1974 Los Angeles Rams season

1974 Los Angeles Rams season
Owner	Carroll Rosenbloom
Head coach	Chuck Knox
Home field	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Results
Record	10–4
Division place	1st NFC West
Playoff finish	Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Redskins) 19–10 Lost NFC Championship (at Vikings) 10–14

The 1974 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 37th year with the National Football League and the 29th season in Los Angeles. The Rams looked to improve on their 12–2 season from 1973. While not improving on their record, they successfully defended their NFC West division title with a 10–4 record, the second-best in the NFC.

In the playoffs, Los Angeles hosted the Washington Redskins in a rematch of week 13's game, which Washington won 23–17 on Monday night, in the Rams' only home loss of the season.^[1] In the postseason game, L.A. forced six turnovers to win 19–10 and advance to their first NFC Championship Game,^[2] but committed five turnovers and lost 14–10 on the road to the Minnesota Vikings.^[3]

During week 5 of the regular season, the Rams were upset 17–6 in Milwaukee by the Green Bay Packers; veteran quarterback John Hadl was benched in the second half after throwing three interceptions, replaced by James Harris.^[4] The next game, a 37–14 home win over rival San Francisco, was the first NFL start for Harris,^[5] and Hadl was traded two days later to Green Bay for five future draft picks.^[6]

The win over Washington in the playoffs was the Rams' first postseason victory in 23 years, when they won the NFL title. (Los Angeles won the third-place Playoff Bowl twice (after the 1967 and 1969 seasons); these consolation games are now considered exhibition contests.)

Offseason

NFL Draft

Main article: 1974 NFL Draft

1974 Los Angeles Rams Draft

Round	Selection	Player	Position	College
1	11	John Cappelletti	RB	Penn State
2	50	Bill Simpson	S	Michigan State
3	76	Al Oliver	OT	UCLA
4	99	Norris Weese	QB	Mississippi

Roster

1974 Los Angeles Rams roster

Quarterbacks (QB) 12 James Harris 16 Ron Jaworski 11 Don Milan Running backs (RB) 35 Tony Baker 45 Jim Bertelsen 32 Cullen Bryant 22 John Cappelletti 34 Les Josephson 30 Lawrence McCutcheon 33 Rob Scribner Wide receivers (WR) 29 Harold Jackson 84 Jack Snow 19 Lance Rentzel Tight ends (TE) 88 Pat Curran 80 Bob Klein 83 Terry Nelson

Offensive linemen (OL) 73 Charlie Cowan T 50 Ken Iman C 65 Tom Mack G 61 Rich Saul C 71 Joe Scibelli G 75 John Williams T Defensive linemen (DL) 89 Fred Dryer DE 76 Cody Jones DT 67 Bill Nelson DT 74 Merlin Olsen DT 85 Jack Youngblood DE

Linebackers (LB) 36 Ken Geddes 57 Jim Peterson 64 Jack Reynolds 58 Isiah Robertson 59 Jim Youngblood Defensive backs (DB) 44 Al Clark CB 42 Dave Elmendorf SS 41 Eddie McMillan CB 21 Tony Plummer 20 Steve Preece S 47 Charlie Stukes CB Special teams 11 Mike Burke P 27 David Ray K

Reserve —- Rich Baska LB (IR) 52 Rick Kay LB (IR) Rookies in italics

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance	Recap
1	September 15	at Denver Broncos	W 17–10	1–0	Mile High Stadium	51,121	Recap
2	September 22	New Orleans Saints	W 24–0	2–0	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	64,178	Recap
3	September 29	at New England Patriots	L 14–20	2–1	Schaefer Stadium	61,279	Recap
4	October 6	Detroit Lions	W 16–13	3–1	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	64,987	Recap
5	October 13	at Green Bay Packers	L 6–17	3–2	Milwaukee County Stadium	47,499	Recap
6	October 20	San Francisco 49ers	W 37–14	4–2	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	67,319	Recap
7	October 27	at New York Jets	W 20–13	5–2	Shea Stadium	56,110	Recap
8	November 4	at San Francisco 49ers	W 15–13	6–2	Candlestick Park	57,502	Recap
9	November 10	Atlanta Falcons	W 21–0	7–2	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	70,056	Recap
10	November 17	at New Orleans Saints	L 7–20	7–3	Tulane Stadium	57,287	Recap
11	November 24	Minnesota Vikings	W 20–17	8–3	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	90,266	Recap
12	December 1	at Atlanta Falcons	W 30–7	9–3	Atlanta Stadium	18,648	Recap
13	December 9	Washington Redskins	L 17–23	9–4	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	87,313	Recap
14	December 15	Buffalo Bills	W 19–14	10–4	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	84,324	Recap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Playoffs

Round	Date	Opponent	Result	Venue	Attendance	Recap
Divisional	December 22	Washington Redskins	W 19–10	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	80,118	Recap
NFC Championship	December 29	at Minnesota Vikings	L 10–14	Metropolitan Stadium	47,404	Recap

Standings

NFC West
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Los Angeles Rams	10	4	0	.714	5–1	7–3	263	181	W1
San Francisco 49ers	6	8	0	.429	4–2	6–5	226	236	W2
New Orleans Saints	5	9	0	.357	3–3	5–6	166	263	L1
Atlanta Falcons	3	11	0	.214	0–6	3–8	111	271	W1

Awards and records

• Merlin Olsen, Bert Bell Award^[7]

References

1. "Billy's arm sends 'Skins to playoffs". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 10, 1974. p. 3C.
2. "Rams do it Allen's way – with defense". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 23, 1974. p. 3B.
3. "Ram errors make Viks NFL kings". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 30, 1974. p. 3B.
4. "Startling Pack batters Rams". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). Associated Press. October 14, 1974. p. 18.
5. "Hadl helps call plays Rams' Harris rips 49ers". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. October 21, 1974. p. 5D.
6. "Hadl dealt as NFL clubs switch QBs". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. October 23, 1974. p. 1D.
7. "Maxwell Football Club - Bert Bell Award Past Recipients". Archived from the original on June 19, 2009. Retrieved June 28, 2010.