NFL game summary for 12/17/1978:
Jim Hart paced the Cardinals to their sixth win in eight games. Hart completed 22 of 40 passes for 333 yards and three touchdowns and scored twice on runs of two and nine yards. Dave Stief caught nine passes for 183 yards and Pat Tilley added seven receptions for 105 yards. After an 0-8 start the Cardinals rebounded to finish 6-10 in Bud Wilkinson's first year as head coach.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 107.9 (27) | 142.1 (21) | 250.1 (26) | 35 |
| DEFENSE | 132.5 (12) | 134.4 (3) | 266.9 (5) | 35 | |
 | OFFENSE | 125.0 (24) | 188.2 (6) | 313.2 (8) | 33 |
| DEFENSE | 157.0 (23) | 138.7 (5) | 295.7 (14) | 36 |
Line: Cardinals by 1
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons (9-7-0) | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
| St. Louis Cardinals (6-10-0) | 0 | 28 | 7 | 7 | 42 |
( 7- 0) ATL Ray Strong 1 yard rush (Tim Mazzetti kick)
( 7- 7) STL Dave Stief 37 yard pass from Jim Hart (Jim Bakken kick)
( 7-14) STL Al Chandler 12 yard pass from Jim Hart (Jim Bakken kick)
(14-14) ATL Dennis Pearson 100 yard kickoff return (Tim Mazzetti kick)
(14-21) STL Pat Tilley 26 yard pass from Jim Hart (Jim Bakken kick)
(14-28) STL Jim Hart 2 yard rush (Jim Bakken kick)
(14-35) STL Steve Jones 3 yard rush (Jim Bakken kick)
(21-35) ATL Ricky Patton 8 yard pass from Steve Bartkowski (Tim Mazzetti kick)
(21-42) STL Jim Hart 9 yard rush (Jim Bakken kick)
ATL STL
First Downs: 18 24
Rushes-yards: 18-41 36-79
Yards/rush: 2.3 2.2
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 21-42-312-3 23-42-362-1
Sacked-yards: 4-42 2-14
Net pass yards: 270 348
Net yards/pass: 5.9 7.9
Total net yards: 311 427
Total plays: 64 (28% run) 80 (45% run)
Yards/play: 4.9 5.3
Fumbles-lost: 3-3 1-1
Turnovers: 6 2
Penalties-yards: 5-27 6-45
Attendance: 40,022
Passing:
ATL: Steve Bartkowski, 16 of 32 for 257 yards and 1 TD (2 int); June Jones, 5 of 10 for 55 yards (1 int) STL: Jim Hart, 22 of 40 for 333 yards and 3 TDs (1 int); Mike Wood, 1 of 1 for 29 yards; Steve Pisarkiewicz, 0 of 1 for 0 yards
Rushing:
ATL: Ray Strong, 11 for 27 yards and 1 TD; Haskel Stanback, 6 for 15 yards; Ricky Patton, 1 for -1 yards STL: Jim Otis, 13 for 27 yards; Gordon Bell, 7 for 23 yards; Willard Harrell, 7 for 12 yards; Steve Jones, 6 for 9 yards and 1 TD; Jim Hart, 2 for 11 yards and 2 TDs; Steve Pisarkiewicz, 1 for -3 yards
Receiving:
ATL: Alfred Jackson, 5 for 102 yards; Wallace Francis, 3 for 80 yards; Jim Mitchell, 3 for 44 yards; Billy Ryckman, 3 for 29 yards; Ray Strong, 3 for 22 yards; Ricky Patton, 2 for 8 yards and 1 TD; James Wright, 1 for 18 yards; Haskel Stanback, 1 for 9 yards STL: Dave Stief, 9 for 183 yards and 1 TD; Pat Tilley, 7 for 105 yards and 1 TD; Al Chandler, 4 for 48 yards and 1 TD; Steve Jones, 2 for 17 yards; Gordon Bell, 1 for 9 yards
Kick returns:
ATL: Dennis Pearson, 2 for 117 yards and 1 TD; James Wright, 2 for 31 yards; Edgar Fields, 2 for 21 yards; George Franklin, 1 for 25 yards STL: Gordon Bell, 2 for 54 yards; Rolly Woolsey, 1 for 25 yards
Punt returns:
ATL: Billy Ryckman, 2 for 3 yards STL: Gordon Bell, 1 for 8 yards; Rolly Woolsey, 1 for 4 yards
Interceptions:
ATL: Rolland Lawrence, 1 for 0 yards STL: Carl Allen, 2 for 39 yards; Eric Williams, 1 for 24 yards
Punting:
ATL: John James, 4 for 139 yards STL: Mike Wood, 6 for 228 yards
Field Goals:
ATL: Steve Bartkowski, 16 of 32 for 257 yards and 1 TD (2 int); June Jones, 5 of 10 for 55 yards (1 int) STL: Jim Hart, 22 of 40 for 333 yards and 3 TDs (1 int); Mike Wood, 1 of 1 for 29 yards; Steve Pisarkiewicz, 0 of 1 for 0 yards
Rushing:
ATL: Ray Strong, 11 for 27 yards and 1 TD; Haskel Stanback, 6 for 15 yards; Ricky Patton, 1 for -1 yards STL: Jim Otis, 13 for 27 yards; Gordon Bell, 7 for 23 yards; Willard Harrell, 7 for 12 yards; Steve Jones, 6 for 9 yards and 1 TD; Jim Hart, 2 for 11 yards and 2 TDs; Steve Pisarkiewicz, 1 for -3 yards
Receiving:
ATL: Alfred Jackson, 5 for 102 yards; Wallace Francis, 3 for 80 yards; Jim Mitchell, 3 for 44 yards; Billy Ryckman, 3 for 29 yards; Ray Strong, 3 for 22 yards; Ricky Patton, 2 for 8 yards and 1 TD; James Wright, 1 for 18 yards; Haskel Stanback, 1 for 9 yards STL: Dave Stief, 9 for 183 yards and 1 TD; Pat Tilley, 7 for 105 yards and 1 TD; Al Chandler, 4 for 48 yards and 1 TD; Steve Jones, 2 for 17 yards; Gordon Bell, 1 for 9 yards
Kick returns:
ATL: Dennis Pearson, 2 for 117 yards and 1 TD; James Wright, 2 for 31 yards; Edgar Fields, 2 for 21 yards; George Franklin, 1 for 25 yards STL: Gordon Bell, 2 for 54 yards; Rolly Woolsey, 1 for 25 yards
Punt returns:
ATL: Billy Ryckman, 2 for 3 yards STL: Gordon Bell, 1 for 8 yards; Rolly Woolsey, 1 for 4 yards
Interceptions:
ATL: Rolland Lawrence, 1 for 0 yards STL: Carl Allen, 2 for 39 yards; Eric Williams, 1 for 24 yards
Punting:
ATL: John James, 4 for 139 yards STL: Mike Wood, 6 for 228 yards
Field Goals: