1977 Los Angeles Rams season

NFL team season October 2020 March 2026 Los Angeles Rams 1977 10–4 1st NFC West Chuck Knox Carroll Rosenbloom Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Lost Divisional Playoffs(vs. Vikings) 7–14 200px Rams seasons right|thumb|The Rams playing against the Vikings in the 1977 NFC Divisional Playoffs The 1977 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 40th year with the National Football League and the 32nd season in Los Angeles. Hobbled by chronic knee woes, quarterback Joe Namath was waived by the New York Jets after the 1976 season, after they were unable to trade him. Namath signed with the Rams in May 1977. Hope of a Rams revival sprung when Los Angeles won two of their first three games, but Namath was hampered by low mobility. After a poor performance in a Monday Night loss to the Bears, Namath never saw NFL game action again.http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0808/icons.at.end.of.the.road/content.2.html Joe Namath - Los Angeles Rams - Icons at the End of the Road - Photos - SI.com August 8, 2008 February 3, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20090203231730/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0808/icons.at.end.of.the.road/content.2.html dead After a home playoff loss to the Minnesota Vikings 14–7 on a saturated field in game which has been termed the "Mud Bowl", Rams head coach Chuck Knox was fired due to ownership's frustration that Knox had not been able to reach the Super Bowl.The Super '70s, Tom Danyluk, Mad Uke Publishing, 2005, page 95. The person being interviewed, "LM," is former Rams running back (1972-'79) Lawrence McCutcheon. Offseason NFL draft 1977 NFL draft 1977 Los Angeles Rams 1 23 Bob Brudzinski Linebacker Ohio State yes no 2 31 Nolan Cromwell Safety Kansas from Buffalo through Seattle via Dallas yes yes 2 50 Billy Waddy Wide receiver Colorado yes no 3 68 Ed Fulton Guard Maryland from San Diego yes no 3 79 Wendell Tyler Running back UCLA yes yes 4 91 Vince Ferragamo Quarterback Nebraska from New Orleans yes no 4 107 Earl Jones Defensive end Memphis State no no 5 130 Donnie Hickman Guard USC from Washington no no 5 134 Jeff Williams Guard Rhode Island yes no 6 156 Art Best Running back Kent State no no 8 218 Rod Bockwoldt Safety Weber State no no 10 274 Don Peterson Tight end Boston College no no 11 302 Carson Long Kicker Pittsburgh no no 12 321 Barry Caudill Center Southern Miss no no no Undrafted free agents + 1977 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeNate AlexanderDefensive endUC RiversideOscar EdwardsSafetyUCLAAverell HarrisWide receiverShippensburg StateRon JamersonRunning backUSCGlen WalkerPunterUSCWalter WingardRunning Back/Kick ReturnerDayton Roster 1977 Los Angeles Rams 15 Vince Ferragamo y 11 Pat Haden 12 Joe Namath 32 Cullen Bryant 22 John Cappelletti 44 Sonny Collins 43 Jim Jodat 30 Lawrence McCutcheon 39 Rod Phillips American football 26 Wendell Tyler y 29 Harold Jackson American football 88 Freeman Johns 87 Dwight Scales 80 Billy Waddy y 83 Terry Nelson American football 86 Charle Young 77 Doug France T 73 Winston Hill T 63 Greg Horton G 65 Tom Mack G 51 Rick Nuzum C 61 Rich Saul C 78 Jackie Slater T 75 John Williams offensive lineman, born 1945 T 90 Larry Brooks American football DT 70 Al Cowlings DE 89 Fred Dryer DE 79 Mike Fanning American football DT 76 Cody Jones DT 85 Jack Youngblood DE 59 Bob Brudzinski y OLB 55 Carl Ekern MLB 54 Bob Pifferini OLB 64 Jack Reynolds MLB 58 Isiah Robertson OLB 53 Jim Youngblood OLB 21 Nolan Cromwell y FS 42 Dave Elmendorf SS 28 Monte Jackson CB 49 Rod Perry American football CB 48 Bill Simpson American football FS 27 Pat Thomas defensive back CB 20 Jackie Wallace SS  1 Rafael Septién y K 19 Glen Walker y P 68 Ed Fulton American football y G IR 60 Dennis Harrah G IR 66 Donnie Hickman y G IR 81 Ron Jessie WR IR 50 Kevin McLain LB IR 82 Willie Miller American football WR IR 33 Rob Scribner no RB IR 62 Jeff Williams offensive lineman y G IR Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 18 at Atlanta Falcons L 6–17 0–1 Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium Recap 2 September 25 Philadelphia Eagles W 20–0 1–1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap 3 October 2 San Francisco 49ers W 34–14 2–1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap 4 October 10, 1977 at Chicago Bears L 23–24 2–2 Soldier Field Recap 5 October 16 New Orleans Saints W 14–7 3–2 Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumRecap 6 October 24, 1977 Minnesota Vikings W 35–3 4–2 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap 7 October 30 at New Orleans Saints L 26–27 4–3 Louisiana Superdome Recap 8 November 6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 31–0 5–3 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap 9 November 13 at Green Bay Packers W 24–6 6–3 Milwaukee County StadiumRecap 10 November 20 at San Francisco 49ers W 23–10 7–3 Candlestick Park Recap 11 November 27 at Cleveland Browns W 9–0 8–3 Cleveland Stadium Recap 12 December 4 Oakland Raiders W 20–14 9–3 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap 13 December 11 