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.

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.

1976: Boryla Unlikely Star as NFC Rallies to Win Pro Bowl

There were 32,108 fans in attendance at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans for the Pro Bowl on January 26, 1976, a Monday night. The coaches were Chuck Knox of the Rams for the NFC and Oakland’s John Madden for the AFC. The league had to dig deep to find a second quarterback for the NFC behind Jim Hart of the Cardinals. Philadelphia’s Mike Boryla (pictured at right) made the roster because Minnesota QB Fran Tarkenton, who was originally selected, had to drop out due to a sore arm and QB Roger Staubach of the Cowboys, chosen in his place, was forced to skip the game due to injured ribs suffered during the preceding week’s Super Bowl loss to Pittsburgh. Archie Manning of the Saints, Atlanta’s Steve Bartkowski, and James Harris of the Rams all backed out, leaving Boryla as the next available substitute. In his second season, he had been underwhelming, completing 87 of 166 passes (52.4 %) for 996 yards with twice as many interceptions (12) as TD passes (6) and started just five games in competition with the veteran Roman Gabriel.

The first quarter was scoreless as both teams missed field goals. Kansas City’s Jan Stenerud was wide to the right on a 46-yard try following the AFC’s first possession and Jim Bakken of the Cardinals was short on a 50-yard attempt that concluded a long series by the NFC in which his St. Louis teammate, Jim Hart, completed two 17-yard passes, to Minnesota WR John Gilliam and HB Terry Metcalf of the Cards.

The AFC had the ball in a series that extended into the second quarter. Pittsburgh FB Franco Harris ran effectively, with a long carry of 15 yards, and Cincinnati QB Ken Anderson threw to WR Lynn Swann of the Steelers for 11 yards to the NFC 11 on the final play of the opening period. However, a sack by LB Isiah Robertson of the Rams cost the AFC seven yards and a 35-yard field goal attempt had to be aborted when punter Ray Guy of the Raiders, the holder, couldn’t handle the snap.

The NFC punted following the next possession and WR Billy “White Shoes” Johnson of the Oilers, who initially bobbled the kick, returned it 55 yards to the NFC 33. On second down, HB Lydell Mitchell of the Colts reversed field and ran 20 yards to the 11 and, while the drive stalled at that point, Stenerud kicked a 20-yard field goal for the game’s first points.

Neither side was able to generate much offense until , with 1:31 remaining in the first half, the AFC took possession at its 45 following a punt and Houston QB Dan Pastorini threw to WR Cliff Branch of the Raiders for 32 yards on first down. After reaching the NFC 18, Stenerud kicked another field goal from 35 yards to put the AFC up by 6-0.

There was still time for the NFC and, following a short carry by FB Chuck Foreman of the Vikings on first down, Hart passed to Detroit TE Charlie Sanders for 28 yards to the AFC 43. However, Hart’s next throw was intercepted by Pittsburgh LB Jack Lambert, and on the next play Pastorini went long for his Houston teammate, WR Ken Burrough, for a 64-yard touchdown. Stenerud added the extra point and the AFC took a 13-0 lead into halftime.

The teams exchanged punts to start the third quarter, with Guy booting one that hit the replay screen that hung 90 feet above the playing field – the first player to ever do so in the Superdome. The play having been ruled dead as a result, Guy’s re-kick traveled 50 yards and the NFC proceeded to drive 62 yards in nine plays. Metcalf ran for 14 yards on first down and he and Foreman got the ball to the AFC 29 before Hart completed a short toss to Gilliam. The advance was blunted at that point and Bakken came on to score the first points for the NFC with a 42-yard field goal.

The AFC drove into NFC territory on a possession that featured Anderson running for nine yards and then tossing a lateral to Buffalo HB O.J. Simpson for another 13. But the AFC was forced to punt and the NFC responded with an 80-yard advance in 11 plays. Foreman broke away for a 26-yard gain and on a third-and-four play he caught a pass from Hart for 10 yards to the AFC 35. Three plays later Hart converted another third down with an eight-yard completion to Philadelphia TE Charle Young. Foreman lost a yard on the next play but Metcalf ran for 19 yards to set up a Hart pass to Foreman in the end zone for a four-yard TD. Bakken’s try for the extra point was blocked by DT Joe Greene of the Steelers, but the AFC lead was narrowed to 13-9.

As the game entered the fourth quarter, the AFC advanced to the NFC 31, but came up empty when Stenerud missed a 48-yard field goal attempt. But a short NFC series ended in a punt that Johnson gathered in at his ten yard line and returned 90 yards for a touchdown, setting a Pro Bowl record. Stenerud converted and the AFC had a seemingly comfortable 20-9 advantage.

On the NFC’s next play from scrimmage, HB Lawrence McCutcheon of the Rams broke away for a 41-yard gain (also a new Pro Bowl high) and, while he fumbled at the end, Los Angeles WR Harold Jackson recovered to maintain possession at the AFC 28. Runs by St. Louis FB Jim Otis and McCutcheon moved the ball to the AFC 13, but Hart threw two incomplete passes and Bakken’s 31-yard field goal attempt missed to the left.

The AFC punted after its next series and, with 5:39 remaining to play and the ball at the NFC 36, Mike Boryla came in at quarterback. After a running play and an offside penalty, Boryla connected with WR Mel Gray of the Cardinals for 25 yards. An incompletion and a three-yard McCutcheon run had the NFC facing third-and-seven, and another pass drew a 20-yard pass interference penalty on Pittsburgh CB Mel Blount. Two plays later, Boryla threw to Metcalf in the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown and, with Bakken adding the point after, it was a four-point contest with the clock down to just over three minutes remaining.

The AFC went three-and-out on the ensuing possession and the NFC used razzle-dazzle to again move into scoring position. Returning the AFC punt, a lateral by Green Bay WR Steve Odom to CB Lem Barney of the Lions resulted in a 50-yard return to the AFC 30. Boryla overthrew Foreman on first down, but the AFC drew an offside penalty, and the next throw to Foreman in the flat picked up 26 yards to the AFC eight. Two plays later, it was Boryla to Gray for an eight-yard TD and Bakken’s extra point provided the final three-point margin. The NFC held on to win by a final score of 23-20.

