1967 Los Angeles Rams

The 1967 Los Angeles Rams had a solid season, but they ultimately fell short of the playoffs, finishing with a 7–6–1 record. It was a year of ups and downs, with the team’s performance reflecting both promise and struggles.

Here’s a look at their 1967 season:

Team Overview:

• The 1967 Rams were still coached by Harland Svare, who had been with the team since 1960.
• The Rams played their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
• The team continued to be led by their strong defense, with the “Fearsome Foursome” (Deacon Jones, Merlin Olsen, Rosie Grier, and Lamar Lundy) still one of the best defensive lines in the NFL.
• However, the Rams’ offense continued to struggle with consistency, particularly at the quarterback position, which was a recurring issue for the team in this era.

Performance:

• Record: The Rams finished with a 7–6–1 record, placing them 3rd in the NFL Western Conference, behind the Green Bay Packers (who would go on to win the NFL Championship) and the Baltimore Colts.
• Despite the competitive record, the Rams were again unable to make the playoffs, as only the division winner (the Green Bay Packers) advanced from the Western Conference.
• The Rams were competitive throughout the season but faced a recurring problem with inconsistent offensive play, especially at the quarterback position.

Key Players:

• Roman Gabriel: Gabriel continued to develop as the Rams’ quarterback. Although he was still young and inconsistent, he showed flashes of the talent that would later make him the face of the Rams in the years to come.
• Norm Van Brocklin: The 40-year-old veteran quarterback played a limited role in 1967. Van Brocklin had been a key player for the Rams in the previous years but was now nearing the end of his career.
• Deacon Jones: Jones continued to be a dominant force on defense, earning his third Pro Bowl selection in 1967. He finished the season with 15 sacks and was one of the league’s best pass rushers.
• Merlin Olsen: Olsen was a key part of the Fearsome Foursome, earning his third consecutive Pro Bowl selection. He continued to solidify his reputation as one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL.
• Rosie Grier: Grier was still a key piece of the Rams’ defensive line and helped the Rams control the line of scrimmage.
• Lamar Lundy: Lundy, the fourth member of the Fearsome Foursome, contributed greatly to the Rams’ pass rush and run defense.
• Tom Fears and Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch: While both players were past their primes, they provided leadership and experience, contributing as mentors to younger players like Roman Gabriel.

Notable Events:

• Quarterback instability: The Rams continued to struggle at quarterback. Roman Gabriel showed potential but was still inconsistent, and Norm Van Brocklin was used sparingly. The team lacked a consistent and reliable quarterback to lead the offense, which was one of the key reasons they couldn’t break through into the playoffs.
• Defensive dominance: The Fearsome Foursome remained the backbone of the Rams’ success. With Deacon Jones leading the charge, the Rams’ defense was one of the most feared in the league. They were excellent at putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks, ranking among the NFL’s best in sacks.
• Close games and missed opportunities: The Rams had several close games during the season, including a few that they lost in the final moments. Their inability to win those close matchups, especially against top teams like the Green Bay Packers, kept them out of the playoffs.
• Playoff hopes dashed: Despite finishing with a competitive 7–6–1 record, the Rams were unable to overcome the Green Bay Packers, who had a much stronger season and ultimately went on to win the 1967 NFL Championship.

Legacy:

• The 1967 season was another chapter in the Rams’ ongoing struggles to find consistency on offense while boasting one of the league’s best defenses.
• The Fearsome Foursome continued to grow in prominence, and the Rams’ defense would go on to be one of the NFL’s best throughout the late 1960s.
• The Rams were once again a competitive team, but their inability to secure a consistent quarterback and finish close games kept them out of the playoffs.
• Roman Gabriel showed promise as the future of the franchise, and the Rams were beginning to build toward the next chapter, where Gabriel would lead the team to success in the 1970s.
• 1967 also marked the end of the Norm Van Brocklin era in Los Angeles, as he retired after the season, leaving Gabriel to take over as the team’s full-time quarterback.

