Highlighted Year: Paddy Driscoll, 1922

Back, Chicago Cardinals

Age: 27

4^th season in pro football, 3^rd in APFA/NFL & with Cardinals (2^nd complete)

College: Northwestern

Height: 5’11” Weight: 160

Prelude:

Driscoll played football and baseball in college, briefly spending time with the Chicago Cubs in 1917. While in the military during World War I, he was with the Great Lakes Naval Station team that won the 1919 Rose Bowl. Driscoll joined the Hammond Pros in 1919 and moved on to the Chicago Cardinals of the new American Professional Football Association (later renamed NFL) in ’20. Deceptively mild-mannered and small in stature, he was an outstanding all-around player who was an elusive halfback and kick returner, precision punter, and outstanding drop-kicker. He was a first-team All-APFA selection by the Rock Island Argus in 1920 and scored 25 points in 1921. He also coached the Cardinals in each of those seasons, compiling a 9-5-4 record. Driscoll continued as a player-coach in 1922.

1922 Season Summary

Appeared in all 11 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Scoring

Rushing TDs – 0

Receiving TDs – 2 [1, tied with Dunc Annan, Charlie Mathys & Scotty Bierce]

Other TDs – 0

Total TDs – 2

Field Goals – 8 [1]

Extra Points – 4 [8, tied with Hank Gillo & Pete Henry]

Points – 40 [5]

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: George Halas, Canton Daily News

Cardinals went 8-3 to finish third in the NFL.

Aftermath:

In six seasons with the Cardinals (three of which he was also the coach), Driscoll scored 17 touchdowns and kicked 37 field goals, leading the league three times, and 31 PATs for a total of 244 points, topping the NFL with 78 in 1923. He received first-team All-NFL recognition after four of those seasons. Following the 1925 season, in which the team won the NFL title, the financially-strapped Cardinals sold Driscoll’s contract to the Bears. Driscoll spent three more seasons with the Bears, scoring 43 points and again receiving consensus first-team All-NFL honors in 1927. Overall for his career, he scored 31 touchdowns and kicked 63 extra points and 51 field goals for a total of 402 points. Driscoll’s scoring total was the NFL record until 1942 and his field goal total the league standard until 1952, with his single-season record of 12 in 1926 not exceeded until 1950. Driscoll received at least some first-team All-NFL recognition after seven seasons and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1965. He later became a long-time assistant coach for the Bears and was head coach in 1956 and ’57.

--

Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

Highlighted Year: Bill Daddio, 1942

End/Placekicker, Chicago Cardinals

Age: 26

2^nd season in pro football & with Cardinals

College: Pittsburgh

Height: 5’11” Weight: 204

Prelude:

Daddio was known for his speed at end and placekicking ability in college. He scored a touchdown on a 71-yard interception return in the 1937 Rose Bowl and received some All-American recognition in 1937 and ‘38. Daddio was chosen by the Cardinals in the fifth round of the 1939 NFL draft but spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Pitt before joining the Cards in 1941. He caught five passes for 39 yards as a rookie, intercepted a pass, and kicked four field goals out of eight attempts and 8 of 9 PATs.

1942 Season Summary

Appeared in all 11 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Kicking

Field goals – 5 [1]

Most field goals, game – 2 vs. Green Bay 10/4

Field goal attempts – 10 [3]

Field goal percentage – 50.0 [1]

PATs – 8 [9, tied with Dick Erdlitz]

PAT attempts – 8 [9, tied with four others]

Longest field goal – 38 yards vs. Green Bay 10/4, at Pittsburgh 11/22

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 11

Yards – 108

Yards per catch – 9.8

TDs – 1

Interceptions

Interceptions – 1

Int. return yards – 4

Int. TDs – 0

Scoring

TDs – 1

Field Goals – 5

PATs – 8

Points – 29 [18]

Cardinals went 3-8 to finish fourth in the NFL Western Division.

Aftermath:

Daddio spent the next three years in the Navy during World War II and, upon his return to pro football, joined the Buffalo Bisons of the AAFC in 1946 as a player/coach and saw action in three games. Daddio went on to be head coach at Allegheny College from 1947 to ’51 and was a long-time assistant coach and scout at both the college and pro levels.

--

Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

1978: Cowboys Overcome Missed Opportunities to Defeat Cards in OT

It appeared to be a classic mismatch on October 15, 1978 as the Dallas Cowboys, with a 4-2 record, faced the winless St. Louis Cardinals, who were 0-6 and, going back to the previous season, had lost a total of ten straight contests.

Coached by Tom Landry for the 19th season, the Cowboys were the defending NFL Champions and, while off to a somewhat slow start, they remained formidable. QB Roger Staubach (pictured above) directed an offense that could run the ball effectively with HB Tony Dorsett or strike from the air to wide receivers Drew Pearson and Tony Hill. The defense was strong, with the line anchored by DE Harvey Martin and DT Randy White and containing an excellent secondary.

St. Louis had fallen on hard times after winning two division titles under Don Coryell in 1974 and ‘75. Coryell had departed following a 7-7 record in ’77 and Bud Wilkinson, a legendary college coach who had nevertheless been away from the sidelines for many years, was in his place. While the Cardinals had an able quarterback in Jim Hart and a good line, they lacked outside speed at running back. The club had yet to score more than 17 points in a game and the defense had difficulty against the run, giving up 216 yards on the ground in a loss at Dallas three weeks earlier.

There were 48,991 fans in attendance at Busch Memorial Stadium. In the first quarter and following a fumble by Roger Staubach that was recovered by NT Mike Dawson, the Cardinals advanced 47 yards in seven plays. FB Jim Otis ran for the last two and a touchdown, followed by Jim Bakken’s extra point.

Dallas missed an opportunity a few plays later when SS Charlie Waters nearly intercepted a Hart pass with a clear field in front of him, but dropped the ball. Later, however, and following a punt that had the Cowboys starting from their one yard line, the visitors drove 99 yards in 11 plays. Drew Pearson gained 28 yards on a reverse and Staubach completed passes to Tony Hill for 17 yards and TE Billy Joe DuPree for 20 along the way, and capped the series with a six-yard TD throw to FB Robert Newhouse. Rafael Septien tied the score at 7-7.

