1974 Los Angeles Rams

[AZRams]

70s were nuts...Minnesota and Dallas went to 9 of 10 Super Bowls from '71-'79; Rams to one.

Derp!

Dallas won 5, Minnesota 3 and Washington one with the Rams winning the only other.

 

[rdlkgliders]

McCutcheon was just starting out the year before. He didn't break Dick Bass's Ram record until 1977. I remember Bass interviewing him on the field in that Atlanta game.

Now to really screw the youngsters up, that Atlanta game was an NF west divisional game. LOL

 

[Oregonram]

Seriously, though. it was not easy; and small bits of information were greatly valued.

There were scoring up-dates and some highlights on Sundays. The pre/post/halftime segments were less fluff than they are now, and were much more game analysis. There were far fewer people on the air, giving them more of an opportunity to discuss the games to be played, being played and just completed.

Monday Night Football's halftime highlights were hugely popular; and on Saturday Night, there was a national show called This Week in the NFL. It was ALL highlights of EVERY game from the prior Sunday; and not just one or two plays but 6-to-10. Pat Summerall was a long-time co-host.

Before the Internet, newspapers and magazines (daily and weekly) were a huge source of information and greatly consumed; and there was sports specific material ... even football specific publications. One poster above mentioned USA Today and the Sporting News. There was a fantastic weekly (in-season) pro football paper called Pro Football Weekly ... a Must Have back in the day.

As a Rams' fan in NYC, I got to see them play 3 or 4 times a year ... most seasons.

Doesn't seem like much but we didn't know what it was like to have greater access and more information.
Still, it was tough to root for a non-local team. That's why I am so Fucking Special right now!

I had a local cigar shop that had the LA Times a day or two late, and you paid extra to get it, but it was gold.

 

[fanotodd]

Most of the highlights I got to see was on a show called “This week in the NFL”… at least I think that’s what it was called.
Hosted by Tom Brookshire and Pat Summerall. It was a cool, comprehensive highlight reel of each game. I remember the year OJ broke the rushing record, going over 2000 yards that year. I looked forward to seeing both the Rams highlights and his. He was electrifying.

Great show. Pre-ESPN. Now they have something similar but elongated on showtime or one of those type channels.

 

[Londoner]

a local cigar shop

Something else that has also died out in the modern world, sadly.

There used to be a specialist tobacconist in my nearest town; it’s a mobile phone shop now.

 

[Loyal]

McCutcheon was just starting out the year before. He didn't break Dick Bass's Ram record until 1977. I remember Bass interviewing him on the field in that Atlanta game.

I took it as meaning the single season rushing record for the Rams in 1974

 

[LARams_1963]

Another fun fact about that '74 game was the Skins were coached by George Allen, who of course coached the Rams 66-70 and again in part of '78. I remember a bet I had with my dad in the 90's about that '78 stint. My pops was a season tix holder back from '49-53 and attended the '51 championship win. So he was Mr. Ram fan to me! So the bet was my pops said Allen never had a 2nd stint.

 

[den-the-coach]

Of course we had a great defense.... Talk about it, Den you old buzzard!

The defense was special and I did know their victory over the Redskins in the playoffs was their first since 1951. You could not miss that because when you watch that game (highlights) on YouTube they mention that, plus I remember reading about it back when I was 8 in 74.

Besides replacing Hadl with James Harris in 74 at QB, they also replaced CB Eddie McMillian with Al Clark & Safety Steve Preece with Bill Simpson. Clark was better in coverage then McMillian, but Simpson was a huge upgrade over Preece.

What doomed Knox was that he never adjusted the game plan during the playoffs. The Rams would run, what they always ran plus he did not trust his QB to audible. Harris spoke about that several times in different articles.

Rams should have beaten the Vikings that year, they always ended playing Minnesota in Bloomington, if only the Hubert H. Humphrey Metro Dome was built several years earlier.

 

[majrleaged]

Knox said something like, you dance with who you brought, as an explanation for his lack of creativity in the playoffs.

 

[RamWoodie]

I remember it well.!!! I was a Rams fan, and joined the Navy 1972 in Chicago where I was raised. I was stationed at NAS Lemoore California, and arrived there in January 1973. Naturally, the Rams games were always televised. Bertlesen was multi talented and a great blocker for McCutcheon. John Cappelletti backed up McCutcheon.

