• By the summer of 1943, more than 350 NFL players served in the mili­tary, and teams struggled to assemble competitive rosters.
• With both owners serving in the military, the Cleveland Rams sus­pended operations for the season. A lottery was held to disperse the Rams players to the other teams.
• The draft was mostly a waste of time as college players not already in the military were likely to enlist or be drafted soon. The '43 draft is the first that did not produce a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The league owners seriously considered suspending operations for the '43 season. But they decided to press forward with some big adjustments.

• The two Pennsylvania teams, the Steelers and Eagles, combined to form one team, listed in the standings as Phil-Pitt but called the "Steagles" by the fans and writers. The new club split the home games between the two cities.
• The NFL passed a free substitution rule that allowed players to enter and leave games without restriction.
• The league also reduced the roster limit from 33 to 28.
• Wearing a helmet became mandatory.
• Still, the declining quality of play would best be exemplified by the No­vember 7 game in which neither the Lions nor the Giants produced a point. It remains the last scoreless tie in NFL history.
  

The defending East and West champions had to adjust their strategy because of player losses.

• The biggest Bear loss was owner-coach George Halas, serving as rec­reation officer for the Seventh Fleet in the Pacific Theater. 1943 would be the first year in the history of the franchise, which began in 1921, that Halas would not be involved as a player, coach, or general manager. Instead, Hunk Anderson and Luke Johnsos would continue the co-coach setup they began near the end of the '42 season when Halas received his commission. To avoid military service, the two coaches had to maintain fulltime jobs in addition to coaching football.
• Only half of the Bears' 32-man roster for the '42 title game returned. And Johnsos and Anderson sweated out the military status of QB Sid Luckman, who planned to join the Merchant Marine if his draft number was called.
• Fortunately, Luckman played the entire season because the Bears re­lied more than ever on his passing. The Pride of Columbia threw 202 passes, 83 more than in any previous year of his career. His 219.4 ypg average led the league while his 2,194 passing yards and 28 TD passes set new records.
• As training camp began, Anderson decided the Bears needed help. So he asked Bronko Nagurski to return. Bronk had retired six years earlier when Ha­las wouldn't raise his salary. The 35-year-old legend agreed on two conditions: that he play T instead of FB for only one year. His very presence gave the entire team an emotional lift since the younger players had heard Halas talk about Bronko constantly.
  I can play in the line all year long, Nagurski told Anderson. I just don't think I can cut the buck at FB anymore. It was also agreed that Bronk would stay in the game until he got tired and then take a breather.
• Chicago benefitted from the addition of two ex-Rams: speedy HB Dante Magnani who would produce 708y rushing and receiving; and 6'3" E Jim Benton, who would catch 13 passes for 235y in 1943.
• In the East Division, the Redskins welcomed back only 14 from their '42 championship roster. Also, with Ray Flaherty in the military, Dutch Berg­man took over the club. Like Anderson, Dutch was a Notre Dame alum­nus.
• But one fact remained unchanged: Washington went only as far as TB Sammy Baugh led them. The TCU product had arguably the greatest season any athlete ever had. He led the league in most of the passing stats that Luckman didn't: Attempts, completions, and completion %. He also showed his versatility by simultaneously leading the NFL in punting (45.9y average) and interceptions (11). No other player has ever pulled off a passing-punting-defending trifecta like that.

The division races went down to the wire and beyond.

• With only eight teams, the schedule called for each club to play only ten games – two against each of the other three teams in its conference and one again each team in the other conference.
• After tying the Packers in the traditional opener at Green Bay, the Bears won their next eight games. On November 14, the Giants welcomed the Big Apple's hometown hero with Sid Luckman Day. All he did was throw seven TD passes to break the record of six set just the week before by Baugh. (Sid's record has been tied six times - as recently as 9/5/13 by Peyton Manning - but never surpassed.)
• But the next week, the Bears' win streak ended at Washington 21-7 when Luckman played sparingly because of the flu.
• With Green Bay only a game behind, Chicago had to cop its annual fi­nale against the crosstown Cardinals, who hadn't won a game all sea­son. Nagurski agreed to move to FB to improve the blocking and run­ning. Sid left his hospital bed still weakened by the flu and fired four TD passes in the 35-24 come-from-behind victory to win the West on No­vember 28.
• At that point, Washington still had two more games to play, both against the Giants. With a 6-1-1 record compared to NY's 4-3-1, the Redskins needed to win only one of the two games to fill the berth in the championship game.
• But the Giants won both, 14-10 in New York, then 31-7 in D.C. That ne­cessitated a third straight game between the two rivals. Despite playing at the Polo Grounds again, the Redskins saved their best game for last, romping 28-0.