Atlanta Falcons W 23–7 10–3 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap 14 December 17, 1977 at Washington Redskins L 14–17 10–4 Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Game summaries Week 1 Namath threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Harold Jackson early, but then it was all Falcons as their defense totally shut down the running game. Scott Hunter, starting in place of injured Steve Bartkowski, directed a ball-control attack and ran for a touchdown. Week 2 TV Network: CBS Announcers: Don Criqui, Emerson Boozer Attendance: 46,031 Namath passed for two touchdowns in this game, 14 yards to Lawrence McCutcheon and 2 yards to Terry Nelson. Rafael Septién provided the other scoring with 2 extra points and 2 field goals (20 and 23). It also turned out to be the final two touchdowns Namath would ever throw in his Hall of Fame career. Week 3 McCutcheon and John Cappelletti both ran for two touchdowns in this blowout. Jim Plunkett was completely ineffective against the Rams defense. 49ers 7 0 7 0 Rams 3 14 0 17 October 2 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California 1:00 p.m. 66 F • Wind 8 mph on Vin Scully, Sonny Jurgensen CBS yes 1 LA Rafael Septién 33 yard field goal Rams 3–0 1 SF Delvin Williams 17 yard pass from Jim Plunkett (Tom Wittum kick) 49ers 7–3 2 LA Lawrence McCutcheon 6 yard run (Rafael Septién kick) Rams 10–7 2 LA John Cappelletti 1 yard run (Rafael Septién kick) Rams 17–7 3 SF Delvin Williams 3 yard run (Tom Wittum kick) Rams 17–14 4 LA Rafael Septién 24 yard field goal Rams 20–14 4 LA John Cappelletti 1 yard run (Rafael Septién kick) Rams 27–14 4 LA Lawrence McCutcheon 1 yard run (Rafael Septién kick) Rams 34–14 yes Pro-Football-Reference.com Week 4 Namath's final NFL start and game. He was 16 for 40 and once again victimized by no running game. Rams did get off to a 13–0 lead, but Bears QB Bob Avellini completed two long touchdown passes to James Scott and Walter Payton ran for 126 yards to bring the Bears back. Week 5 TV Network: CBS Announcers: Tim Ryan, Sonny Jurgensen Attendance: 46,045 Pat Haden took back over as the starting quarterback and led a ball-control attack with McCutcheon gaining 152 yards and rookie Wendell Tyler scoring his first career NFL touchdown on a 16-yard run. Week 6 In a Monday Night blowout, Haden passed for two touchdowns and ran for another. The Rams' defense sacked Fran Tarkenton four times and intercepted him twice, both by rookie Pat Thomas. Week 7 In a wild game at the New Orleans Superdome, the Saints won on a 31-yard field goal by Rich Szaro with 16 seconds left. TV Network: CBS Announcers: Vin Scully and Alex Hawkins Week 8 TV Network: CBS Announcers: Bob Costas and Sonny Jurgensen Haden continued to roll with two more touchdown passes and Jim Youngblood scored on a 25-yard interception return and handed the Buccaneers their 22nd straight loss. Week 9 McCutcheon and Tyler each scored running touchdowns and Haden passed for another. Week 10 Rookie wide receiver Billy Waddy scored his first NFL touchdown on a pass from Haden and McCutcheon scored on a 42-yard run. Week 11 Rams won slug-it-out game in the mud despite Haden throwing 3 INT's. Cappelletti scored on a 7-yard run and Rafael Septién added a field goal. Week 12 Against the defending Super Bowl champions, the Rams survived a late scoring drive and a touchdown pass by Ken Stabler by answering with a 43-yard Haden-to-Harold Jackson touchdown bomb with around two minutes left. The win clinched the Rams' fifth straight division title. Raiders 0 7 0 7 Rams 7 0 3 10 December 4 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles 4:00 p.m. 67,075 Sunny; 57 F; wind 6 mph on Red Cashion Curt Gowdy NBC yes Q1 LA Cappelletti 1 yard run (Septien kick) LA 7–0 Q2 OAK Banaszak 1 yard run (Mann kick) Tie 7–7 Q3 LA Septién 21 yard field goal LA 10–7 Q4 LA Septién 44 yard field goal LA 13–7 Q4 OAK Casper 21 yard pass from Stabler (Mann kick) OAK 14–13 Q4 LA Jackson 43 yard pass from Haden (Septién kick) LA 20–14 yes Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Jun-16. Week 13 TV Network: CBS Rams avenged their season-opening loss to the Falcons as Haden ran for a touchdown and passed for another to Cappelletti. Week 14 In the cold and rain at RFK Stadium, Redskins quarterback Billy Kilmer threw for two early touchdowns. Rookie backup quarterback Vince Ferragamo nearly led the Rams back in the second half with two touchdowns of his own, but Septién missed a potential game-tying FG with no time left. It turned out to be George Allen's final regular-season game as an NFL coach. Playoffs Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Venue Recap Divisional December 26, 1977 Minnesota Vikings (3) L 14–7 0–1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap Standings thumb|right|A football signed by the 1977 Los Angeles Rams, including Tom Mack, Joe Namath, Pat Haden, and Vince Ferragamo. References 30em External links 1977 Los Angeles Rams at jt-sw.com 1977 Los Angeles Rams at Pro-Football-Reference.com Los Angeles Rams Category:Los Angeles Rams seasons Category:NFC West championship seasons Los Angeles Rams