The Cards put together their own long drive, covering 87 yards, and Otis again capped it with another touchdown, this time from a yard out. Bakken’s point after put the home team back in front by 14-7. In the last minute of the first half, CB Roger Wehrli intercepted a Staubach pass and Jim Hart connected with HB Steve Jones for a 38-yard gain, but he lost his grip on the ball just short of the goal line and, while WR Pat Tilley nearly recovered in the end zone, CB Aaron Kyle recovered instead for the Cowboys. The score remained unchanged at halftime.

Still up by seven points in the third quarter and with a fourth down at their 37, the Cards were forced to punt. However, punter Steve Little dropped the snap and, while he recovered, was unable to run past the line of scrimmage. Dallas quickly capitalized on the next play, utilizing trickery. Tony Dorsett took a handoff, gave the ball to Drew Pearson coming around on an apparent reverse, and the wide receiver then flipped it back to Staubach, who threw long to Tony Hill in the corner of the end zone for a 37-yard touchdown. Septien added the game-tying extra point.

Two minutes later, and following Harvey Martin’s sack of Hart that had Little punting from his own end zone, WR Butch Johnson returned the line-drive kick 23 yards to the St. Louis 15. Helped along by a pass interference penalty, the Cowboys scored when Staubach connected with Hill for another TD, this time from six yards out. Septien’s conversion had the Cowboys in front by 21-14 with 1:17 remaining in the third quarter.

St. Louis came back with a nine-play, 68-yard series that stretched into the fourth quarter.  Hart threw to WR Mel Gray for gains of 30 and 19 yards and finished the possession off with a one-yard toss to HB Wayne Morris for a touchdown. Bakken’s conversion knotted the score again at 21-21.

Later in the period, the Cards drove from their 17 to the Dallas 16, but with 2:54 left in regulation, Bakken missed a 33-yard field goal attempt that struck the left upright, one of several instances in which both teams missed opportunities to win in regulation.

As the clock counted down to less than a minute to play, the Cards lost Hart, who was sacked again by Martin and had to leave the game due to a shoulder injury. With rookie QB Steve Pisarkiewicz now behind center, the Cards punted shortly thereafter and another good return by Johnson gave Dallas excellent field position at the St. Louis 32. Staubach passed to Pearson for 15 yards and, with the ball at the St. Louis 16, it appeared that the Cowboys were on the verge of putting the game away. Newhouse fumbled on the next play, however, and LB Steve Neils recovered for St. Louis. Pisarkiewicz then threw long for Gray, but it was intercepted by FS Cliff Harris. Staubach connected with Pearson to pick up 25 yards and, once again, Dallas had a shot to win. But with the clock down to one second, Septien’s 49-yard field goal attempt was blocked by DE John Zook and, following an eventful final minute of regulation, the game headed into overtime.

The Cowboys won the toss to start the extra period and, taking possession at their 23 after the kickoff, Staubach started off with two completions before he had to leave due to injury. It didn’t deter Dallas as Newhouse carried for 13 yards, Dorsett for six, and Septien kicked a 47-yard field goal at 3:28 into the extra period. The Cowboys came away with a hard-fought 24-21 victory.

Dallas led in total yards (418 to 372) and first downs (24 to 21). The Cowboys also recorded three sacks, to one by St. Louis. However, the visitors turned the ball over four times, to three by the Cards, and amassed 12 penalties at a cost of 109 yards while St. Louis was flagged four times.

Roger Staubach completed 23 of 40 passes for 289 yards and three touchdowns while giving up two interceptions. Drew Pearson had 7 catches for 101 yards and carried the ball twice for 34 yards while Tony Hill contributed three receptions for 60 yards and two TDs. Tony Dorsett was held to 24 yards on 12 carries and Robert Newhouse topped the Dallas runners with 47 yards on 12 attempts against a surprisingly stiff St. Louis defense. Butch Johnson averaged 15.8 yards on four punt returns.

For the Cardinals, Jim Hart (pictured at right) was successful on 17 of 28 throws for 264 yards and a TD while being picked off once. Jim Otis gained 88 yards on 28 rushing attempts that included two touchdowns and Wayne Morris added 30 yards on 13 carries and had a TD among his four pass receptions for 26 yards. Mel Gray gained a team-leading 89 yards on his four catches.

Roger Staubach missed no time with his injury, which was minor, and while it was initially projected that Jim Hart would be out for at least three weeks, he missed just one. The Cowboys won their next game, lost two, and didn’t lose again as they finished atop the NFC East with a 12-4 record. They again reached the Super Bowl before losing to Pittsburgh. The Cardinals fell to 0-8 before turning around and winning six of their last eight contests. St. Louis ended up with a 6-10 tally and placed fourth in the division.

1966: Roland Stars as Cards Defeat Eagles

The St. Louis Cardinals were hoping to rebound from a disappointing 5-9 record in 1965 as they faced the Philadelphia Eagles on September 11, 1966. St. Louis had a new head coach in Charley Winner and plenty of veteran talent in QB Charley Johnson, FS Larry Wilson, and SS Jerry Stovall, all returning healthy from injury-plagued seasons in ’65. There were capable receivers in split end Sonny Randle, flanker Bobby Joe Conrad, and TE Jackie Smith, and a good stable of running backs that featured a newcomer in rookie HB Johnny Roland out of Missouri (pictured at right).

The Eagles were coached by Joe Kuharich and were also 5-9 in ’65 but swept the season series with the Cards. The defense had lost two disgruntled veteran stars, LB Maxie Baughan and CB Irv Cross, who both were dealt to Los Angeles and would be difficult to replace. QB Norm Snead had a strong arm, although was prone to inconsistency, and HB Timmy Brown was an outstanding all-purpose back. TE Pete Retzlaff was a reliable veteran and among the best at his position and the line, anchored by OT Bob Brown, was a good one.

