1979 Los Angeles Rams season

1979 Los Angeles Rams season
Owner	Georgia Rosenbloom
Head coach	Ray Malavasi
Home field	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Results
Record	9–7
Division place	1st NFC West
Playoff finish	Won Divisional Playoffs (at Cowboys) 21–19 Won NFC Championship (at Buccaneers) 9–0 Lost Super Bowl XIV (vs. Steelers) 19–31
←  1978 Rams seasons 1980  →

The Rams ended the 1979 season by making it to Super Bowl XIV, where they lost to the Steelers 19-31

The 1979 season was the Los Angeles Rams' 42nd season in the National Football League (NFL), their 43rd overall, and their 34th in the Greater Los Angeles Area. It was the final season for the franchise in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum until 2016, as late owner Carroll Rosenbloom previously announced the Rams would move to Anaheim Stadium for the 1980 season. ^[1]

The Rams won their seventh-consecutive NFC West title in 1979, and went to the Super Bowl for the first time. It was the team's only Super Bowl appearance during their first stint in Los Angeles, and their first appearance in a league championship game since 1955. It would be the Rams' last division title for six seasons and the last time they would win consecutive division titles until 2017-18. The Rams wouldn't return to the Super Bowl based in Los Angeles until 2018 (their next one as a franchise was in 1999 while based in St. Louis).

The 1979 Rams were the first team in NFL history to have a less than a +50 point differential and make it to the Super Bowl. ^[2] (The Rams scored only 14 points more than their opponents in 1979.) Thirty-two years later, the 2011 New York Giants, also with a 9–7 record, became the first team to reach the Super Bowl with a negative point differential (−6); unlike the 1979 Rams, the Giants would go on to win the Super Bowl, defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI. The 2008 Arizona Cardinals also reached the Super Bowl, but lost in the final moments of Super Bowl XLIII, also to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Offseason

Owner Caroll Rosenbloom drowned on April 2, 1979, while swimming in the Atlantic Ocean just off of his home in Golden Beach, Florida, leaving the team to his widow, Georgia. ^{[3] [4]}

Draft

Main article: 1979 NFL draft

1979 Los Angeles Rams draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	19	George Andrews	Linebacker	Nebraska
1	26	Kent Hill  *	Guard	Georgia Tech
2	54	Eddie Hill	Running back	Memphis State
3	58	Jeff Moore	Wide receiver	Tennessee	Made roster in 1980
3	81	Mike Wellman	Center	Kansas
4	99	Derwin Tucker	Defensive back	Illinois
4	108	Jerry Wilkinson	Defensive end	Oregon State
5	122	Victor Hicks	Tight end	Oklahoma	Made roster in 1980
7	190	Jeff Delaney	Defensive back	Pittsburgh	Made roster in 1980
9	246	Jeff Rutledge	Quarterback	Alabama
10	273	Grady Ebensbeger	Defensive tackle	Houston
11	301	Jesse Deramus	Defensive tackle	Tennessee State
12	328	Drew Hill  *	Wide receiver	Georgia Tech
Made roster    †    Pro Football Hall of Fame     *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

