| NFL playoffs | |
| Year: | 1952 |
| Dates: | December 21–28, 1952 |
| Num Teams: | 3 |
| Matches: | 2 |
| Title Game Name: | NFL Championship Game |
| Stadium: | Cleveland Municipal Stadium |
| Location: | Cleveland, Ohio |
| Defending Champions: | Los Angeles Rams |
| Champions: | Detroit Lions |
| Runner-Up: | Cleveland Browns |
| Conf-Runner-Up1: | Los Angeles Rams |
| Seasonslistnames: | NFL playoffs |
| Prevseason: | 1950 |
| Nextseason: | 1957 |
The National Football League season resulted in a tie for the National Conference championship between the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams, requiring a one-game playoff. This conference championship game was played on December 21 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit; the winner then traveled to play the American Conference champion Cleveland Browns on December 28 in the NFL Championship Game. The Lions won both games, 31–21 over the Rams and 17–7 at Cleveland.
The Rams and Lions had matched up two times in the 1952 season, with Detroit having won each time (17–14, 24–16). The defending champion Rams did not have the services of rookie sensation Night Train Lane, who injured his ankle in the season finale. Three-point favorites at home in muddy fog, Detroit prevailed over the Rams to return to the NFL Championship for the first time in 17 years. Pat Harder had two touchdown runs to bolster a 14–7 lead before kicking extra points on two Lions touchdowns in the second half to go with a field goal, with Bob Hoernschemeyer closing out the scoring for good on a 9-yard run. Detroit had four interceptions from Bobby Layne, but Los Angeles lost two fumbles and suffered a late fourth quarter interception thrown by Bob Waterfield while being outgained in both rushing and passing. Harder set a new record for point scored by one player in a playoff game with 19, eclipsing the old record of 18 held by Andy Farkas (1943). Paul Hornung would tie the record in 1961 before it was later broken in 1995.[1] [2] [3] [4]
The 1952 NFL Championship Game was held in Cleveland and was won by the Lions, 17–7.