1964 Detroit Lions season

{{Infobox NFL team season

| logo =

| team = Detroit Lions

| year = 1964

| record = 7–5–2

| division_place = 4th NFL Western

| coach = George Wilson

| owner = William Clay Ford Sr.

| stadium = Tiger Stadium

| playoffs = Did not qualify

| shortnavlink = Lions seasons

}}

The 1964 Detroit Lions season was the 31st in Detroit and the 35th in franchise history. They finished at 7–5–2, fourth in the Western conference.

Offseason

On January 21, William Clay Ford, Lions president since 1961, purchased the team, which as of {{nfly|2025}}, continues to be held by the family, currently by his daughter Sheila.NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, {{ISBN|0-7611-2480-2}}, p.282
On March 16, Lions Defensive Tackle Alex Karras was reinstated by Pete Rozelle after being suspended for betting.

= NFL Draft =

class="wikitable" width="80%"
align="center" style="background:#005da6;color:#c4c8cb;" \| Round	Pick	Player	Position	School
align="center" bgcolor="" \| 1	5	Pete Beathard	Quarterback	USC
align="center" bgcolor="" \| 2	20	Matt Snorton	Tight End	Michigan State
align="center" bgcolor="" \| 3
align="center" bgcolor=""

{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/det/1964_draft.htm|title=1964 Detroit Lions Draftees}}

Regular season

For the first time since 1950, the Green Bay Packers were not the guest on Thanksgiving Day; they visited Tiger Stadium in late September for a rare Monday night game.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OZhRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7BAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6060%2C4482796 |work=Milwaukee Sentinel |last=Lea |first=Bud |author-link = Bud Lea |title=54,000 to see Pack, Lions |date=September 28, 1964 |page=3, part 2 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OZhRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7BAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7166%2C4635422 |work=Milwaukee Sentinel |last=Lea |first=Bud |author-link = Bud Lea |title=Packers whip stubborn Lions |date=September 29, 1964 |page=2, part 2 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

= Schedule =

class="wikitable"
Week ! Date ! Opponent ! Result ! Record ! Attendance
style="background: #ddffdd;" \| align=center\|1 \| September 13 \| at San Francisco 49ers \| W 26–17 \| align=center\|1–0–0 \| {{center\|33,204}}
style="background: #ffeeaa;" \| align=center\|2 \| September 19 \| at Los Angeles Rams \| T 17–17 \| align=center\|1–0–1 \| {{center\|52,001}}
style="background: #ffdddd;" \| align=center\|3 \| September 28 \| Green Bay Packers \| L 10–14 \| align=center\|1–1–1 \| {{center\|59,203}}
style="background: #ddffdd;" \| align=center\|4 \| October 4 \| New York Giants \| W 26–3 \| align=center\|2–1–1 \| {{center\|54,836}}
style="background: #ddffdd;" \| align=center\|5 \| October 11 \| at Minnesota Vikings \| W 24–20 \| align=center\|3–1–1 \| {{center\|40,840}}
style="background: #ddffdd;" \| align=center\|6 \| October 18 \| at Chicago Bears \| W 10–0 \| align=center\|4–1–1 \| {{center\|47,567}}
style="background: #ffdddd;" \| align=center\|7 \| October 25 \| Baltimore Colts \| L 0–34 \| align=center\|4–2–1 \| {{center\|57,814}}
style="background: #ddffdd;" \| align=center\|8 \| November 1 \| Los Angeles Rams \| W 37–17 \| align=center\|5–2–1 \| {{center\|52,064}}
style="background: #ffdddd;" \| align=center\|9 \| November 6 \| at Green Bay Packers \| L 7–30 \| align=center\|5–3–1 \| {{center\|42,327}}
style="background: #ffdddd;" \| align=center\|10 \| November 15 \| at Cleveland Browns \| L 21–37 \| align=center\|5–4–1 \| {{center\|83,064}}
style="background: #ffeeaa;" \| align=center\|11 \| November 22 \| Minnesota Vikings \| T 23–23 \| align=center\|5–4–2 \| {{center\|48,291}}
style="background: #ffdddd;" \| align=center\|12 \| November 26 \| Chicago Bears \| L 24–27 \| align=center\|5–5–2 \| {{center\|52,231}}
style="background: #ddffdd;" \| align=center\|13 \| December 6 \| at Baltimore Colts \| W 31–14 \| align=center\|6–5–2 \| {{center\|60,213}}
style="background: #ddffdd;" \| align=center\|14 \| December 13 \| San Francisco 49ers \| W 24–7 \| align=center\|7–5–2 \| {{center\|41,854}}

class="wikitable"

