1973: Dolphins VS Rams

[74_75_78_79_]

Anyone think Knox's Rams would have offered up a better challenge to the Champs than the Vikes did? It's a shame you never really got to see these regular contenders square off much in the '70s. Only in both '71 & '76 when one of them would make the playoffs while the other wouldn't.

[SixtiesFan]

I've previously expressed the opinion that the Rams would have given the Raiders a good battle in Super Bowl XI due to matching up better on both lines. A Dolphins-Rams game in Super Bowl VIII? The Rams defensive line and linebackers weren't easy to run over, but John Hadl fell way off the second half of the 1973 season. He was only 7-23 in the playoff loss to the Cowboys.

I recall Jim Murray's column after the Rams strong showing in their loss to the Steelers in Super Bowl XIV: "It wasn't a Minnesota Vikings Super Bowl performance."

[BD Sullivan]

Hadl's breakdown for 1973:

First seven games: 70-113, 1,048 yards, 13 TD's, 4 INT

Last seven games: 65-145, 960 yards, 9 TD's, 7 INT

The '73 Rams were another team who got screwed by the playoff scheduling of that period that ignored records. They had to play in Dallas despite a 12-2 record that included a 7-0 mark in the Coliseum.

Dallas was a slight favorite and jumped out to a 17-0 lead before the Rams got within a point. With just under 10 minutes left in the game, the Cowboys had 3rd-and-14 at their own 17 when Staubach and Pearson connected for an 83-yard TD pass. Like the Bradshaw to Stallworth play that gave the Steelers the lead for good (also against the Rams) in SB 14, Staubach's pass had to be perfect to reach Pearson at midfield and it was. L.A. never recovered and lost 27-16.

[SixtiesFan]

Hadl's breakdown for 1973:

First seven games: 70-113, 1,048 yards, 13 TD's, 4 INT

Last seven games: 65-145, 960 yards, 9 TD's, 7 INT

The '73 Rams were another team who got screwed by the playoff scheduling of that period that ignored records. They had to play in Dallas despite a 12-2 record that included a 7-0 mark in the Coliseum.

Dallas was a slight favorite and jumped out to a 17-0 lead before the Rams got within a point. With just under 10 minutes left in the game, the Cowboys had 3rd-and-14 at their own 17 when Staubach and Pearson connected for an 83-yard TD pass. Like the Bradshaw to Stallworth play that gave the Steelers the lead for good (also against the Rams) in SB 14, Staubach's pass had to be perfect to reach Pearson at midfield and it was. L.A. never recovered and lost 27-16.

One of the controversies about the 1974 John Hadl trade was whether he was damaged goods. Hadl didn't do that well in the season and a half he played in Green Bay, certainly nothing like he was in San Diego and the first half of the 1973 season with the Rams.

I distinctly remember a story in, I think, Sporting News. it seems Hadl and several Ram teammates were messing around with an old car and decided to push it. Hadl injured his shoulder and was much less effective the rest of the 1973 season and in 1974.

Does anyone else recall this story? Its stuck with me. Carroll Rosenbloom and the Rams' organization went out of their way to deny Hadl had lost arm strength after trading him for several high draft choices. It looked like he did.

Dab Devine, who was then the Packer coach and GM, thought a veteran QB could put the Packers in the playoffs and save his job. Devine resigned after the 1974 season and a 6-8 record. He then took the Notre Dame job.

And yes, the Rams of that period never got a break on the playoff scheduling. In 1967 and 1969, they had to go to Milwaukee and Minnesota for the opening playoff game. In 1973, as you wrote, they had to play at Dallas. In 1974, the NFC Championship game was at Minnesota. Under the rules adopted the next year, it would have been in Los Angeles.

[JohnTurney]

Hadl's breakdown for 1973:

First seven games: 70-113, 1,048 yards, 13 TD's, 4 INT

Last seven games: 65-145, 960 yards, 9 TD's, 7 INT

The '73 Rams were another team who got screwed by the playoff scheduling of that period that ignored records. They had to play in Dallas despite a 12-2 record that included a 7-0 mark in the Coliseum.