The Rams would just basically wear teams down back then. That O-Line was great anchored by Tom Mack. The Rams didn't pass much under Knox, but they had the speedy Harold Jackson and also Jack Snow at WR. Harris had a big arm and started over John Hadl.

What was the misery??? The Rams would make the playoffs, but would lose to either the Cowboys or the Vikings....

 

[LARAMSinFeb.]

I remember it well.!!! I was a Rams fan, and joined the Navy 1972 in Chicago where I was raised. I was stationed at NAS Lemoore California, and arrived there in January 1973. Naturally, the Rams games were always televised. Bertlesen was multi talented and a great blocker for McCutcheon. John Cappelletti backed up McCutcheon.

The Rams would just basically wear teams down back then. That O-Line was great anchored by Tom Mack. The Rams didn't pass much under Knox, but they had the speedy Harold Jackson and also Jack Snow at WR. Harris had a big arm and started over John Hadl.

What was the misery??? The Rams would make the playoffs, but would lose to either the Cowboys or the Vikings....

Rams still have a lead in playoff games over the Cowboys. Plus we beat them 31-0 in that weird 1969 playoff bowl.

 

[David Ray]

Question - if you were a fan of a team and lived outside of their market, how in the hell could you manage to keep up with the team before the internet?

Did a pigeon fly to your home with a final score attached to its leg?

PFW

 

[Londoner]

Question - if you were a fan of a team and lived outside of their market, how in the hell could you manage to keep up with the team before the internet?

We used to get a weekly half-hour highlights programme the Saturday after the games were played, so six days behind.

How times have changed- with Game Pass, I can watch every game live.

 

[den-the-coach]

Knox said something like, you dance with who you brought, as an explanation for his lack of creativity in the playoffs.

Darrell Royal's quote the former Head Coach of Texas. However, the NFL was different because those teams played you during the regular season and knew your tendencies. Knox never allowed the QB to audible either, so that and bad special team play always factored in why the Rams came up short. Knox never advanced to the Super Bowl with any team he coached.

 

[JimY53]

Clark was better in coverage then McMillian, but Simpson was a huge upgrade over Preece.

McMillian slump. But of a gambler. Got benched. Clark experience, a vet. IMO that's what happened.
McMillian top rookie in 1973, fine season in 1975. Maybe just sophomore slump.

Agree about Simpson

-JY53

 

[den-the-coach]

McMillian slump. But of a gambler. Got benched. Clark experience, a vet. IMO that's what happened.
McMillian top rookie in 1973, fine season in 1975. Maybe just sophomore slump.

Agree about Simpson

-JY53

McMillan was not that good IMO teams went in his direction. In 73 Otto Stowe schooled him when the Rams beat Dallas in October & it was McMillan & Preece that gave up the big play in the playoffs to Drew Pearson after the Rams had battled back to a 17-16 score.

 

[JimY53]

McMillan was not that good IMO teams went in his direction. In 73 Otto Stowe schooled him when the Rams beat Dallas in October & it was McMillan & Preece that gave up the big play in the playoffs to Drew Pearson after the Rams had battled back to a 17-16 score.

McMillan was fine -- he was all over Pearson. Preece went for the INT and missed and Pearson slipped through. McMillan was in trail technique and expected safety help. Preece was the culprit. And even the great Ray Malavasi. Took Merlin out of the game and put Stein in---ran a 3-4.

McMillan was solid in that year, and in 1975. 1974, not so much.

 

[den-the-coach]

McMillan was fine -- he was all over Pearson. Preece went for the INT and missed and Pearson slipped through. McMillan was in trail technique and expected safety help. Preece was the culprit. And even the great Ray Malavasi. Took Merlin out of the game and put Stein in---ran a 3-4.

McMillan was solid in that year, and in 1975. 1974, not so much.

Good points there & I could not believe Ray went prevent there as Merlin had just sacked Staubach the play previously.

 

[JimY53]

as Merlin had just sacked Staubach the play previously.

Actually, Brooks got there first ... Olsen may could have been credited with an assist ½-sack at most for Merlin. Dallas scorer picked the guy on top...which happened back then, they didn't review to make sure.

It was double Exit game. -- an ends first twist ... Brooks looped around grabbed Staubach and was almost down when Merlin kins of jumped on top.

But 100% agree---the 3-4 defense on next play, even if 3rd and long.

Rams pass rush was doing well up to that play ... all 4 guys and then they take Merlin out. I love Malavasi but will always wonder why he did that