NFL team season (1st season as Arizona)
The 1994 Arizona Cardinals season was the franchise's 75th season with the National Football League (NFL), the seventh season in Arizona and the first season as the "Arizona Cardinals". Buddy Ryan became the 32nd head coach in Cardinals history. After being given a large share of the credit for the success of the Houston Oilers in 1993, Ryan was named head coach of the Arizona Cardinals in 1994. Also named general manager of the Cardinals, Ryan went 8–8 his first year, the Cardinals’ first non-losing season since 1984 .
The Cardinals finished the season ranked third in the NFL in total defense, although it allowed only two fewer points in 1994 than they had in 1993. An anemic offense, one which saw three quarterbacks start at least one game, held the team back. Arizona scored 89 points fewer in 1994 than it did in 1993, and it finished with a minus-32-point differential after finishing at plus-57 in 1993.
Arizona lost its first two games by a combined five points, then were shut out 32–0 by the Cleveland Browns . The Cardinals recovered to enter the final week of the season with a shot at the playoffs, but those hopes were ended by a 10–6 loss to the Atlanta Falcons .
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1994 Arizona Cardinals staff Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
Defensive coaches Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
Strength and conditioning – Bob Rogucki
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 September 4 at Los Angeles Rams L 12–14 0–1 Anaheim Stadium 32,969 2 September 11 New York Giants L 17–20 0–2 Sun Devil Stadium 60,066 3 September 18 at Cleveland Browns L 0–32 0–3 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 62,818 4 Bye 5 October 2 Minnesota Vikings W 17–7 1–3 Sun Devil Stadium 67,950 6 October 9 at Dallas Cowboys L 3–38 1–4 Texas Stadium 64,518 7 October 16 at Washington Redskins W 19–16 (OT) 2–4 RFK Stadium 50,019 8 October 23 Dallas Cowboys L 21–28 2–5 Sun Devil Stadium 71,023 9 October 30 Pittsburgh Steelers W 20–17 (OT) 3–5 Sun Devil Stadium 65,690 10 November 6 at Philadelphia Eagles L 7–17 3–6 Veterans Stadium 64,952 11 November 13 at New York Giants W 10–9 4–6 Giants Stadium 71,719 12 November 20 Philadelphia Eagles W 12–6 5–6 Sun Devil Stadium 62,779 13 November 27 Chicago Bears L 16–19 (OT) 5–7 Sun Devil Stadium 65,922 14 December 4 at Houston Oilers W 30–12 6–7 Houston Astrodome 39,821 15 December 11 Washington Redskins W 17–15 7–7 Sun Devil Stadium 53,790 16 December 18 Cincinnati Bengals W 28–7 8–7 Sun Devil Stadium 50,110 17 at Atlanta Falcons L 6–10 8–8 Georgia Dome 35,311 Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
1 2 3 4 Total Cardinals 0 6 6 0 12 • Rams 7 0 7 0 14
Scoring summary Q1 2:31 RAM Todd Lyght 74-yard fumble return (Tony Zendejas kick) RAM 7–0 Q2 4:33 ARI Greg Davis 37-yard field goalRAM 7–3 Q2 11:52 ARI Greg Davis 34-yard field goalRAM 7–6 Q2 6:07 RAM Jerome Bettis 1 yard rush (Tony Zendejas kick) RAM 14–6 Q4 12:56 ARI Larry Centers 3-yard pass from Steve Beuerlein (pass failed) RAM 14–12
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1 2 3 4 Total • Giants 6 14 0 0 20 Cardinals 3 7 0 7 17
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1 2 3 4 Total Cardinals 0 0 0 0 0 • Browns 0 3 15 14 32
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1 2 3 4 Total Vikings 0 7 0 0 7 • Cardinals 7 0 0 10 17
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1 2 3 4 Total Cardinals 0 0 3 0 3 • Cowboys 21 7 10 0 38
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1 2 3 4 OT Total • Cardinals 0 3 0 13 3 19 Redskins 0 14 0 2 0 16
Scoring summary Q2 1:43 WAS Brian Mitchell 46-yard pass from Heath Shuler (Chip Lohmiller kick) WAS 7–0 Q2 13:27 WAS Darrell Green 27-yard interception return (Chip Lohmiller kick) WAS 14–0 Q2 13:42 ARI Todd Peterson 35-yard field goal WAS 14–3 Q4 4:58 ARI Ronald Moore 10-yard rush (run failed) WAS 14–9 Q4 5:50 WAS Safety, Jeff Feagles stepped out of end zone WAS 16–9 Q4 10:00 ARI Ricky Proehl 5-yard pass from Steve Beuerlein (Todd Peterson kick) 16–16 OT 5:45 ARI Todd Peterson 29-yard field goalARI 19–16