Despite starting slowly on offense, the NFC ended up with the edge in total yards (389 to 325) and first downs (22 to 14). Each team turned the ball over once, and while the AFC recorded two sacks and harassed the opposing passers consistently, the NFC had more sacks with five.

Jim Hart completed just 10 of 28 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown while giving up an interception, and in relief Mike Boryla was four-of-eight for 73 yards and two TDs with none picked off. Chuck Foreman led the NFC with 85 yards on 13 rushing attempts and Lawrence McCutcheon contributed 75 yards on just seven carries. Foreman also led the club in pass receiving with 5 catches for 48 yards and a score. DE Cedrick Hardman of the 49ers was credited with three of the NFC sacks.

For the AFC, Dan Pastorini was successful on five of 12 throws for 133 yards and a TD with one picked off and Ken Anderson was four-of-12 for 48 yards. O.J. Simpson rushed for 52 yards on 10 attempts and Franco Harris (9 carries, 48 yards) and FB John Riggins of the Jets (10 carries, 47 yards) were right behind. With the one long scoring TD, Ken Burrough topped the team with four pass receptions for 96 yards. Thanks to the two long punt returns, Billy “White Shoes” Johnson (pictured above) edged out Boryla for game MVP honors.

“The whole thing was very unexpected, being here and all,” said Mike Boryla. “I didn’t get called until Monday.”

Boryla’s unexpected participation and strong performance didn’t portend better things to come in his career. While he saw more action in 1976, again in combination with Roman Gabriel, the results again were not strong. With Head Coach Dick Vermeil choosing to pursue a different direction (the Eagles obtained QB Ron Jaworski from the Rams in ’77), Boryla was dealt to Tampa Bay but, beset by injuries, he saw little action and retired. His Pro Bowl appearance ended up being the high point of his pro career.

1973: Cards Hire Don Coryell as Head Coach

On January 18, 1973 the St. Louis Cardinals of the NFL dipped into the college ranks to hire Don Coryell as the new head coach. The 48-year-old Coryell of San Diego State replaced Bob Hollway, who was fired directly following a second straight 4-9-1 record in 1972 with one year remaining on his three-year contract. The Cardinals had not reached the postseason since 1948, although they were contenders several times under Wally Lemm and Charley Winner during the 1960s.

Coryell’s record at San Diego State was 104-19-2 over twelve seasons, including 10-1 in 1972. Prior to that, the former college defensive back spent one year as coach at Wenatchee Junior College in Washington in 1955 and then coached a service team at Fort Ord in California that went undefeated in ’56. Moving on to Whittier College, his teams had a 23-5-1 record and won three conference championships.

Prior to his arrival in 1961, the Aztecs had gone through lean years and hit rock bottom with back-to-back 1-6-1 records in the two seasons immediately preceding. Coryell recruited junior college players and his teams were known for their pass-oriented offense. He had success with future pro quarterbacks Don Horn, Dennis Shaw, and Brian Sipe, and notable wide receivers included Gary Garrison, Isaac Curtis, and Haven Moses. John Madden and Joe Gibbs were assistant coaches, and Gibbs rejoined Coryell in St. Louis along with two of his current assistants, Rod Dowhower and Jim Hanifan, who all went on to head coaching jobs in the NFL.

Asked about his decision to move to a pro team, Coryell explained that “I was as far as I could go in the situation I was in.” He had a written a letter to owner Bill Bidwill expressing his interest in the job.

“I’m not a disciplinarian in the way I try to get people to do things,” said the soft-spoken Coryell of his manner of handling players. “They do it or they don’t play.”

“I believe in a wide-open style of play,” said Coryell with regard to his offensive strategy, which ran counter to the prevailing wisdom in the NFL at the time. “I like to throw the ball. I believe in attacking the defense.”

The quarterback Coryell inherited was Jim Hart (pictured at left), a 29-year-old veteran who had been unheralded coming out of Southern Illinois in 1966, showed great promise when forced into the starting job in ’67, but had endured challenges from Pete Beathard, Gary Cuozzo, and Tim Van Galder in recent years.  A classic drop-back passer who was at his best throwing long, Hart prospered in Coryell’s offense.

TE Jackie Smith was a talented veteran receiver and WR Mel Gray was up-and-coming. HB Donny Anderson was still effective at age 30, but was joined by speedy rookie Terry Metcalf out of Long Beach State. There were also good young linemen in OT Dan Dierdorf, G Conrad Dobler, and C Tom Banks, in addition to savvy veteran OT Ernie McMillan. The defense included a good group of linebackers in Larry Stallings, Pete Barnes, and Mark Arneson. CB Roger Wehrli was the best of the defensive backs and DT Dave Butz was a promising rookie. To top things off, Jim Bakken was an accomplished placekicker who had been with the club since 1962.

The Cardinals duplicated their 4-9-1 record in 1973. Hart performed capably but played with injuries during the second half of the season and missed two games altogether (rookie Gary Keithley, also the punter, filled in). Moreover, the team ranked 12^th in the league in offensive production but 26^th in defense.

St. Louis broke out with a 10-4 record in 1974, making it into the postseason for the first time in 26 years. Hart had a Pro Bowl year as he threw for 2411 yards and led the NFC in touchdown passes (20) and completions (200), while giving up just eight interceptions. He was sacked only 16 times, a tribute to the improvement on the offensive line. Metcalf also gained Pro Bowl recognition for his outstanding all-around performance, gaining a total of 2058 yards (718 on 152 rushing attempts, 377 on 50 catches, 623 on 20 kickoff returns and 340 on 26 punt returns). FB Jim Otis provided inside power and Mel Gray also reached the Pro Bowl. The dependable Jackie Smith had a new backup and heir apparent in rookie J.V. Cain.  The defense, under the direction of coordinator Ray Willsey, was significantly better, allowing 147 fewer points and almost a thousand less yards than in ’73. Wehrli was chosen to the Pro Bowl and CB Norm Thompson intercepted six passes, while DT Bob Rowe was outstanding on the line that lost Butz for the year in the season’s opening week. After getting off to a 7-0 start, the Cards had a rougher time during the second half of the season but still topped the NFC East. They lost to Minnesota in the Divisional playoff round.