• Aided by the extra playoff contest, attendance rose more than 35% from 1942.
• Because of the Eastern playoff, the title game was moved back to Sun­day, December 26, the latest a season had ever extended.
• Since the Bears ended their season November 28, the delay gave Luckman even more time to study the Redskins and prepare a devastating game plan. But would the month layoff make the Bears rusty?
  The Redskins had intercepted two of Sid's passes in beating the Bears 14-6 in the '42 title game, then picked off two more in the their 21-7 victory November 21 in the Nation's Capital.

The Bears entered the title clash as 12 to 5 or 7.5 point favorites. Chicago bookies gave 10 points.

• Part of the reason for the inflated odds was Coach Bergman's unexpect­ed announcement that George Cafego, the #1 pick in the 1940 draft from Tennessee who had been acquired from Brooklyn in midseason, would start at TB in place of Baugh. Was Sammy injured? Bergman ex­plained that the Bear line was not up to par physically, implying that he wanted to run at them more. Was this a smoke screen? Would Sammy take the first snap as he always did?
• Anderson couldn't believe his team was favored at all. Somebody's crazy. They beat us 21 to 7 last time, and we haven't played for a month. How do they figure we're favorites?
• Hunk remembered 1942 when the favored Bears fell to these Redskins.
• A subtext of the game was the possibility that this would be the last of Luckman's career since he would enter the maritime service January 3.
  Sid said: I want this one more than I've every wanted anything in my whole life.
• Another subplot involved Anderson and Johnsos proving they could win a championship without Halas directing them.

Bergman had brought his Redskins to Purdue University in Indiana for three days of practice.

• Dutch was more concerned about his team's physical condition than its psychological makeup. Lou Rykmus is a doubtful starter. We may have Dick Farman in uniform, but I doubt if he'll play. Wilbur Moore may see a little action - mostly on defense - even though he's still ailing. And there's been an unusual session of flu and colds. However, I can honestly say that our boys are more confident of winning this one than they were before they whipped the Bears in November.
• Apparently not concerned about providing the opponent with bulletin board material, Baugh proclaimed: I ain't as worried about the Bears as I am that danged cold weather in Chicago. We can handle the Bears. I just don't know whether we can handle that goddamned hurricane coming off Lake Michigan.
• Knowing his team had the youngest roster in the league, All-Pro FB Andy Farkas proclaimed: The Bears are a bunch of old men. We'll outhit them and outquick them. More fodder for the Chicago coaching staff.
• Washington returned 800 of its allotted 1,200 tickets. The poor sale in the Nation's Capital was attributed to wartime transportation difficulties and the Redskins having to play an extra game to make the final.
• If the predicted good weather came to pass, "Cloudy with rising tempe­rature reaching 40 degrees," a crowd of 35,000 was expected to pack Wrigley Field to watch a passing duel between the two greatest gun­slingers in football history.

The Bears' locker room before the game served as Homecoming Headquarters.

• Commander Halas took a Christmas leave to travel halfway around the globe from the Pacific to make it in his dress blues and seaman's cap.
• Ken Kavanaugh, stellar E on the 1940-41 teams, visited from the Eight Air Force.
• Bear greats of previous decades, George Trafton, Red Grange, and Clyde Brumbaugh, joined in the festivities.
• Anderson looked around at the joviality more akin to a night out with the boys and worried that his squad would lack focus. So he expelled all visitors, including his former boss.

• 34,320 drove or took the "ell" to Wrigley Field to get away from the dreary world news for a few hours.
• Harry Wismer once again broadcast the game on coast-to-coast radio thanks to the sponsorship of Wilson Sporting Goods. Guy Savage assisted Harry.

• Quarter 1
  The Bears looked like a rusty team throughout the first period.
  Baugh did not start the game but came in soon after the kickoff to punt after three runs ost 2y. Luckman gathered in the boot. George Halas, on leave from the Navy to attend the game, recalled: Sid took the ball and ran, knees high, through the Redskins until only Sammy Baugh was between him and the goal. Sammy dived at Sid. A knee hit Sammy in the head and knocked him out. Sammy was helped off. After the trainer ministered to him on the field, Baugh retired to the sideline where teammates consoled their weeping leader until he was taken to the dressing room.
  The injury happened right in front of the Washington bench. Some Redskins blamed Luckman and went after him. HB Wilbur Moore yelled, We will kill that Jew! But Bulldog Turner, the Bears C, rescued his QB and calmed the angry Skins.
  
  Baugh cries on sidelines after getting kicked in the head during 1943 Championship Game.
  
