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 »

With how the team and especially the Rams defense responded during the 2000 season under Martz, Chris, it really shows how good a job Vermeil did in that 99 season.
Of course going back-to-back is always a tough chore, though a new coach like Seifert could do it ...
Lee Elder
Posts: 145
Joined: Sun Oct 05, 2014 8:55 pm

Re: Best-ever Rams team?

Post by Lee Elder »

Brian wolf wrote:I still dont understand why an 12-1-1 Ram team had to go to a 9-4-1 Packer team in Milwaukee of all places, in 1967 ?
During that era, they set playoff games differently. It was only a couple of years before that there was only one playoff game per season. The league had to refine the tournament. As a Rams fans during that era, I sure agree with the question.
Lee Elder
Posts: 145
Joined: Sun Oct 05, 2014 8:55 pm

Re: Best-ever Rams team?

Post by Lee Elder »

The best-ever Rams?

My pick would be the 1951 team, with all of its Hall of Famers. That basic group played for the title in 1949, 1950 and 1951.

Their first title team, the one won in Cleveland, was a different squad from the 1951 team. No Hirsch, no Van Brocklin, no Towler. Different head coach, too.

The St. Louis championship team was similar to the 1951 team in that it is best-known for its offense. You'd have to give the 1999 team the edge at head coach.

Fun conversation, a lot to consider.
Brian wolf
Posts: 2981
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2019 12:43 am

Re: Best-ever Rams team?

Post by Brian wolf »

Looking at the 1967 playoffs, Despite both teams going 9-5, Dallas had beaten the Browns during the regular season and naturally hosted the playoff game against Cleveland. The Rams had defeated the Packers and had the much better record at 11-1-2 and should have hosted the Pack in LA, which would have generated more revenue and better weather than cold, grey Milwaukee.

Maybe Rozelle felt it was more fair to keep the Rams from hosting a second game against GB but my theory is, Rozelle might have been afraid that a Rams team that had just made their first postseason game in 12 years might have swept through the playoffs at home but not handled the AFL Champion on a neutral field, so he rewarded the Packers and their experience with them hosting the playoff game. Sure enough, the Packers played inspired, while the Rams missed scoring chances and had their annual troubles in cold weather playoff games. It is a weak theory but what other reason would they have bypassed the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and Lambeau Field to play in County Stadium?
JohnTurney
Posts: 2220
Joined: Fri Oct 31, 2014 1:28 pm

Re: Best-ever Rams team?

Post by JohnTurney »

Brian wolf wrote:
Maybe Rozelle felt it was more fair to keep the Rams from hosting a second game against GB
it was a rotational basis, it was the Packer's division's turn to be the home team, in 1968 it was the Coastal, in 1969 back to th Central

it was predetermined----Rozelle had nothing to do with it .

Rams just happened to have their 2 best teams in years when the Central was the host team---
Brian wolf
Posts: 2981
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2019 12:43 am

Re: Best-ever Rams team?

Post by Brian wolf »

So your saying a rotational basis with brand new divisions for a brand new postseason format ? I understood that for Championship games, not divisional playoffs, especially with GB hosting the Championship game ? The Cowboy/Brown setup made more sense to me ...
User avatar
74_75_78_79_
Posts: 2331
Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2014 1:25 pm

Re: Best-ever Rams team?

Post by 74_75_78_79_ »

Not that anyone should consider them a #1 or even best that didn't go all-the-way, but, starting with myself, none of us have mentioned 2018 yet! With Aaron Donald onboard, and the D holding Belichick/Brady's Pats to just 13, and considering how great their D is now, I forget that their D wasn't all that great that year (nor the year before) - it was their offense that was the headline! Such an irony, SBXLIII was, in that LA held the Pats to that very low score but themselves only scored...three! And in an era where its otherwise so offense-friendly/very defensive UN-friendly!

As much love '67 gets, and should get (but, hey, in the post-season you got to win on the field no matter where its at), I give the non-championship 'nod' to 2001! Much more dominant, against much tougher competition, regular season body-of-work than two seasons prior. In their division, San Fran was a contender again at 12-4 whom they did sweep, won at Philly in the opener, convincingly beat a good Dolphins and Jets team - did beat Pats at NE. While the 'Greatest Show' was still just that, a much better defense this time with Aeneas now onboard and Wistrom having his tour-de-force season. 14-2 (and a solid 14-2) finish! Yes, it was Belichick/Brady but...(yes, its been discussed a plenty)...a Lombardi truly left on the table, it still seems.

Marshall Faulk would have to be seen as the franchise's All-Time MVP! His fantastic MAIN-purpose and ALL-purpose abilities as a running back along with sheer leadership being the 'heartbeat' of that '99 campaign, and the lack of utilizing him two years later in SBXXXVI - with very limited argument - being the reason for they coming up short!

EDIT - “Such an irony, SBXLIII was, in that LA held the Pats to that very low score but themselves only scored...three!”

Meant, of course, to say SBLIII. My mistake.
Last edited by 74_75_78_79_ on Mon Aug 30, 2021 7:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
Andy Piascik
Posts: 155
Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2014 11:32 pm

Re: Best-ever Rams team?

Post by Andy Piascik »

Like John said, home field advantage in postseason games in that era was predetermined. It started with the first official Championship Game in 1933 and lasted until 1975. The only exceptions were first place conference ties which were decided by coin flips even in cases like 1950 when one of the teams swept the two-game season series, which happened in both conferences that year (Bears-Rams, Giants-Browns). Both the AAFC and AFL followed the NFL pattern.

The only time home field advantage in pro football was determined by regular season record prior to 1975, with teams seeded in order of their records, was in the AAFC in 1949 when all the teams were together with no conferences or divisions. The AAFC that year bucked the system used in the NHL playoffs that was also followed by the NBA for many years where #1 played #3 and #2 played #4. The AAFC did the logical and fair thing and had #1 host #4 and #2 host #3.

In addition to the 1967 Rams-Packers scenario, even more problematic situations arose with the realignment of 1970 and the expansion of the playoffs. Probably the most striking example was 1972 when the perfect Dolphins had to play the AFC Championship Game in Pittsburgh. I guess 1974 was the tipping point when the two best teams in the AFC, the Dolphins and Raiders, played in the first round while the Steelers got to feast on the weak wildcard Bills.

As far as the best Rams team ever, how about 1950? Still the highest scoring team in NFL history and battled a great Cleveland team to the final seconds in the Championship Game before losing 30-28 in what is arguably the greatest game ever.
Last edited by Andy Piascik on Mon Aug 30, 2021 12:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
JohnTurney
Posts: 2220
Joined: Fri Oct 31, 2014 1:28 pm

Re: Best-ever Rams team?

Post by JohnTurney »

74_75_78_79_ wrote: I give the non-championship 'nod' to 2001! Much more

that's fair---but if you go non-championship
it's on shortlist, but 67, 73, 01 are the three---49 and 50 close, but weaker on D...

99 is best team, 51 had flaws, 45, in relative terms to rest of league more solid

the Rams, to me, had tons and tons of talent but maybe are the biggest underachievers
of anyone---indecisiveness at QB a big culprit, but teams didn't perform in playoffs
and that was the bottom line
Brian wolf
Posts: 2981
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2019 12:43 am

Re: Best-ever Rams team?

Post by Brian wolf »

Good call on the '50 Rams Andy ...

Those four interceptions by Waterfield were the difference.
Post Reply