1966 Los Angeles Rams

The 1966 Los Angeles Rams had another solid, yet somewhat disappointing season. They finished with a 8–6 record, which was competitive, but once again, the team was unable to make the playoffs.

Here’s an overview of their 1966 season:

Team Overview:

• The 1966 Rams were coached by Harland Svare, who had been with the team since 1960.
• The team played its home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
• The Rams’ strength remained their defense, especially the “Fearsome Foursome” defensive line, which was starting to gain more national recognition.
• The Rams finished in 3rd place in the NFL Western Conference, behind the Green Bay Packers (who would go on to win the NFL Championship) and the Baltimore Colts.

Performance:

• The Rams finished the regular season with an 8–6 record, showing that they were competitive but still not quite good enough to make the playoffs in the competitive NFL Western Conference.
• Their offense continued to struggle with consistency, especially at the quarterback position, and they had trouble scoring points, which ultimately hurt their chances at making the postseason.
• The defense, however, was once again elite. The “Fearsome Foursome” (Deacon Jones, Merlin Olsen, Rosie Grier, and Lamar Lundy) was one of the most dominant defensive lines in the league, and the Rams were among the best in the NFL in stopping the run and putting pressure on the quarterback.

Key Players:

• Roman Gabriel: The 24-year-old quarterback started to take on a more prominent role in the offense. Although he wasn’t yet the established star he would later become, Gabriel showed promise and was a sign of the Rams’ future.
• Norm Van Brocklin: The 39-year-old veteran quarterback played in a limited role in 1966, mostly as a backup. He had been a key player for the Rams in previous seasons but was now winding down his career.
• Deacon Jones: Jones continued to dominate as one of the NFL’s best pass rushers. He was named to his second Pro Bowl in 1966, further solidifying his reputation as one of the league’s top defensive players.
• Merlin Olsen: Olsen continued his rise as one of the top defensive tackles in the NFL and was a key part of the Fearsome Foursome.
• Rosie Grier: Grier remained an essential component of the Rams’ defense, contributing as a run stopper and pass rusher along the defensive line.
• Lamar Lundy: Lundy, as the fourth member of the Fearsome Foursome, continued to make life difficult for opposing quarterbacks.
• Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch and Tom Fears: Both were still part of the team in 1966, but by this point in their careers, they were more leadership figures and were no longer the dominant playmakers they once were.

Notable Events:

• Quarterback instability: While Roman Gabriel showed promise as the future of the Rams, the team still lacked consistency at quarterback. Norm Van Brocklin, the veteran, was winding down his career, and Gabriel was still learning the ropes. This inconsistency in the passing game continued to hurt the Rams’ offensive output.
• Dominant defense: The “Fearsome Foursome” was arguably the best defensive line in the NFL. The Rams’ defense ranked highly in many statistical categories, including sacks, where Deacon Jones was particularly dangerous.
• Missed playoff opportunity: The Rams finished 3rd in the NFL Western Conference, behind the Green Bay Packers and the Baltimore Colts. With the playoff format at the time (where only one team from each conference advanced to the postseason), the Rams missed out on the playoffs despite their strong defensive play.

Legacy:

• The 1966 Rams were a team in transition. The “Fearsome Foursome” was becoming a force to be reckoned with, but the offense still struggled, which prevented them from becoming true championship contenders.
• The Rams’ 8–6 record was respectable, but they couldn’t match the dominance of the Green Bay Packers, who went on to win the 1966 NFL Championship and were led by one of the league’s greatest quarterbacks, Bart Starr.
• The 1966 season laid the foundation for the Rams’ future. With Roman Gabriel emerging as the future quarterback and their defense continuing to evolve, the Rams were poised to be a competitive team in the coming years.
• The Rams’ defense, led by the Fearsome Foursome, would continue to be a major strength for the team throughout the late 1960s.

While the 1966 Los Angeles Rams didn’t make the playoffs, their defensive dominance was a major highlight, and they continued to build for the future, especially with Roman Gabriel developing as the team’s quarterback. The season was another step in the Rams’ evolution into a top-tier defensive team, even though they struggled with offensive consistency.