1984 Los Angeles Rams

The 1984 Los Angeles Rams had one of their most memorable seasons, but unfortunately, it ended in heartbreak. Despite a strong regular season and one of the most dominant running backs in NFL history, the Rams ultimately fell short of their goal.

Here’s a detailed overview of their 1984 season:

Record:

• Regular Season Record: 10–6
• The Rams finished 2nd in the NFC West, behind the San Francisco 49ers (who had a dominant season at 15-1).

Playoffs:

• NFC Divisional Playoff: The Rams made it to the NFC Divisional Round of the playoffs but were eliminated by the Washington Redskins, losing 51–7 in a shocking blowout. This was a crushing defeat for the Rams, as they had high hopes for the postseason.

Head Coach:

• Ray Malavasi continued as the head coach of the Rams in 1984. Under his leadership, the Rams were a consistently competitive team, and he remained at the helm as they continued to evolve and focus on their explosive running game.

Key Players:

• Eric Dickerson (RB):

  • Eric Dickerson had an incredible season in 1984. He became the NFL’s leading rusher that year with a then-record 2,105 rushing yards, which set the single-season rushing record at the time. He also scored 14 touchdowns.
  • His performance was arguably the best of his career and is often regarded as one of the most dominant single seasons by any running back in NFL history.
  • Dickerson’s impact on the Rams was immense, and the team’s offensive strategy was centered around getting him the ball as often as possible.

• Vince Ferragamo (QB):

  • Ferragamo remained the Rams’ starting quarterback, but he was a game manager at best, with much of the offensive load resting on Dickerson’s shoulders.
  • While he wasn’t a standout performer, Ferragamo played well enough to avoid mistakes and allow the Rams to succeed on offense. He threw for 2,787 yards, with 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

• Jack Youngblood (DE):

  • One of the key leaders on defense, Jack Youngblood continued to be a disruptive force. He played through injuries and remained one of the NFL’s most respected defensive ends.

• LeRoy Irvin (CB):

  • Irvin was a key part of the Rams’ secondary and provided solid coverage throughout the season.

• Tom Mack (OG):

  • Mack, a key member of the Rams’ offensive line, helped create holes for Dickerson and protected Ferragamo in the pocket.

Offensive Overview:

• The Rams’ offense in 1984 was built around Eric Dickerson and the running game, and for good reason: Dickerson was having one of the best seasons by a running back in NFL history.
• Vince Ferragamo was tasked with being a game manager, and the Rams’ offense thrived on a ball-control system, relying on long, sustained drives powered by Dickerson.
• The Rams averaged 25.3 points per game, which was solid but would still be overshadowed by the high-scoring teams in the league, such as the San Francisco 49ers.

Defensive Overview:

• The Rams’ defense was strong but had some weaknesses. The front seven was formidable, with players like Jack Youngblood and Kevin Greene, but they had issues with defending against the pass.
• Overall, the Rams ranked 11th in total defense, which wasn’t bad but left some room for improvement. They struggled at times with both run defense and coverage, which came back to haunt them, particularly in the playoff loss to the Redskins.

Season Overview:

• 1984 was an exciting season for the Rams because of Eric Dickerson’s historical performance. He carried the team on his back and provided a running game that could dominate opponents. However, the Rams’ overall performance, especially in the passing game and defense, wasn’t as strong as it could have been.
• The Rams went into the playoffs with high expectations, particularly with Dickerson playing at an all-time level, but they were stunned in the Divisional Playoff by the Washington Redskins, suffering a humiliating 51–7 defeat. The Rams’ defense was shredded, and the offensive struggles in that game sealed their fate.

Post-1984:

• Despite the crushing playoff loss, the 1984 season helped to solidify Eric Dickerson’s legacy as one of the greatest running backs in NFL history. His performance in that year was historic, and he would go on to continue his dominance in the years that followed.
• The Rams, however, would need to improve on both offense and defense if they were to contend for a Super Bowl in the coming seasons. They would remain competitive but struggled to break through and win a championship.

In conclusion, the 1984 Los Angeles Rams were a team with immense individual talent, particularly with Eric Dickerson leading the way. However, their playoff collapse in the Divisional Round was a major disappointment. While Dickerson’s legendary season was one of the bright spots of the year, the Rams ultimately fell short of their goals.