The Cardinals repeated as division champs in 1975 with an 11-3 record. The offense was even more productive. Hart threw more interceptions (19) but also 19 touchdowns and 2507 yards and again was chosen to the Pro Bowl. Metcalf outdid himself by setting a NFL record with 2462 all-purpose yards, scoring 13 touchdowns with at least one apiece via rushing, pass receiving, returning a punt, and returning a kickoff, and Otis led the NFC in rushing with 1076 yards. Both joined Hart as Pro Bowl choices, and so did Dan Dierdorf and Conrad Dobler on the line that allowed just eight sacks.  Gray was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection as well (48 catches, 926 yards, 11 TDs). On defense, the pass rush was still unexceptional, but Wehrli and Thompson intercepted 13 passes between them, and the former was also a consensus first-team All-Pro. But once more the Cards couldn’t win in the postseason, losing to the Rams.

The record in 1976 was still strong at 10-4, although in the highly-competitive NFC East that was only good for third place (thanks to being swept by the Redskins, who managed the same record) and the Cards missed the playoffs. Hart had a third straight Pro Bowl year, tossing 18 touchdown passes while his yardage increased (2946) and his interceptions dropped (13). Metcalf and Otis had lesser, if still good, seasons. WR Ike Harris emerged with 52 catches for 782 yards across from Gray, still a dangerous deep threat and Pro Bowler. Bakken was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection for the second straight year with perhaps his greatest season in his 15^th year, connecting on 20 of 27 field goal attempts, several of which were pivotal in victories. But the pass rush continued to be disappointing and injuries were a problem at middle linebacker.

The Cards dropped down to 7-7 in 1977. Hart, Metcalf, Gray, Dierdorf, Dobler, Banks, and Wehrli were still Pro Bowl performers, but after breaking out to a 7-3 start, the club lost its last four games. Friction developed with the front office, where Bidwill insisted on cutting costs and salary disputes with several veterans affected team morale. Coryell also chafed at not having a voice in personnel decisions, the team had not drafted well, and he became increasingly outspoken about the situation. 

Coryell resigned as head coach following the season, having compiled a 42-27-1 record that included two division titles. In just five years, he had become the winningest coach in the team’s long history (he was eventually surpassed by Ken Whisenhunt). At a time when zone defenses ruled and teams tended toward ground-oriented offenses, Coryell proved that an aggressive passing offense could still be successful.

Coryell did not remain out of work long, returning to San Diego as head coach of the Chargers during the 1978 season and remaining there until 1986, enjoying even more success (if still never achieving a championship).  With outstanding personnel and rules changes that went into effect in ’78 to benefit the passing game, Coryell was able to further innovate and develop an even more explosive offensive attack.

Bidwill and the Cardinals again went with a successful college coach to replace Coryell, although in this instance it was 62-year-old Bud Wilkinson, who had last manned the sidelines at Oklahoma 15 years earlier before moving to the broadcast booth. With the loss of key personnel, including Metcalf, who jumped to the CFL, and Harris and Dobler, dealt to New Orleans, the result was a drop to 6-10 in ’78. It was the first of four straight losing seasons until the team went 5-4 in the strike-shortened 1982 season under Jim Hanifan, the former Coryell assistant.

1980: Hofer Stars as 49ers Defeat Cards in Overtime

The San Francisco 49ers, fresh off an opening week victory to start the 1980 NFL season, hosted the St. Louis Cardinals on September 14 in Week 2. The 49ers were coming off consecutive 2-14 records in 1978 and ’79 and were in their second season under Head Coach Bill Walsh. QB Steve DeBerg had set league records for pass attempts and completions in Walsh’s innovative system and had a fine, if injury-prone, HB Paul Hofer (pictured above) to hand off and pass to as well as rookie FB Earl Cooper. DeBerg’s passing statistics were heavily skewed by his tendency to dump off short passes to his backs rather than throw downfield and, in the Week 1 win over the Saints, 17 of DeBerg’s 21 completions were to Hofer and Cooper.

The Cardinals had been 5-11 in 1979 and surrendered 41 points in losing to the Giants in their opener. Jim Hanifan was the new head coach but 36-year-old QB Jim Hart had been a familiar face in St. Louis since first taking over the starting job in 1967. RB Ottis Anderson was outstanding as a rookie in ’79, rushing for 1605 yards, and WR Pat Tilley a quality possession receiver. The defense was a work in progress and had most notably added rookie DE Curtis Greer, the team’s first draft choice.

There were 49,999 fans in attendance at Candlestick Park. Starting off at their 45 after a 37-yard return of the opening kickoff by DB Roy Green, the Cardinals drove to the San Francisco 17. Jim Hart completed three passes, including one to WR Mark Bell for 15 yards in a third-and-14 situation, but they came up empty when Steve Little’s 35-yard field goal attempt was wide to the right.

St. Louis got the ball back a few plays later when CB Tim Collier intercepted a bomb by Steve DeBerg at the goal line. Hart completed consecutive passes to TE Doug Marsh that totaled 42 yards, but after again advancing into San Francisco territory, the Cards were forced to punt.

Neither team could reach scoring territory until the 49ers put together a six-play, 56-yard series in the second quarter. DeBerg, who was suffering from laryngitis and using an electronic voice amplifier so his teammates could hear him, completed two passes to Earl Cooper, the longest covering 19 yards, and the drive was capped by a throw to Paul Hofer for a 19-yard touchdown. Ray Wersching added the extra point to make the score 7-0.