It was the first regular season game for the Cardinals at the new Busch Memorial Stadium and there were 39,066 fans in attendance. Following an exchange of punts to start the first quarter, the Eagles drove 76 yards in 14 plays that featured six carries for 33 yards by FB Israel “Izzy” Lang and a screen pass from QB Norm Snead to Timmy Brown for 21 yards. Sam Baker kicked a 23-yard field goal to give the visitors the early lead.

HB Roy Shivers returned the ensuing kickoff 33 yards and St. Louis, helped along by a 15-yard penalty on the Eagles, started off near midfield and advanced into Philadelphia territory. However, after reaching the two, they were moved back by a delay of game penalty and had to settle for a nine-yard Jim Bakken field goal to tie the score at 3-3.

The Cardinals missed an opportunity when Johnny Roland returned a punt 52 yards for an apparent touchdown, but the play was nullified by a roughing-the-kicker penalty. The Eagles got another break on an interception by CB Jim Nettles, and while there was a clip on the return, the visitors took possession at the St. Louis 47. Snead completed a pass to Lang for 24 yards before Brown broke away for a 23-yard touchdown. Baker added the extra point and the score remained 10-3 at halftime.

St. Louis was having difficulty jelling on offense and finally added another long Bakken field goal from 47 yards to narrow Philadelphia’s lead to 10-6 in the third quarter. As the game headed into the final period, the Cards put together another promising drive but, following a sack of Johnson by LB Harold Wells, they faced a third-and-33 situation. Johnson threw to Sonny Randle, who bobbled the ball that was then deflected by FS Joe Scarpati and Roland alertly made the catch for a 37-yard gain to the Philadelphia 16. Johnson connected with Jackie Smith for nine yards and a pass interference penalty by Nettles in the end zone moved the ball to the one, from where Johnson plunged over for a touchdown. Bakken kicked the point after and the home team was ahead for the first time by 13-10.

The Eagles responded with a drive that featured a Snead pass to Pete Retzlaff for 17 yards and Baker capped it with a 33-yard field goal to tie the score at 13-13 with 1:56 remaining to play. With time running out for St. Louis, Johnson completed two passes to Randle, one for six yards that converted a third down and another for 15. Three plays later, FB Willis Crenshaw ran for 10 yards as the defense keyed on Roland and Johnson connected with Randle for six more yards. A fumbled snap lost three yards and Bakken came on to attempt a field goal that was made shorter when the Eagles were flagged for encroachment. With five seconds left on the clock, Bakken’s kick was good from 27 yards and the Cards came away winners by a final score of 16-13.

St. Louis had the edge in total yards (278 to 254) and first downs (20 to 18). The Cards also suffered the game’s only turnover and the Eagles, not known for their pass rush, were credited with four sacks, to one by St. Louis.

Johnny Roland had an impressive debut, rushing for 53 yards on 8 carries, catching two passes for 40 yards, and gaining 50 yards on two kickoff returns and 16 on two punt returns for a total of 159 all-around yards. Charley Johnson completed 19 of 26 passes for 191 yards and gave up an interception while scoring the only St. Louis TD. Sonny Randle had 6 catches for 58 yards and Jackie Smith gained 62 yards on his five pass receptions.

For the Eagles, Norm Snead was successful on 9 of 25 throws for 129 yards with no TDs but also none intercepted. Izzy Lang (pictured at left), who was particularly effective in the first half, gained 65 yards on 16 rushing attempts and caught two passes for 33 more yards while Timmy Brown ran for 59 yards on 13 attempts that included a touchdown, caught a team-leading three passes for 32 yards, and with 23 yards on two kickoff returns went over the 10,000-yard mark in career all-purpose yards. Pete Retzlaff was held to two catches, but his 36 yards led the club.

St. Louis won its first five games and surged to 7-1-1 before Charley Johnson suffered a knee injury and a late-season slump had them ending up at 8-5-1 and fourth place in the Eastern Conference. The Eagles had an up-and-down year in which they finished strong for a 9-5 record that tied for second in the conference with Cleveland.

Johnny Roland went on to an outstanding rookie season, most notably rushing for 695 yards and leading the NFL with an 11.1 punt return average. His all-purpose yardage total of 1476 yards ranked fifth in the league and he received Rookie of the Year honors from UPI as well as selection to the Pro Bowl.

Highlighted Year: Lindon Crow, 1956

Defensive Halfback, Chicago Cardinals

Age: 23

2^nd season in pro football & with Cardinals

College: Southern California

Height: 6’1”   Weight: 187

Prelude:

Crow played both baseball and football in college and as a sophomore moved into the starting lineup as a defensive back and wingback on offense. He captained the team in 1954 and was chosen by the Cardinals in the second round of the 1955 NFL draft. A raw talent, Crow intercepted three passes during his rookie season.

1956 Season Summary

Appeared in all 12 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Interceptions – 11 [1]

Int. return yards – 170 [6]

Int. TDs – 0

Punt Returns

Returns – 1

Yards – 21

TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

2^nd team All-NFL: AP

Pro Bowl

Cardinals went 7-5 to finish second in the NFL Eastern Conference while leading the league in interceptions (33).

Aftermath:

Crow was shifted to safety in 1957 and, while his interception total dropped to one, he was again a Pro Bowl selection. He was traded to the New York Giants and moved back to defensive halfback for the next three years, once again receiving Pro Bowl as well as second-team All-NFL honors from the New York Daily News in ’59. He was dealt to the Los Angeles Rams in 1961, where he played safety and eventually became a player/coach, getting by on savvy as his speed diminished. Overall in a ten-year career that ended in 1964, Crow intercepted 38 passes, 15 of which came with the Cards, and two of which he returned for touchdowns. He also recovered nine fumbles, one of which was run back for a 65-yard TD. Crow twice received second-team All-NFL recognition and was selected to three Pro Bowls. His brother Wayne was a halfback and punter in the AFL with Oakland and Buffalo.

--

Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

1976: Cards Beat Chargers in Preseason Game in Tokyo

It was a National Football League first on August 16, 1976 when the San Diego Chargers and St. Louis Cardinals met for a preseason game in Tokyo, Japan. While NFL contests had been played in Canada, never before had one occurred outside of North America.