Dallas was a slight favorite and jumped out to a 17-0 lead before the Rams got within a point. With just under 10 minutes left in the game, the Cowboys had 3rd-and-14 at their own 17 when Staubach and Pearson connected for an 83-yard TD pass. Like the Bradshaw to Stallworth play that gave the Steelers the lead for good (also against the Rams) in SB 14, Staubach's pass had to be perfect to reach Pearson at midfield and it was. L.A. never recovered and lost 27-16.

This is one of those you never knows . . .but I am glad you pointed out the 1st half.2nd half breakdown of Hadl. Because of that I didn't think he deserved to be All pro and NFC POY . .. both should have been Gabriel Hadl's 1st pass passer rating was 115.9, the second half it was 67.7.

and Rams fumbled things away in that 73 Cowboy game and gave up the long play due to lack of speed at the free safety position, so maybe the Vikings and Dolphins, in hypothetical matchups do the same?

I know the Rams defense matched well in the front seven, but their secondary was not as good as Steelers, Dolphins, Vikings. McMillian was a rookie, Elmendorf was good player, Preece a fill-in and Stukes was tall, but slow, not good in man-to-man.

But the Rams front 7 was all Pro Bowl-worthy, including lesser knowns like Brooks.

On offense, I guess if they could hit Harold Jackson a couple of times the could beat anyone, but after first half of season, it seems the rams deep passing game was figured out by the league. Hadl's arm wen south and we was not effective in 1974, and Rams unloaded damaged goods for a kings ransom.

The Rams oline was as good as anyone, Dolphins and Raiders included. Their stable of running backs was very good, but no real gamebreaker.
McCutcheon was solid, and was excellent from 1973-77, but in that time OJ, Franco, Lydell Mitchell, Chuck Foreman were all better. Those guys where more like "All-Pro level" and Clutch was a "pro Bowl level. Bit in 1973 it was the stable that was effective . . . if there were an all-pro short yardage specialist for 1973 it would have been Tony Baker. Bertleson was a solid back, Larry Smith was still okay . . . but their only game-breaker was Harold Jackson.

So, even though Rams were 12-2 and #1 in offense and #1 in defense, I think they had thier vulnerabilities taken advantage of.

Landry found the weakness and exploited it. I tend to think Shula and Grant would have, too, Knox was a rookie head coach, Malavasi a rookie DC. Ken Meyer was a rookie NFL offesnive coordinator.

I think the Rams were better than a 6-7-1 team in 1972 and the jump to 12-2 wasn't as big a jump as folks thought, and though Knox would become a good coach and Malavasi's 1973-77 defensive performances were as good as anyone, 1973 they were a year away and Minny and Mia both beat them in hypothetical.

[Bryan]

Their stable of running backs was very good, but no real gamebreaker.
McCutcheon was solid, and was excellent from 1973-77, but in that time OJ, Franco, Lydell Mitchell, Chuck Foreman were all better. Those guys where more like "All-Pro level" and Clutch was a "pro Bowl level.

I agree with everything you posted, except that I would take McCutcheon over Lydell Mitchell. I would guess that if McCutcheon played in Marchibroda's offense, he would have racked up 70+ reception seasons like Mitchell. He was an effective receiver in the Rams offense, even though they didn't throw the ball often nor did they throw safety-valve passes to their backs. I think McCutcheon was the better runner of the two. I would have to take a look at the stats, but I'm pretty sure that McCutcheon had the second-most rushing yards from 1973-77 behind OK. Mitchell was never overly impressive to me...he seemed to be a 'smart' running back but not a gamebreaker. An interesting thing I did see was how rarely Mitchell fumbled despite all of his touches...that sets him apart from McCutcheon, Franco, and Foreman.

[Lee Elder]

I remember that in those years the Rams offense came to be known as Ground Chuck. The running game was very effective most of the time, largely due to the terrific work of the offensive line. What the running game lacked was a real game breaker. In the playoffs, when the opposition defense was always a playoff caliber team (must have been, they were in the playoffs, right?), the Rams did not have a big threat who might break loose at any moment. They had terrific backs. Without looking it up, I believe McCutcheon broke the franchise record for yards a single season during that era. But they lacked a great back and, in the playoffs, they needed one.