  
  The team doctor reported this dialog with the star QB.
  Do you know where you are, Sam?
  Fort Worth.
  Who do you play for?
  The TCU Horned Frogs.
  Baugh recalled: I got whacked early in the game, knocked out. I couldn't remember anything. ...They took me out and ... were asking me all these questions about all kinds of damn things, and I don't remember if I could answer them or not. ... I had a concussion, they told me later. ... I begged with them. I pleaded with them to put me back in there. My head hurt but I was all right. The coach didn't want to take a chance.
  
  Denied the anticipated duel between two great QBs, many fans may have wished to get their money back. They would see Luckman take Baugh's role as star on both sides of the ball.
  With the league's best punter out of action, an exchange of kicks gave the Bears good field position at the Washington 46. Facing 3rd-and-2 at the 38, Sid threw to E Hampton Pool for 9y to move the chains. But three passes missed their mark, and Bob Snyder came in for an apparent FG try. Instead, he tried to cross up the Skins by passing, but Cafego and Wilbur Moore broke it up.
  Runs by Moore and Andy Farkas gave the Redskins a first down at midfield. Then Moore made a sensational catch of Cafego's pass between Dante Magnani and Ray McLean at the 24. But the threat ended when McLean got hold of a Cafego aerial.
  
  Wilbur Moore on the loose
  Still, the East Division champs were back in business a few minutes later after receiving a punt on their 41. Moore made another story-book catch of a pass from Cafego on the 25. Then an interference ruling against Magnani on Cafego's 21y pass intended for Moore put the ball on the 3. FB Farkas then moved the ball inside the 1 as the gun sounded.
  END Q1: REDSKINS 0 BEARS 0
  
  Moore tries to maneuver unsuccessfully
  around Bulldog Turner (66) in Q1 action.

• Quarter 2
  On the first snap, Farkas barreled over RT to put the Skins in front after Bob Masterson booted the PAT. REDSKINS 7 BEARS 0
  Luckman then went to work starting from his 33 to tie the game five plays and three minutes later. He connected with Ray McLean for 29y to the Washington 36. After Nagurski bucked for 5, Johnsos, one of the first coaches to sit in the pressbox during games, sent word to the Bear sideline that it was time for a screen pass. So the "black-haired Brooklynite" threw a pass behind the line of scrimmage to the left to HB Harry Clarke who benefitted from a well-timed block just as he received the ball and scooted 31y behind three more blockers to score with DB Ray Hare dangling from his waist. Thanks to the free substitution rule, Snyder came in and kicked the EP. REDSKINS 7 BEARS 7
  A Bear from 1937-1941, Snyder had spent the '42 season teaching the T formation to various college teams. He returned to provide a backup QB should Luckman be called to duty.
  The teams battled back and forth until late in the period when the Bears ate up 70y in eight plays to take the lead for good. Unlike the previous TD march, this one was driven by the ground game aided by Anderson sending in Nagurski to play FB as the crowd changed, Bronko! Bronko! Bronko! Luckman began by giving the ball to Bronk three straight times for 19y. That set up a 12y pass to Pool. Then Sid ran for 24 around LE to the Redskins 21 after getting away from T Clyde Shugart. Two plays later from the 18, noticing no Skin lined up over the C, Sid broke through on a QB sneak. Knocked down on the 7, he got up and continued to the 3. (No "down by contact" rule in those days.) Nagurski pushed over LT from there to make it 14-7 after another Snyder conversion. The crowd cheered for five minutes after Bronk's score, sending chills down the big man's spine. BEARS 14 REDSKINS 7
  The score seemed to take some steam out of the visitors. Cafego's passes all flew wide in the waning moments of the half.
  END Q2: BEARS 14 REDSKINS 7
  In the waning minutes of the first half, the Bears noticed a visitor sitting on their bench. It was none other than Redskins owner George Preston Marshall in his trademark raccoon-skin coat. Alerted by a player, acting General Manager Ralph Brizzolara leaped to his feet in his box seat and screamed at the intruder, Get your ass off my bench before I have you arrested. Or I sic George Halas on you. Marshall beat a hasty retreat. Brizzolara sent assistant trainer Jackie Goldie after the Washington magnate. Goldie called Chicago's Finest, who escorted Marshall under the stands.
  When he returned to his box seat, GPM proclaimed, You can say for me that Briz­zolara is not a gentleman, and I'll never speak to him again.
  After the game, Brizzolara was still fuming. That's the lowest way there can be of trying to win a game, to sneak down to our bench, apparently to steal the instructions we're giving our players. Yes, we threw him out - not invited him out.
  Marshall protested he had merely come down to the opponents' bench to visit and said he thought the half would end by the time he got there. He insisted his arrival there while play was still going on was merely a case of poor timing and not an effort to eavesdrop.
  As the Redskins ran up the tunnel toward their locker room, Baugh blurted out, How in the hell did we get to Chicago?

