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1976 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season
NFL team season
NFL team season
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| team | St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) |
| teamdisplay | St. Louis Cardinals |
| year | 1976 |
| record | 10–4 |
| division_place | 3rd NFC East |
| coach | Don Coryell |
| owner | Bill Bidwill |
| playoffs | *Did not qualify* |
| pro_bowlers | C Tom Banks |
| G Conrad Dobler | |
| T Dan Dierdorf | |
| QB Jim Hart | |
| WR Mel Gray | |
| CB Roger Wehrli | |
| K Jim Bakken | |
| shortnavlink | Cardinals seasons |
G Conrad Dobler T Dan Dierdorf QB Jim Hart WR Mel Gray CB Roger Wehrli K Jim Bakken
The 1976 St. Louis Cardinals season was the 57th season the franchise was in the league. The team failed to improve on their previous output of 11–3, instead regressing by one win. This was the first time in three seasons the team did not qualify for the playoffs. The Cardinals finished tied with the Washington Redskins for 2nd place in the NFC East, but they lost the tiebreaker due to Washington winning both matchups during the season.
Ultimately, the Cardinals became the only NFC team to win ten games without making the playoffs under a 14-game schedule.
Notably, they took on the San Diego Chargers in a preseason game in the first NFL game to take place in Japan.
Offseason
1976 expansion draft
Main article: 1976 NFL expansion draft
| St. Louis Cardinals | border=2}}" | Round | St. Louis Cardinals | border=2}}" | Overall | St. Louis Cardinals | border=2}}" | Name | St. Louis Cardinals | border=2}}" | Position | St. Louis Cardinals | border=2}}" | Expansion team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | Dwayne Crump | Cornerback | [Seattle Seahawks](1976-seattle-seahawks-season) | ||||||||||
| 0 | 0 | Gary Keithley | Quarterback | Seattle Seahawks | ||||||||||
| 0 | 0 | Council Rudolph | Defensive end | [Tampa Bay Buccaneers](1976-tampa-bay-buccaneers-season) |
NFL draft
Main article: 1976 NFL draft
Personnel
Staff / Coaches
-
Principal Owner/de facto General Manager - Bill Bidwill
-
Director of Pro Football Operations – Joe Sullivan
-
Head Coach – Don Coryell
-
Offensive Backs / Receivers – Joe Gibbs
-
Offensive line – Jim Hanifan
-
Defensive Coordinator / Secondary – Ray Willsey
-
Defensive Line / Linebackers – Willie Zapalac
-
Defensive Backs = Chuck Weber
-
Special Assignments - Wayne Seiver
-
Strength and Conditioning - Jim Curzi
:Source:
Roster
| 1976 St. Louis Cardinals roster |
|---|
| **Quarterbacks** |
Schedule
| St. Louis Cardinals | year=1976 | border=2}}" | Week | St. Louis Cardinals | year=1976 | border=2}}" | Date | St. Louis Cardinals | year=1976 | border=2}}" | Opponent | St. Louis Cardinals | year=1976 | border=2}}" | Result | St. Louis Cardinals | year=1976 | border=2}}" | Record | St. Louis Cardinals | year=1976 | border=2}}" | Venue | St. Louis Cardinals | year=1976 | border=2}}" | Attendance | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 12 | at [Seattle Seahawks](1976-seattle-seahawks-season) | **W** 30–24 | 1–0 | Kingdome | 58,441 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| September 19 | [Green Bay Packers](1976-green-bay-packers-season) | **W** 29–0 | 2–0 | Busch Memorial Stadium | 48,842 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| September 26 | at [San Diego Chargers](1976-san-diego-chargers-season) | **L** 24–43 | 2–1 | San Diego Stadium | 40,212 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| October 3 | **[New York Giants](1976-new-york-giants-season)** | **W** 27–21 | 3–1 | Busch Memorial Stadium | 48,039 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| October 10 | **[Philadelphia Eagles](1976-philadelphia-eagles-season)** | **W** 33–14 | 4–1 | Busch Memorial Stadium | 44,933 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| October 17 | **[Dallas Cowboys](1976-dallas-cowboys-season)** | **W** 21–17 | 5–1 | Busch Memorial Stadium | 50,317 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| at **[Washington Redskins](1976-washington-redskins-season)** | **L** 10–20 | 5–2 | RFK Stadium | 48,325 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| October 31 | [San Francisco 49ers](1976-san-francisco-49ers-season) | **W** 23–20 | 6–2 | Busch Memorial Stadium | 50,365 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| November 7 | at **[Philadelphia Eagles](1976-philadelphia-eagles-season)** | **W** 17–14 | 7–2 | Veterans Stadium | 65,505 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| November 14 | at [Los Angeles Rams](1976-los-angeles-rams-season) | **W** 30–28 | 8–2 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 64,698 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| November 21 | **[Washington Redskins](1976-washington-redskins-season)** | **L** 10–16 | 8–3 | Busch Memorial Stadium | 49,833 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| November 25 | at **[Dallas Cowboys](1976-dallas-cowboys-season)** | **L** 14–19 | 8–4 | Texas Stadium | 62,498 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [Baltimore Colts](1976-baltimore-colts-season) | **W** 24–17 | 9–4 | Busch Memorial Stadium | 48,282 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| December 12 | at **[New York Giants](1976-new-york-giants-season)** | **W** 17–14 | 10–4 | Giants Stadium | 60,553 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| **Note:** Intra-division opponents are in **bold** text. |
Game summaries
Week 1: @ Seattle Seahawks
First quarter
- STL – Jim Bakken 28-yard field goal, 6:22 (STL 3–0)
- SEA – Don Bitterlich 27-yard field goal, 1:15 (Tied 3–3) Second quarter
- STL – Ike Harris 12-yard pass from Jim Hart (Jim Bakken kick), 13:05 (STL 10–3)
- STL – Jim Bakken 22-yard field goal, 0:21 (STL 13–3) Third quarter
- STL – Pat Tilley 27-yard pass from Jim Hart (Jim Bakken kick), 12:51 (STL 20–3)
- STL – Jim Bakken 26-yard field goal, 5:47 (STL 23–3)
- SEA – Sam McCullum 15-yard pass from Jim Zorn 3:52 (Don Bitterlich kick), (STL 23–10) Fourth quarter
- STL – Jim Otis 1-yard run (Jim Bakken kick), 14:10 (STL 30–10)
- SEA – Sam McCullum 72-yard pass from Jim Zorn 13:50 (Don Bitterlich kick), (STL 30–17)
- SEA – Jim Zorn 8-yard run (Don Bitterlich kick), 5:09 (STL 30–24) Top passers
- STL – Jim Hart: 15/23, 180 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
- SEA – Jim Zorn: 17/37, 292 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT Top rushers
- STL – Jim Otis: 27 car, 140 yds, 1 TD
- SEA – Andy Bolton: 12 car, 37 yds Top receivers
- STL – Steve Jones: 3 rec, 59 yds
- SEA – Sam McCullum: 4 rec, 112 yds, 2 TD Team – pass – rush – total – to
- STL – 175 – 281 – 456 – 2
- SEA – 279 – 73 – 352 – 3
Standings
References
References
- [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/crd/1976.htm 1976 St. Louis Cardinals]
- https://www.profootballarchives.com/1976nflstl.html
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