1971 Los Angeles Rams

The 1971 Los Angeles Rams were an American football team that played in the National Football League (NFL). During that season, the Rams had a solid year but fell short of reaching the ultimate goal.

Here’s a look at their 1971 season:

Team Overview:

• Head Coach: Harland Svare
• Record: 8-6 (2nd in NFC West)
• Stadium: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

Key Players:

• Roman Gabriel (QB): Gabriel had a strong season as the starting quarterback, throwing for 2,514 yards and 22 touchdowns. He was one of the most important players for the Rams’ offense during this period.
• Jack Youngblood (DE): A future Hall of Famer, Youngblood had a breakout year in 1971, becoming a key part of the Rams’ defensive line.
• Leroy Kelly (RB): While he was primarily a backup, Kelly contributed significantly to the Rams’ ground game when he was called upon.

Offense:

• The offense in 1971 was not one of the most explosive in the league, but it was efficient. Roman Gabriel had a good season, but the Rams’ offense was more known for controlling the clock and managing games through a solid running game and defense.

Defense:

• The Rams’ defense was one of the best in the league. The “Fearsome Foursome,” the team’s legendary defensive line (comprising Merlin Olsen, Deacon Jones, and others), was still a dominant force in the NFL. This group helped the Rams rank highly in both rush defense and pass defense.

Season Summary:

• The Rams finished 8-6, which was good but not enough to secure a playoff spot, as they finished second in the NFC West behind the San Francisco 49ers (9-5).
• Although the team had a solid record and strong performances from key players, they missed out on the postseason due to a few losses that were costly.

Playoffs:

• The Rams did not make the playoffs in 1971, which was a disappointment given their talented roster and strong defense. However, their defense continued to be a hallmark of the team, and they remained competitive in a tough NFC West division.

While the 1971 season was not a championship year for the Rams, it laid the foundation for future success. The team had a blend of veteran leadership and rising stars that would help them contend in the years that followed.

Head Coach: Tommy Prothro

• 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
DB			Kermit Alexander	14			9	01/04/1941	‘ “		UCLA
DE/DT			Coy Bacon	14			4	08/30/1942	‘ “		Jackson State
T			Rich Buzin	5			4	01/25/1946	‘ “		Penn State
T			Joe Carollo	11			10	03/25/1940	‘ “		Notre Dame
T/G			Charley Cowan	14			11	06/19/1938	‘ “		New Mexico Highlands
TE/RB			Pat Curran	14			3	09/21/1945	‘ “		Lakeland
RB			Willie Ellison	14			5	11/01/1945	‘ “		Texas Southern
DB			Dave Elmendorf	14			R	06/20/1949	‘ “		Texas A&M
QB			Roman Gabriel	14			10	08/05/1940	‘ “		North Carolina State
LB			Ken Geddes	14			1	09/27/1946	‘ “		Nebraska
LB			Dean Halverson	12			3	08/24/1946	‘ “		Washington
DB			Alvin Haymond	10			8	08/31/1942	‘ “		Southern
DB			Gene Howard	14			4	12/22/1946	‘ “		Langston
C			Ken Iman	14			11	02/08/1939	‘ “		Southeast Missouri State
DE		*	Deacon Jones	11			11	12/09/1938	‘ “		Mississippi Valley State
RB			Les Josephson	14			7	07/29/1942	‘ “		Augustana (SD)
TE			Bob Klein	14			3	07/27/1947	‘ “		Southern California
G			Mike LaHood	9			3	12/11/1944	‘ “		Wyoming
G		*	Tom Mack	14			6	11/01/1943	‘ “		Michigan
WR			Matt Maslowski	14			1	09/10/1949	‘ “		California – San Diego
LB/TE			Marlin McKeever	14			11	01/01/1940	‘ “		Southern California
DT			Bill Nelson	6			1	03/09/1948	‘ “		Oregon State
DB			Jim Nettles	14			7	02/15/1942	‘ “		Wisconsin
DT		*	Merlin Olsen	14			10	09/15/1940	‘ “		Utah State
DT/C			Phil Olsen	10			1	04/26/1948	‘ “		Utah State
LB			Don Parish	1			2	01/04/1948	‘ “		Stanford
LB			John Pergine	12			3	09/13/1946	‘ “		Notre Dame
LB			Jim Purnell	14			8	12/12/1941	‘ “		Wisconsin
K/WR			David Ray	14			3	09/19/1944	‘ “		Alabama
WR/HB			Lance Rentzel	14			7	10/14/1943	‘ “		Oklahoma
LB			Jack Reynolds	4			2	11/22/1947	‘ “		Tennessee
QB			Jerry Rhome	14			7	03/06/1942	‘ “		Tulsa
LB			Isiah Robertson	14			1	08/17/1949	‘ “		Southern
C/G/T/LB			Rich Saul	14			2	02/05/1948	‘ “		Michigan State
T			Harry Schuh	14			7	09/25/1942	‘ “		Memphis
G			Joe Scibelli	14			11	04/19/1939	‘ “		American International
RB			Larry Smith	14			3	09/02/1947	‘ “		Florida
WR			Jack Snow	14			7	01/25/1943	‘ “		Notre Dame
WR/P			Pat Studstill	14			10	06/04/1938	‘ “		Houston
RB			Bob Thomas	6			1	08/23/1948	‘ “		Arizona State
RB			Lee White	7			4	05/09/1946	‘ “		Weber State
DB			Clancy Williams	6			7	09/24/1942	‘ “		Washington State
DB/WR			Roger Williams	4			1	07/01/1945	‘ “		Grambling State
RB			Travis Williams	14			5	01/14/1946	‘ “		Arizona State
DT			Greg Wojcik	10			1	01/27/1946	‘ “		Southern California
DE		*	Jack Youngblood	14			R	01/26/1950	‘ “		Florida