On the Cards’ next play from scrimmage, Marsh fumbled after catching a pass and LB Bobby Leopold recovered for the 49ers, who returned it to the St. Louis 22. But the home team was unable to capitalize, having to settle for a Wersching field goal try from 34 yards that was partially blocked and missed the mark. The teams traded punts thereafter for the remainder of the half.

St. Louis got a break on the second half kickoff when WR Terry Anderson fumbled and FS Ken Stone recovered for the Cards at the San Francisco 22. Seven plays later, Hart threw to FB Theotis Brown for a 13-yard touchdown and, adding on Little’s extra point, the score was tied at 7-7.

The 49ers punted following a short series and the Cards drove to another score, this time taking 13 plays to cover 67 yards. Hart passed to Anderson for 17 yards on a third-and-five play, one of six completions along the way, with the last to Marsh for a five-yard touchdown. Little added the PAT and the visitors were ahead by 14-7.

San Francisco was on the move as the period came to a close. DeBerg tossed a pass to Hofer for a 23-yard gain and HB Lenvil Elliott ran around end for 19 yards to the St. Louis 22. On the second play of the fourth quarter, DeBerg connected with Cooper for a nine-yard TD and Wersching’s extra point again tied the score.

Now it was the Cards suffering a turnover on a kickoff, as HB Randy Love coughed up the ball when hit by LB Dan Bunz and DB Charles Cornelius recovered at the St. Louis 26. But the opportunity was missed when DeBerg threw for the goal line four plays later and was picked off by CB Roger Wehrli, who returned it 25 yards. The visitors made the most of the reprieve, advancing 75 yards in eight plays as Hart completed passes to WR Mel Gray for 29 yards and to Pat Tilley for 18. HB Willard Harrell ran for a five-yard touchdown that, adding Little’s conversion, put the Cards back in front at 21-14.

The 49ers fought back, with Cofer catching two straight passes from DeBerg, the second for 27 yards to the San Francisco 48. However, penalties set them back and then DeBerg again tossed an interception, this time by SS Ken Greene, who ran it back 26 yards to give St. Louis excellent field position at the San Francisco 25.

Faced with the prospect of falling behind even farther, the 49ers toughened on defense. Harrell was thrown for a two-yard loss and then lost another seven yards after catching a pass and being hit by LB Willie Harper. The teams exchanged punts until San Francisco, getting the ball back with 1:51 remaining in regulation, put together an 80-yard drive in eight plays. DeBerg completed five passes, the longest to WR Dwight Clark for 16 yards in a do-or-die, fourth-and-eight situation, and Hofer ran for a 26-yard touchdown. Wersching added the all-important extra point, and the game went into overtime tied at 21-21.

The Cardinals had the first possession in the extra period but went three-and-out and punted. Starting at their 32, the 49ers gained 15 yards on a DeBerg completion to Hofer and, following a short gain by Cooper, DeBerg threw to TE Eason Ransom for nine yards to advance into St. Louis territory at the 43. Hofer took off for an 18-yard run to get into scoring range and, four plays later and at 2:25 into overtime, Wersching kicked a 33-yard field goal to win the game for the 49ers by a score of 24-21.

San Francisco had the edge in total yards (392 to 342) although the Cardinals generated more first downs (21 to 19). St. Louis was held to 86 yards on 36 running plays, while gaining 256 net passing yards, while the 49ers had 132 yards on the ground and 260 through the air. Both teams turned the ball over four times apiece.

Paul Hofer had an outstanding all-purpose day, rushing for 89 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries and catching 9 passes for 135 yards and another TD, a total of 224 yards from scrimmage. Steve DeBerg completed 25 of 42 throws for 266 yards and two touchdowns, but also gave up three interceptions, and as usual only five completions were to wide receivers. Earl Cooper also had 9 pass receptions, for 51 yards and a score, while running for 13 yards in 8 attempts.

For the Cardinals, Jim Hart completed 28 of 38 passes for 265 yards and two TDs while being picked off once. Doug Marsh (pictured at right) topped the receivers with 7 catches for 90 yards and a touchdown. Ottis Anderson, who was knocked out of the game in the fourth quarter, was held to 59 yards on 20 carries.

With two wins in the first two games, the 49ers equaled their total of the previous season, and they reached 3-0 before losing eight straight games. They rallied to finish at 6-10 for third place in the NFC West, and by that point Steve DeBerg had been supplanted by second-year QB Joe Montana. The stage was nearly set for Bill Walsh’s rebuilding project to yield a NFL title in 1981. The Cardinals reached 0-3 before winning their next two games, but, with the defense beset by injuries, they ended up at 5-11 and fourth in the NFC East.

“Paul Hofer to me is one of the great players in the league today,” said Coach Bill Walsh following Hofer’s outstanding effort against the Cardinals. “I don’t understand why people don’t recognize him as such.”

Hofer continued to be productive until a knee injury ended his season in the sixth week. He rushed for 293 yards, averaging 4.9 yards per carry, and had 41 catches for 467 yards (11.3 avg.) and totaled three touchdowns. Hofer returned for 1981, but would be placed on injured reserve long before the postseason run in what was the final year of his promising but injury-filled career. Earl Cooper led the 49ers in both rushing and pass receiving as a rookie, gaining 720 yards on the ground and catching 83 passes for 567 yards (6.8 avg.).

1983: Rogers Runs for 206 Yards as Saints Defeat Cardinals

The New Orleans Saints opened their 17^th NFL season on September 4, 1983, and while they had yet to finish with a winning record, there was hope for continued progress following a 4-5 result in the strike-shortened ’82 season. Heading into their third year with Bum Phillips as head coach, the Saints had assembled promising young talent that included RB George Rogers, LB Rickey Jackson, DE Bruce Clark, and others who were making the club more competitive. Rogers, in particular, had rushed for 1674 yards as a rookie in 1980 after winning the Heisman Trophy at South Carolina, but was coming off of an injury-plagued ’82 season and was looking to bounce back. Another promising player, QB Dave Wilson, had missed all of the previous year due to knee surgery and was viewed as the heir to the starting quarterback job, although 37-year-old Ken Stabler had resurrected his career with New Orleans in ’82 and was still the quarterback of the present.

Opposing the Saints in the opener were the St. Louis Cardinals, coming off of a 5-4 record that had qualified them for the playoffs in the expanded tournament format adopted due to the strike. Starting their fourth year under Head Coach Jim Hanifan, the Cards were also in the midst of a transition at quarterback, with Neil Lomax having taken over the starting duties from 39-year-old Jim Hart. RB Ottis Anderson was highly productive and there were talented targets in WR Roy Green, a converted defensive back, and Pat Tilley, a fine possession receiver.  

There were 65,225 fans in attendance at the Louisiana Superdome. Following a short series by the Saints that ended with a punt (not to mention the loss of Ken Stabler due to injury suffered when hit by DT Elois Grooms while passing), the Cards, starting off with good field position at the New Orleans 47, drove to the game’s first score. Ottis Anderson carried four times for 29 yards and Neil Lomax completed two passes, the second for an 11-yard touchdown to TE Doug Marsh. Neil O’Donoghue added the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

New Orleans took possession and George Rogers carried twice for 16 yards before Dave Wilson, the replacement for Stabler, threw to TE Hoby Brenner for nine yards and then to WR Jeff Groth for a 42-yard gain to the St. Louis 35. However, the Saints came up empty when, three plays later, LB Bob Harris intercepted a Wilson pass.

The teams traded punts as the game headed into the second quarter and New Orleans then put together an 88-yard drive in seven plays. The big play along the way was a 36-yard carry by Rogers to the St. Louis 15, and three plays later RB Wayne Wilson ran nine yards up the middle for a TD. Morton Andersen’s extra point tied the score.

The Cards responded by moving the ball well on their next series. Lomax completed three passes, including one to WR Mike Shumann for 33 yards to the New Orleans 19 in a third-and-five situation. A penalty on the Saints advanced the ball inside the ten, but two Lomax passes fell incomplete and O’Donoghue’s field goal attempt from 24 yards sailed wide to the left.

Starting from their own 20, the Saints drove into St. Louis territory once again. Rogers carried three times for 24 yards and FB Hokie Gajan ran for 14 yards, but on a third-down play at the Cards’ 38, Wilson fumbled while being sacked by DE Al “Bubba” Baker and DT Mark Duda recovered. St. Louis made the Saints pay for the turnover, advancing 21 yards in seven plays that resulted in O’Donoghue booting a 47-yard field goal with 48 seconds left on the clock. The Cardinals took a 10-7 lead into halftime.

Lomax was out with a shoulder injury and the veteran Jim Hart was at quarterback when St. Louis started off the third quarter, and he completed his first four passes, most notably one of 26 yards to Pat Tilley. The drive bogged down after reaching the New Orleans 14, however, with Anderson being thrown for a loss on a draw play and Hart tossing two incompletions. The Cards came up empty when O’Donoghue missed on a 38-yard field goal try.

It didn’t take long for the Saints to turn the tables. On their second play, Rogers took a handoff, went through the middle of the line, and then cut to the right, breaking a couple of tackles along the way to a 76-yard touchdown. Andersen added the extra point and, instead of the Cardinals adding to their lead, New Orleans was in front by 14-10.

It got worse for the visitors on the second play after the kickoff when a Hart pass was deflected and intercepted by LB Dennis Winston, who fumbled after returning it 15 yards, but CB Rodney Lewis (who knocked the ball off course in the first place) recovered at the New Orleans five. Three plays later, Rogers scored again, this time from a yard out. Andersen’s PAT put the Saints up by 11 points at 21-10.

The teams exchanged punts before the Cardinals put together a long series that extended into the final period. Just before the end of the third quarter, Hart completed a third-and-19 pass to Roy Green for 20 yards to reach the New Orleans 46. Green picked up another 25 yards on a reverse, but once again the drive bogged down and a field goal attempt went awry, this time due to a bad snap that was batted away and gave the Saints possession at midfield.

The Saints capitalized on their good fortune, moving 50 yards in five plays. Wilson threw deep for WR Kenny Duckett in the end zone, who hauled it in for a 35-yard touchdown. Andersen converted and the Saints enjoyed a comfortable 28-10 lead.

The Cardinals fought back with a nine-play, 72-yard possession. Hart completed five passes, the last for 16 yards and a TD to Tilley, but that was it. There were just over five minutes remaining to play, and the visitors had the ball once more to no effect before succumbing by a final score of 28-17.

The Saints gained the most yards (383 to 340) while St. Louis had the edge in first downs (20 to 15). New Orleans was far more productive on the ground, gaining 272 rushing yards, while the Cardinals produced 225 net yards through the air. The Saints recorded four sacks, to one by St. Louis, although they were also penalized 14 times, at a cost of 101 yards, to 8 flags for 50 yards on the visitors. New Orleans also turned the ball over twice, to one suffered by the Cards, but St. Louis was damaged by failures on field goals, two by missed kicks and one on a bad snap.

George Rogers rushed for a team-record 206 yards on 24 carries that included two for scores. Hokie Gajan added six attempts for 34 yards and Wayne Wilson contributed 32 yards and a TD on his 10 carries. Dave Wilson didn’t go to the air often, completing 7 of 11 passes for 121 yards and a touchdown along with an interception. Jeff Groth, Kenny Duckett, and Hoby Brenner each had two catches apiece, for 50, 44, and 23 yards, respectively, and Duckett scored a TD on one of his. 

For the Cardinals, Neil Lomax was successful on 11 of 16 throws for 111 yards and a touchdown, while giving up no interceptions, before leaving the contest and Jim Hart went 11 of 20 for 141 yards with a TD and an interception in relief. Ottis Anderson ran for 60 yards on 18 carries. Roy Green (pictured above) caught 8 passes for 82 yards and added 25 yards on his one running play. Pat Tilley contributed 65 yards on four receptions that included one for a score.

New Orleans lost the next week but went on to post an 8-8 record and finished third in the NFC West, just missing out on a winning record and playoff spot with a loss to the Rams in the season finale. The Cardinals started out at 1-5 before surging during the second half of the year and ending up with an 8-7-1 tally and third place in the NFC East.

George Rogers injured his knee the following week and missed three games, but was productive the rest of the way as he rushed for 1144 yards on 256 carries (4.5 avg.) and scored five touchdowns. He went over a hundred yards three more times. After being dealt to Washington in 1985, Rogers matched his 206-yard rushing total, also in a contest against the Cardinals.

1979: Anderson Runs for 193 Yards but Cards Fall to Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys had won 14 straight opening games as they started another season against the St. Louis Cardinals on September 2, 1979. A perennial contender under Head Coach Tom Landry, Dallas had won a second consecutive NFC Championship in ’78 before losing a close contest to the Steelers in the Super Bowl. The Cowboys were still sound on both sides of the ball, with QB Roger Staubach the NFL’s most efficient passer, outstanding receivers in Drew Pearson and Tony Hill, and a defense that was adept at stopping the run as well as rushing opposing passers, although DE Ed “Too Tall” Jones had departed to try his hand at boxing and SS Charlie Waters went down with a knee injury in the preseason. In addition to the losses on defense, if there was a concern heading into the first week of the ’79 regular season, it was that star RB Tony Dorsett was injured and rookie Ron Springs would be filling in.

The Cardinals had gotten off to a miserable 0-8 start in 1978, but won six of their last eight contests on the way to a 6-10 record. Legendary Univ. of Oklahoma head coach Bud Wilkinson had come out of retirement at age 62 and was back for a second year in St. Louis. QB Jim Hart was coming off a year in which he passed for a career-high 3121 yards, WR Pat Tilley had emerged as a quality possession receiver, and the offensive line was anchored by stalwarts in OT Dan Dierdorf, G Bob Young, and C Tom Banks. However, there was a lack of speed at running back, a situation that had been addressed by taking Univ. of Miami RB Ottis Anderson (pictured above) with the eighth overall pick in the first round of the NFL draft.

There were 50,855 fans on hand at Busch Memorial Stadium. The Cowboys struck first in the opening period when Rafael Septien kicked a 37-yard field goal. They scored again on a four-yard run by FB Robert Newhouse in the second quarter and, with Septien’s extra point, were up by 10-0. However, a 33-yard run by Ottis Anderson set up a two-yard touchdown pass from Jim Hart to TE Al Chandler. Mike Wood added the PAT and the score was 10-7 at the half.

Midway through the third quarter, Septien kicked a 24-yard field goal to extend the Dallas lead to six points. However, a fumble deep in Dallas territory by TE Doug Cosbie was recovered by St. Louis CB Roger Wehrli and set up the second touchdown for the Cardinals which came on an 18-yard pass completion from Hart to Pat Tilley. Wood’s extra point put the home team in the lead by 14-13.

The Cowboys responded with a 79-yard drive. Roger Staubach completed passes of 12 and 21 yards along the way and the series concluded with Ron Springs throwing an option pass to Tony Hill for a 30-yard TD. Dallas failed to add the extra point but was back in front by 19-14 with 12:35 remaining in the game.

The Cards were unable to move on their next series, but on the following possession Anderson broke away for a 76-yard touchdown run, and it seemed as though an upset might be in the making. Wood added the PAT and St. Louis was up by two points with time running down.

DB Wade Manning returned the ensuing kickoff 47 yards to give Dallas good starting field position at the St. Louis 48. Newhouse gained 14 yards on two carries and Staubach completed a pass to Hill for seven yards. With 1:16 remaining on the clock, Septien booted a 27-yard field goal and the Cowboys came away with a narrow 22-21 win.

Dallas led in total yards (455 to 342) and first downs (24 to 17). Both teams were productive on the ground, with St. Louis piling up 237 rushing yards to 161 for Dallas, but the Cowboys were far more effective through the air, compiling 294 net passing yards to 105 for the Cards. St. Louis also turned the ball over twice, to one turnover suffered by the Cowboys.

Roger Staubach (pictured above) completed 20 of 34 passes for 269 yards and, while he threw for no touchdowns, he also gave up no interceptions. Robert Newhouse gained 108 yards on 18 carries and scored a TD. Ron Springs rushed for just 30 yards on 15 attempts but also threw the 30-yard scoring pass. Tony Hill caught five passes for 113 yards and a score and Drew Pearson was right behind with five receptions for 99 yards.

For the Cardinals, Ottis Anderson was the star on offense with 193 yards on 21 carries that included the one long touchdown run. FB Wayne Morris contributed 41 yards on 10 attempts and had four catches for 28 yards. Jim Hart was successful on 12 of his 29 throws for 112 yards and two TDs, but also gave up two interceptions. Al Chandler had four receptions for 21 yards and a touchdown and Mel Gray and Pat Tilley each pulled in two passes apiece, for 32 and 31 yards, respectively. One of Tilley’s was good for a score.

The narrow escape in St. Louis did not immediately portend trouble for the Cowboys, who got off to a 7-1 start on the way to winning the NFC East for the fourth straight year with an 11-5 record. They were upset by the Rams in the Divisional playoff round. The Cardinals won their next contest but lost the next three on the way to a 5-11 finish and the bottom of the division. Bud Wilkinson failed to last the year and Jim Hart found himself being challenged by former first draft choice Steve Pisarkiewicz.

Ottis Anderson proved to be a bright spot amid the gloom in St. Louis. His outstanding opening week performance was the first of nine 100-yard rushing games on the way to 1605 yards on 331 carries (4.8 avg.). He scored a total of 10 touchdowns (8 rushing, 2 receiving) and received consensus first-team All-NFL as well as Pro Bowl honors. Anderson also was named NFC Player of the Year by The Sporting News and was the Associated Press selection for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

1967: Browns Beat Cards to Clinch Century Division Title

The Cleveland Browns were seeking to nail down the NFL Century Division title as they faced the St. Louis Cardinals on December 10, 1967. In the first year in which the Eastern and Western Conferences were broken up into four-team divisions, the Browns were at 8-4 after winning their three previous contests. Coached by Blanton Collier, Cleveland had the league’s rushing leader in HB Leroy Kelly, helped by a good veteran line and with a solid backfield partner in FB Ernie Green. 31-year-old QB Frank Ryan was battling assorted injuries but had outstanding receivers in split end Paul Warfield and flanker Gary Collins.

