NFL game summary for 09/07/1980:

Simms' prime target was wide receiver Earnest Gray, who caught nine passes for 174 yards and four touchdowns, record for a Giants receiver, "I think I went to the right person with the ball every play," said Simms. "I think we hit every potential big play except one or two." Simms had been criticized by Coach Ray Perkins after the Giants' 1-3 exhibition season, but said he didn't get too upset over the tongue-lashing. Simms won out in a passing duel with the Cardinals' Jim Hart, who threw for 322 yards and two TDs.

A 66-yard punt return by Alvin Garrett set up Simms' first TD pass, a 10-yarder to Gray. Then he hit Gray for 37 yards, Johnny Perkins for 58 yards and Gray for 42 and 20 yards. "I could kind of see it in their eyes that they were waiting for me to do something every time we lined up," Gray said. "It was man-to-man coverage, so I just had to shake one person. And I think I can beat the cornerback every time."

Hart brought the Cardinals within three points at 38-35 on a 42-yard pass to Pat Tilley, who made a diving, fingertip catch in the end zone late in the fourth quarter. St. Louis got the ball twice in the final two minutes, but was unable to move and Joe Danelo capped the Giants' scoring with his second field goal. Hart said the Cardinals might have been overconfident because the Giants had lost their top two running backs, Billy Taylor and Doug Kotar, with injuries. [The Sporting News]

Line: Cardinals by 7

Team	1	2	3	4	F
New York Giants (1-0-0)	7	7	17	10	41
St. Louis Cardinals (0-1-0)	7	7	14	7	35

( 0- 7) STL Wayne Morris 5 yard rush (Steve Little kick)
( 7- 7) NYG Earnest Gray 10 yard pass from Phil Simms (Joe Danelo kick)
(14- 7) NYG Earnest Gray 37 yard pass from Phil Simms (Joe Danelo kick)
(14-14) STL Wayne Morris 9 yard rush (Steve Little kick)
(17-14) NYG Joe Danelo 28 yard field goal
(17-21) STL Ottis Anderson 24 yard rush (Steve Little kick)
(24-21) NYG Johnny Perkins 58 yard pass from Phil Simms (Joe Danelo kick)
(31-21) NYG Earnest Gray 42 yard pass from Phil Simms (Joe Danelo kick)
(31-28) STL Doug Marsh 7 yard pass from Jim Hart (Steve Little kick)
(38-28) NYG Earnest Gray 20 yard pass from Phil Simms (Joe Danelo kick)
(38-35) STL Pat Tilley 42 yard pass from Jim Hart (Steve Little kick)
(41-35) NYG Joe Danelo 33 yard field goal

                     NYG             STL
First Downs:         19              20
Rushes-yards:        40-104          24-132
Yards/rush:          2.6             5.5
Comp-Att-Yd-INT:     16-31-280-1     18-31-322-3
Sacked-yards:        1-6             4-35
Net pass yards:      274             287
Net yards/pass:      8.6             8.2
Total net yards:     378             419
Total plays:         72 (55% run)    59 (40% run)  
Yards/play:          5.2             7.1
Fumbles-lost:        1-0             3-2
Turnovers:           1               5
Penalties-yards:     9-80            5-40

Attendance: 49,122