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1977 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season

NFL team season

NFL team season

FieldValue
teamSt. Louis Cardinals (NFL)
teamdisplaySt. Louis Cardinals
year1977
record7–7
division_place3rd NFC East
coachDon Coryell
ownerBill Bidwill
stadiumBusch Memorial Stadium
playoffs*Did not qualify*
pro_bowlersC Tom Banks
G Conrad Dobler
T Dan Dierdorf
QB Jim Hart
RB Terry Metcalf
WR Mel Gray
CB Roger Wehrli
shortnavlinkCardinals seasons

G Conrad Dobler T Dan Dierdorf QB Jim Hart RB Terry Metcalf WR Mel Gray CB Roger Wehrli

The 1977 St. Louis Cardinals season was the franchise’s 56th year with the National Football League and the 18th season in St. Louis. The Cardinals posted a 7-7 record in the final season in St Louis for head coach Don Coryell who began coaching the San Diego Chargers the following year. The Cardinals, with a 7-3 record, hosted the Miami Dolphins on Thanksgiving, replacing the Dallas Cowboys, and were blown out 55-14 to begin a four-game losing streak that ended the season.

Coryell's final game with the Cardinals was an embarrassing 17–7 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who won for the first time at Tampa Stadium following 13 consecutive home defeats. It was the Bucs' second consecutive victory following an NFL-record 26-game losing streak; Tampa Bay won 33–14 at New Orleans the previous week.

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article: 1977 NFL draft

Undrafted free agents

PlayerPositionCollege
Jeff BlancRunning backBYU
David BurkeRunning backKearney State
Wayne CarmodyDefensive backSouthern Illinois
Rob FitzgeraldDefensive backMissouri
Gil FousheeWide receiverDuke
David HeadstreamLinebackerSMU
Doug JacksonPunterSouth Dakota State

Personnel

Staff

  • Owner – Bill Bidwill

  • Director of Operations – Joe Sullivan

  • Assistant director of Operations – Larry Wilson

  • Head coach – Don Coryell

  • Quarterbacks/Receivers – Harry Gilmer

  • Offensive Backs – Joe Gibbs

  • Offensive Line – Jim Hanifan

  • Special Assignments – Dan Brooks

  • Defensive Coordinator – Ray Willsey

  • Defensive Line – Willie Zapalac

  • Defensive Backs – Chuck Weber

  • Special Assignments Coach - Dan Brooks

:Source:

Roster

Regular season

On November 24, 1977, Dolphins quarterback Bob Griese would throw for six touchdown passes in a Thanksgiving Day match versus the Cardinals. The Dolphins would set a franchise record for most points scored in one game with 55. Of note, the Dolphins would score eight touchdowns and accumulate 34 first downs. This would end the experiment of the Cardinals playing on Thanksgiving, and the following season the Dallas Cowboys would go back in that holiday slot.

Schedule

St. Louis Cardinalsyear=1977border=2}}"WeekSt. Louis Cardinalsyear=1977border=2}}"DateSt. Louis Cardinalsyear=1977border=2}}"OpponentSt. Louis Cardinalsyear=1977border=2}}"ResultSt. Louis Cardinalsyear=1977border=2}}"RecordSt. Louis Cardinalsyear=1977border=2}}"VenueSt. Louis Cardinalsyear=1977border=2}}"Attendance1234567891011121314
September 18at [Denver Broncos](1977-denver-broncos-season)**L** 0–70–1Mile High Stadium75,002
September 25[Chicago Bears](1977-chicago-bears-season)**W** 16–131–1Busch Memorial Stadium49,878
October 2at **[Washington Redskins](1977-washington-redskins-season)****L** 14–241–2RFK Stadium55,031
October 9**[Dallas Cowboys](1977-dallas-cowboys-season)****L** 24–301–3Busch Memorial Stadium50,129
October 16at **[Philadelphia Eagles](1977-philadelphia-eagles-season)****W** 21–172–3Veterans Stadium60,535
October 23[New Orleans Saints](1977-new-orleans-saints-season)**W** 49–313–3Busch Memorial Stadium48,417
**[New York Giants](1977-new-york-giants-season)****W** 28–04–3Busch Memorial Stadium50,323
November 6at [Minnesota Vikings](1977-minnesota-vikings-season)**W** 27–75–3Metropolitan Stadium47,066
at **[Dallas Cowboys](1977-dallas-cowboys-season)****W** 24–176–3Texas Stadium64,038
November 20**[Philadelphia Eagles](1977-philadelphia-eagles-season)****W** 21–167–3Busch Memorial Stadium48,768
November 24[Miami Dolphins](1977-miami-dolphins-season)**L** 14–557–4Busch Memorial Stadium50,269
December 4at **[New York Giants](1977-new-york-giants-season)****L** 7–277–5Giants Stadium71,826
**[Washington Redskins](1977-washington-redskins-season)****L** 20–267–6Busch Memorial Stadium36,067
December 18at [Tampa Bay Buccaneers](1977-tampa-bay-buccaneers-season)**L** 7–177–7Tampa Stadium56,922
**Note:** Intra-division opponents are in **bold** text.

Game summaries

Week 2

First quarter

Second quarter

Third quarter

Fourth quarter

;Top passers

  • CHI – Bob Avellini – 18/37, 177 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT
  • STL – Jim Hart – 16/24, 215 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT ;Top rushers
  • CHI – Roland Harper – 14 rushes, 65 yards
  • STL – Jim Otis – 20 rushes, 64 yards ;Top receivers
  • CHI – James Scott – 5 receptions, 64 yards
  • STL – Mel Gray – 5 receptions, 95 yards

Week 5

  • Place: Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Television: CBS
  • Announcers: Gary Bender, Tom Matte Jim Hart, questionable all week with an injury, passed 38 yards to Ike Harris for a TD. Terry Metcalf and Jerry Latin both scored on runs of 10 and two yards to lift the Cardinals to a much-needed win over the Eagles.

Week 6

  • Place: Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri
  • Television: CBS
  • Announcers: Gary Bender, Tom Matte Mel Gray caught passes from quarterback Jim Hart and running back Terry Metcalf for touchdowns and Wayne Morris scored four times on short distance runs in St. Louis' wide-open victory to get back in the running for a playoff spot. Bobby Scott passed for two touchdowns for the Saints, who wiped out a 21-0 lead, then fell back again. The Saints totaled 440 yards on offense while the victorious Cardinals gained 494 yards.

Week 8

  • Place: Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota
  • Television: CBS
  • Announcers: Pat Summerall and Tom Brookshier "I think we were fortunate to catch them a little flat and we were at the top of our game" Don Coryell said after his Cardinals beat the front running Central Division leaders Vikings. The Cardinals rolled up 316 yards on the ground and Jim Hart completed 10 of 14 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns. The short scoring passes to Wayne Morris and Terry Metcalf came in the first half. The two running backs each scored twice as the Cardinals piled up a 27-0 lead before Minnesota scored late in the third quarter with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Fran Tarkenton to Sammy White. Vikings coach Bud Grant said "The Cardinals offense is outstanding. We didn't think we could stop them but we did think we could outscore them. Had we scored a couple times when we were down there, it might have been a different game."

Standings

References

References

  1. https://www.profootballarchives.com/1977nflstl.html
  2. 100 Things Dolphins Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die, Armando Salguero, Triumph Books, Chicago, 2020, ISBN 978-1-62937-722-3, p.44
  3. 100 Things Dolphins Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die, Armando Salguero, Triumph Books, Chicago, 2020, ISBN 978-1-62937-722-3, p.176
Info: Wikipedia Source

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