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Final roster

1979 Los Angeles Rams final roster

	Quarterbacks 15 Vince Ferragamo 8 Jeff Rutledge 19 Bob Lee Running backs 32 Cullen Bryant 24 Eddie Hill 43 Jim Jodat FB 30 Lawrence McCutcheon 34 Elvis Peacock 26 Wendell Tyler Wide receivers 88 Preston Dennard 87 Drew Hill 82 Willie Miller 84 Ron Smith 80 Billy Waddy Tight ends 83 Terry Nelson 86 Charle Young		Offensive linemen -- Brent Adams G 62 Bill Bain G/T 77 Doug France T 73 Gordon Gravelle T 72 Kent Hill G 60 Dennis Harrah G 54 Dan Ryczek C 61 Rich Saul C 78 Jackie Slater T 56 Doug Smith G/C Defensive linemen 90 Larry Brooks DT 71 Reggie Doss DE 89 Fred Dryer DE 66 Bill Dunstan DT 79 Mike Fanning DT 70 Jerry Wilkinson DE 85 Jack Youngblood DE		Linebackers 52 George Andrews OLB 59 Bob Brudzinski OLB 51 Joe Harris MLB 50 Kevin McLain OLB 64 Jack Reynolds MLB 57 Greg Westbrooks OLB 53 Jim Youngblood OLB Defensive backs 25 Eddie Brown FS 21 Nolan Cromwell FS 28 Ken Ellis CB 42 Dave Elmendorf SS 31 Sid Justin SS 23 Rickey Odom CB 33 Dwayne O'Steen CB 49 Rod Perry CB 45 Jeff Severson SS 37 Ivory Sully CB 27 Pat Thomas CB 20 Jackie Wallace SS Special teams 13 Ken Clark P 3 Frank Corral K		Reserve lists 22 John Cappelletti HB (IR Tooltip Injured reserve) 28 Anthony Davis HB (IR Tooltip Injured reserve) 41 Jeff Delaney DB (IR Tooltip Injured reserve) 55 Carl Ekern MLB (IR Tooltip Injured reserve) 11 Pat Haden QB (IR Tooltip Injured reserve) 92 Victor Hicks TE (IR Tooltip Injured reserve) 81 Ron Jessie WR (IR Tooltip Injured reserve) 76 Cody Jones DT (IR Tooltip Injured reserve) -- Leon White C (IR Tooltip Injured reserve) 75 John Williams T (IR Tooltip Injured reserve) Rookies in italics , 0 practice squad

Preseason

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance	NFL.com recap
1	August 4	Oakland Raiders	W 20–17 (OT)	1–0	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	54,575
2	August 12	at New England Patriots	W 15–3	2–0	Schaefer Stadium	44,955
3	August 18	Seattle Seahawks	W 21–17	3–0	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	46,083
4	August 25	San Diego Chargers	W 23–7	4–0	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	50,089

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance	Recap
1	September 2	Oakland Raiders	L 17–24	0–1	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	59,000	Recap
2	September 6	at Denver Broncos	W 13–9	1–1	Mile High Stadium	74,884	Recap
3	September 16	San Francisco 49ers	W 27–24	2–1	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	44,303	Recap
4	September 23	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	L 6–21	2–2	Tampa Stadium	69,497	Recap
5	September 30	St. Louis Cardinals	W 21–0	3–2	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	48,160	Recap
6	October 7	at New Orleans Saints	W 35–17	4–2	Louisiana Superdome	68,986	Recap
7	October 14	at Dallas Cowboys	L 6–30	4–3	Texas Stadium	64,462	Recap
8	October 21	San Diego Chargers	L 16–40	4–4	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	64,245	Recap
9	October 28	New York Giants	L 14–20	4–5	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	43,376	Recap
10	November 4	at Seattle Seahawks	W 24–0	5–5	Kingdome	62,048	Recap
11	November 11	at Chicago Bears	L 23–27	5–6	Soldier Field	51,483	Recap
12	November 19	Atlanta Falcons	W 20–14	6–6	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	54,097	Recap
13	November 25	at San Francisco 49ers	W 26–20	7–6	Candlestick Park	49,282	Recap
14	December 2	Minnesota Vikings	W 27–21 (OT)	8–6	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	56,700	Recap
15	December 9	at Atlanta Falcons	W 34–13	9–6	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	49,236	Recap
16	December 16	New Orleans Saints	L 14–29	9–7	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	53,879	Recap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Notes:

^a All times are PACIFIC time. (UTC–7 and UTC–8 starting October 28)

Season summary

Week 1

1 2 3 4 Total • Raiders 0 10 14 0 24 Rams 7 10 0 0 17 Date: September 2 Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

The Rams jumped out to an early 14–0 lead, but a failure to protect the punter led to two blocks and 10 Raider points before halftime. Raiders also intercepted three second-half passes and turned two into Ken Stabler to Raymond Chester touchdown passes. ^[6]

Week 2

1 2 3 4 Total • Rams 6 0 0 7 13 Broncos 2 0 0 7 9 Date: September 6 Location: Mile High Stadium Referee: Gordon McCarter

This game feature a rare safety scored when Rams tackle John Williams held Bronco LB Larry Evans in the end zone in the 1st. Rams appeared on verge of going 0–2 until, late in the 4th, safety Dave Elmendorf laid a hit on QB Craig Morton and LB Jack Reynolds picked up the fumble and bulled into the end zone for the winning score.