The game was referred to as the Mainichi Star Bowl since it was jointly sponsored by the Mainichi Newspaper Company and the Sports Nippon Newspaper Company as part of the United States Bicentennial celebration.

There were 38,000 fans in attendance in a misty rain at the Korakuen Stadium, normally used for baseball. The crowd was mostly Japanese with some Americans for the Monday night contest and the atmosphere was festive. Fans were enthusiastic and occasionally engaged in chants during the contest, such as “Chargers, Chargers, Banzai! Banzai!” and “Cardinals, attack the ball!”

Many citizens of the city of Suwa in central Japan, which had engaged in several cultural exchanges with St. Louis, were at the game, led by Mayor Setsuji Iwamoto. Four firemen played Japanese army assault marches on their bugles while another citizen of the city banged on a drum.

“They are such nice people, and they respond very quickly to our action,” said Lori West, a University of Missouri student and cheerleader for the Cardinals.

As for the participants on the field, it was the third preseason game for each club. The Cardinals, coached by Don Coryell for the fourth year, were coming off of consecutive NFC East titles and had been 11-3 in 1975. San Diego was a less successful club under the direction of Head Coach Tommy Prothro and posted a 2-12 record the previous year, its sixth straight losing season. In a rebuilding mode, the Chargers hired Bill Walsh away from Cincinnati to be offensive coordinator and especially to provide guidance for young QB Dan Fouts.

Neither team generated much of a ground attack in the early going. In the first quarter, Jim Bakken kicked a 30-yard field goal for the Cards and, in the second quarter, St. Louis again moved into scoring position thanks to a nine-yard carry by HB Jerry Latin and a run by HB Wayne Morris that picked up five for a first down at the San Diego 15. From there, QB Bill Donckers threw a touchdown pass to WR Pat Tilley and Bakken converted to put the Cards up by 10-0. San Diego finally got on the board with four seconds left in the first half as Sergio Albert booted a 30-yard field goal.

In the third quarter, a bad punt by a heavily-rushed Terry Joyce of the Cards, kicking from his own end zone, gave the Chargers possession at the St. Louis 28. Dan Fouts tossed a four-yard completion to WR Charlie Joiner before throwing a 23-yard TD pass to WR Dwight McDonald and Albert added the extra point that tied the contest at 10-10.

The Cardinals came right back as Jim Hart went long to WR Ike Harris in a play that covered 52 yards for a touchdown. Bakken closed out the scoring with a 10-yard field goal in the fourth quarter and St. Louis won by a final tally of 20-10.

The game was pass-heavy, with the Cards running 41 times for 105 yards and San Diego gaining just 34 yards on 19 attempts. St. Louis had 20 first downs to 12 for the Chargers.

Bill Donckers and Jim Hart both threw 14 passes apiece for the Cardinals, with Donckers, the backup, completing 10 for 94 yards and a touchdown and Hart 9 for 111 yards and a TD. Neither was intercepted. Wayne Morris gained 49 yards on 14 carries and Pat Tilley caught 4 passes for 54 yards.

For the Chargers, Dan Fouts completed just 4 of 10 passes for 70 yards while backup Jesse Freitas was successful on 9 of 20 for 85 yards and was intercepted once. FB Jim Harrison had 28 yards on 6 carries to pace the club in rushing. Dwight McDonald caught two passes for 44 yards and a TD.

In the regular season, St. Louis put together a 10-4 record but just missed the playoffs this time, ending up third in the NFC East. The Chargers improved to 6-8 and third in the AFC West.

As a side note, Bill Walsh stayed for a year with the Chargers before departing for Stanford, and Dan Fouts, who showed much improvement under Walsh’s guidance, would go on to Hall of Fame success after Don Coryell left the Cards and came to San Diego to replace Tommy Prothro.

As for the NFL playing outside of North America, the next overseas preseason game occurred in London, UK in 1983, and London would become a regular host to preseason and, eventually, regular season contests. The NFL would also return to Tokyo, but not until 1989, and for preseason games only.

Highlighted Year: Bobby Joe Conrad, 1963

Flanker, St. Louis Cardinals

Age: 28 (Nov. 17)

6^th season in pro football & with Cardinals

College: Texas A & M

Height: 6’0”   Weight: 195

Prelude:

The versatile Conrad played at quarterback, halfback, and fullback in addition to end in college and was part of the 1956 Texas A & M team that won the Southwest Conference title. He also starred in the 1958 College All-Star Game upset of the Detroit Lions, kicking four field goals and intercepting a pass. Conrad was chosen by the New York Giants in the fifth round of the ’58 NFL draft but was traded to the Cards prior to the season and was used in the defensive backfield as a rookie, intercepting four passes, as well as for returning punts and placekicking. He was shifted to offense in 1959 and backed up at halfback for two seasons, rushing for a career-high 328 yards in ’59, before being moved to flanker in 1961, where he broke out with 30 catches for 499 yards (16.6 avg.) and two touchdowns. Conrad had a bigger year in 1962, hauling in 62 pass receptions for 954 yards (15.4) avg. and four TDs as part of a productive tandem with split end Sonny Randle.

1963 Season Summary

Appeared in all 14 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 73 [1] 

Most receptions, game – 8 (for 112 yds.) vs. Green Bay 10/20

Yards – 967 [6]

Most yards, game – 122 (on 6 catches) vs. Philadelphia 12/8

Average gain – 13.2

TDs – 10 [4, tied with Gail Cogdill & Frank Clarke]

100-yard receiving games – 2

Rushing

Attempts – 1

Yards – 0

TDs – 0

Punt Returns

Returns – 1

Yards – 1

Average per return – 1.0

TDs – 0

Scoring

TDs – 10 [6, tied with four others]

Points – 60 [15, tied with four others]

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: AP, UPI, NY Daily News

2^nd team All-NFL: NEA

Cardinals went 9-5 to finish third in the NFL Eastern Conference.

