Best-ever Rams team?

Brian wolf
Posts: 2981
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2019 12:43 am

Re: Best-ever Rams team?

Post by Brian wolf »

Sorry, the Rams had FIVE interceptions with Brocklin throwing one as well ... and it still went to the wire !
Andy Piascik
Posts: 155
Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2014 11:32 pm

Re: Best-ever Rams team?

Post by Andy Piascik »

It wasn't just a matter of the Rams throwing INTs because every turnover is also a takeaway, so you have to give the Cleveland defense some credit. They didn't play great that game but they were the best defense of that era and they did shut the Rams out for the last 20 minutes or so of that game.
JuggernautJ
Posts: 1379
Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2014 7:14 pm
Location: NinerLand, Ca.

Re: Best-ever Rams team?

Post by JuggernautJ »

Also the Browns lost 3 of 3 fumbles (and Otto threw a single INT) which balanced out (to some degree) the 5 Rams interceptions.
Even with the INT Graham had a QB rating of 122.2... positively Montana/Brady-ish.

What I want to know is why Tommy James attempted the Browns 2nd extra point. That miss could've cost them the championship...
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... 240cle.htm
Brian wolf
Posts: 2981
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2019 12:43 am

Re: Best-ever Rams team?

Post by Brian wolf »

Maybe Groza was temporarily hurt ?

Whats ironic, is backup Van Brocklin throws a beautiful bomb to Fears to finally win it all in 1951 and early-season backup Warner wins the 99/00 SB with a beautiful bomb to Bruce.
Andy Piascik
Posts: 155
Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2014 11:32 pm

Re: Best-ever Rams team?

Post by Andy Piascik »

It was a bad snap from center and James was the holder. He picked up the ball and threw a pass into the end zone that was incomplete.
User avatar
TanksAndSpartans
Posts: 1153
Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2015 1:05 am

Re: Best-ever Rams team?

Post by TanksAndSpartans »

Van Brocklin's INT was a Hail Mary on the last play of the game. It was picked off at the 12 yd line and run into the end zone. I think it was a game tying safety, but it wasn't called that way.
User avatar
Bryan
Posts: 2509
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2014 8:37 am

Re: Best-ever Rams team?

Post by Bryan »

TanksAndSpartans wrote:Van Brocklin's INT was a Hail Mary on the last play of the game. It was picked off at the 12 yd line and run into the end zone. I think it was a game tying safety, but it wasn't called that way.
James caught the ball at the 10 and Glenn Davis rode him into the end zone. The only way that is called a safety is if Ben Dreith is officiating.
User avatar
TanksAndSpartans
Posts: 1153
Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2015 1:05 am

Re: Best-ever Rams team?

Post by TanksAndSpartans »

Bryan wrote:
TanksAndSpartans wrote:Van Brocklin's INT was a Hail Mary on the last play of the game. It was picked off at the 12 yd line and run into the end zone. I think it was a game tying safety, but it wasn't called that way.
James caught the ball at the 10 and Glenn Davis rode him into the end zone. The only way that is called a safety is if Ben Dreith is officiating.
If you slow it down, the defender first touched the ball at the 14 and I would say he had possession by the 12. Davis was trying to tackle him and instead of going down, he tried to escape and inadvertently ran into the end zone and got pushed out of bounds for what should have been a safety. Browns got the call on the field goal as well. Home field advantage maybe.

P.S. All accounts I've seen have Lahr making the interception. It was James?
User avatar
Bryan
Posts: 2509
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2014 8:37 am

Re: Best-ever Rams team?

Post by Bryan »

TanksAndSpartans wrote:
Bryan wrote:
TanksAndSpartans wrote:Van Brocklin's INT was a Hail Mary on the last play of the game. It was picked off at the 12 yd line and run into the end zone. I think it was a game tying safety, but it wasn't called that way.
James caught the ball at the 10 and Glenn Davis rode him into the end zone. The only way that is called a safety is if Ben Dreith is officiating.
If you slow it down, the defender first touched the ball at the 14 and I would say he had possession by the 12. Davis was trying to tackle him and instead of going down, he tried to escape and inadvertently ran into the end zone and got pushed out of bounds for what should have been a safety. Browns got the call on the field goal as well. Home field advantage maybe.

P.S. All accounts I've seen have Lahr making the interception. It was James?
You are correct, it was Lahr. Davis wasn't really trying to tackle him; he was trying to wrestle the ball away from Lahr. Similar thing happened to Louis Breeden-Wesley Walker in 1985 Bengals-Jets game, and Ben Dreith called a safety and everyone lost their mind (Sam Wyche, fans, announcers, players, etc.). So I guess it could have been called a safety, I just don't think that would have been right.
User avatar
TanksAndSpartans
Posts: 1153
Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2015 1:05 am

Re: Best-ever Rams team?

Post by TanksAndSpartans »

Good point about Davis. Amazing awareness, maybe a bit of luck or both, but he played it perfectly. Defender has to realize where he is and do something other than head for the end zone. It would have been a real tough call to make in that situation, but I think it would have been correct and evened things out assuming the FG was a bad call. The footage is too grainy to tell on the FG, but would be interesting to see if contemporary accounts mention anything.
Post Reply