1964 Cardinals Mid Year Slump Cost Them a Title

[LeonardRachiele]

The Cardinals went 2-3-1 after the start of 3-0-1. Here were the grim details for the Cardinals.

At Baltimore the Colts won 47 to 27. The Colts ran for 266 yards and four touchdowns. The Cardinals ran for just 164 yards and two touchdowns. Tom Matte and Lenny Moore ran for a total of 154 yards. The best running for the came from the Cardinals' Willis Crenshaw who gained 80 yards in just seven carries. Bobby Joe Conrad for the Cardinals and Raymond Berry for the Colts each caught five passes. The big defensive play of the game was Bobby Boyd's interception and return for 25 yards.

At home defeated Washington Redskins 38 to 24. The Cardinals overcame five sacks for 56 yards. Turnovers Cards 4 Redskins 3. Score was tied at 24 midway in the fourth quarter until St. Louis pulled away. Charley Johnson went 17 to 30 for 226 yards for three touchdowns and three interceptions. Joe Childress had 15 carries for 86 yards. Bobby Joe Conrad caught five passes for 59 yards. For Washington, Charley Taylor carried nine times for 62 yards and caught three passes for 81 yards.

Dallas Cowboys won at St Louis 31 to 13. The Cardinals turned the ball over four times which was the reason for their loss. Willis Crenshaw carried 14 times for 71 yards and caught five passes for 48 yards. Crenshaw prevented the score from being even more one sided. Frank Clarke caught seven passes for 102 yards and one touchdown. Clarke was a key player during the Cowboys' early history.

At home lost to the New York Giants 34 to 17. For this game, the Giants returned to their one time greatness. Y.A. Title completed 19 of 33 passes for 285 yards and four touchdowns. Steve Thurlow had 88 yards rushing. Aaron Thomas, Frank Gifford, and Joe Morrison had big days catching a total 15 passes for 250 yards. Biggest statistics-New York had four turnovers to only one for the Cardinals; the great Giants defense recorded 11 sacks on Charley Johnson for 96 yards in losses; Tom Scott and Dick Lynch each had a pass interception for 33 yards. Coincidence both Scott and Lynch turned their interceptions for 30 yards each. Charley Johnson completed 15 passes of 29 passes for 366 yards and a touchdown. Jackie Smith, Bobby Joe Conrad, and Billy Gambrell had big games receiving passes. A big play was Johnson's 78 yard touchdown pass to Jackie Smith

At home the Cardinals defeated the Steelers 34 to 30. Pittsburgh should have won this game. With the Steelers leading 16 to 13 in the mid 3rd quarter, the roof fell in. Charley Johnson threw for a touchdown of two yards to Bobby Joe Conrad and nine yards to Billy Gambrell. The third insult was Dale Meinert catching a blocked pass and returning it 18 yards for a touchdown. With Pittsburgh trailing 34 to 16, Coach Buddy Parker pulled Ed Brown and inserted second year man Bill Nelson at quarterback. Some eight minutes were left in the game. Nelson capped drives with touchdown passes of 29 yards to Dick Hoak and 22 yards to Gary Ballman. The third time was no charm. Pat Fisher intercepted a pass deep in Steeler territory. .

Statistics-Charley Johnson completed 18 of 29 passes for 237 yards and two touchdowns. Jackie Smith and Bobby Joe Conrad caught a total ten passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns. For Pittsburgh-Gary Ballman caught six passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns. Clendon Thomas caught four passes for 61 yards. The two biggest statistics-The Steelers had three turnovers to just one for the Cardinals. The Cardinals recorded seven sacks for 59 yards. Final again St Louis 34 Pittsburgh 30

At home the Cardinals and New York in a virtual swamp tied at 10. This game was fun to watch simply because it was very sloppy. For the entire game the players slipped, sided, dropped passes, and missed tackles. Only one big statistic. The Giants had eight penalties for 77 yards in losses. That cost them the game.

---Had the Cardinals defeated the Giants; both St. Louis and Cleveland would have been 10-3-1; there would have been first place tie and a playoff game at St. Louis.
---had the Cardinals defeated the Browns in the early season tie; St Louis would have won the division; their record would have 10-3-1; 1/2 better than 10-4 Browns.