The Cardinals, under Head Coach Charley Winner, had gotten off to a fast start but were at 6-5-1 and barely staying alive in the division race. QB Charley Johnson had been called up to military service in the offseason and the untested Jim Hart had taken his place, showing great poise and potential, but also making his share of mistakes due to inexperience. Second-year HB Johnny Roland was right behind Kelly in the rushing race, the receivers were sound, and the defense was good, particularly with CB Pat Fischer and FS Larry Wilson in the backfield. In addition, the Cards had an outstanding placekicker in Jim Bakken.

It was an overcast day in St. Louis with 47,782 fans in attendance at Busch Memorial Stadium. They saw a scoreless first quarter with the teams exchanging punts and battling for field position until DB Ben Davis fumbled a Chuck Latourette kick and FB Willis Crenshaw recovered for the Cardinals at the Cleveland 20. In a series that extended into the early part of the second quarter, St. Louis methodically moved down the field and Bakken kicked a 12-yard field goal.

Davis (pictured at left) redeemed himself on the ensuing kickoff with a 48-yard return to the St. Louis 41. However, the Browns advanced nine yards in three plays and came up empty when 43-year-old Lou Groza missed a 40-yard field goal attempt.

A short series by the Cardinals resulted in a punt that gave the Browns starting field position at their 49. Three plays later, Frank Ryan threw to Paul Warfield for a 38-yard touchdown and, with Groza’s extra point, the visitors were ahead by 7-3.

The Cards responded with a nine-play series that went 40 yards. HB Prentice Gautt ran four times for 18 yards and Jim Hart completed two passes. Bakken booted a 42-yard field goal to narrow Cleveland’s margin to a point.

The Browns went three-and-out on their next possession, but the punt by Gary Collins was blocked by Larry Wilson and the Cards took over at the Cleveland 25 with 2:15 remaining in the first half. Gautt ran twice for seven yards and, after Hart threw an incomplete pass, Bakken kicked his third field goal, this time from 26 yards. St. Louis held a 9-7 lead at halftime.

The third quarter started with Davis returning the kickoff 58 yards to the St. Louis 33. Three plays later, Groza kicked a 33-yard field goal and the Browns were back in front by one.

On the next series, a trick play went wrong when TE Jackie Smith took the handoff on an apparent end-around and then threw a pass that was intended for flanker Bobby Joe Conrad but was instead intercepted by CB Erich Barnes. The 10-year veteran returned the pickoff 40 yards to the St. Louis 21. The Browns again had difficulty moving on offense but still put points on the board as Groza kicked a field goal from 23 yards.

Down by 13-9, the Cards gained nine yards on three plays and, facing fourth-and-one, lined up for a punt. It was a fake, however, but Latourette lost four yards in his attempt to circle the end and the Browns had the ball at the St. Louis 36. They failed to add points as the offense still couldn’t get on track. Ryan was sacked for a loss of 11 yards by DT Chuck Walker and Cleveland ended up having to punt, although Collins’ kick was able to pin the Cards back at their four.

The Browns clung to a four-point lead as the game headed into the fourth quarter. With the Cards deep in their own territory, LB Jim Houston (pictured at top) came through with a big play as he intercepted a Hart pass and returned it 18 yards for a touchdown. Groza’s PAT made it 20-9.

The Cards were unable to make much headway on offense and had to punt. They got the ball back in short order, however, when Leroy Kelly fumbled a bobbled handoff on the next play and LB Bill Koman recovered at the Cleveland 17. Hart threw to Smith for a 15-yard touchdown and, with Bakken’s PAT, it was again a four-point game.

There were still just under eight minutes remaining in the contest, but the Browns helped themselves with a long, time-consuming series. Ryan had an 11-yard run for a first down, Kelly converted a third-and-one situation with a four-yard carry, and Cleveland was down to the St. Louis 34 before back-to-back completions to Ernie Green lost yards and took the Browns out of field goal range. Still, the clock was down to 1:11 as Collins punted and the Cards found themselves pinned back at their four yard line.

Hart (pictured at right) went to the air on every play, but time ran out on St. Louis with the ball at the Cleveland 18 following a 41-yard completion to Smith, who was unable to get out of bounds at the end of the play. The Browns were winners by a final score of 20-16.

In a game dominated by the defenses, the Cardinals had more total yards (295 to 131) and first downs (16 to 8) than Cleveland. The Browns were helped by 126 yards on kickoff returns by Ben Davis. Both teams turned the ball over twice.

Frank Ryan, who suffered an injury to his left (non-throwing) arm in the first half, completed just 8 of 15 passes for 66 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. Ernie Green led the club with 48 rushing yards on 12 carries as well as 5 pass receptions, which netted only three yards. Paul Warfield had 57 yards on two pass receptions that included a TD. Leroy Kelly was held to 15 yards on 15 attempts and was credited with the fumble that set up the only St. Louis touchdown. But Ben Davis averaged 42.0 yards on his three kickoff returns and Jim Houston put vital points on the board with his key interception return.

For the Cardinals, Jim Hart was successful on 18 of 36 throws for 182 yards and a TD, but also tossed the one big interception. Jackie Smith was the top receiver with 6 catches for 91 yards and a score, although he also threw an interception on his one pass, and Bobby Joe Conrad contributed 5 receptions for 46 yards. Prentice Gautt rushed for 63 yards on 16 attempts. Johnny Roland ran for 27 yards on 12 attempts before he was lost to a knee injury in the third quarter. Jim Bakken was successful on all three of his field goal attempts.

“The defense was magnificent, Houston did the job again!” exclaimed Coach Blanton Collier afterward. It was the second consecutive week that Jim Houston had scored on an interception.

