1998 Arizona Cardinals season
Encyclopedia
The 1998
Arizona Cardinals
season was the Cardinals 11th season in Arizona. The club appeared in the postseason for the first time since the 1982 season and won its first postseason game since 1947.
Statistics site Football Outsiders
calls the 1998 Cardinals "one of the greatest fluke teams of all time ... who went 9-7 despite getting outscored by their opponents 378-325. They rank[ed] 25th [statistically] below three different 4-12 teams.[T]hey were a colossal fluke, despite the fact that they managed to win a playoff game in a huge upset over Dallas. ... The Cardinals went 6-3 over their final nine games, but all six wins came against teams that were 6-10 or worse, and all six wins came by either two or three points. The next year, they were back to 6-10..."
1998 NFL season
The 1998 NFL season was the 79th regular season of the National Football League.The Tennessee Oilers moved their home games from Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis to Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, still awaiting construction on a new stadium in Nashville.This was the first season that CBS...
Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
season was the Cardinals 11th season in Arizona. The club appeared in the postseason for the first time since the 1982 season and won its first postseason game since 1947.
Statistics site Football Outsiders
Football Outsiders
Football Outsiders is a website started in July 2003 which focuses on advanced statistical analysis of the NFL. The site is run by a staff of regular writers, who produce a series of weekly columns using both the site's in-house statistics and their personal analyses of NFL games.In 2005 and 2006,...
calls the 1998 Cardinals "one of the greatest fluke teams of all time ... who went 9-7 despite getting outscored by their opponents 378-325. They rank[ed] 25th [statistically] below three different 4-12 teams.[T]hey were a colossal fluke, despite the fact that they managed to win a playoff game in a huge upset over Dallas. ... The Cardinals went 6-3 over their final nine games, but all six wins came against teams that were 6-10 or worse, and all six wins came by either two or three points. The next year, they were back to 6-10..."
NFL Draft
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | School/Club Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Andre Wadsworth Andre Wadsworth Andre Wadsworth is an American professional football player who is currently a free agent. He began his college career as a 215-pound walk-on at Florida State University and became a highly touted prospect at defensive end, drafted 3rd overall by the Arizona Cardinals in 1998... |
Defensive End | Florida State Florida State Seminoles football The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference... |
| 2 | 33 | Corey Chavous Corey Chavous Corey Lamonte Chavous is an American football safety who is currently retired. Chavous played 11 years in the NFL for three different teams, primarily as a safety but also as a cornerback. Chavous was known as one of the most instinctive safeties of his era and was a Pro Bowl selection in 2003.... |
Defensive Back | Vanderbilt Vanderbilt Commodores football The Vanderbilt Commodores football program is a college football team that represents Vanderbilt University. The team currently competes in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Southeastern Conference... |
| 2 | 36 | Anthony Clement | Tackle | Lafayette |
| 4 | 95 | Michael Pittman Michael Pittman Michael Pittman is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at Fresno State.... |
Running Back | Fresno State Fresno State Bulldogs football The Fresno State Bulldogs football team represents California State University, Fresno in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The green “V” on the Bulldogs' helmets, uniforms, field symbolize California Central Valley, specifically the San Joaquin Valley, the agricultural valley from which they... |
| 5 | 125 | Terry Hardy | Tight End | Southern Miss Southern Miss Golden Eagles football The Southern Miss Golden Eagles football program represents the University of Southern Mississippi in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The Eagles are members of Conference USA and player their home games at M. M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Mississippi... |
| 6 | 158 | Zack Walz | Linebacker | Dartmouth College Dartmouth Big Green football The Dartmouth Big Green football team represents Dartmouth College in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football competition as a member of the Ivy League... |
| 7 | 193 | Phil Savoy | Wide Receiver | Colorado Colorado Buffaloes football The Colorado Buffaloes football program represents the University of Colorado at Boulder in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The team is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, having previously been a charter member of the Big 12 Conference. Before joining the Big 12,... |
| 7 | 209 | Jomo Cousins | Defensive End | Florida A & M Florida A&M Rattlers The Florida A&M Rattlers represent Florida A&M University in college athletics. Florida A&M is a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and participates in NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision . FAMU offers men's sports in baseball, basketball, football, golf, swimming , tennis... |
| 7 | 226 | Pat Tillman Pat Tillman Corporal Patrick Daniel "Pat" Tillman Jr. was an American football player who left his professional career and enlisted in the United States Army in June 2002 in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks. He joined the Army Rangers and served several tours in combat before he died in the... |
Defensive Back | Arizona St. Arizona State Sun Devils football The Arizona State Sun Devils' football program represents Arizona State University in college football, and competes in NCAA Division I FBS as a member of the Pacific-12 Conference.... |
| 7 | 233 | Ron Janes | Running Back | Mizzou Missouri Tigers football The Missouri Tigers football team represents the University of Missouri in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The team has competed in the North Division of the Big 12 Conference since the conference's inception in 1996... |
Staff
| 1998 Arizona Cardinals staff | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Head Coaches
Offensive Coaches
|
Defensive Coaches
Special Teams Coaches
Strength and Conditioning
|
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Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 6, 1998 | at Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... |
L 38-10 | |
| 2 | September 13, 1998 | at Seattle Seahawks Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team... |
L 33-14 | |
| 3 | September 20, 1998 | Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 17-3 | |
| 4 | September 27, 1998 | at St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... |
W 20-17 | |
| 5 | October 4, 1998 | Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 23-20 | |
| 6 | October 11, 1998 | Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 20-7 | |
| 7 | October 18, 1998 | at New York Giants New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 34-7 | |
| 8 | Bye | |||
| 9 | November 1, 1998 | at Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
W 17-15 | |
| 10 | November 8, 1998 | Washington Redskins Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... |
W 29-27 | |
| 11 | November 15, 1998 | Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... |
L 35-28 | |
| 12 | November 22, 1998 | at Washington Redskins Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... |
W 45-42 | |
| 13 | November 29, 1998 | at Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a... |
L 34-24 | |
| 14 | December 6, 1998 | New York Giants New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 23-19 | |
| 15 | December 13, 1998 | at Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 20-17 | |
| 16 | December 20, 1998 | New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... |
W 19-17 | |
| 17 | December 27, 1998 | San Diego Chargers San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 16-13 | |
NFC Wildcard Game
Quarterback Jake Plummer passed for 213 yards and two touchdowns as he led the Cardinals to their first playoff victory since 1947.NFC Divisional Playoff
Awards and records
- Kwamie Lassiter, NFC Leader in Interceptions, 8
- Kwamie Lassiter, Tied NFL Record, Most Interceptions in One Game, 4 (Achieved on December 27)
- Frank Sanders, Led NFC in Receptions, 89