Week

! Date

! Opponent

! Result

! Record

! Attendance

style="background: #ddffdd;"

| align=center|1

| September 13

| at San Francisco 49ers

| W 26–17

| align=center|1–0–0

| {{center|33,204}}

style="background: #ffeeaa;"

| align=center|2

| September 19

| at Los Angeles Rams

| T 17–17

| align=center|1–0–1

| {{center|52,001}}

style="background: #ffdddd;"

| align=center|3

| September 28

| Green Bay Packers

| L 10–14

| align=center|1–1–1

| {{center|59,203}}

style="background: #ddffdd;"

| align=center|4

| October 4

| New York Giants

| W 26–3

| align=center|2–1–1

| {{center|54,836}}

style="background: #ddffdd;"

| align=center|5

| October 11

| at Minnesota Vikings

| W 24–20

| align=center|3–1–1

| {{center|40,840}}

style="background: #ddffdd;"

| align=center|6

| October 18

| at Chicago Bears

| W 10–0

| align=center|4–1–1

| {{center|47,567}}

style="background: #ffdddd;"

| align=center|7

| October 25

| Baltimore Colts

| L 0–34

| align=center|4–2–1

| {{center|57,814}}

style="background: #ddffdd;"

| align=center|8

| November 1

| Los Angeles Rams

| W 37–17

| align=center|5–2–1

| {{center|52,064}}

style="background: #ffdddd;"

| align=center|9

| November 6

| at Green Bay Packers

| L 7–30

| align=center|5–3–1

| {{center|42,327}}

style="background: #ffdddd;"

| align=center|10

| November 15

| at Cleveland Browns

| L 21–37

| align=center|5–4–1

| {{center|83,064}}

style="background: #ffeeaa;"

| align=center|11

| November 22

| Minnesota Vikings

| T 23–23

| align=center|5–4–2

| {{center|48,291}}

style="background: #ffdddd;"

| align=center|12

| November 26

| Chicago Bears

| L 24–27

| align=center|5–5–2

| {{center|52,231}}

style="background: #ddffdd;"

| align=center|13

| December 6

| at Baltimore Colts

| W 31–14

| align=center|6–5–2

| {{center|60,213}}

style="background: #ddffdd;"

| align=center|14

| December 13

| San Francisco 49ers

| W 24–7

| align=center|7–5–2

| {{center|41,854}}

Saturday night (September 19),{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Dv1VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=aOMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5801%2C3916281 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=Associated Press |title=Lions rally to gain standoff with Rams |date=September 20, 1964 |page=2B}} Monday night (September 28),
Thursday (November 26: Thanksgiving){{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Uv1VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9-IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2895%2C5372408 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=Associated Press |title=Bears shade Lions by 27-24 |date=November 27, 1964 |page=3B}}

= Game summaries =

== Week 1 ==

{{AFB game box start

|Title=

|Visitor=Lions

|V1= 3|V2=13 |V3= 7|V4=3

|Host=49ers

|H1= 7|H2=0 |H3=10 |H4=0

|Date=September 13

|Location=Kezar Stadium, San Francisco, California

|StartTime=

|TimeZone=

|ElapsedTime=

|Attendance=

|Weather={{convert|59|F}}; wind {{convert|16|mph|abbr=on}}

|Referee=

|TVAnnouncers=

|TVStation=

}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |FirstEntry=yes |Quarter=1 |Time= |Team=DET |Event= Wayne Walker 23 yard field goal |Score= DET 3–0}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=1 |Time= |Team= SF|Event=Bernie Casey 63 yard pass from John Brodie (Tommy Davis kick) |Score= SF 7–3}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=2 |Time= |Team= DET|Event=Wayne Walker 16 yard field goal |Score= SF 7–6}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=2 |Time= |Team= DET|Event= Nick Pietrosante 3 yard run (Wayne Walker kick) |Score= DET 13–7}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter= 2|Time= |Team= DET|Event=Wayne Walker 31 yard field goal |Score= DET 16–7}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=3|Time= |Team=DET |Event=Nick Pietrosante 1 yard run (Wayne Walker kick) |Score=DET 23–7}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=3 |Time= |Team= SF|Event=Tommy Davis 41 yard field goal |Score= DET 23–10}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=3 |Time= |Team= SF|Event=Bernie Casey 7 yard pass from John Brodie (Tommy Davis kick) |Score= DET 23–17}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=4 |Time= |Team=DET |Event=Wayne Walker 26 yard field goal |Score=DET 26–17|LastEntry=yes}}

[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196409130sfo.htm Pro-Football-Reference.com]

== Week 10: at Cleveland Browns ==

{{Americanfootballbox

|titlestyle=text-align:center; {{NFLPrimaryStyle|Detroit Lions}} text-align:center;

|state=autocollapse

|title=Cleveland Browns 37, Detroit Lions 21

|date=November 15

|time=1:30 p.m. EST

|stadium=Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

|attendance=83,064

|weather={{convert|51|F}}, relative humidity 60%, wind {{convert|9|mph|abbr=on}}

|referee=

|TV=CBS

|TVAnnouncers=Van Patrick (DET) (second half) and Ken Coleman (CLE) (first half) (play-by-play), Jim Morse (DET) (second half) and Warren Lahr (CLE) (first half) (color commentators)

|road=Lions|R1=14|R2=7|R3=0|R4=0

|home=Browns|H1=7|H2=13|H3=7|H4=10

|reference=[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196411150cle.htm Pro-Football-Reference.com]

|scoring=

;First Quarter

CLE - Jim Brown 6 yard rush - (Lou Groza kick) Browns 7-0
DET - Danny Lewis 92 yard pass from Milt Plum - (Wayne Walker kick) Tied 7-7
DET - Jim Gibbons 4 yard pass from Milt Plum - (Wayne Walker kick) Lions 14-7

