1975 Los Angeles Rams season

Last updated

1975 Los Angeles Rams season
Owner Carroll Rosenbloom
Head coach Chuck Knox
Home field Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Results
Record12–2
Division place1st NFC West
Playoff finishWon Divisional Playoffs
(vs. Cardinals) 35–23
Lost NFC Championship
(vs. Cowboys) 7–37

The 1975 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 38th year with the National Football League, and the 30th season in Los Angeles. The Rams finished the season with a 12-2 record and won the NFC West and qualified for the playoffs for the 3rd straight season. The Rams finished the season with the number 1 scoring and number 1 total defense in the NFL. In the postseason, they defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 35-23 in the divisional round before getting routed by the Dallas Cowboys 37-7 in the NFC Championship Game. The 1975 season also represents the last time the Rams played a game on Thanksgiving Day, in which they defeated the Lions 20-0. The 49 year drought without playing a game on the holiday is the longest active drought in the NFL and the longest in history, even beating out the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have never played on Thanksgiving, but they've only existed for 29 seasons.

Contents

In 2007, ESPN.com ranked the 1975 Rams as the tenth-greatest defense in NFL history. [1] Said ESPN.com, "Fred Dryer. Jack Youngblood. Merlin Olsen. Get the idea? They weren't the "Fearsome Foursome," but with those guys anchoring the defensive line, and All-Pros Isiah Robertson (linebacker) and Dave Elmendorf (safety), the Rams were almost impossible to score against. The Rams went 12–2, holding opponents to just 9.6 points a game, (the second-lowest average in NFL history) and ending the season with a six-game winning streak during which they gave up just 32 points. The defense wasn't as impressive in the postseason, surrendering 23 points in a first-round 35–23 victory over the offensive powerhouse Cardinals before being demolished 37–7 by the Cowboys in the NFC title game."

Offseason

NFL Draft

1975 Los Angeles Rams draft
RoundPickPlayerPositionCollegeNotes
19 Mike Fanning   Defensive tackle Notre Dame
111 Dennis Harrah  *  tackle Miami
120 Doug France  * tackle Ohio State
228 Monte Jackson  *  Cornerback San Diego State
248 Leroy Jones   Defensive end Norfolk State
      Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Roster

1975 Los Angeles Rams roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

Offensive linemen (OL)

Defensive linemen (DL)

Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

Special teams

Reserve


Rookies in italics

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendance
1September 21at Dallas Cowboys L 7–180–1 Texas Stadium 49,091
2September 28at San Francisco 49ers W 23–141–1 Candlestick Park 55,072
3October 5 Baltimore Colts W 24–132–1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 62,491
4October 12at San Diego Chargers W 13–103–1 San Diego Stadium 37,382
5October 19 Atlanta Falcons W 22–74–1Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum64,843
6October 26 New Orleans Saints W 38–145–1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 54,723
7November 3at Philadelphia Eagles W 42–36–1 Veterans Stadium 64,601
8November 9 San Francisco 49ers L 23–246–2Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum74,064
9November 16at Atlanta Falcons W 16–77–2 Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium 44,595
10November 23 Chicago Bears W 38–108–2Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum64,979
11November 27at Detroit Lions W 20–09–2 Pontiac Municipal Stadium 69,552
12December 7at New Orleans Saints W 14–710–2 Louisiana Superdome 39,958
13December 14 Green Bay Packers W 22–511–2Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum66,496
14December 20 Pittsburgh Steelers W 10–312–2Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum69,389
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Week 1: Dallas Cowboys

Quarter1234Total
Rams00077
Cowboys093618

at Texas Stadium, Irving, TX

  • Date: September 21
  • Game time: 3:00
  • Game weather: 68 °F (20 °C), wind 12 mph
  • Referee: Pat Haggerty
  • TV: CBS
  • Box Score

Playoffs

RoundDateOpponent (seed)ResultRecordVenueAttendance
DivisionalDecember 27 St. Louis Cardinals (3)W 35–231–0 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 72,650
NFC ChampionshipJanuary 4, 1976 Dallas Cowboys (4)L 7–371–1Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum84,483

NFC Divisional Playoff

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Rams – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Cardinals097723
Rams14140735

at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles

Game information
  • Scoring
    • LA – Jaworski 5 run (Dempsey kick) LA 7–0
    • LA – Youngblood 47 interception return (Dempsey kick) LA 14–0
    • LA – Simpson 65 interception return (Dempsey kick) LA 21–0
    • STL – Otis 3 run (kick blocked) LA 21–6
    • LA – Jackson 66 pass from Jaworski (Dempsey kick) LA 28–6
    • STL – field goal Bakken 39 LA 28–9
    • STL – Gray 11 pass from Hart (Bakken kick) LA 28–16
    • LA – Jessie 2 fumble return (Dempsey kick) LA 35–16
    • STL – Jones 3 run (Bakken kick) LA 35–23

NFC Championship Game

Dallas Cowboys 37, Los Angeles Rams 7
Quarter1234Total
Cowboys71413337
Rams00077

at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California

  • Date: January 4
  • Game time: 4:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 51 °F (11 °C), wind 8 mph, relative humidity 58%
  • Referee: Tommy Bell
  • TV announcers (CBS): Vin Scully and Sonny Jurgensen
  • Pro-Football-Reference.com
Game information
First quarter

Second quarter

  • DAL - Golden Richards 4-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Toni Fritsch kick) - Cowboys 14-0
  • DAL - Preston Pearson 15-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Toni Fritsch kick) - Cowboys 21-0

Third quarter

  • DAL - Preston Pearson 19-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Toni Fritsch kick) - Cowboys 28-0
  • DAL - Toni Fritsch 40-yard field goal - Cowboys 31-0
  • DAL - Toni Fritsch 26-yard field goal - Cowboys 34-0

Fourth quarter

Standings

NFC West
WLTPCTDIVCONFPFPASTK
Los Angeles Rams (2)1220.8575–19–2312135W6
San Francisco 49ers 590.3573–34–7255286L4
Atlanta Falcons 4100.2863–33–8240289L1
New Orleans Saints 2120.1431–52–9165360L7

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References

  1. The List: Best NFL defense of all-time, 2007