Aftermath:

Conrad followed up with 61 catches for 780 yards (12.8 avg.) and six touchdowns in 1964 and achieved Pro Bowl recognition. Consistent if not especially fast or flashy, he remained a capable possession receiver for the Cards through 1968, a total of 11 seasons, before finishing up with the Dallas Cowboys in 1969. Overall, he caught 422 passes for 5902 yards (14.0 avg.) and 38 TDs, with 418 of those catches for 5828 yards and all of the TDs coming with the Cardinals. Conrad also returned 33 kickoffs for a 24.6-yard average and 51 punts for an average of 9.1 yards and two TDs. As a placekicker he booted 14 field goals out of 33 attempts and made good on 95 of 99 extra points which, combined with his 42 touchdowns, accounted for a total of 389 points. Conrad received first-team All-NFL recognition once, second-team honors after one other season, and was selected to one Pro Bowl.

--

Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

2005: Kurt Warner Signs with Cardinals

On March 6, 2005 QB Kurt Warner, an unrestricted free agent, signed a one-year contract worth $4 million with the Arizona Cardinals. It was the latest stop in a rollercoaster career for the 33-year-old quarterback (he turned 34 prior to the season).

Warner went undrafted out of Northern Iowa in 1994, signed with the Green Bay Packers, was released, and played in the Arena Football League before getting another NFL shot with the St. Louis Rams, who assigned him first to NFL Europe. In 1999, after the team’s newly-acquired starter Trent Green was lost with a torn ACL in the preseason, Warner got his chance and had astonishing success, throwing for 4353 yards and 41 touchdowns as the Rams went 13-3 and won the Super Bowl. With a quick release and excellent accuracy, from 1999 to 2001 Warner received MVP honors twice as he led the NFL in passer rating and TD passes two times and yardage once. St. Louis went to the postseason all three years, winning two NFC titles and the one NFL Championship. In his two Super Bowl appearances, he threw for 414 and 365 yards, the two highest totals in the history of the contest at the time.

However Warner, who was 6’2” and 220 pounds, lacked mobility and was vulnerable to taking hits by opposing defenses, which began to take a physical toll. A broken hand sidelined him for five games in 2000 and in ’02 his performance dropped off significantly as he suffered from multiple hand and finger injuries; in seven games, he threw just three scoring passes and gave up 11 interceptions, and the Rams got off to an 0-5 start. Following a dismal opening-week performance in 2003, Warner was relegated to the bench behind Marc Bulger. He moved on to the New York Giants in 2004 and had a lackluster performance before losing his starting job to rookie Eli Manning. He had come under criticism for holding the ball too long, thus taking too many sacks (39 in nine starts). That the offensive line was poor and the receivers unimpressive didn’t help.

Warner met with the Bears before deciding to sign with Arizona and made clear that he expected to start for his new team, and Head Coach Dennis Green indicated that he would have the opportunity.

“Even though this is a one-year deal, I really don’t want to go anywhere else and would like nothing more than to end my career by helping the Cardinals win a championship,” said Warner upon his signing.

The Cardinals had not experienced much success since moving to Phoenix from St. Louis in 1988, finishing with just one winning record in 17 years through 2004. In Coach Green’s first year, they went 6-10 with Josh McCown as the primary starting quarterback.

Warner had a rough game in his first regular season start for the Cards, ironically enough against the Giants at the Meadowlands. They lost by a 42-19 score and were 0-3 before beating the 49ers for their first win, but it was with McCown behind center due to Warner having suffered a groin injury. Warner regained the starting job and tossed three touchdown passes in his return to St. Louis to face the Rams. Durability continued to be an issue and his season came to an end in the next-to-last game, at Houston, when he suffered a knee injury after completing all ten of his passes for 105 yards. Overall, Warner appeared in ten games and completed 64.5 percent of his passes for 2713 yards and 11 touchdowns, giving up nine interceptions. Warner benefited from having the wide receiver tandem of Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin as targets for his passes. Both gained over 1400 receiving yards and Fitzgerald went to the Pro Bowl for the first time. However, the team won only twice in Warner’s starts on the way to a 5-11 tally.

The Cardinals were satisfied enough to sign Warner to a three-year deal, worth $22 million, although they also chose QB Matt Leinart, the Heisman Trophy winner out of USC, in the first round of the 2006 draft with an eye to the future.

The Cards started out the 2006 season with a win over San Francisco as Warner tossed three scoring passes, but he and the team faltered thereafter. By October, Leinart was starting. The team went 1-8 before winning four of its last seven contests to end up with a 5-11 record. Coach Green was fired and replaced by Ken Whisenhunt, previously the offensive coordinator with the Steelers.

Heading into the 2007 season, it was anticipated that Warner’s role would be to provide backup to Leinart, but when the younger quarterback went down with a broken collarbone in the fifth game, Warner came on to pass for 3417 yards and 27 touchdowns as the team went 8-8. He managed to keep going despite suffering ligament damage in his non-throwing elbow and had a 484-yard passing performance in an overtime loss to the 49ers.

While Coach Whisenhunt initially indicated that Leinart, who had not been impressive prior to his injury, would return to the starting role for 2008, he chose Warner to start the season. The result was a 9-7 record that topped the NFC West, followed by an improbable playoff run that led to a NFC Championship and close loss to Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl. Along the way Warner set six franchise passing records as he completed 67.1 percent of his throws for 4583 yards and 30 touchdowns and was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time since he was with the Rams in 2001. In the postseason, he was at his best. Over the course of four games, he completed 92 of 135 passes (68.1 %) for 1147 yards and 11 touchdowns, giving up just three interceptions. That included a four-TD performance against the Eagles in the NFC Championship game and a Super Bowl showing of 31 completions out of 43 attempts for 377 yards and three TDs, with one interception, that nearly resulted in a win.

Warner received a contract extension and, successfully recovering from arthroscopic hip surgery during the offseason, was back starting in 2009 at age 38. The Cardinals again topped the division, and with an improved 10-6 tally. Warner had another strong season, still throwing primarily to Fitzgerald and Boldin, and completed 66.1 percent of his tosses for 3753 yards and 26 touchdowns with 14 interceptions. In the Wild Card playoff round, he was 29-of-33 for 379 yards and five touchdowns, with none intercepted, in a wild 51-45 overtime win over the Packers, but any opportunity to again reach the Super Bowl ended with a crushing 45-14 Divisional round loss to the Saints in which Warner was held to 205 passing yards and failed to throw for a touchdown. It was the last game of his career. He announced his retirement afterward and resisted efforts by the team to bring him back for the last year of his contract in 2010.