;Second Quarter

CLE - Lou Groza 38 yard field goal - Lions 14-10
CLE - Jim Brown 2 yard rush - (Lou Groza kick) Browns 17-14
DET - Terry Barr 39 yard pass from Milt Plum - (Wayne Walker kick) Lions 21-17
CLE - Lou Groza 47 yard field goal - Lions 21-20

;Third Quarter

CLE - Paul Warfield 8 yard pass from Frank Ryan - (Lou Groza kick) Browns 27-21

;Fourth Quarter

CLE - Lou Groza 36 yard field goal - Browns 30-21
CLE - Walter Beach 65 yard interception return - (Lou Groza kick) Browns 37-21

;Lions

;Browns

}}

Standings

= Roster =

class="toccolours" style="text-align: left;"
colspan="7" style="background-color:#006DB0;color:#C3C6CC;text-align:center;" \| 1964 Detroit Lions roster
style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" \| Quarterbacks {{NFLplayer\|16\|Milt Plum}} {{NFLplayer\|14\|Earl Morrall}} {{NFLplayer\|10\|Sonny Gibbs}} Running backs {{NFLplayer\|20\|Dick Compton\|HB}} {{NFLplayer\|30\|Pat Batten\|FB\|rookie=y}} {{NFLplayer\|33\|Nick Pietrosante\|FB}} {{NFLplayer\|22\|Tom Watkins\|d=American football}} {{NFLplayer\|34\|Nick Ryder\|FB}} {{NFLplayer\|45\|Dan Lewis\|d=American football}} Wide receivers {{NFLplayer\|41\|Terry Barr\|FL}} {{NFLplayer\|87\|Warren Wells\|rookie=y}} {{NFLplayer\|89\|Gail Cogdill}} Tight ends {{NFLplayer\|80\|Jim Gibbons\|d=American football}} {{NFLplayer\|84\|Hugh McInnis}} \| style="width: 25px;" \| \| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" \| Offensive linemen {{NFLplayer\|79\|John Gonzaga}} {{NFLplayer\|72\|J. D. Smith\|d=offensive tackle\|RT}} {{NFLplayer\|75\|John Gordy\|G}} {{NFLplayer\|62\|Ted Karras Sr.\|G}} {{NFLplayer\|70\|Daryl Sanders\|T}} {{NFLplayer\|79\|John Gonzaga\|LG}} {{NFLplayer\|51\|Bob Whitlow\|C}} {{NFLplayer\|66\|Jim Simon\|d=American football\|G}} Defensive linemen {{NFLplayer\|76\|Roger Brown\|d=defensive tackle\|DT}} {{NFLplayer\|71\|Alex Karras\|DT}} {{NFLplayer\|65\|Roger LaLonde\|DT\|rookie=y}} {{NFLplayer\|78\|Darris McCord\|DE}} {{NFLplayer\|88\|Sam Williams\|d=defensive lineman\|DE}} \| style="width: 25px;" \| \| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" \| Linebackers {{NFLplayer\|59\|Ernie Clark\|d=American football\|LLB}} {{NFLplayer\|53\|Dennis Gaubatz}} {{NFLplayer\|56\|Joe Schmidt\|d=American football\|MLB}} {{NFLplayer\|52\|Monte Lee}} {{NFLplayer\|57\|Wally Hilgenberg\|rookie=y}} Defensive backs {{NFLplayer\|44\|Dick LeBeau\|S}} {{NFLplayer\|27\|Bobby Thompson\|CB\|d=defensive back\|rookie=y}} {{NFLplayer\|47\|Wayne Rasmussen\|DB\|rookie=y}} {{NFLplayer\|21\|Bruce Maher\|S}} {{NFLplayer\|28\|Yale Lary\|S/P}} Special teams {{NFLplayer\|55\|Wayne Walker\|d=linebacker\|K / LB}} {{NFLplayer\|25\|Pat Studstill\|P / WR}} \| style="width: 25px;" \| \| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" \| Reserve lists currently vacant rookies in italics

class="toccolours" style="text-align: left;"

colspan="7" style="background-color:#006DB0;color:#C3C6CC;text-align:center;" | 1964 Detroit Lions roster

style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" | Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

| style="width: 25px;" |

| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" | Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

| style="width: 25px;" |

| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" | Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

| style="width: 25px;" |

| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" | Reserve lists

currently vacant

rookies in italics

Awards and records

Terry Barr, Outstanding Lineman, Pro Bowl NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, {{ISBN|0-7611-2480-2}}, p. 368

References

[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/det/1964.htm?redir Detroit Lions on Pro Football Reference]
[http://www.jt-sw.com/football/pro/results.nsf/Teams/1964-det Detroit Lions on jt-sw.com]
[http://www.footballdb.com/teams/detroit-lions/results/1964 Detroit Lions on The Football Database]

Detroit Lions

Category:Detroit Lions seasons

Detroit Lions

Category:1964 in Detroit