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Week 3

1 2 3 4 Total 49ers 10 0 0 14 24 • Rams 0 14 7 6 27 Date: September 16 Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Referee: Red Cashion TV announcers (CBS): Vin Scully and George Allen

After spotting the 49ers 10 points, the Rams scored 24 unanswered, Pat Haden passing for two touchdowns and Cullen Bryant rushing for 106 yards and another to secure the win.

Week 4

1 2 3 4 Total Rams 6 0 0 0 6 • Buccaneers 0 21 0 0 21 Date: September 23 Location: Tampa Stadium TV announcers (CBS): Vin Scully and George Allen

Jim Youngblood put the Rams on the board early with an interception return touchdown, but from then on it was all Buccaneers as Doug Williams tossed 2 touchdowns in the second quarter and the vaunted Bucs defense shut down the Rams.

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Week 5

1 2 3 4 Total Cardinals 0 0 0 0 0 • Rams 7 7 0 7 21 Date: September 30 Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

Rams bounced back with a shutout. Wendell Tyler started for more speed in the Rams' backfield and scored a touchdown. ^[9]

Week 6

1 2 3 4 Total • Rams 0 28 0 7 35 Saints 7 0 3 7 17 Date: October 7 Location: Louisiana Superdome Game weather: Indoors (dome)

Haden threw for 3 touchdowns in the blowout, but WR Ron Jessie would be lost for the remainder of the season, along with fellow WR Willie Miller ^[10]

Week 7

1 2 3 4 Total Rams 0 6 0 0 6 • Cowboys 6 7 17 0 30 Date: October 14 Location: Texas Stadium Referee: Fred Wyant TV announcers (ABC): Frank Gifford, Don Meredith, and Fran Tarkenton

In a dominating performance by the Cowboys, Roger Staubach passed for 3 touchdowns and Tony Dorsett ran for 103 and another. ^[11]

Week 8

1 2 3 4 Total • Chargers 7 7 17 9 40 Rams 7 0 0 9 16 Date: October 21 Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Referee: Gordon McCarter TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen

The Chargers, normally known for a high-powered offense, forced eight turnovers, including 4 INT's and 4 fumble recoveries (one for a touchdown). They also had five sacks and numerous hits on QB Haden. Dan Fouts passed for 326 yards and two touchdowns. ^[12]

Week 9

1 2 3 4 Total • Giants 3 7 3 7 20 Rams 0 0 7 7 14 Date: October 28 Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Referee: Fred Silva TV announcers (CBS): Vin Scully, George Allen

Haden passed for 282 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw 4 more INT's and had trouble making big plays. Giants rookie QB Phil Simms made plenty both running and passing. ^[13]

Week 10

1 2 3 4 Total • Rams 14 7 3 0 24 Seahawks 0 0 0 0 0 Date: November 4 Location: Kingdome Game weather: Indoors (dome) Referee: Pat Haggerty TV announcers (CBS): Vin Scully and George Allen

Rams defense turned in a record-setting performance, holding the Seahawks to minus-7 yards of total offense and one first down. Haden threw two touchdowns on 21-of-24 passing and set a team record with 13 straight completions, but fractured his right pinky finger in the Kingdome's AstroTurf and would be lost for the rest of the season.

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Week 11

1 2 3 4 Total Rams 9 7 7 0 23 • Bears 0 7 7 13 27 Date: November 11 Location: Soldier Field Referee: Dick Jorgensen TV announcers (CBS): Vin Scully and George Allen

With both Haden and backup Vince Ferragamo out, the Rams turned to Jeff Rutledge. Rutledge played it close to the vest, threw for a touchdown, and led the Rams to a 23–14 lead after 3, but the defense couldn't hold off a comeback.

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Week 12

1 2 3 4 Total Falcons 0 0 7 7 14 • Rams 7 7 0 6 20 Date: November 19 Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Television network: ABC

Ferragamo made his first start of the season in this Monday night game and immediately showed his "big-play" capability, completing long touchdown passes to young speedsters Preston Dennard and Billy Waddy.

