1933 Portsmouth Spartans season

The 1933 Portsmouth Spartans season was their fourth in the National Football League (NFL) and final season before the franchise was sold and moved to Michigan to become the Detroit Lions. The team failed to improve on their previous season's output of 6–2–4, losing five games.^[1] They failed to qualify for the playoffs.

1933 Portsmouth Spartans season
Owner	Portsmouth National League Football Corporation
General manager	Harry N. Snyder
Head coach	Potsy Clark
Home stadium	Spartan Field
Results
Record	6–5
Division place	2nd NFL Western
Playoffs	Did not qualify
← 1932 Spartans seasons 1934 (Det. Lions) →

Schedule

The Spartans started out fast with a 5–1 mark, just a half-game behind the first place Bears (5–0). After splitting their next two contests, Portsmouth (at 6–2) was still within half a game of Chicago (6–1–1). But the Spartans would lose their next three games, including back-to-back defeats to the Bears to close the season.

The Spartans were sold and headed north for the 1934 season, becoming the Detroit Lions. Ironically, the team would return for one last game at Spartan Field when the Lions' October 28 contest against failing Cincinnati Reds franchise was moved from the Queen City to Portsmouth; Detroit won, 38–0, in the last NFL game played in the small Ohio town.

Game	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance	Recap	Sources
—	September 13	at Indianapolis Indians	W 19–0	—	Perry Stadium	2,206[2]	—	[3][4]
1	September 17	Cincinnati Reds	W 21–0	1–0	Spartan Field	5,000	Recap	[5]
2	September 24	New York Giants	W 17–7	2–0	Universal Stadium	7,000	Recap	[6]
3	October 1	Chicago Cardinals	W 7–6	3–0	Spartan Field		Recap	[7][8]
4	October 8	at Green Bay Packers	L 0–17	3–1	City Stadium	5,200	Recap
5	October 15	at Boston Redskins	W 13–0	4–1	Fenway Park	20,000	Recap
6	October 18	at Philadelphia Eagles	W 25–0	5–1	Baker Bowl	20,000	Recap
7	November 5	at New York Giants	L 10–13	5–2	Polo Grounds	15,000	Recap
8	November 12	Green Bay Packers	W 7–0	6–2	Spartan Field	7,500	Recap
9	November 19	at Cincinnati Reds	L 7–10	6–3	Redland Field	7,500	Recap	[9]
10	November 26	at Chicago Bears	L 14–17	6–4	Wrigley Field	9,000	Recap
11	December 3	Chicago Bears	L 7–17	6–5	Spartan Field	10,000	Recap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Non-league game in italics.

Standings

NFL Western Division
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	PF	PA	STK
Chicago Bears	10	2	1	.833	7–0	133	82	W4
Portsmouth Spartans	6	5	0	.545	3–4	128	87	L3
Green Bay Packers	5	7	1	.417	2–4	170	107	L1
Cincinnati Reds	3	6	1	.333	2–2	38	110	W1
Chicago Cardinals	1	9	1	.100	1–5	52	101	T1

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

NFL Eastern Division
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	PF	PA	STK
New York Giants	11	3	0	.786	7–1	244	101	W7
Brooklyn Dodgers	5	4	1	.556	2–2–1	93	54	L2
Boston Redskins	5	5	2	.500	2–3	103	97	T1
Philadelphia Eagles	3	5	1	.375	1–2	77	158	L2
Pittsburgh Pirates	3	6	2	.333	1–5–1	67	208	L3

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