Early in the fourth quarter, the Rams increased their lead with a 17-yard field goal by Bob Waterfield. The Browns answered back with an 8-play, 70-yard drive that ended with a 5-yard touchdown run by Ken Carpenter to tie the game at 17–17. Twenty-five seconds later late in the fourth quarter, Tom Fears beat defenders Cliff Lewis and Tommy James and received a Norm Van Brocklin pass at midfield and raced to the end zone for a 73-yard touchdown. It secured a Rams 24–17 win and the 1951 NFL title, their sole league championship in 49 years in southern California.