1973-1978 LA Rams- what was their best team?

[Bryan]

It's hard for me to separate the Knox years from the Malavasi years, since I think Malavasi was a better playoff coach. Malavasi got more out of his teams in the playoffs in both 1978 and 1979 than Knox ever did.

I suppose I would take 1974 out of the Knox teams. 1977 is too tainted by the horrid playoff loss. In 1975 and 1976 they didn't beat anyone in the regular season. 1973 looks good on paper, though I think the pass coverage was a little suspect. Plus Hadl laid an egg in the post-season after a very good regular season.

Ferragamo '79 was the only good QB play they ever got in the playoffs. Pat Haden is beloved by some people for reasons I don't understand. He was no better than the rest. Lousy special teams play for the Knox years as well. Too much to overcome.

I think statistically-speaking, the 1973 appears to be the strongest. I agree that the secondary is a big issue...McMillan, Preece & Stukes aren't very good, and McMillan & Preece combined to botch up a Staubach pass to Pearson in the playoffs which resulted in the backbreaking 83-yard score.

Just looking at starting rosters, I think the 1976 team is the best. You have France and Harrah added to the OL (which had gotten really old by 1975), you have a tough secondary with Rod Perry/Monte Jackson at CB and safeties Elmendorf/Simpson...but its really a toss up.

[Rupert Patrick]

Malavasi got more out of his teams in the playoffs in both 1978 and 1979 than Knox ever did.

I don't know if anybody would really want to take credit for the Rams 1978 postseason performance. True, they were the number one seed in the NFC, but in my opinion they were one of the two or three weakest number one seeds between 1975 and 1986. They beat a weak Vikings team 34-10 in Tarkenton's final game, hosted Dallas and were shut out 28-0 as the Rams committed seven turnovers.

[SixtiesFan]

The 1973 Rams might have had the best offense--for the first half of the season. John Hadl was playing like Y.A. Tittle for the early 60's Giants. Then Hadl hurt his shoulder, though the Rams denied it then and later. I read at the time a bunch of Rams were messing with a car one day and Hadl was hurt pushing the car.

John Hadl's stats went down the second half of the 1973 season and the first five games of the 1974 season. He was benched for James Harris. Packer coach Dan Devine, desperate to save his job, gave up a bundle of draft choices for Hadl.

The 1976 Rams IMO had the best 40-man roster of the 1973-78 period. As I wrote previously, for the 1976 NFC Championship game, Chuck Knox didn't consider he had a rookie QB, was on on the road at Minnesota in freezing weather, and his FG kicker was shaky. So he went for a FG six inches away. Naturally, it was blocked, bounced into Bobby Bryant's hands and run back for a TD. A 14 point swing.

Knox's special teams were never good. In the second quarter of the 1976 NFC Title game, a punt was blocked. The Vikings couldn't gain, but kicked a short FG. After the loss, Rich Roberts wrote in a PFW column that most Ram fans wanted Knox to leave LA for the Detroit job, which he apparently wanted to do. But Carroll Rosebloom wouldn't let Knox out of his contract. Rosenbloom then fired Knox after the 1977 season. With Rosenbloom, you leave when HE wants you to.

The 1978 Rams had, I think, five games were the offense scored 10 points or less. As mentioned previously, the Rams beat the Cowboys in week three by throwing on first down. This was a change Ray Malavasi made. He threw on first down that year, a no-no with Chuck Knox. With Knox it was McCutcheon on first down, then Cappelletti. If third and short either one on third down. If third and long, a pass. Malavasi tried to open up the offense, but didn't have the skill position players the Steelers and Cowboys had.

I recall a Jerry Magee column in PFW early in the 1979 season. Magee (who loved to mock the LA Rams being from San Diego) wrote something like: "The Rams are the most overrated team in the NFL. Their quarterback is 5-10. Their running backs are mostly plodders. They have no wide receivers. Their offensive line doesn't excite me. I do admire their defensive line." Magee added "If you bet against the Rams on the point spread every week, you'll make a fortune."

[BD Sullivan]

It's hard for me to separate the Knox years from the Malavasi years, since I think Malavasi was a better playoff coach. Malavasi got more out of his teams in the playoffs in both 1978 and 1979 than Knox ever did.

I suppose I would take 1974 out of the Knox teams. 1977 is too tainted by the horrid playoff loss. In 1975 and 1976 they didn't beat anyone in the regular season. 1973 looks good on paper, though I think the pass coverage was a little suspect. Plus Hadl laid an egg in the post-season after a very good regular season.

Ferragamo '79 was the only good QB play they ever got in the playoffs. Pat Haden is beloved by some people for reasons I don't understand. He was no better than the rest. Lousy special teams play for the Knox years as well. Too much to overcome.

