It was 1973...

[slanidrac16]

The Cardinals we’re coming off their 3rd consecutive 4-9-1 season. They fired their head coach and hired this college coach from San Diego State.

Idiots. What were they thinking. Who the hell is this Don Coryell guy? College coach? Really? They’re calling it Air Coryell. Sound familiar?

Soon everyone knew. In the 1974 season it took 8 weeks before the Cardinals loss their first game. They finished with a 10-4 record and a division crown. From 74 to 77 the went 31-11 with two division titles.

Those teams could never quite get over the hump but they were exciting as hell. Their defense never got the credit they deserved consistently being over shadowed by the Air Coryell offense.

Back then many people thought the organization lost their minds. There are some that believe that today. Let’s hope history can repeat itself. Air Coryell...Air Raid. You say potato.....

 

[Delmar M Lewis]

The Cardinals we’re coming off their 3rd consecutive 4-9-1 season. They fired their head coach and hired this college coach from San Diego State.

Idiots. What were they thinking. Who the hell is this Don Coryell guy? College coach? Really? They’re calling it Air Coryell. Sound familiar?

Soon everyone knew. In the 1974 season it took 8 weeks before the Cardinals loss their first game. They finished with a 10-4 record and a division crown. From 74 to 77 the went 31-11 with two division titles.

Those teams could never quite get over the hump but they were exciting as hell. Their defense never got the credit they deserved consistently being over shadowed by the Air Coryell offense.

Back then many people thought the organization lost their minds. There are some that believe that today. Let’s hope history can repeat itself. Air Coryell...Air Raid. You say potato.....

I started watching in 1974 when if course those damn Redskins ruined it for us with Billy Kilmer at QB

 

[Brian in Mesa]

*Unfortunately for the St. Louis football faithful, Coryell’s time with the Cardinals came to an abrupt end. After a promising 7-3 start in 1977, the team last its last four games and finished 7-7. Things got worse when management failed to re-sign Terry Metcalf and the electifying halfback jumped to the Canadian Football League.

Upset at losing Metcalf, disillusioned by his lack of authority in draft and personnel matters, Coryell departed as well, becoming head coach of the San Diego Chargers His “Air Coryell” offense became one of the greatest passing offenses in NFL history in San Diego, as he took the Chargers to the playoffs four times.

 

[Delmar M Lewis]

*Unfortunately for the St. Louis football faithful, Coryell’s time with the Cardinals came to an abrupt end. After a promising 7-3 start in 1977, the team last its last four games and finished 7-7. Things got worse when management failed to re-sign Terry Metcalf and the electifying halfback jumped to the Canadian Football League.

Upset at losing Metcalf, disillusioned by his lack of authority in draft and personnel matters, Coryell departed as well, becoming head coach of the San Diego Chargers His “Air Coryell” offense became one of the greatest passing offenses in NFL history in San Diego, as he took the Chargers to the playoffs four times.

Yep wasnt really fixed till well I'm still waiting honestly the 1 SB appearance was nice though

 

[Cardsfanstl]

That was the year I started following them.

 

[BW52]

Coryell`s offense was fun to watch but the Cards never build up the whole defense.Drafted a star every now and then (Roger Wehrli) but mostly just average guys (Ron Yankowski).The team defense was always like a afterthought in the 70`s.

 

[BigRedRage]

I was born in 1982.

 

[BW52]

I was born in 1982.

Young whippersnapper.
1982 was a good year
.Stlouis Cards won the World Series.
IIRC the NFl went on strike that year for part of the season.

 

[NJCardFan]

If we're being real, Coryell only had moderate success in the NFL. Took his teams to the playoffs 6 times only winning 3 games. He was the Bruce Arians of his day. Also, the OP is incorrect. Coryell was hired in '73 and also went 4-9-1. But I digress. People wonder why Coryell isn't in the hall of fame. Well, it's because he doesn't deserve to be there. Never won a playoff game with us and only 3 with the Chargers and he failed to make it to the Super Bowl when the Chargers were the favorites especially in 1980. Otherwise he got stomped by Cincinnati, Oakland, and Miami. All of that said, back when Air Coryell came into play, the NFL was largely a running game. Now, it's a passing game and different variances are implemented all the time. The Run & Shoot, the West Coast offense, Spread Option, etc. Just different sides of the same coin. Do i hope KK is successful? Of course I do but I don't think he's any kind of innovator.

 

[NJCardFan]

Young whippersnapper.
1982 was a good year
.Stlouis Cards won the World Series.
IIRC the NFl went on strike that year for part of the season.

And we made the playoffs and got curb stomped by the Packers and F'ing Lynn Dickey. It was the last time we make the playoffs until 1998.

 

[NJCardFan]

Coryell`s offense was fun to watch but the Cards never build up the whole defense.Drafted a star every now and then (Roger Wehrli) but mostly just average guys (Ron Yankowski).The team defense was always like a afterthought in the 70`s.

I always imagine if we had the '84 defense in the mid 70's. Or the '98 defense for that matter.

 

[BW52]

I always imagine if we had the '84 defense in the mid 70's. Or the '98 defense for that matter.

The Cards just seemed to draft defensive guys back then who where mostly adequate to average at best that decade IIRC.Never really hit on a pick that became a star .Like you said.....80's defense Curtis Greer,Bubba Baker....

 

[MadCardDisease]

I was born in 1973.

 

[PACardsFan]

I always imagine if we had the '84 defense in the mid 70's. Or the '98 defense for that matter.