While the 1967 Los Angeles Rams did not make the playoffs, their 7–6–1 record showed that they were still competitive. The strong defense, led by the Fearsome Foursome, remained one of the league’s most formidable units. However, their offensive struggles, particularly at quarterback, once again kept them from reaching the postseason. The team was on the verge of a new era with Roman Gabriel at the helm, setting the stage for future success in the coming years.

Head Coach: *George Allen

• To be listed, a player must have played at least one game for the team during this season.
• * Hall of Fame
• + Primary starter

Pos	#		Player	GP	GS	Start Pos	Exp	DOB	Ht	Wt	College
FB/HB			Dick Bass	14			8	03/15/1937	‘ “		University of Pacific
LB			Maxie Baughan	14			8	08/03/1938	‘ “		Georgia Tech
LB			Gene Breen	7			4	06/21/1941	‘ “		Virginia Tech
DT			Roger Brown	14			8	05/01/1937	‘ “		Maryland – Eastern Shore
C/G/T			George Burman	14			2	12/01/1942	‘ “		Northwestern
DT/DE			Dave Cahill	14			2	07/26/1942	‘ “		Northern Arizona
T			Joe Carollo	14			6	03/25/1940	‘ “		Notre Dame
WR			Bernie Casey	14			7	06/08/1939	‘ “		Bowling Green
G			Don Chuy	14			5	07/20/1941	‘ “		Clemson
T/G			Charley Cowan	14			7	06/19/1938	‘ “		New Mexico Highlands
DB/WR			Claude Crabb	14			6	03/08/1940	‘ “		Colorado
DB			Irv Cross	14			7	07/27/1939	‘ “		Northwestern
DB			Willie Daniel	14			7	11/10/1937	‘ “		Mississippi State
RB			Willie Ellison	14			R	11/01/1945	‘ “		Texas Southern
QB			Roman Gabriel	14			6	08/05/1940	‘ “		North Carolina State
K			Bruce Gossett	14			4	11/09/1941	‘ “		Richmond
LB			Tony Guillory	14			2	11/10/1942	‘ “		Lamar
C			Ken Iman	14			7	02/08/1939	‘ “		Southeast Missouri State
DE		*	Deacon Jones	14			7	12/09/1938	‘ “		Mississippi Valley State
RB			Les Josephson	14			4	07/29/1942	‘ “		Augustana (SD)
P			Jon Kilgore	14			3	12/03/1943	‘ “		Auburn
DB			Chuck Lamson	14			5	03/14/1939	‘ “		Wyoming
DE/E			Lamar Lundy	14			11	04/17/1935	‘ “		Purdue
G		*	Tom Mack	14			2	11/01/1943	‘ “		Michigan
RB			Tommy Mason	13			7	07/08/1939	‘ “		Tulane
DB			Ed Meador	14			9	08/10/1937	‘ “		Arkansas Tech
QB			Bill Munson	5			4	08/11/1941	‘ “		Utah State
T			Bob Nichols	14			3	07/18/1943	‘ “		Stanford
DT		*	Merlin Olsen	14			6	09/15/1940	‘ “		Utah State
LB			Jack Pardee	14			10	04/19/1936	‘ “		Texas A&M
TE			Dave Pivec	14			2	09/25/1943	‘ “		Notre Dame
WR			Bucky Pope	13			3	03/23/1941	‘ “		Catawba
LB			Myron Pottios	11			6	01/18/1939	‘ “		Notre Dame
DE			Gregg Schumacher	11			1	06/30/1942	‘ “		Illinois
G			Joe Scibelli	14			7	04/19/1939	‘ “		American International
WR			Jack Snow	14			3	01/25/1943	‘ “		Notre Dame
FB			Jim Stiger	5			5	01/07/1941	‘ “		Washington
DT/DE			Diron Talbert	2			1	07/01/1944	‘ “		Texas
TE			Billy Truax	14			4	07/15/1943	‘ “		Louisiana State
WR			Wendell Tucker	7			1	09/04/1943	‘ “		South Carolina State
DB			Clancy Williams	14			3	09/24/1942	‘ “		Washington State
DB			Kelton Winston	9			1	10/22/1940	‘ “		Wiley
LB			Doug Woodlief	13			3	09/04/1943	‘ “		Memphis