Professional Football Researchers Association Forum
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Evan wrote:I have a couple of questions about these teams, please chime in with any anecdotes you remember.
1. Terry Metcalf had one of the worst ratios of fumbles per touches in NFL history, I think it's about one fumble for every 20 touches (including rushes, receptions and returns). My question is, how many of those fumbles really cost the Cards? I know his fumble in the 1974 NFL playoffs was returned for a TD by Nate Wright and really put the Cards in a hole. Was Metcalf's role ever diminished because of his fumbling, or was it considered a non-issue, kind of like Ken Stabler's interceptions (in other words, worth the risk for the big-play TD rewards).
2. Does anyone remember Colt RB Ron "The Animal" Lee? He had some great runs against the Raiders in the 1977 AFC playoffs. What happened to him and why didn't he become a feared back in the league?
Lastly, just an FYI for those looking for mid-70s Cardinals stuff, there's some footage of the St. Louis vs. San Diego 1976 pre-season game in Japan on YouTube at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLXgh8Q1ucs . Definitely an odd find.
Good questions, Evan. I don't how how many of Metcalf's fumbles were costly in terms of preventing the Cards from winning. Someone would need to find those newspaper accounts, because I don't think PFR has that info. Perhaps the fumbling was a result of Metcalf's workload, and he wasn't a physically strong back. You bring up a good analogy with Stabler, sometimes the nature of a star player results in bad outcomes. Terry was a key part of the turnaround of those mid 70s Cards teams, with numerous game winning plays.
Ron Lee was a very tall RB, 6'4, and 226 pounds. Sometimes those backs take more punishment at the NFL level, and I suspect injuries short-circuited Lee's career. Played three seasons, and his last year had a strong 4.6 yards per carry.
Evan wrote:I have a couple of questions about these teams, please chime in with any anecdotes you remember.
1. Terry Metcalf had one of the worst ratios of fumbles per touches in NFL history, I think it's about one fumble for every 20 touches (including rushes, receptions and returns). My question is, how many of those fumbles really cost the Cards? I know his fumble in the 1974 NFL playoffs was returned for a TD by Nate Wright and really put the Cards in a hole. Was Metcalf's role ever diminished because of his fumbling, or was it considered a non-issue, kind of like Ken Stabler's interceptions (in other words, worth the risk for the big-play TD rewards).
2. Does anyone remember Colt RB Ron "The Animal" Lee? He had some great runs against the Raiders in the 1977 AFC playoffs. What happened to him and why didn't he become a feared back in the league?
Lastly, just an FYI for those looking for mid-70s Cardinals stuff, there's some footage of the St. Louis vs. San Diego 1976 pre-season game in Japan on YouTube at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLXgh8Q1ucs . Definitely an odd find.
Good questions, Evan. I don't how how many of Metcalf's fumbles were costly in terms of preventing the Cards from winning. Someone would need to find those newspaper accounts, because I don't think PFR has that info. Perhaps the fumbling was a result of Metcalf's workload, and he wasn't a physically strong back. You bring up a good analogy with Stabler, sometimes the nature of a star player results in bad outcomes. Terry was a key part of the turnaround of those mid 70s Cards teams, with numerous game winning plays.
Ron Lee was a very tall RB, 6'4, and 226 pounds. Sometimes those backs take more punishment at the NFL level, and I suspect injuries short-circuited Lee's career. Played three seasons, and his last year had a strong 4.6 yards per carry.
Lee didn't carry the ball very much, only 206 times in three seasons. He was more often used as a blocker for Lydell Mitchell and Joe Washington.