The Browns lost their season finale to finish at 9-5 atop the Century Division but lost badly to the Dallas Cowboys in the Eastern Conference Championship game. St. Louis also dropped the last game to end up third in the division at 6-7-1.

Leroy Kelly ended up with the NFL rushing title, gaining 1205 yards while averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Rookie Ben Davis, a 17^th-round draft choice, was at his best on kickoff returns against the Cards, but led the league in punt returning with a 12.7 average on 18 runbacks. He ranked seventh with a 26.2 average on 27 kickoff returns. 

1981: Carpenter & Simms Spur Giants to Win Over Cards

The New York Giants had been mired in mediocrity and out of the postseason for 17 consecutive years as they entered the 1981 NFL season. After winning two of their first three games in ’81, they lost two straight and were 2-3 as they prepared to take on the St. Louis Cardinals on October 11. But there was cause for optimism. The defense was strong, especially at linebacker where veterans Brad Van Pelt, Harry Carson, and Brian Kelley had been joined by first-round draft pick Lawrence Taylor, who was having an immediate impact. Third-year QB Phil Simms was still a promising work in progress. But a new factor was being introduced for the game against the Cardinals in the person of FB Rob Carpenter, who had just been received in a trade with the Houston Oilers with the hopes of improving the running game.

The fifth-year veteran Carpenter had labored in the shadow of Houston’s great RB Earl Campbell and, other than his rookie season in the pre-Campbell year of 1977 when he ran the ball 144 times for 652 yards, he had not carried more than 97 times in any one campaign. His rushing total in 57 games for the Oilers was 1788 yards while averaging 4.1 yards per carry, although he had caught 43 passes in 1980. In the first four contests of the ’81 season before being traded, Carpenter carried the ball just 18 times for 74 yards.

The visiting Cardinals, coached by Jim Hanifan, also came into the game at 2-3 after having beaten the Cowboys the previous week. RB Ottis Anderson was a well-established ground gainer in his third year and while 37-year-old veteran Jim Hart was still the starting quarterback, the promising Neil Lomax from Portland State had been drafted in the second round and was waiting in the wings. But while the offense had talent, the defense was a chronic source of problems.

There were 67,128 fans at Giants Stadium and they witnessed a scoreless first quarter before a New York fumble set up a 14-yard touchdown pass from Hart to TE Doug Marsh seven seconds into the second quarter.

The Giants responded with a 56-yard drive that ended with Joe Danelo kicking a 41-yard field goal to cut the St. Louis lead to 7-3. New York put together another scoring drive despite Simms being sacked twice along the way. He threw to WR Johnny Perkins for a five-yard TD to put the Giants in front.

An interception of a Hart pass by Brian Kelley set up another score before the half. Kelley returned the pickoff 16 yards to the St. Louis 33 and Simms again threw to Perkins for a touchdown, this time from seven yards out, with 31 seconds remaining in the second quarter. The Giants went into halftime with a 17-7 lead. Simms had thrown for 121 yards in the first half but was also sacked four times, at a cost of 22 yards.

The Giants scored again to start the third quarter as Danelo booted a 45-yard field goal to make it 20-7. New York then took control when Marsh fumbled after catching a pass from Hart and FS Beasley Reece recovered for the Giants at the New York 45. The Giants capitalized when Simms tossed a 22-yard touchdown pass to WR Earnest Gray and it was 27-7 heading into the final period.

The Cardinals narrowed the lead in the fourth quarter on a series highlighted by a Hart completion to WR Pat Tilley that picked up 34 yards. RB Theotis Brown capped the drive by running for a three-yard TD. But Carpenter crowned his debut with a 21-yard touchdown run that was set up in turn by a 24-yard carry by Simms. The Giants won handily by a score of 34-14.

New York outgained the Cardinals by 377 yards to 285 – most impressively, 198 of that total for the Giants came on the ground. The Giants also had the edge in first downs by 27 to 19. The St. Louis defense sacked Simms five times in all, to four sacks recorded by the Giants, but the Cardinals also turned the ball over four times to one suffered by the home team.

Rob Carpenter made an immediate impact with his new team by rushing for 103 yards on 14 carries that included a touchdown. Phil Simms (pictured below) completed 19 of 33 passes for 208 yards with three TDs and had none intercepted. Johnny Perkins led the receivers with 5 catches for 55 yards and two touchdowns.

For the Cardinals, Jim Hart, who was replaced late in the fourth quarter by the rookie Lomax, was successful on 17 of 26 throws for 195 yards with a TD and an interception. Ottis Anderson ran for 71 yards on 17 attempts and also caught a team-leading 5 passes for 47 yards. Doug Marsh gained 52 yards on his four pass receptions that also included a touchdown.

“It was the biggest game of the year for us,” summed up Phil Simms.

“It was a great victory, the greatest since I’ve been here,” echoed Head Coach Ray Perkins of the Giants.

“I was running behind a pretty good offensive line,” said Rob Carpenter. “It was the first time in two years that a line has given me the time to make a cut behind the line of scrimmage.”

With Carpenter adding a new dimension to the offense, the Giants went on to a 9-7 record to finish third in the NFC East and qualify for a Wild Card spot in the playoffs, thus making their first postseason appearance since 1963. They defeated the division-rival Eagles in the Wild Card round before succumbing to the 49ers in the Divisional playoff game. The Cardinals, with Lomax finishing out the year in place of Hart, ended up fifth in the division at 7-9.

Rob Carpenter had his best year, rushing the ball 190 times for 748 yards in his ten games with the Giants and catching 24 passes for 201 more yards (overall, adding in his statistics with Houston, he gained 822 yards on 202 carries). He went over a hundred yards rushing in four games and added 161 yards on 33 carries in the Wild Card win over Philadelphia.

Phil Simms also played well until a shoulder injury ended his season prematurely in the tenth game. He passed for 2031 yards with 11 touchdowns and 9 interceptions, but it was Scott Brunner behind center for the 4-1 run at the end of the regular season and the playoff contests.