Interesting discussion!!

[SixtiesFan]

I remember that in those years the Rams offense came to be known as Ground Chuck. The running game was very effective most of the time, largely due to the terrific work of the offensive line. What the running game lacked was a real game breaker. In the playoffs, when the opposition defense was always a playoff caliber team (must have been, they were in the playoffs, right?), the Rams did not have a big threat who might break loose at any moment. They had terrific backs. Without looking it up, I believe McCutcheon broke the franchise record for yards a single season during that era. But they lacked a great back and, in the playoffs, they needed one.

Interesting discussion!!

And, as I've posted before, the Ram organization was well aware of this. Before the 1977 draft, the Rams hoped to make a deal for Tony Dorsett but the Cowboys beat them to it. In 1978, Houston outbid them for Earl Campbell. Late in the 1979 season, I was listening to a radio call in show. The guest, draft guru Joel Buchsbaum said the Rams were planning on trading for the rights to Billy Sims. He said, "Billy Sims could put the Rams in the Super Bowl."

Ironically, the Rams did make the Super Bowl that year.

The Lions took Billy Sims first in the 1980 draft and Sims helped them go from 2-14 to 9-7.

[7DnBrnc53]

I remember that in those years the Rams offense came to be known as Ground Chuck. The running game was very effective most of the time, largely due to the terrific work of the offensive line. What the running game lacked was a real game breaker. In the playoffs, when the opposition defense was always a playoff caliber team (must have been, they were in the playoffs, right?), the Rams did not have a big threat who might break loose at any moment. They had terrific backs. Without looking it up, I believe McCutcheon broke the franchise record for yards a single season during that era. But they lacked a great back and, in the playoffs, they needed one.

Interesting discussion!!

And, as I've posted before, the Ram organization was well aware of this. Before the 1977 draft, the Rams hoped to make a deal for Tony Dorsett but the Cowboys beat them to it. In 1978, Houston outbid them for Earl Campbell. Late in the 1979 season, I was listening to a radio call in show. The guest, draft guru Joel Buchsbaum said the Rams were planning on trading for the rights to Billy Sims. He said, "Billy Sims could put the Rams in the Super Bowl."

Ironically, the Rams did make the Super Bowl that year.

The Lions took Billy Sims first in the 1980 draft and Sims helped them go from 2-14 to 9-7.

The Rams tried to deal for Tony Dorsett in 77? That adds more credence to my theory that they would have given the Seahawks a good package (the Rams had good depth, and they had two second round and third round picks in both the 1977 and 78 drafts) to move up to the #2 pick and get Cal QB Joe Roth if he didn't pass away.

[BD Sullivan]

I remember that in those years the Rams offense came to be known as Ground Chuck. The running game was very effective most of the time, largely due to the terrific work of the offensive line. What the running game lacked was a real game breaker. In the playoffs, when the opposition defense was always a playoff caliber team (must have been, they were in the playoffs, right?), the Rams did not have a big threat who might break loose at any moment. They had terrific backs. Without looking it up, I believe McCutcheon broke the franchise record for yards a single season during that era. But they lacked a great back and, in the playoffs, they needed one.

Interesting discussion!!

And, as I've posted before, the Ram organization was well aware of this. Before the 1977 draft, the Rams hoped to make a deal for Tony Dorsett but the Cowboys beat them to it. In 1978, Houston outbid them for Earl Campbell. Late in the 1979 season, I was listening to a radio call in show. The guest, draft guru Joel Buchsbaum said the Rams were planning on trading for the rights to Billy Sims. He said, "Billy Sims could put the Rams in the Super Bowl."

Ironically, the Rams did make the Super Bowl that year.

The Lions took Billy Sims first in the 1980 draft and Sims helped them go from 2-14 to 9-7.

The Rams tried to deal for Tony Dorsett in 77? That adds more credence to my theory that they would have given the Seahawks a good package (the Rams had good depth, and they had two second round and third round picks in both the 1977 and 78 drafts) to move up to the #2 pick and get Cal QB Joe Roth if he didn't pass away.

They had tried to get O.J. Simpson the year before when he was in the midst of his contract dispute.