1987 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article: 1987 NFL draft

Personnel

Staff

• President – Bill Bidwill

• Director of pro personnel – Larry Wilson

• Director of player personnel – George Boone

• Head coach – Gene Stallings

• Offensive coordinator – Jim Shofner

• Running backs – Hank Kuhlmann

• Receivers – Mal Moore

• Offensive line – Tom Bresnahan

• Special assistant/quality control – Leon McLaughlin

• Defensive line – Jim Johnson

• Linebackers – Joe Pascale

• Defensive backs – Mel Renfro

• Special teams – Marv Braden

• Strength and conditioning – LeBaron Caruthers

NFL replacement players

After the league decided to use replacement players during the NFLPA strike, the following team was assembled:

Roster

Regular season

Schedule

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. Dallas Cowboys

Week 3: at Washington Redskins

First quarter

• WAS – Anthony Allen 34-yard pass from Ed Rubbert (Brendan Toibin kick), 1:20. Redskins 7–0. Second quarter
• STL – Earl Ferrell 1-yard run (Jason Staurovsky kick), 9:28. Tied 7–7.
• WAS – Anthony Allen 88-yard pass from Ed Rubbert (Brendan Toibin kick), 9:05. Redskins 14–7. Third quarter
• STL – Earl Ferrell 1-yard run (Jason Staurovsky kick), 8:01. Tied 14–14.
• WAS – Lionel Vital 8-yard run (Brendan Toibin kick), 5:24. Redskins 21–14.
• WAS – Anthony Allen 48-yard pass from Ed Rubbert (Brendan Toibin kick), 2:02. Redskins 28–14. Fourth quarter
• STL – Pete Noga 60-yard interception return (Jason Staurovsky kick), 12:17. Redskins 28–21. Top passers
• STL – Shawn Halloran – 16/35, 258 yards
• WAS – Ed Rubbert – 14/24, 334 yards, 3 TD, INT Top rushers
• STL – Earl Ferrell – 27 rushes, 87 yards, 2 TD
• WAS – Lionel Vital – 27 rushes, 82 yards, TD Top receivers
• STL – J. T. Smith – 6 receptions, 116 yards
• WAS – Anthony Allen – 7 receptions, 255 yards, 3 TD

Week 8: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

First quarter

• TB – Mark Carrier 5-yard pass from Steve DeBerg (Donald Igwebuike kick). Buccaneers 7–0. Second quarter
• TB – Gerald Carter 3-yard pass from Steve DeBerg (Donald Igwebuike kick). Buccaneers 14–0.
• STL – Jim Gallery 31-yard field goal. Buccaneers 14–3. Third quarter
• TB – Jeff Smith 34-yard pass from Steve DeBerg (Donald Igwebuike kick). Buccaneers 21–3.
• TB – Jeff Smith 3-yard run (Donald Igwebuike kick). Buccaneers 28–3. Fourth quarter
• STL – Robert Awalt 4-yard pass from Neil Lomax (Jim Gallery kick). Buccaneers 28–10.
• STL – Niko Noga 24-yard fumble return (Jim Gallery kick). Buccaneers 28–17.
• STL – J. T. Smith 11-yard pass from Neil Lomax (Jim Gallery kick). Buccaneers 28–24.
• STL – J. T. Smith 17-yard pass from Neil Lomax (Jim Gallery kick). Cardinals 31–28. Top passers
• TB – Steve DeBerg – 23/37, 303 yards, 3 TD
• STL – Neil Lomax – 25/36, 314 yards, 3 TD, INT Top rushers
• TB – James Wilder – 11 rushes, 49 yards
• STL – Stump Mitchell – 17 rushes, 79 yards Top receivers
• TB – James Wilder – 6 receptions, 87 yards
• STL – Robert Awalt – 9 receptions, 124 yards, TD Days before the game Cardinals owner Bill Bidwill announced that the team would be moving to another city. The announcement increased fan apathy, resulting in an official game attendance of only 22,449, the Cardinals' lowest in four years.

