The 1940 National Football League Championship Game, was played at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C. on December 8, 1940. The Chicago Bears defeated the Washington Redskins, 73-0, in what currently stands as the most onesided victory in NFL history. The 1940 NFL season was the 21th regular season of the National Football League. ... The National Football League (NFL) is the largest professional American football league, consisting of thirty-two teams from American cities and regions. ... Griffith Stadium was a sports stadium that stood in Washington, D.C. from 1911 to 1965, at the corner of Georgia Avenue and W Street, NW. An earlier wooden baseball park that stood on the site, National Park, was built in 1891, was destroyed by a fire in March 1911... Washington, D.C. is the capital city of the United States of America. ... December 8 is the 342nd day (343rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... City Chicago, Illinois Team Colors Navy Blue, Orange, and White Head Coach Lovie Smith Fight song Bear Down, Chicago Bears Mascot Staley League/Conference affiliations Independent (1919) National Football League (1920-present) Western Division (1933-1949) National Conference (1950-1952) Western Conference (1953-1969) Central Division (1967-1969) National Football... City Landover, Maryland Team Colors Burgundy and Gold Head Coach Joe Gibbs Fight song Hail to the Redskins Mascot {{{mascot}}} League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1933-present) Eastern Division (1933-1949) American Conference (1950-1952) Eastern Conference (1953-1969) Capitol Division (1967-1969) National Football Conference (1970-present) NFC...

Three weeks earlier, Washington defeated Chicago, 7-3, in a regular season game. After the contest, Redskins owner George Preston Marshall told reporters that the Bears were crybabies and quitters when the going got tough. So when preparing for the rematch, Chicago head coach George Halas fired up his team by showing them newspaper articles of Marshall's comments. George Preston Marshall (1896 – 1969) was the long-time owner and president of the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). ... George Stanley Halas (February 2, 1895 - October 31, 1983), nicknamed Papa Bear and Mr. ...

The Bears controlled the game right from the start, using the T formation as their primary offensive strategy. On their second play from scrimmage, running back Bill Osmanski ran 68 yards for a touchdown. Washington then marched to the Chicago 26-yard line on their ensuing drive, but wide receiver Charlie Malone dropped a sure touchdown pass in the end zone that would have tied the game. In American football, a T formation is an alignment used by the offensive team in which three running backs line up in a row about five yards behind the quarterback, forming the shape of a T. Numerous variations of the T formation have been developed, including the Power-T, where... A football play is the activity of the games of Canadian football and American football during which one team tries to advance the ball or to score, and the other team tries to stop them or take the ball away. ... High school running back A running back, halfback or tailback is the position of a player on an American and Canadian football team who lines up in the offensive backfield. ... Jerry Rice holds many career records for wide receivers in the National Football League. ...

Later in the first period, Sid Luckman scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to increase the lead 14-0. Then on their third drive, Joe Maniaci ran 42-yards for the Bears' third touchdown of the game.

Although the Bears held a 28-0 halftime lead, they continued to crush the Redskins, scoring 45 second-half points, including 26 in the third quarter. Even after Halas took the team's starters out, the backup players continued to pile on the points. The Bears ended up recording 501 total yards of offense, 382 total rushing yards, and 8 interceptions–returning 3 for touchdowns.

Scoring summary

• CHI - Osmanski 68 run (Manders kick)
• CHI - Luckman 1 run (Snyder kick)
• CHI - Maniaci 42 run (Martinovich kick)
• CHI - Kavanaugh 30 pass from Luckman (Snyder kick)
• CHI - Pool 15 interception return (Plasman kick)
• CHI - Nolting 23 run (kick failed)
• CHI - McAfee 35 interception return (Stydahar kick)
• CHI - Turner 20 interception return (kick failed)
• CHI - Clark 44 run (kick failed)
• CHI - Famiglietti 2 run (Maniaci pass from Sherman)
• CHI - Clark 1 run (pass failed)

References

• Nash, Bruce, and Allen Zullo (1986). The Football Hall of Shame, 80-82, Pocket Books. ISBN 0671745514.
• The Sporting News Complete Super Bowl Book 1995, 391, The Sporting News Publishing Co. ISBN 089204523X.