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Week 13

1 2 3 4 Total • Rams 3 10 13 0 26 49ers 7 10 0 3 20 Date: November 25 Location: Candlestick Park Referee: Cal Lepore TV announcers (CBS): Lindsey Nelson and Paul Hornung

An unexpected tough game against the 1–11 49ers that featured many big plays, including an 80-yard blocked field goal return touchdown by Ram CB Sid Justin and a 71-yd. touchdown pass from Ferragamo to Tyler. ^[17]

Week 14

1 2 3 4 OT Total Vikings 7 7 0 7 0 21 • Rams 7 7 7 0 6 27 Date: December 2 Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Referee: Ben Dreith TV announcers (CBS): Curt Gowdy and Hank Stram

Rams lined up for a potential game-winning field goal in overtime, but holder Nolan Cromwell scored on a 5-yard touchdown run to lift the Rams into first place in the NFC West. The Rams took sole possession of the division lead the next night when the Raiders rallied from a 35–14 deficit in New Orleans to defeat the Saints 42–35. ^[18]

Week 15

1 2 3 4 Total • Rams 0 28 3 3 34 Falcons 0 6 0 7 13 Date: December 9 Location: Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium Referee: Bob Frederic TV announcers (CBS): Vin Scully and George Allen

In this impressive road game, the Rams clinched their seventh straight NFC West division title. Ferragamo was entrenched as the Rams' quarterback by this time, and would go on to an impressive postseason.

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Week 16

1 2 3 4 Total • Saints 0 14 6 9 29 Rams 7 0 0 7 14 Date: December 16 Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Referee: Pat Haggerty TV announcers (CBS): Vin Scully, George Allen

Tyler rushed for 141 yards and a first-quarter touchdown, but New Orleans scored the next 27 points to win going away in the Rams' final home game at the Coliseum before their relocation to Anaheim Stadium. The victory allowed the Saints to finish 8–8, the franchise's first non-losing record after 12 consecutive losing seasons. This would mark the final game the Los Angeles Rams would play at home with the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum as their permanent venue. The Rams would subsequently play more games between 2016 and 2019 with their relocation back to Los Angeles, playing their first home playoff game at the venue since 1978 in 2017.

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Standings

NFC West
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Los Angeles Rams (3)	9	7	0	.563	5–1	7–5	323	309	L1
New Orleans Saints	8	8	0	.500	4–2	8–4	370	360	W1
Atlanta Falcons	6	10	0	.375	2–4	5–7	300	388	W1
San Francisco 49ers	2	14	0	.125	1–5	2–10	308	416	L1

Playoffs

Main article: 1979–80 NFL playoffs

Round	Date	Opponent	Kickoff	TV	Result	Record	Game Site	Attendance	Recap
Wild Card	First Round Bye
Divisional	December 30	at Dallas Cowboys (1)	1:00 p.m. PST	CBS	W 21–19	1–0	Texas Stadium	64,792	Recap
NFC Championship	January 6	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2)	2:00 p.m. PST	CBS	W 9–0	2–0	Tampa Stadium	72,033	Recap
Super Bowl XIV	January 20	vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (A2)	3:00 p.m. PST	CBS	L 19–31	2–1	Rose Bowl	103,985	Recap

Notes:

^a All times are PACIFIC time.

NFC Divisional Playoffs (Sunday, December 30, 1979): at (1) Dallas Cowboys

NFC Divisional Playoffs: Los Angeles Rams at Dallas Cowboys

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Rams	0	14	0	7	21
Cowboys	2	3	7	7	19

at Texas Stadium • Irving, Texas

• Date: December 30, 1979
• Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
• Game weather: 43 degrees, relative humidity 71%, wind 12 mph
• Game attendance: 64,792
• Referee: Jerry Markbreit
• TV announcers (CBS): Vin Scully (play-by-play) and George Allen (color commentator)
• Pro-Football-Reference.com

Game information
Vegas Odds Vegas Line=LA +8.5 (Won) Rams Cowboys Game Length Time of Game:

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP LA DAL 1 — — — Cowboys −2-yard loss, Ferragamo tackled in end zone by White for a safety 0 2 2 Rams Tyler 32-yard touchdown reception from Ferragamo, Corral kick good 7 2 2 Cowboys 33-yard field goal by Septién 7 5 2 Rams Smith 43-yard touchdown reception from Ferragamo, Corral kick good 14 5 4 Cowboys Springs 1-yard touchdown run, Septién kick good 14 12 4 Cowboys Saldy 2-yard touchdown reception from Staubach, Septién kick good 14 19 4 Rams Waddy 50-yard touchdown reception from Ferragamo, Corral kick good 21 19 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 21 19