For his five seasons in Arizona, Warner completed 1371 of 2105 passes (65.1 %) for 15,043 yards and 100 TDs while giving up 59 interceptions. While the team was just 27-30 in his starts, the figure is deceiving since, following an uneven beginning with a subpar team, in his last two years the Cards won two division titles and a NFC Championship. In six postseason starts, Warner was successful on 71.1 percent of his throws for 1731 yards and 16 touchdowns against just four interceptions, for a rating of 117.4.   

Highlighted Year: Rich Camarillo, 1989

Punter, Phoenix Cardinals

Age: 30 (Nov. 29)

9^th season in pro football, 1^st with Cardinals

College: Washington

Height: 5’11” Weight: 185

Prelude:

Following two years at Cerritos Junior College in California, Camarillo transferred to the Univ. of Washington and averaged 39.3 yards on 115 punts in 1979 and ’80. He joined the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 1981 and spent seven seasons with them. Camarillo proved to be an excellent directional punter with good hang time. He received second-team All-NFL recognition from NEA in 1982 and was a consensus first-team All-NFL choice in ’83, when he was also chosen to the Pro Bowl. Camarillo was released by the Patriots following the 1988 season, having punted 468 times for a 42.6-yard average. He spent ’89 with the Rams where his average dropped to a career-low 39.5 yards over the course of nine games, after which he was again released. Camarillo signed with the Cardinals as a free agent for 1989.

1989 Season Summary

Appeared in 15 of 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Punting

Punts – 76 [10, tied with Hank Ilesic]

Most punts, game – 8 at Dallas 10/29, vs. Denver 12/16

Yards – 3298 [8]

Average – 43.4 [1]

Best average, game – 48.6 (on 7 punts) at LA Rams 11/19

Punts blocked – 0

Longest punt – 58 yards

Passing

Attempts – 1

Completions – 1

Yards – 0

TD passes – 0

Interceptions – 0

Awards & Honors:

2^nd team All-NFL: AP

2^nd team All-NFC: UPI

Pro Bowl

Cardinals went 5-11 to finish fourth in the NFC East.

Aftermath:

Camarillo’s excellent 1989 season, in which he put 21 punts inside the 20 with only six touchbacks, was the first of five with the Cardinals, which were his best. He was a Pro Bowl selection after three consecutive seasons, when he was also a first-team All-NFC choice of Pro Football Weekly and UPI, and received consensus first-team All-NFL recognition in 1992. Camarillo had a career-high 45.3 average in ’91 and, moving on to the Houston Oilers in 1994, set a then-league record with 35 punts inside the 20 (along with Pittsburgh’s Mark Royals). He spent one more year with the Oilers in ’95, which effectively concluded his NFL career although he was active for one game with the Raiders in 1996 but added nothing to his punting statistics. Overall, over the course of 16 seasons, Camarillo averaged 42.7 yards on 1027 punts, with 346 punts for a 43.7-yard average coming with the Cards. He received consensus first-team All-NFL honors twice, first- or second-team all-conference recognition after four other seasons, and was chosen to five Pro Bowls.

--

Highlighted Years features players who were first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

Highlighted Year: David Boston, 2001

Wide Receiver, Arizona Cardinals

Age: 23

3^rd season in pro football & with Cardinals

College: Ohio State

Height: 6’2”   Weight: 210

Prelude:

Boston caught a school-record 191 passes for 2855 yards (14.9 avg.) and 34 touchdowns in college, including 85 for 1455 yards and 13 TDs in ’98, his last season. He chose to enter the 1999 NFL draft with a year of eligibility remaining and was chosen by the Cardinals in the first round (eighth overall). Boston caught 40 passes for 473 yards (11.8 avg.) and two touchdowns in a mediocre rookie season but moved into the starting lineup full-time in 2000 and had 71 receptions for 1156 yards (16.3 avg.) and 7 TDs. Big, fast, and able to run effectively after catching the ball, Boston also drew criticism for his attitude and off-field problems, although he showed greater maturity and dedication coming into 2001.

2001 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 98 [7] 

Most receptions, game – 9 (for 108 yds.) at Dallas 10/28, (for 137 yds.) vs. NY Giants 11/11

Yards – 1598 [1]

Most yards, game – 145 (on 8 catches) vs. Denver 9/23

Average gain – 16.3 [6]

TDs – 8 [13, tied with five others]

100-yard receiving games – 9

Rushing

Attempts – 5

Yards – 35

Average gain – 7.0

TDs – 0

Scoring

TDs – 8

Points – 48

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, Sporting News

1^st team All-NFC: Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Cardinals went 7-9 to finish fourth in the NFC East.

Aftermath:

Boston’s 2002 season was cut short halfway through by a knee injury and he ended up with 32 catches for 512 yards (16.0 avg.) and one TD. He signed a big free agent contract with San Diego in ’03 and caught 70 passes for 880 yards (12.6 avg.) and 7 TDs but clashed with his coaches and was traded to Miami in 2004. Boston received a four-game suspension for steroid use but ended up missing the entire season with a knee injury. He appeared in just five games in ’05 before reinjuring his knee. Boston signed with the Buccaneers in 2006 and was released following further off-field problems. He attempted a comeback with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL in ’08 and appeared in one game, catching 2 passes for 16 yards, before a foot injury that required surgery forced him to the sidelines for good. Overall, Boston caught 315 passes for 4699 yards (14.9 avg.) and 25 touchdowns in the NFL. Of those totals, 241 receptions for 3739 yards (15.5 avg.) and 18 TDs came with the Cardinals.