I think statistically-speaking, the 1973 appears to be the strongest. I agree that the secondary is a big issue...McMillan, Preece & Stukes aren't very good, and McMillan & Preece combined to botch up a Staubach pass to Pearson in the playoffs which resulted in the backbreaking 83-yard score.

Just looking at starting rosters, I think the 1976 team is the best. You have France and Harrah added to the OL (which had gotten really old by 1975), you have a tough secondary with Rod Perry/Monte Jackson at CB and safeties Elmendorf/Simpson...but its really a toss up.

The 1976 roster might have been interesting considering that the Rams were hot in pursuit of O.J. Simpson, but that might have depleted the team of some vets, not to mention draft picks.

[JohnTurney]

Spoke to Coach TJ and this topic came up. Coach was in LA for that time, though a Bears fan, did watch the Rams closely, often in person. Says the best team was the 1975 Rams. Bill Simpson solidified the secondary was was big upgrade from Steve Preece and the corners were excellent as well. He felt theb iggest error Chuck Knox made was starting Harris who was hurt still, over Jaworski.

Now, he knows this goes against many the comments here, but says he stands by his analysis. He says he looks at total package, the things they did and so on and that a bad loss doesn't always define a team. So that's his take

[JohnTurney]

I recall a Jerry Magee column in PFW early in the 1979 season. Magee (who loved to mock the LA Rams being from San Diego) wrote something like: "The Rams are the most overrated team in the NFL. Their quarterback is 5-10. Their running backs are mostly plodders. They have no wide receivers. Their offensive line doesn't excite me. I do admire their defensive line." Magee added "If you bet against the Rams on the point spread every week, you'll make a fortune."

LOL. Sounds like he knew what he was talking about---or was bitter because he bet for Rams to cover and he lost a fortune.

[Rupert Patrick]

Spoke to Coach TJ and this topic came up. Coach was in LA for that time, though a Bears fan, did watch the Rams closely, often in person. Says the best team was the 1975 Rams. Bill Simpson solidified the secondary was was big upgrade from Steve Preece and the corners were excellent as well. He felt theb iggest error Chuck Knox made was starting Harris who was hurt still, over Jaworski.

Now, he knows this goes against many the comments here, but says he stands by his analysis. He says he looks at total package, the things they did and so on and that a bad loss doesn't always define a team. So that's his take

I didn't pick a season as their best, but was watching a lot of football as a kid and was leaning towards 1975. I never understood why the Rams didn't stick with Jaworski and why they couldn't see the upside and potential he would have brought at QB.

On a related topic, I miss the Coach and wish he would pop in here from time to time.

[BD Sullivan]

Spoke to Coach TJ and this topic came up. Coach was in LA for that time, though a Bears fan, did watch the Rams closely, often in person. Says the best team was the 1975 Rams. Bill Simpson solidified the secondary was was big upgrade from Steve Preece and the corners were excellent as well. He felt theb iggest error Chuck Knox made was starting Harris who was hurt still, over Jaworski.

Now, he knows this goes against many the comments here, but says he stands by his analysis. He says he looks at total package, the things they did and so on and that a bad loss doesn't always define a team. So that's his take

They were favorites in that '75 NFC title game, but ended up getting manhandled.

[JohnTurney]

They were favorites in that '75 NFC title game, but ended up getting manhandled.

I will let him know that fact. He may not be aware of that.

[Bryan]

The 1973 Rams might have had the best offense--for the first half of the season. John Hadl was playing like Y.A. Tittle for the early 60's Giants. Then Hadl hurt his shoulder, though the Rams denied it then and later. I read at the time a bunch of Rams were messing with a car one day and Hadl was hurt pushing the car.

John Hadl's stats went down the second half of the 1973 season and the first five games of the 1974 season. He was benched for James Harris. Packer coach Dan Devine, desperate to save his job, gave up a bundle of draft choices for Hadl.

The 1976 Rams IMO had the best 40-man roster of the 1973-78 period. As I wrote previously, for the 1976 NFC Championship game, Chuck Knox didn't consider he had a rookie QB, was on on the road at Minnesota in freezing weather, and his FG kicker was shaky. So he went for a FG six inches away. Naturally, it was blocked, bounced into Bobby Bryant's hands and run back for a TD. A 14 point swing.

Interesting stuff on Hadl. His 1973 season was easily the best of any Rams QB during the 1970's, and Hadl was terrible for the rest of his career afterwards.

As for Knox's FG decision in the 1976 championship game, I think it stemmed from the 1974 NFC Championship game where Knox was criticized for bypassing a "sure" FG and instead going for it on 4th and goal from the 1, with James Harris' pass being deflected and intercepted by Wally Hilgenberg in the end zone. I personally would have gone for it on 4th and goal from the 1, but I can see why Knox elected to try for a FG in that situation...sort of.