1975 Los Angeles Rams

The 1975 Los Angeles Rams season was marked by a mixture of success and frustration. While the team maintained a strong defensive reputation, their offensive struggles continued, preventing them from reaching the heights they were capable of. 

Here’s an overview of their 1975 campaign:

1975 Los Angeles Rams Overview:

• Regular Season Record: 8–6
• Head Coach: Chuck Knox
• Key Players:
  • Roman Gabriel (Quarterback): Gabriel remained the team’s leader but, like the previous year, his play was impacted by injuries. He was also in the latter part of his career.
  • Jack Youngblood (Defensive End): Youngblood was still one of the best defensive players in the league and continued to be the anchor of the Rams’ defense.
  • Fred Dryer (Defensive End): Another key defensive player, Dryer continued to make significant contributions to the Rams’ defensive dominance.
  • Isaiah Robertson (Linebacker): Robertson was a key part of the Rams’ linebacker corps and a major contributor to their stout defense.

Key Achievements:

• Strong Defense: The Rams’ defense was still one of the best in the NFL, allowing the fewest points in the NFC for the third consecutive year. The defensive line, led by Jack Youngblood and Fred Dryer, remained one of the most feared units in the league.
• Playoff Appearance: The Rams made it to the NFC Wild Card Game, finishing the season with an 8–6 record. While this was a step back from previous years in terms of win-loss record, they still managed to secure a playoff spot.

Playoffs:

• The Rams faced the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Wild Card Game but were defeated 35–20.
• The game was a tough matchup for the Rams, as the Cowboys were a well-rounded team with a high-powered offense. Despite a strong defensive effort, the Rams’ inability to consistently score on offense again became a significant factor in their postseason loss.

Offensive Struggles:

• The Rams’ offense continued to underperform, largely due to inconsistent quarterback play and a lack of dynamic weapons. Roman Gabriel, while still a capable quarterback, struggled with injuries and was unable to lead the team with the same effectiveness as in his prime years.
• The Rams’ running game, although solid at times, didn’t offer the explosive threat needed to complement their defense. This lack of offensive firepower hurt their ability to compete with high-scoring teams in the postseason.

Notable Moments:

• The 1975 season marked the decline of Roman Gabriel’s tenure with the Rams, as his injury woes and age started to affect his performance. This was a turning point for the team as they began to look toward the future at quarterback.
• Chuck Knox continued to maintain the Rams as one of the top defensive teams in the NFL, but his inability to fix the offense led to frustration for both the coaching staff and fans.

Summary:

The 1975 Rams were still a very strong defensive team, but their 8–6 record highlighted their continued struggles on offense. Despite another dominant defensive performance, the Rams’ inability to generate consistent offense prevented them from advancing far in the playoffs. They were eliminated in the Wild Card round by the Cowboys, and the team’s offensive issues continued to be a significant concern as they moved into the following seasons. The 1975 campaign marked the final year of Roman Gabriel as the team’s starting quarterback, and the Rams began to look ahead to rebuilding their offense for future success.

Head Coach: Chuck Knox

• 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
RB			Jim Bertelsen	13			4	02/26/1950	‘ “		Texas
DT			Larry Brooks	8			4	06/10/1950	‘ “		Virginia State
RB			Cullen Bryant	14			3	05/20/1951	‘ “		Colorado
RB			John Cappelletti	13			2	06/09/1952	‘ “		Penn State
P			Duane Carrell	14			2	10/03/1949	‘ “		Florida State
DB			Al Clark	4			5	02/29/1948	‘ “		Eastern Michigan
T/G			Charley Cowan	13			15	06/19/1938	‘ “		New Mexico Highlands
DE/DT/LB			Al Cowlings	5			6	06/16/1947	‘ “		Southern California
C/G			Bob DeMarco	14			15	09/16/1938	‘ “		Dayton
K			Tom Dempsey	14			7	01/12/1941	‘ “		Palomar College (JC – CA)
DE			Fred Dryer	14			7	07/06/1946	‘ “		San Diego State
DB			Dave Elmendorf	14			5	06/20/1949	‘ “		Texas A&M
DT/DE			Mike Fanning	8			R	02/02/1953	‘ “		Notre Dame
T			Doug France	14			R	04/26/1953	‘ “		Ohio State
LB			Ken Geddes	14			5	09/27/1946	‘ “		Nebraska
G/C			Dennis Harrah	14			R	03/09/1953	‘ “		Miami (FL)
QB			James Harris	13			6	07/20/1947	‘ “		Grambling State
WR			Harold Jackson	14			8	01/06/1946	‘ “		Jackson State
DB			Monte Jackson	14			R	07/14/1953	‘ “		San Diego State
QB			Ron Jaworski	14			2	03/23/1951	‘ “		Youngstown State
WR			Ron Jessie	14			5	02/04/1948	‘ “		Kansas
DE/DT			Cody Jones	14			2	05/03/1951	‘ “		San Jose State
LB			Rick Kay	14			2	11/10/1949	‘ “		Colorado
TE			Bob Klein	11			7	07/27/1947	‘ “		Southern California
G		*	Tom Mack	14			10	11/01/1943	‘ “		Michigan
RB			Lawrence McCutcheon	13			4	06/02/1950	‘ “		Colorado State
WR			Willie McGee	14			3	05/14/1950	‘ “		Alcorn State
DB			Eddie McMillan	14			3	11/25/1951	‘ “		Florida State
DT			Bill Nelson	8			5	03/09/1948	‘ “		Oregon State
TE			Terry Nelson	14			3	05/20/1951	‘ “		Arkansas – Pine Bluff
DT		*	Merlin Olsen	14			14	09/15/1940	‘ “		Utah State
DB			Rod Perry	9			R	09/11/1953	‘ “		Colorado
LB			Jim Peterson	14			2	01/20/1950	‘ “		San Diego State
RB			Rod Phillips	14			1	12/23/1952	‘ “		Jackson State
DB			Steve Preece	14			7	02/15/1947	‘ “		Oregon State
LB			Jack Reynolds	14			6	11/22/1947	‘ “		Tennessee
LB			Isiah Robertson	14			5	08/17/1949	‘ “		Southern
C/G/T/LB			Rich Saul	14			6	02/05/1948	‘ “		Michigan State
G			Joe Scibelli	14			15	04/19/1939	‘ “		American International
RB			Rob Scribner	14			3	04/09/1951	‘ “		UCLA
DB			Bill Simpson	14			2	12/05/1951	‘ “		Michigan State
WR			Jack Snow	10			11	01/25/1943	‘ “		Notre Dame
T/G/DE			John Williams	14			8	10/27/1945	‘ “		Minnesota
DE		*	Jack Youngblood	14			5	01/26/1950	‘ “		Florida
LB			Jim Youngblood	14			3	02/23/1950	‘ “		Tennessee Tech