Quarterback Vince Ferragamo led the Rams to a victory by throwing for 3 touchdown passes, the last one with 2:06 left in the game. The Cowboys scored first when defensive tackle Randy White sacked Ferragamo in the end zone for a safety. However, Ferragamo responded by throwing a 32-yard touchdown pass to running back Wendell Tyler. Dallas kicker Rafael Septién kicked a 33-yard field goal with 52 seconds left in the first half, but Ferragamo completed a 43-yard touchdown pass to Ron Smith before time expired to make it a 14–5 halftime lead. The Cowboys, led by quarterback Roger Staubach in what proved to be his last NFL game of his Hall of Fame career, then scored 2 unanswered touchdowns in the second half to take the lead, 19–14. With about 2 minutes left in the game and the Rams at midfield, Ferragamo found wide receiver Billy Waddy on a short crossing route and Waddy sprinted the rest of the way for a game winning 50-yard touchdown. Staubach was unable to engineer a late fourth quarter comeback like the ones that made him famous throughout his career. The Rams defense pressured the Dallas quarterback to throw a pass illegally to an ineligible receiver, guard Herbert Scott, on third down, the last pass of his career to be caught; on fourth down, he overthrew Drew Pearson.

Conference Championship

1 2 3 4 Total • Rams 0 6 0 3 9 Buccaneers 0 0 0 0 0 Date: January 6 Location: Tampa Stadium Referee: Pat Haggerty

In a defensive battle in which the Rams squandered numerous scoring opportunities, Rams kicker Frank Corral kicked 3 field goals to win the game. Los Angeles was able to record 369 yards of total offense, while running backs Cullen Bryant and Wendell Tyler rushed for 106 and 86 yards, respectively. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers only had 177 total offensive yards, including 92 rushing yards and 85 passing yards. Most of Tampa Bay's passing yards came from a 42-yard halfback option pass from Jerry Eckwood to wide receiver Larry Mucker in the fourth quarter. During the game, two touchdowns were nullified by penalties, one by each team: A four-yard run by Bryant and a 27-yard reception by Buccaneers' tight end Jimmie Giles.

Super Bowl

Main article: Super Bowl XIV

1 2 3 4 Total Rams 7 6 6 0 19 • Steelers 3 7 7 14 31 Date: January 20 Location: Rose Bowl Game attendance: 103,985 Referee: Fred Silva TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall, and Tom Brookshier

Though listed as a 10.5-point underdog, the NFC champion Rams were the designated visitors against the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers. After giving up an early field goal, Los Angeles took its first lead when Wendell Tyler's 39-yard run to the Pittsburgh 14 led to a 1-yard touchdown run by fullback Cullen Bryant for a 7-3 advantage. The Steelers responded with a Franco Harris touchdown run from a yard out. Two field goals by kicker Frank Corral put the Rams on top 13-10 at halftime. Pittsburgh went back on top early in the third quarter with wide receiver Lynn Swann catching a 47-yard TD pass from quarterback Terry Bradshaw. But the Rams responded quickly, driving down to the Pittsburgh 24. Taking a pitchout, running back Lawrence McCutcheon pulled up and threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver Ron Smith for a 19-17 lead, but Corral missed his PAT attempt. L.A.'s defense kept the Rams in the game, holding the Steelers to just 84 rushing yards while the secondary picked off Bradshaw three times. But the Steelers QB rallied back and his 73-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver John Stallworth gave Pittsburgh the lead for good early in the fourth quarter. The Rams' last chance for victory came late in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Vince Ferragamo, who threw for 212 yards in the game, led L.A. to the Pittsburgh 32 but linebacker Jack Lambert intercepted Ferragamo's pass intended for Smith. The Steelers then finished the scoring as Harris scored his second 1-yard TD of the game for the game's final margin. The Rams were the first team to play in the Super Bowl in their home market.

References

1. "Rams open in 'new' home". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. August 11, 1980. p. 20.
2. Football Outsiders: Super Bowl XLVI Preview
3. "Carroll Rosenbloom drowns in Florida". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. April 3, 1979. p. 21.
4. "Rosenbloom remembered fondly by friends and foes". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). wire reports. April 3, 1979. p. 2B.
5. "1979 Los Angeles Rams Draftees". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
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