Entering the fourth quarter, the Cardinals were down 28–3 to the Buccaneers. St. Louis would score 28 unanswered points in the final quarter to win 31–28. Tampa kicker Donald Igwebuike attempted a 53-yard field goal to tie the game as time expired but the ball bounced off the crossbar. The Cardinals' 25-point fourth quarter comeback is the largest in NFL history.

Week 13: vs. Washington Redskins

First quarter

• WAS – Gary Clark 84-yard pass from Jay Schroeder (Ali Haji-Sheikh kick). Redskins 7–0.
• WAS – Ali Haji-Sheikh 22-yard field goal. Redskins 10–0. Second quarter
• STL – Stump Mitchell 3-yard pass from Neil Lomax (Jim Gallery kick). Redskins 10–7.
• STL – J. T. Smith 4-yard pass from Neil Lomax (Jim Gallery kick). Cardinals 14–10. Third quarter
• STL – Jim Gallery 48-yard field goal. Cardinals 17–10.
• WAS – Jay Schroeder 7-yard run (Ali Haji-Sheikh kick). Tied 17–17.
• WAS – George Rogers 6-yard run (Ali Haji-Sheikh kick). Redskins 24–17.
• WAS – Clint Didier 19-yard pass from Jay Schroeder (Ali Haji-Sheikh kick). Redskins 31–17. Fourth quarter
• WAS – Ali Haji-Sheikh 40-yard field goal. Redskins 34–17. Top passers
• WAS – Jay Schroeder – 13/25, 235 yards, 2 TD, INT
• STL – Neil Lomax – 21/39, 241 yards, 2 TD Top rushers
• WAS – George Rogers – 29 rushes, 133 yards, TD
• STL – Stump Mitchell – 20 rushes, 101 yards Top receivers
• WAS – Gary Clark – 5 receptions, 130 yards, TD
• STL – Roy Green – 6 receptions, 90 yards

Week 14: vs. New York Giants

This would be the Cardinals' final home game in St. Louis as the franchise would relocate to the Phoenix metro area for the 1988 season. This would be the last NFL game played in St. Louis until September 10, 1995 when the Rams, who had relocated to St. Louis from Los Angeles following the 1994 season, hosted the New Orleans Saints. However, the Rams would move back to Los Angeles prior to the 2016 season.

Week 15: at Dallas Cowboys

Entering the final week of the season, the Cardinals needed a win over the Cowboys to secure the NFC's final wild card spot. The Cardinals wound up losing the regular season finale, knocking them out of playoff contention. This would be the final game for the St. Louis Cardinals NFL team. On March 15, 1988, NFL owners approved the Cardinals' move from St. Louis to Tempe, Arizona. Starting with the following season, the Cardinals played as the Phoenix Cardinals before changing the franchise's geographic name to the Arizona Cardinals prior to the 1994 season.

Standings

Awards and records

• Luis Sharpe, NFC Pro Bowl selection
• J.T. Smith, NFL Receiving Leader, 91 Receptions
• J.T. Smith, Led NFL, Receiving Yards, 1,117 yards
• Ron Wolfley, Pro Bowl selection

References

References

1. Zimmerman, Paul. (April 11, 1988). "A lonely road to the NFL".
2. (November 9, 1987). "NFL: Cowboys Cut Off At Pass by Lions". The New York Times.
3. Eskenazi, Gerald. (November 6, 1987). "NFL Matchups: Surprise: Colts and Chargers Spotlighted". [[The New York Times]].
4. Mizell, Hubert. (November 9, 1987). "For 15 minutes, Bucs' play hit an all-time low". [[St. Petersburg Times]].
5. Eskenazi, Gerald. (March 16, 1988). "N.F.L. Approves Team Shift". [[The New York Times]].
6. "Arizona Cardinals Team History". NFL Enterprises, LLC.
7. ''NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book'', Workman Publishing Co, New York, {{ISBN. 0-7611-2480-2, p. 451
8. ''NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book'', Workman Publishing Co, New York, {{ISBN. 0-7611-2480-2, p. 452