1972 Los Angeles Rams season

NFL team 35th season August 2023 March 2026 Los Angeles Rams 1972 6–7–1 3rd NFC West Tommy Prothro Carroll Rosenbloom Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Did not qualify Rams seasons The 1972 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 35th year with the National Football League and the 27th season in Los Angeles. The Rams looked to improve on their 8–5–1 record from 1971 and make the playoffs for the first time since 1969. After a win against the New Orleans Saints at home, the Rams tied the Chicago Bears, 13–13, their third straight season with a tie. This was followed by an embarrassing loss to the Atlanta Falcons, 31–3. However, the Rams would then pick up their winning ways, beating the San Francisco 49ers 31–7 at home, the Philadelphia Eagles 34–3 in Philly, and the Cincinnati Bengals 15–12 at home. However, following this three-game winning streak, the Rams struggled, losing several close games, including an embarrassing 19-16 setback against the woeful Saints (the same team they drubbed 34-14 in week one), as they lost five of their last six to end the season 6–7–1. This was the last time the Rams missed the playoffs until 1981, as they turned into a dominant team for the rest of the 70s, winning the NFC West seven consecutive times from 1973–1979 and playing in 5 NFC Championships, and appearing in Super Bowl XIV at the end of the decade. They also finished in second place in 1980. After two seasons as head coach of the Rams, Tommy Prothro was dismissed in late January 1973 and succeeded by Chuck Knox, previously the offensive line coach of the Detroit Lions. Ironically, the Lions defeated the Rams at the Coliseum in the regular season finale.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lnlQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dBEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2176%2C1845511 Milwaukee Sentinel wire services Rams axe Prothro, hire Lions aide January 25, 1973 1, part 2https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=R2wzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ITIHAAAAIBAJ&pg=5646%2C3510108 Lodi News-Sentinel California UPI Prothro is fired, Knox Rams coach January 25, 1973 12 Offseason On July 13, 1972, Robert Irsay and Willard Keland bought the Los Angeles Rams from the estate of Dan Reeves and transferred ownership to Carroll Rosenbloom, in exchange for ownership of the Baltimore Colts.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bHhQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=uxEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6023%2C4498088 Milwaukee Sentinel Associated Press Colts owner trades club for Rams July 14, 1972 1, part 2 June 2023 InternetArchiveBot yes https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-1JYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=g_cDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4192%2C221364 The Bulletin Bend, Oregon UPI Colts' owner now sole owner of Rams July 14, 1972 12 NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, 0-7611-2480-2, p.283 NFL draft 1972 NFL draft = Made roster = Pro Bowler Players are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro-Bowl at any time in their career. 1972 Los Angeles Rams Draft Round Selection Player Position College 2 30 Jim Bertelsen RB Texas 3 70 Lawrence McCutcheon RB Colorado State 4 87 John Saunders RB Toledo 4 95 Eddie Phillips DB Texas 5 125 Bob Christiansen DT UCLA 6 151 Eddie Herbert DT Texas 8 199 Tom Graham WR Baldwin-Wallace 9 225 Harry Howard DB Ohio State 10 251 Jim Massey DB Linfield University (OR) 11 280 Albert Schmidt RB Pittsburg State 12 303 Dave Hoot DB Texas A&M 13 329 Jaime Nunez K Weber State 14 355 Larry Brooks LB Virginia State 15 381 Kenny Page LB Kansas 16 407 Jim Kirby WR Long Beach State 17 433 Luther Palmer TE Virginia Union 17 436 John McKean C Oregon Personnel Staff / Coaches 1972 Los Angeles Rams staff Front Office Owner – Carroll Rosenbloom President / General Manager – Don Klosterman Coaching Staff Head coach / Offensive Coordinator - Tommy Prothro Offensive Coaches Quarterbacks Coach - Dick Vermeil Offensive Backfield Coach - Earnel Durden Offensive Line - Bobb McKittrick Defensive Coaches Linebackers - Tom Catlin Defensive Backs Coach - Larrye Weaver Special Teams Coaches: None - N/A Strength and Conditioning: None - N/A Other Assistant Coaches: Garrett Giemont - Training Assistant College / Pro Scott - Jack Faulkner Roster 1972 Los Angeles Rams 12 Pete Beathard 18 Roman Gabriel 45 Jim Bertelsen y 33 Willie Ellison 34 Les Josephson 38 Larry Smith running back 35 Bob Thomas running back  5 Dick Gordon American football 13 Lance Rentzel 84 Jack Snow American football 29 Joe Sweet 88 Pat Curran American football 80 Bob Klein 50 Ken Iman C 68 Mike LaHood G 65 Tom Mack G 61 Rich Saul C 76 Harry Schuh T 71 Joe Scibelli G 75 John Williams offensive lineman, born 1945 T 79 Coy Bacon DE 90 Larry Brooks American football DE y 89 Fred Dryer DE 74 Merlin Olsen DT 72 Phil Olsen American football DT 85 Jack Youngblood DE 36 Ken Geddes OLB 56 Dean Halverson OLB 86 Marlin McKeever MLB 52 John Pergine OLB 53 Jim Purnell OLB 64 Jack Reynolds MLB 58 Isiah Robertson OLB 44 Al Clark American football CB 42 Dave Elmendorf SS 21 Gene Howard CB 19 Jim Nettles American football FS 46 Roger Williams American football CB/S 10 David Chapple P 27 David Ray American football K 73 Charley Cowan T IR 24 Clancy Williams CB IR 25 Travis Williams running back RB IR 60 Hank Allison G 11 James Harris QB 28 Ike Hill WR 49 John Love American football WR 31 Lawrence McCutcheon y RB 67 Bill Nelson American football DT 62 Willie Parker offensive lineman G/C Regular season 1972 NFL season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 September 17 New Orleans Saints W 34–14 1–0 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 66,303 2 September 24 at Chicago Bears T 13–13 1–0–1 Soldier Field 55,701 3 October 1 at Atlanta Falcons L 3–31 1–1–1 Atlanta Stadium 57,122 4 October 8 San Francisco 49ers W 31–7 2–1–1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 77,382 5 October 15 at Philadelphia Eagles W 34–3 3–1–1 Veterans Stadium 65,720 6 October 22 Cincinnati Bengals W 15–12 4–1–1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 73,385 7 October 29 at Oakland Raiders L 17-45 4–2–1 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum 54,660 8 November 5 Atlanta Falcons W 20–7 5–2–1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 75,018 9 November 12 Denver Broncos L 10–16 5–3–1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 65,398 10 November 19 Minnesota Vikings L 41–45 5–4–1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 77,982 11 November 26 at New Orleans Saints L 16–19 5–5–1 Tulane Stadium 64,325 12 December 4 at San Francisco 49ers W 26–16 6–5–1 Candlestick Park 61,214 13 December 10 at St. Louis Cardinals L 14–24 6–6–1 Busch Memorial Stadium 36,873 14 December 17 Detroit Lions L 17–34 6–7–1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 71,761 Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Standings References 30em External links 1972 Los Angeles Rams at jt-sw.com 1972 Los Angeles Rams at Pro-Football-Reference.com Los Angeles Rams Category:Los Angeles Rams seasons Los Angeles Rams Category:Long stubs with short prose