Head Coach: John Robinson

• 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
LB			George Andrews	11			6	11/28/1955	‘ “		Nebraska
G/T			Bill Bain	16			9	08/09/1952	‘ “		Southern California
TE/WR			Mike Barber	11			9	06/04/1953	‘ “		Louisiana State
G/T			Russ Bolinger	16			8	09/10/1954	‘ “		Long Beach State
LB			Ed Brady	16			R	06/17/1962	‘ “		Illinois
WR/DB			Ron Brown	16			1	03/31/1961	‘ “		Arizona State
LB			Jim Collins	16			4	06/11/1958	‘ “		Syracuse
DB			Nolan Cromwell	11			8	01/30/1955	‘ “		Kansas
DB			David Croudip	16			1	01/25/1958	‘ “		San Diego State
RB			Dwayne Crutchfield	15			3	09/30/1959	‘ “		Iowa State
DT			Charles DeJurnett	16			8	06/17/1952	‘ “		San Jose State
RB			Eric Dickerson	16			2	09/02/1960	‘ “		Southern Methodist
QB			Steve Dils	7			6	12/08/1955	‘ “		Stanford
DE/DT			Reggie Doss	16			7	12/07/1956	‘ “		Hampton (VA)
LB			Carl Ekern	16			8	05/27/1954	‘ “		San Jose State
WR			Henry Ellard	16			2	07/21/1961	‘ “		Fresno State
WR			George Farmer	14			3	12/05/1958	‘ “		Southern
TE			Chris Faulkner	8			1	04/13/1960	‘ “		Florida
QB			Vince Ferragamo	3			7	04/24/1954	‘ “		Nebraska
WR			Otis Grant	14			2	08/13/1961	‘ “		Michigan State
DB			Gary Green	16			8	10/22/1955	‘ “		Baylor
RB			Mike Guman	16			5	04/21/1958	‘ “		Penn State
G/C			Dennis Harrah	16			10	03/09/1953	‘ “		Miami (FL)
DB			Eric Harris	7			5	08/11/1955	‘ “		Memphis
TE			David Hill	16			9	01/01/1954	‘ “		Texas A&M – Kingsville
WR			Drew Hill	16			5	10/05/1956	‘ “		Georgia Tech
G/T			Kent Hill	16			6	03/07/1957	‘ “		Georgia Tech
DB			LeRoy Irvin	16			5	09/15/1957	‘ “		Kansas
LB			Mark Jerue	16			2	01/15/1960	‘ “		Washington
DE/DT			Gary Jeter	5			8	01/24/1955	‘ “		Southern California
DB			Johnnie Johnson	9			5	10/08/1956	‘ “		Texas
RB			A. J. Jones	13			3	05/30/1959	‘ “		Texas
TE/LB			John Kamana	3			1	12/03/1961	‘ “		Southern California
QB			Jeff Kemp	14			3	07/11/1959	‘ “		Dartmouth
K			Mike Lansford	16			3	07/20/1958	‘ “		Washington
LB			Jim Laughlin	3			5	07/05/1958	‘ “		Ohio State
TE			James McDonald	16			2	03/29/1961	‘ “		Southern California
LB			Mike McDonald	16			1	06/22/1958	‘ “		Southern California
NT/DE			Greg Meisner	16			4	04/23/1959	‘ “		Pittsburgh
NT/DE/DT			Shawn Miller	8			1	03/14/1961	‘ “		Utah State
P			John Misko	16			3	10/01/1954	‘ “		Oregon State
S			Vince Newsome	16			2	01/22/1961	‘ “		Washington
LB			Mel Owens	16			4	12/07/1958	‘ “		Michigan
T			Irv Pankey	16			4	02/15/1958	‘ “		Penn State
WR			Mike Pleasant	5			1	08/16/1955	‘ “		Oklahoma
RB			Barry Redden	14			3	07/21/1960	‘ “		Richmond
DE/DT			Doug Reed	9			1	07/16/1960	‘ “		San Diego State
DE			Booker Reese	9			3	09/20/1959	‘ “		Bethune-Cookman
G/C			Joe Shearin	15			2	04/16/1960	‘ “		Texas
T		*	Jackie Slater	7			9	05/27/1954	‘ “		Jackson State
C/G/T			Doug Smith	16			7	11/25/1956	‘ “		Bowling Green State
DB			Ivory Sully	16			6	06/20/1957	‘ “		Delaware
LB			Norwood Vann	16			R	02/18/1962	‘ “		East Carolina
LB			Mike Wilcher	15			2	03/20/1960	‘ “		North Carolina
DE		*	Jack Youngblood	15			14	01/26/1950	‘ “		Florida
LB			Jim Youngblood	5			12	02/23/1950	‘ “		Tennessee Tech