Charlie Winner had some decent defenses in the 60's also. The 1970 team (Winner's last) had 3 consecutive shutouts (44-0 vs Oilers, 31-0 vs Patriots, and 38-0 vs Cowboys). But somehow, someway, we managed to lose 3 straight to finish out of the playoffs at 8-5-1. We fired Winner, which was a big mistake, and hired Bob Hollway. Hollway had consecutive 4-9-1 seasons & was canned. Then Coryell was brought in. Winner had some decent talent from 65-70, but just couldn't finish the job.

 

[NJCardFan]

The Cards just seemed to draft defensive guys back then who where mostly adequate to average at best that decade IIRC.Never really hit on a pick that became a star .Like you said.....80's defense Curtis Greer,Bubba Baker....

There were good players like Eric Williams or Roger Wherli but most were just average at best.


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[slanidrac16]

If we're being real, Coryell only had moderate success in the NFL. Took his teams to the playoffs 6 times only winning 3 games. He was the Bruce Arians of his day. Also, the OP is incorrect. Coryell was hired in '73 and also went 4-9-1. But I digress. People wonder why Coryell isn't in the hall of fame. Well, it's because he doesn't deserve to be there. Never won a playoff game with us and only 3 with the Chargers and he failed to make it to the Super Bowl when the Chargers were the favorites especially in 1980. Otherwise he got stomped by Cincinnati, Oakland, and Miami. All of that said, back when Air Coryell came into play, the NFL was largely a running game. Now, it's a passing game and different variances are implemented all the time. The Run & Shoot, the West Coast offense, Spread Option, etc. Just different sides of the same coin. Do i hope KK is successful? Of course I do but I don't think he's any kind of innovator.

I stand corrected. Coryell did get hired in 73. That’s what a 65 year old mind will do to you! Lol

 

[Cardsfaninlouky]

The Cardinals we’re coming off their 3rd consecutive 4-9-1 season. They fired their head coach and hired this college coach from San Diego State.

Idiots. What were they thinking. Who the hell is this Don Coryell guy? College coach? Really? They’re calling it Air Coryell. Sound familiar?

Soon everyone knew. In the 1974 season it took 8 weeks before the Cardinals loss their first game. They finished with a 10-4 record and a division crown. From 74 to 77 the went 31-11 with two division titles.

Those teams could never quite get over the hump but they were exciting as hell. Their defense never got the credit they deserved consistently being over shadowed by the Air Coryell offense.

Back then many people thought the organization lost their minds. There are some that believe that today. Let’s hope history can repeat itself. Air Coryell...Air Raid. You say potato.....

In between those yrs, 1976 I keep believing it was, I was in the 2nd grade, all my elementary school buddies were Cowboys fans. The Cardinals were playing the Cowboys on MNF so I had to root for the other team, the Cardinals kicked the poo out of them like 42-6 I want to say the final score was? Anyways, I fell in love with that Cardinal logo on the side of the helmet, you know the one, the one a lot of Cardinals fans think looked like a parrot lol. Been a Cardinals fan ever since. The Cowboys were good again from 1977 on & we started sucking again when BB fired Air Coryell. Needless to say I had to listen to those same buddies again for the next 10 yrs every single time the Cowboys kicked our ass which was quite often.

 

[Cardsfaninlouky]

Young whippersnapper.
1982 was a good year
.Stlouis Cards won the World Series.
IIRC the NFl went on strike that year for part of the season.

And we lost to Green Bay in the playoffs.

 

[Cardsfaninlouky]

The Cards just seemed to draft defensive guys back then who where mostly adequate to average at best that decade IIRC.Never really hit on a pick that became a star .Like you said.....80's defense Curtis Greer,Bubba Baker....

Freddie Joe Nunn, Niko Noga, Lonnie Young. We had a few stars on defense in the 80's.

 

[AZ Native]

Yeah, he was 10-1 before coming to the Cards in 73. Just sayin'

 

[BW52]

Freddie Joe Nunn, Niko Noga, Lonnie Young. We had a few stars on defense in the 80's.

Yes I agree.But in the 70's the cupboard was bare of defensive stars except Larry Wilson's last couple of years and Roger Wehrli.Larry Stallings was a little better than average but as a whole the defense was mostly just average guys

 

[Cardsfaninlouky]

Yes I agree.But in the 70's the cupboard was bare of defensive stars except Larry Wilson's last couple of years and Roger Wehrli.Larry Stallings was a little better than average but as a whole the defense was mostly just average guys

I watched both those guys at the tail end of their careers, both legendary Cardinals.

 

[Delmar M Lewis]

Yes I agree.But in the 70's the cupboard was bare of defensive stars except Larry Wilson's last couple of years and Roger Wehrli.Larry Stallings was a little better than average but as a whole the defense was mostly just average guys

Remember that guy who was traded from the Cards to the Skins Dave Butz he was a monster I tell ya the Cards under Billy B. Deserved the moniker of same ole Cards

 

[Delmar M Lewis]

I watched both those guys at the tail end of their careers, both legendary Cardinals.

Dont remember many defense guys Wehrli John Zook Eric Swann Curtis Greer Ej Junior some how we actually passed in a LB named Lawrence Taylor kinda reminds me of when we passed on AD for the all world Levi Brown yep there have been a great many misses a lot more than hits over the years

 

[NJCardFan]

And we lost to Green Bay in the playoffs.

That's putting it mildly.


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