--

Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

1931: Nevers Spurs Cards to Upset of Packers

The Green Bay Packers were undefeated and trying for a third consecutive NFL title as they faced the Chicago Cardinals on November 15, 1931. The Cards did not appear to be a formidable opponent. Coached by Ernie Nevers (pictured at right), who was also their most outstanding player, they had won their last two games following three straight losses to start the season, and were thus 2-3 as they hosted the powerful Packers.

Green Bay, under the direction of team founder and coach Curly Lambeau, was 9-0 and had easily beaten the Cardinals at home. The two-time defending champs were loaded with outstanding players that included back Johnny (Blood) McNally, end Lavvie Dilweg, guard Mike Michalske, and tackle Cal Hubbard.  

There were 8000 fans in attendance at Wrigley Field. The Packers had the game’s first possession, defending the muddy half of the field, and the teams traded punts until a pass from Ernie Nevers to end Milan Creighton put the Cardinals at the Green Bay 20. Chicago came up empty, however, when a field goal attempt by Nevers was short and wide.

Following another punt by the Packers, Nevers went to the air, with a big completion to back Bill Glassgow for 29 yards. A short run, incomplete pass, and three-yard throw to Creighton had the Cards facing fourth-and-five. Nevers connected again with Creighton, who grabbed the ball at the Green Bay 16 and evaded four tacklers on the way to a 27-yard touchdown. Nevers added the extra point.

Early in the second quarter, the Packers got a break when tackle Dick Stahlman broke through the line and blocked a Nevers punt. End Tom Nash recovered in the end zone for a TD. However, a bad snap caused the extra point to be aborted and the score remained 7-6 at halftime.

In the third quarter, the teams again exchanged punts before the Cardinals, taking possession at the Green Bay 49, drove to another score. Two carries by back Bunny Belden picked up nine yards and Nevers gained two for a first down. Chicago continued to move methodically, mixing reverses with off-tackle runs by Nevers. A reverse by back Gene Rose gained 12 yards and Nevers carried three straight times to get a first down at the three.  Cal Hubbard broke through to tackle Nevers for a two-yard loss, but on the next play Rose ran a reverse for a five-yard touchdown for the Cards. Nevers converted and Chicago was ahead by 14-6.

As the game entered the fourth quarter, the Packers opened up their passing game. A throw by back Paul Fitzgibbon was intercepted by end George Rogge, who nearly went the distance on the return but was caught at the Green Bay 11 by Johnny McNally. A nine-yard run by Nevers was nullified by offsetting penalties and after a lateral picked up two yards and two passes fell incomplete, it appeared that the Cards would come up short. However, on fourth down Nevers threw to end Chuck Kassel in the end zone for a 16-yard TD. Nevers booted the extra point so firmly that it sailed into the stands and time was called for the ball to be retrieved. The Cardinals held a commanding 21-6 lead.

McNally returned the ensuing kickoff to the Green Bay 27 and back Hank Bruder and McNally made good gains on successive carries. But Bruder then slipped while cutting with a nearly clear field ahead of him and the drive ultimately petered out.

After a Nevers punt to midfield, the Packers put together a 50-yard drive. Passes from FB Russ Saunders to McNally and tailback Red Dunn to Bruder got the ball to the Chicago 26 and, three plays later, Dunn connected with McNally down to the seven. Bruder ran for a one-yard touchdown shortly thereafter and Dunn kicked the point after. The Cards got the ball back with three minutes remaining, ran the clock down, and then dominated on defense to prevent any chance of a Green Bay comeback. Chicago won by a final score of 21-13.

The Cards gained 271 total yards, with 135 on the ground, and completed 10 of 19 passes, most of them by Nevers, and gave up no interceptions. Green Bay was successful on only 8 of 23 throws and three were picked off. The Packers managed only two yards from scrimmage prior to scoring on the blocked punt. Ernie Nevers received acclaim for engineering the upset as he played all 60 minutes and contributed to every facet of play, on offense, defense, and kicking.

The loss was a setback in Green Bay’s drive to a third successive championship as they faced a difficult contest against the Giants the following week, but they won that game and the next two after before losing the season finale to Chicago’s other team, the Bears. The Packers managed to achieve their third successive NFL title with a 12-2 record. The Cardinals ended up in fourth place at 5-4.

In what proved to be the final season of his brilliant career, Ernie Nevers led the league in points after touchdown (15), ranked second in scoring (66 points), and third in touchdowns (8). He received consensus first-team All-NFL honors.  

1964: Browns and Cards Battle to Tie in Back-and-Forth Contest

The Cleveland Browns hosted the St. Louis Cardinals on September 20, 1964, the second week of the NFL season, in what was an early showdown between two teams widely viewed as contenders in the Eastern Conference. Both had won their opening-week games.

The Browns, coached by Blanton Collier, finished second in 1963 with a 10-4 record. The key to the offense, as it had been since he joined the club in 1957, was FB Jim Brown (pictured above), but QB Frank Ryan and flanker Gary Collins were up-and-coming talents, and they were being joined by rookie split end Paul Warfield, who brought needed speed to the receiving corps. The defense was capable, if showing some age, and was especially shaky in the backfield.

St. Louis was coming off of a 9-5 record in ’63 under Head Coach Wally Lemm. QB Charley Johnson was a productive passer with excellent receivers to throw to in split end Sonny Randle and flanker Bobby Joe Conrad. There was good depth at running back, and star HB John David Crow was back after missing virtually all of ’63 due to injury, although HB Bill Triplett was sidelined due to illness.

There were 76,954 fans in attendance at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium on a warm and sunny day. The Cardinals got a break on the first play from scrimmage when LB Larry Stallings intercepted a Frank Ryan pass and returned it 18 yards to the Cleveland 22. On the next play, Charley Johnson tossed a short pass to John David Crow that went the distance for a touchdown. Jim Bakken added the extra point for the quick 7-0 lead.

Flanker Walter Roberts returned the ensuing kickoff 60 yards to the St. Louis 44 and, with Jim Brown carrying most of the load the Browns reached the 25 before 40-year-old Lou Groza (pictured at left) kicked a 32-yard field goal. Now it was Cleveland’s opportunity to benefit from a turnover on the next series as Bobby Joe Conrad fumbled after catching a short pass from Johnson and DE Bill Glass recovered for the home team at the St. Louis 20. HB Ernie Green ran for five yards and Brown carried twice for another 14, but after advancing to the one, a penalty moved the Browns back and they had to settle for a 12-yard Groza field goal that made it a one-point contest.

