mathews 25 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Nickel 54 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
 * Philadelphia – Grant 17 pass from Enke (Walston kick)
 * Philadelphia – FG Walston 24
 * Philadelphia – FG Walston 19

Week 4 (Sunday October 19, 1952): Washington Redskins
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania


 * Game time:
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 22,605
 * Referee:
 * TV announcers:

Scoring drives:


 * Washington – Williams 62 punt return (LeBaron kick)
 * Washington – Heath 1 run (LeBaron kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Nickel 6 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
 * Pittsburgh – FG Kerkorian 36
 * Pittsburgh – Hays 1 interception (Kerkorian kick)
 * Washington – Taylor 11 pass from Gilmer (LeBaron kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Nickel 36 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
 * Washington – Taylor 43 pass from LeBaron (LeBaron kick)

Week 5 (Sunday October 26, 1952): Chicago Cardinals
at Comiskey Park, Chicago, Illinois


 * Game time:
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 20,395
 * Referee:
 * TV announcers:

Scoring drives:


 * Pittsburgh – Chandnois 28 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Mathews 70 punt return (kick blocked)
 * Pittsburgh – Nickel 5 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Sulima 13 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
 * Chicago Cardinals – Matson 33 pass from Panciera (Geri kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Ferry 71 fumble run (Kerkorian kick)
 * Chicago Cardinals – Matson 41 pass from Panciera (Geri kick)
 * Chicago Cardinals – Matson 47 pass from Panciera (Geri kick)
 * Chicago Cardinals – Cross 4 run (Geri kick)

Week 6 (Sunday November 2, 1952): Washington Redskins
at Griffith Stadium, Washington, DC


 * Game time:
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 25,866
 * Referee:
 * TV announcers:

Scoring Drives:


 * Pittsburgh – Dodrill 35 blocked field goal return (Kerkorian kick)
 * Washington – LeBaron 2 run (Rykovich kick)
 * Pittsburgh – FG Kerkorian 23
 * Pittsburgh – Mathews 70 punt return (Kerkorian kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Rogel 1 run (Kerkorian kick)
 * Washington – Safety, Finks tackled in end zone by Hennessey
 * Washington – Taylor 40 pass from LeBaron (LeBaron kick)
 * Washington – Justice 13 pass from LeBaron (Buksar kick)

Week 7 (Sunday November 9, 1952): Detroit Lions
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania


 * Game time:
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 26,170
 * Referee:
 * TV announcers:

Scoring drives:


 * Detroit – FG Walker 16
 * Detroit – Girard 1 run (Walker kick)
 * Detroit – Box 46 pass from Layne (Walker kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Rogel 3 run (kick failed)
 * Detroit – Girard 31 run (Walker kick)
 * Detroit – Bailey 9 run (Layne kick)

Week 8 (Sunday November 16, 1952): Cleveland Browns
at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio


 * Game time:
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 34,973
 * Referee:
 * TV announcers:

Scoring drives:


 * Cleveland – Lavelli 22 pass from Graham (Groza kick)
 * Cleveland – Safety, Finks tackled in end zone by Young
 * Cleveland – FG Groza 11
 * Cleveland – FG Groza 34
 * Cleveland – Lavelli 22 pass from Graham (Groza kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Mathews 33 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Butler 7 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
 * Cleveland – Graham 2 run (Groza kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Mathews 38 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Nickel 9 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)

Week 9 (Sunday November 23, 1952): Chicago Cardinals
at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania


 * Game time:
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 18,330
 * Referee:
 * TV announcers:

Scoring drives:


 * Pittsburgh – FG Kerkorian 23
 * PIttsburgh – Modzelewski 6 run (Kerkorian kick)
 * Chicago Cardinals – Paul 9 pass from Panciera (Geri kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Finks 1 run (Kerkorian kick)
 * Chicago Cardinals – Cross 38 pass from Panciera (Geri kick)

Week 10 (Sunday November 30, 1952): New York Giants
at Polo Grounds, New York, New York


 * Game time:
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 15,140
 * Referee:
 * TV announcers:

Scoring drives:


 * Pittsburgh – Chandnois 91 kick return (Kerkorian kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Chandnois 5 run (Kerkorian kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Nickel 21 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Mathews 42 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Hensley 25 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
 * New York Giants – Stribling 55 lateral from Scott after 15 pass from Landry (Poole kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Hensley 60 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
 * Pittsburgh – George Hays 3 run with blocked punt (Mathews kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Butler 20 pass from Kerkorian (Kerkorian kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Modzelewski 3 run (Kerkorian kick)

Week 11 (Sunday December 7, 1952): San Francisco 49ers
at Kezar Stadium, San Francisco, California


 * Game time:
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 13,886
 * Referee:
 * TV announcers:

Scoring drives:


 * Pittsburgh – Rogel 3 run (Kerkorian kick)
 * San Francisco – Soltau 6 pass from Albert (Soltau kick)
 * Pittsburgh – FG Kerkorian 19
 * Pittsburgh – Finks 1 run (Kerkorian kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Chandnois 48 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)

Week 12 (Sunday December 14, 1952): Los Angeles Rams
at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California


 * Game time:
 * Game weather:
 * Game attendance: 71,130
 * Referee:
 * TV announcers:

Scoring drives:


 * Los Angeles – Fears 10 pass from Van Brocklin (Waterfield kick)
 * Los Angeles – Lane 42 interception return (Waterfield kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Hogan 15 interception return (Kerkorian kick)
 * Pittsburgh – Nickel 13 pass from Finks (Kerkorian kick)
 * Los Angeles – Hirsch 65 pass from Van Brocklin (Waterfield kick)
 * Los Angeles – Fears 5 pass from Van Brocklin (Waterfield kick)