1968 NFL Championship

Lore & Background

The Baltimore Colts (13–1) won the Coastal Division and defeated the Minnesota Vikings 24–14 in the Western Conference championship game. The Colts were led by head coach Don Shula and reserve quarterback Earl Morrall. This was the Colts' fourth championship game appearance since joining the NFL in 1953. The Cleveland Browns (10–4) were the only team to defeat Baltimore during the regular season, and won the Century Division. The Browns defeated the Dallas Cowboys 31–20 in the Eastern Conference championship game. The Browns were led by head coach Blanton Collier, running back Leroy Kelly, and quarterback Bill Nelsen. This was the Browns' tenth NFL championship game appearance since joining the NFL in 1950, with a 4–5 record in the title game. Cleveland won the regular season game 30–20 ten weeks earlier in Baltimore, but the Colts were six-point favorites for the championship game. The 1968 game was a rematch of the 1964 title game and at the same venue, but with far different results. Both championship games were shutouts the Browns won in '64; 27–0, while the Colts won this time. This was the sixth and final NFL championship game held at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, although it hosted the 1986 AFC championship game.

Reader's Guide

Baltimore held Cleveland to just 173 total yards and avenged their only regular season loss of the year with a dominating shutout win. Cleveland crossed midfield only twice, just once in each half, and kicker Don Cockroft missed three field goal attempts. The game began promising for Cleveland as Browns defensive back Ben Davis wiped out a scoring chance for Baltimore on their opening drive when he intercepted a pass from Earl Morrall on the Cleveland 14-yard line. The Browns then drove to the Colts 35-yard line, with Bill Nelsen completing passes to Paul Warfield and Milt Morin for gains of 16 and 22 yards. However, Nelsen was dropped for a 7-yard loss on first down by Fred Miller and Ordell Braase. He managed to lead the team back to the 35 by the time they got to 4th down, but Cockroft 42-yard field goal attempt was blocked by defensive tackle Bubba Smith. The Colts then took over and drove to a 3–0 lead on a 28-yard field goal by Lou Michaels. In the second quarter, Baltimore completely took over the game. Colts running back Tom Matte scored on a 1-yard touchdown run, giving the Colts a 10–0 lead. Later on, the Colts seemed to blow a scoring chance when tight end John Mackey lost a fumble that was recovered by Erich Barnes and returned 9 yards to the Browns 23. But on the next play, linebacker Mike Curtis intercepted a pass from Nelsen on the 33, leading to Matte's 12-yard touchdown run that gave Baltimore a 17–0 lead going into halftime. After halftime, Cleveland forced a punt and got the ball on their own 40, where they proceeded to drive to the Colts 38. But once again their drive stalled and Cockroft missed a 50-yard field goal attempt. He got another chance as a result of a penalty on the play, but missed again from 45 yards on his next attempt. After an exchange of punts, Baltimore got the ball on the Cleveland 48 and drove to a 24–0 lead on Matte's third touchdown of the day. Meanwhile, Nelsen was benched and replaced by Frank Ryan, but this did nothing to improve Cleveland's misfortunes. On his first play, he fumbled the snap, and linebacker Don Shinnick recovered the ball on the Browns 20-yard line, leading to Michaels' second field goal, giving Baltimore a 27–0 lead on the second play of the 4th quarter.

Did You Know?

• The Colts had a 2–1 record in NFL championship games since 1953 before this game; after winning the 1968 title, their record became 3–1 (wins in 1958, 1959, 1968; loss in 1964).
• The Browns had a 4–5 record in NFL championship games since 1950 before this game; after losing, their record became 4–6.

Franchise Origins and Early Struggles

The organization traces its roots back to July 1932, when businessman George Preston Marshall established a professional football team in Boston. Initially named the Boston Braves after sharing a stadium with the local baseball club, the franchise quickly rebranded as the Redskins in 1933 while moving operations to Fenway Park. Despite New England's deep historical ties to college athletics, Marshall found the region hostile to professional sports, describing it as forbidding ground for commercial football. After five years of limited interest and a loss in their first championship appearance against Green Bay, the team relocated to Washington, D.C., in 1937. This move proved immediately successful; sharing Griffith Stadium with the Senators, they defeated the New York Giants in their inaugural game and shortly after secured their first NFL title by beating the Chicago Bears.

The Championship Era of the 1940s

During the early 1940s, the franchise experienced a volatile mix of historic triumphs and record-breaking defeats. While they captured their second championship in 1942 with a victory over Chicago, the team also suffered the most lopsided loss in NFL history that decade, falling 73–0 to the Bears in 1940. Quarterback Sammy Baugh emerged as a statistical powerhouse during this span, leading the league in passing, punting, and interceptions simultaneously in 1943. The era concluded with another championship appearance in 1945 under coach Dudley DeGroot, where a controversial safety involving a pass hitting the goal post led to a narrow defeat by Cleveland. Marshall's outrage over this specific play directly influenced a permanent rule change known as the Baugh/Marshall Rule, ensuring such passes would be ruled incomplete rather than safeties.

The Decades of Decline and Television Innovation

Following their last championship appearance in 1945, the team entered a prolonged period of instability marked by frequent coaching changes and poor on-field performance. Between 1946 and 1970, they managed only four winning seasons, with a particularly bleak stretch from 1956 to 1968 where they failed to achieve a single winning record. The franchise hit its absolute nadir in 1961 with a dismal 1–12–1 season. However, Marshall remained focused on profitability rather than just wins during this time. In 1950, the team made history by becoming the first NFL franchise to televise every game of a season, secured through a sponsorship deal with American Oil Company. Despite these business innovations and hiring legendary figures like Curly Lambeau, the roster struggled immensely, setting the stage for a quarter-century playoff drought.

Identity Evolution and Modern Rebranding

For decades, the franchise was known as the Washington Redskins, a name adopted in Boston that accompanied them to D.C. in 1937. This moniker and its associated logo faced increasing criticism over the years regarding racial insensitivity. Amidst a national wave of social unrest and calls for change in 2020, the organization retired the controversial branding, temporarily adopting the neutral name Washington Football Team. After two seasons under this interim identity, the franchise officially rebranded as the Commanders in 2022. Throughout these shifts, the team has maintained its home games at Northwest Stadium in Maryland and its headquarters in Virginia, continuing a legacy that includes four Super Bowl victories and numerous division titles despite long periods of struggle.