The Cards put together a good drive in the waning minutes of the opening period. Johnson completed a pass to HB Joe Childress for 21 yards and Crow and Childress both ran effectively. Bakken kicked a 30-yard field goal and the visitors extended their lead to 10-6 heading into the second quarter.

The Browns went three-and-out on their next possession but got the ball back on an interception by CB Ross Fichtner. Starting from the St. Louis 33, the home team reached the 16 but was flagged for a personal foul on a third down play that not only backed them up 15 yards but cost them the services of Green, a capable blocker as well as running mate for Brown, who was ejected. Groza kicked his third field goal of the contest, from 37 yards, and the Cards’ lead was once again narrowed to a single point at 10-9.

On the next series, the Cardinals advanced past midfield as Crow and Childress again ran well and Johnson tossed a pass to Conrad.  The drive stalled at the Cleveland 44, but Bakken came through with a 51-yard field goal, which was a club record at the time and made the score 13-9. The Browns moved quickly to take the lead on the next possession, going 69 yards in just three plays. Ryan threw to Paul Warfield for 12 yards and Gary Collins for 17 more, and then followed up with a long pass to Warfield for a 40-yard touchdown. Groza converted and Cleveland was now ahead at 16-13, which remained the score at halftime.

St. Louis started off the third quarter with a 71-yard drive in seven plays. Crow carried four straight times for 18 yards and Childress added another nine before Johnson connected with Sonny Randle (pictured at right) for a 38-yard TD. Bakken added the point after and the Cards were back on top by 20-16.

The Cardinals got the ball back on the ensuing kickoff when Roberts fumbled and OT Herschel Turner recovered at the Cleveland 43. The short series was followed by another Bakken field goal, this time from 44 yards for an extended margin of 23-16.

The Browns went three-and-out and punted but now it was the Cardinals turning the ball over once more as Johnson faded back to pass and fumbled when hit by Glass. DT Dick Modzelewski recovered at the St. Louis 28. Ryan passed to Collins for 21 yards and then hit the flanker again for a seven-yard touchdown. Groza converted and the score was tied at 23-23.

The teams exchanged punts but the Cardinals were on the move at the end of the period and, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Johnson completed a pass to Randle for a 50-yard TD. Bakken added the PAT to make it a 30-23 game.

The Browns responded with a long drive of 72 yards that took 13 plays. Ryan was successful on three passes and ran out of the pocket for 17 yards to the St. Louis 12. However, he was also sacked for a 14-yard loss and, while a toss to Brown got eight yards back, Cleveland had to settle for another Groza field goal, from 25 yards, cutting the visitors’ lead to 30-26.

The Cards went three-and-out and punted on their next series and the Browns responded with a 12-play, 61-yard possession. Facing a fourth-and-19 situation at the St. Louis 45 after Ryan was sacked, and with only 1:28 remaining on the clock, Ryan completed a pass to Collins for 43 yards. Two plays later, Brown swept into the end zone from a yard out and, with Groza’s extra point, Cleveland was back on top by three points at 33-30 and appeared to have the game in hand.

St. Louis took over following the kickoff at its own 25 with 28 seconds to play. Johnson passed over the middle to Childress for a gain of 24 yards and then to Randle at the sideline for 14. Another completion, this time to Crow, put the Cards at the Cleveland 21 with the clock now down to seven seconds. Bakken came on to kick a 28-yard field goal and the game ended in a 33-33 tie. 

The Cardinals had the edge in total yards (344 to 281) while Cleveland had more first downs (18 to 17). While St. Louis had more net passing yards (241 to 189), the rushing totals were almost even (115 to 114, in favor of the Browns). Each club recorded two sacks and turned the ball over three times.  Jim Bakken (pictured below) and Lou Groza both were a perfect four-for-four on their field goal attempts. The Cards were penalized eight times, to two flags thrown on the Browns.

Charley Johnson completed 14 of 27 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns while giving up one interception. John David Crow rushed for 58 yards on 11 carries and caught three passes for 29 yards and a TD while Joe Childress contributed 52 yards on 14 rushing attempts and also pulled in three passes, for 50 yards. Sonny Randle led the Cards with four pass receptions for 121 yards and two TDs.

For the Browns, Frank Ryan, who was battered by the pass rush throughout the contest, was successful on 12 of 26 throws for 189 yards and two TDs and was intercepted twice. Gary Collins caught 6 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown and Paul Warfield added three receptions for 63 yards and a score. Jim Brown ran for 79 yards on 21 carries that included a touchdown.

Both teams remained in a battle for the top spot in the Eastern Conference throughout the season. The Cardinals got off to a 3-0-1 start before losing three of four while Cleveland lost just one game during that stretch to open up a two-game advantage. While the Cards finished strong, including a win over the Browns in the rematch at St. Louis, they finished in second place at 9-3-2 while Cleveland took the crown at 10-3-1 and went on to upset the Colts for the NFL Championship.

Jim Brown, for the seventh time in eight seasons, led the league in rushing with 1446 yards. Frank Ryan threw the most touchdown passes (25) while Gary Collins had 35 catches for 544 yards (15.5 avg.) and eight TDs and Paul Warfield had an outstanding first year with 52 receptions for 920 yards (17.7 avg.) and nine scores.

Charley Johnson (pictured above) led the NFL in pass attempts (420), completions (223), yards (3045), and, less fortunately, in interceptions (24). Sonny Randle appeared in only seven games due to a shoulder injury and compiled 25 pass receptions for 517 yards (20.7 avg.) and five touchdowns.

Lou Groza and Jim Bakken, who matched each other field goal for field goal in the Week 2 game, ended up tied for second in scoring with 115 points. Bakken led the NFL with 25 field goals (in 38 attempts), while Groza placed second with 22 (out of 33 tries). Groza had the edge in extra points by 49 to 40.