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1 2 3 4 Total • Cowboys 7 7 0 14 28 Cardinals 0 14 0 7 21
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1 2 3 4 OT Total Steelers 0 14 0 3 0 17 • Cardinals 7 10 0 0 3 20
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1 2 3 4 Total Cardinals 0 0 0 7 7 • Eagles 0 3 14 0 17
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1 2 3 4 Total • Cardinals 0 0 3 7 10 Giants 7 2 0 0 9
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1 2 3 4 Total Eagles 0 3 0 3 6 • Cardinals 3 3 3 3 12
Scoring summary Q1 ARI Davis 24-yard field goalARI 3–0 Q2 ARI Davis 24-yard field goal ARI 6–0 Q2 PHI Murray 26-yard field goalARI 6–3 Q3 ARI Davis 24-yard field goal ARI9–3 Q4 PHI Murray 30-yard field goal ARI9–6 Q4 ARI Davis 39-yard field goal ARI12–6
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1 2 3 4 OT Total • Bears 7 3 6 0 3 19 Cardinals 0 3 3 10 0 16
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1 2 3 4 Total • Cardinals 0 10 0 20 30 Oilers 9 3 0 0 12
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This ninth successive defeat for the Oilers has the unusual distinction of being the most recent NFL game as of 2017 during which both teams scored a safety , and one of only eight since at least 1940 .[ 15]
1 2 3 4 Total Redskins 3 3 0 9 15 • Cardinals 7 0 0 10 17
Scoring summary Q1 ARI Proehl 48-yard pass from Schroeder (Davis kick)ARI 7–0 Q1 WSH Chip Lohmiller 34-yard field goalARI 7–3 Q2 WSH Chip Lohmiller 31-yard field goalARI 7–6 Q4 ARI Moore 1 yard run (Davis kick)ARI 14–6 Q4 WSH Ellard 52-yard pass from Shuler (kick failed)ARI 14–12 Q4 WSH Lohmiller 21-yard field goal WSH 15–14 Q4 ARI Davis 27-yard field goal ARI 17–15
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1 2 3 4 Total Bengals 0 0 7 0 7 • Cardinals 14 7 0 7 28
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1 2 3 4 Total Cardinals 0 3 0 3 6 • Falcons 7 0 3 0 10
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^ "1994 Arizona Cardinals Draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved January 2, 2014 . ^ Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams – September 4th, 1994 . Retrieved 2018-Sep-15. ^ New York Giants at Arizona Cardinals – September 11th, 1994 . Retrieved 2018-Sep-15. ^ Arizona Cardinals at Cleveland Browns – September 18th, 1994 . Retrieved 2018-Sep-15. ^ Minnesota Vikings at Arizona Cardinals – October 2nd, 1994 . Retrieved 2018-Sep-15. ^ Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys – October 9th, 1994 . Retrieved 2018-Sep-11. ^ Arizona Cardinals at Washington Redskins – October 16th, 1994 . Retrieved 2018-Sep-11. ^ Dallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals – October 23rd, 1994 . Retrieved 2018-Sep-11. ^ Pittsburgh Steelers at Arizona Cardinals – October 30th, 1994 . Retrieved 2018-Sep-11. ^ Arizona Cardinals at Philadelphia Eagles – November 6th, 1994 . Retrieved 2018-Sep-11. ^ Arizona Cardinals at New York Giants – November 13th, 1994 . Retrieved 2014-May-18. ^ Philadelphia Eagles at Arizona Cardinals – November 20th, 1994 . Retrieved 2014-Jul-06. ^ Chicago Bears at Arizona Cardinals – November 27th, 1994 . Retrieved 2018-Sep-10. ^ Arizona Cardinals at Houston Oilers – December 4th, 1994 . Retrieved 2018-Sep-10. ^ Pro Football Reference ; In a single game, from 1940 to 2017, requiring opp Safeties >= 1 and Safeties >= 1, sorted by ascending Date ^ Washington Redskins at Arizona Cardinals – December 11th, 1994 . Retrieved 2014-Jul-06. ^ Cincinnati Bengals at Arizona Cardinals – December 18th, 1994 . Retrieved 2018-Sep-15. ^ Arizona Cardinals at Atlanta Falcons – December 24th, 1994 . Retrieved 2018-Sep-15. ^ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2 , p. 291 ^ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2 , p. 453
Franchise Stadiums Culture Lore Rivalries Division championships (7) Conference championships (1) League championships (2) Retired numbers Current league affiliations
Played in Chicago (1920–1959), St. Louis (1960–1987), and formerly the Phoenix Cardinals (1988–1993)