1973 St. Louis Cardinals vs Rams Rivalry Game

Lore & Background

The Cardinals and Rams are some of the oldest surviving members of the National Football League; the Chicago Cardinals originally formed in 1898 and the Cleveland Rams were an expansion team that joined in 1936. Early on, both teams were pitted against each other in what was then the NFL Western division. Both clubs saw personnel struggles during World War II as neither team posted a winning season until 1944. The Rams and Cardinals would combine for 2 NFL Championships in 1945 and 1947 respectively, the latter being the most recent championship won by the Cardinals. After 1950, matchups between the two teams were not regular again until the division realignment in 2002. Rams then-owner Dan Reeves previously relocated the team to Los Angeles following the 1946 season, and the Cardinals would shift to the American Conference from 1950–52, before encountering financial difficulties throughout the 1950s, ultimately leading them to relocate to St. Louis in 1960 as part of a bid from the league to prevent an AFL team from taking the St. Louis market. Despite the shift in divisions and the reorganization following the merger with the AFL, the Rams and Cardinals actually met 7 times between 1960 and 1968.

In Their Own Story

The autumn sun beat down on the turf at Busch Memorial Stadium as the crowd roared, a sea of red and yellow clashing with blue and gold. As Jim Hart stepped into the pocket, scanning the field against the relentless Rams defense, he knew one throw could shift the momentum forever. The noise of the stadium faded into a hum as the ball left his hand, spiraling toward the end zone, capturing the very essence of a rivalry that refused to die.

Reader's Guide

The two franchises took very different paths during the 1970s. The Cardinals made back to back Divisional Round appearances in 1974 and 1975, while the Rams would make continuous postseason appearances from 1973 to 1979. These playoff appearances included a 1975 Divisional Round matchup against the Cardinals, the first postseason meeting between the two clubs. The Rams defense scored 2 touchdowns in the first half while running back Lawrence McCutcheon ran for an NFL playoff record 202 yards on 37 carries. Los Angeles started the game off with a 79-yard scoring drive. The Cardinals were extremely outmatched against the Rams defense as quarterback Jim Hart threw a critical interception that was returned for a pick-6. Hart would finish the game with 3 interceptions as the Rams were well beyond out of reach. This would go onto be the Cardinals' last playoff appearance until 1982, and their last in a non-strike season until 1998, a decade after the franchise moved to Arizona. The two teams would meet again in the 1979 season, but the Rams dominated the game, shutting out the Cardinals 21–0. The Rams were an aspiring playoff contender throughout the 1970s but would go onto lose in 4 straight Conference Championship games and lose an appearance in Super Bowl XIV.

Did You Know?

• The Rams lead the overall series 53–41–2.
• The two teams have met twice in the playoffs, with the Rams winning both games.
• The Cardinals' most recent championship was in 1947.
• The Rams and Cardinals actually met 7 times between 1960 and 1968.