• Quarter 3
  Any hope that the Skins would close the gap evaporated within 2:29 of action. Escaping the pass rush to his right, Cafego threw down the middle, but the only man near the ball was Luckman, who returned the INT 21y to the Washington 36.
  On the first play, Sid lobbed a pass in the right flat to Magnani who side­stepped Frank Seno and wove his way clear across the field, just barely eluding the diving Cafego into the EZ. BEARS 21 REDSKINS 7
  With Cafego hurt on the TD play, Coach Bergman asked his team doctor to reexamine Baugh, and he cleared him to return to the field. However, it took Slingin' Sammy a while to get into the swing of the action. His first passes were offline and defended well, forcing Baugh to punt.
  When the Redskins got the ball back, Farkas scampered 25y into Bear territory. But Luckman snared Sammy's pass on his 18 and ran to the 36.
  Their next TD demonstrated the "trickeration" of the Bear offense. Starting in a straight T formation on third down, Luckman sent the LH in motion to the right. At the snap, as Luckman faded back, RH Magnani started to his right, then curled back across the middle. On what today might be called a "middle screen," the Bear line let the rush come through. Retreating, Sid flipped the ball to Dante coming from his right to start the Italian speedster on a 66y jaunt to the EZ with nary a hand laid on him although LB Bob Seymour chased him 40y before making a futile attempt at a diving tackle at the 12. This time Snyder missed the kick with 4:27 remaining. BEARS 27 REDSKINS 7
  Luckman's third TD pass of the day tied Baugh's record for a championship game.
  Just to show what might have happened had he been able to play the entire game, Baugh directed a 61y TD drive. He connected with Ted Lapka for 16, then Alex Piasecky for 22, and finally a 17y pass to Farkas, who ran the last 9 unopposed into the EZ. Masterson again converted. BEARS 27 REDSKINS 14
  A poor kickoff by Joe Aguirre put the Bears on their 44, from which they started another scoring foray that continued in the final period.
  END Q3: BEARS 27 REDSKINS 14
  

Luckman moves through the line.

• Quarter 4
  The Bears kept the ball for nearly 12 minutes of the final period, scoring two more TDs before Washington's consolation score in the waning moments. Anderson sent Bronko back into the game for one last hurrah.
  Luckman mixed his passing nicely with line smashes by Nagurski and Harry Clarke. Facing 3rd down at the Redskin 40, Sid handed to Nagurski, who nearly took his arm off as he banged into the line. He ran over Baugh, who was knocked groggy again and had trouble getting to his feet until his opposite number helped him up. Two plays later from the 29, Luckman tossed high to Benton in the EZ behind Lee Stasica. BEARS 34 REDSKINS 14
  Luckman broke Baugh's playoff record for TD passes.
  The Bears surprised the Skins with an onside kick, recovering at their 47 after a receiver touched it. (Punishment for Marshall's antics?) From there, Luckman's aerial attack wiped out a 15y holding penalty and gave him a chance to crown the advance with a fifth TD aerial. Facing third down at the Redskin 45, Luckman handed to Nagurski who gained the first down, knocking Baugh groggy in the process. Luckman walked over and helped his counterpart to his feet. Two 10y passes to George Wilson and a screen pass to Magnani moved the pigskin to the 11. After a delay of game penalty, Sid put LH Magnani in motion to the right, faked a throw as he back-pedaled with the snap, then ran to his right and fired on the run to Clarke at the 2. Harry fell into the EZ as a defender chopped him down. BEARS 41 REDSKINS 14
  The Redskins finally got the ball after almost 12 minutes had elapsed in the period. After Moore raced the kickoff back 35y to midfield, Baugh made good use of the remaining time by hitting consecutive tosses, one to Moore for 24 and the other to Aguirre over defender Joe Vodicka from 25y out to make the final score more respectable. BEARS 41 REDSKINS 21
  With the game sewed up, Luckman had some fun throwing a 9y pass to Bronko, who finished with 34y in 11 carries.
  As the clock ticked down, the Wrigley Field fans rose to their feet changing, Bronko! Bronko! Bronko!
  Johnsos said it was the first aerial he could ever remember Nagurski snaring in competition.
  Luckman recalled how he and Baugh walked off the field after the game. Having come to the Bears after Nagurski retired, Sid said, Sammy, can you im­agine what he must have been like in his prime?
  Sam said, I remember. He was the most powerful human being I ever played against.
  
  FINAL SCORE: BEARS 41 REDSKINS 21

Final statistics:

• First downs: 14-11 Bears
• Yards rushing: 169-50 Bears
• Passing: Bears 27-15-0/286y, Redskins 24-11-4/199y
• Return yardage: 204-124 Redskins
• Fumbles-Lost: Redskins 2-2, Bears 0-0
• Penalty Yards: Bears 8-81, Redskins 3-35