1986 Los Angeles Rams
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1986 Los Angeles Rams

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The 1986 Los Angeles Rams had a season that reflected the challenges they faced as a team: strong individual performances but continued struggles in the postseason and overall inconsistency. The Rams’ offense remained heavily reliant on Eric Dickerson, but the team was still unable to fully balance their attack.

Here’s a detailed look at their 1986 season:

Record:

  • Regular Season Record: 10–6
  • The Rams finished 2nd in the NFC West, again behind the San Francisco 49ers, who dominated the division with a 13–2–1 record. The Rams, despite being competitive, couldn’t quite catch up to the 49ers.

Playoffs:

  • NFC Wild Card Playoff: The Rams made it to the NFC Wild Card playoffs but were once again eliminated early, this time by the New York Giants, losing 19–10 in a tightly contested game. The Rams’ offense struggled throughout the game, and despite their solid defense, they couldn’t overcome their offensive limitations.

Head Coach:

  • John Robinson was the head coach in 1986, taking over from Ray Malavasi after the Rams failed to reach their full potential in previous years. Robinson, a former Rams assistant coach, brought his experience and emphasis on team discipline and improvement.

Key Players:

  • Eric Dickerson (RB):

    • Eric Dickerson had another stellar year, finishing the season with 1,259 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. While it wasn’t as remarkable as his record-setting 1984 season, Dickerson remained the focal point of the Rams’ offense. His ability to dominate games was still critical to the team’s success.

  • Vince Ferragamo (QB):

    • Vince Ferragamo remained the starting quarterback for the Rams, but his inconsistency continued to be a significant issue. He threw for 2,437 yards, with 16 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. While Ferragamo was a serviceable quarterback, he wasn’t able to elevate the offense to the level needed for deep postseason runs.

  • Jack Youngblood (DE):

    • The Rams’ defensive leader, Jack Youngblood, was still a key part of the team in 1986. Known for his toughness and leadership, Youngblood continued to be a major force on the defensive line.

  • LeRoy Irvin (CB):

    • LeRoy Irvin, one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL, remained an important part of the Rams’ secondary. Irvin was consistently a solid playmaker for the defense, and his presence in the backfield was crucial for limiting big passing plays.

  • Kevin Greene (OLB):

    • Kevin Greene, who would later become one of the best pass rushers in NFL history, was beginning to emerge as a force for the Rams. His energy and ability to pressure the quarterback helped the defense maintain its competitive edge.

Offensive Overview:

  • The Rams’ offense in 1986 remained heavily reliant on Eric Dickerson. The offensive line created plenty of opportunities for Dickerson, but the passing game was still lacking.
  • Vince Ferragamo‘s inconsistency as a quarterback hurt the offense, as he often struggled to provide a balanced attack. The team had some talented receivers, such as Henry Ellard, but they were never able to create a truly potent passing attack.
  • The Rams were heavily dependent on the running game, which made them somewhat predictable. This predictability hurt them in games where they needed to balance the offense to keep up with high-scoring teams.

Defensive Overview:

  • The Rams’ defense was the team’s strong suit in 1986, finishing 6th in total defense. The front seven, led by Jack Youngblood, Kevin Greene, and Mike Wilcher, was formidable. The Rams were particularly strong against the run and were able to create pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
  • LeRoy Irvin was a key component of the secondary, and the Rams had a solid pass rush, which helped them limit opponents’ scoring opportunities.
  • However, the defense did struggle against more dynamic passing attacks, and in the Wild Card loss to the Giants, the Rams’ defense was not able to fully shut down the New York offense when it mattered most.

Season Overview:

  • The 1986 season continued the trend of the Rams being a competitive team, finishing with a solid 10–6 record. However, they were once again unable to get past the first round of the playoffs.
  • Eric Dickerson was still one of the best players in the league and was a key factor in the Rams’ success. However, the Rams’ offense lacked balance, and Vince Ferragamo’s inconsistent play at quarterback meant the team couldn’t truly contend with the league’s best.
  • The Rams’ defense was solid but wasn’t enough to overcome their offensive shortcomings in the postseason, particularly in the loss to the New York Giants.

Post-1986:

  • After another early playoff exit, the Rams were left searching for ways to become a more complete team. Vince Ferragamo’s struggles at quarterback meant that the team would need to address the quarterback position moving forward.
  • In the coming years, the Rams would continue to rely on Eric Dickerson and their defense, but without a more consistent passing attack, they would remain on the fringe of contention, unable to break through to Super Bowl glory.

In summary, the 1986 Los Angeles Rams were a strong, well-coached team with a dominant running back in Eric Dickerson and a solid defense. However, Vince Ferragamo’s inconsistency at quarterback and the lack of a well-rounded offense continued to hinder the team’s ability to go deep in the playoffs. Their 10–6 record and another early playoff exit left the team with a sense of frustration as they continued to search for a Super Bowl contender in the coming years.

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
QB Steve Bartkowski 6 12 11/12/1952 ‘ “ California
WR/DB Ron Brown 14 3 03/31/1961 ‘ “ Arizona State
LB Steve Busick 4 6 12/10/1958 ‘ “ Southern California
RB Rob Carpenter 6 10 04/20/1955 ‘ “ Miami (OH)
DB Nolan Cromwell 16 10 01/30/1955 ‘ “ Kansas
DT Charles DeJurnett 7 10 06/17/1952 ‘ “ San Jose State
RB Eric Dickerson 16 4 09/02/1960 ‘ “ Southern Methodist
QB Steve Dils 15 8 12/08/1955 ‘ “ Stanford
DE/DT Reggie Doss 16 9 12/07/1956 ‘ “ Hampton (VA)
WR Bobby Duckworth 7 5 11/27/1958 ‘ “ Arkansas
DB Herman Edwards 4 10 04/27/1954 ‘ “ San Diego
LB Carl Ekern 13 10 05/27/1954 ‘ “ San Jose State
WR Henry Ellard 9 4 07/21/1961 ‘ “ Fresno State
QB Jim Everett 6 R 01/03/1963 ‘ “ Purdue
DB Tim Fox 14 11 11/01/1953 ‘ “ Ohio State
DB Jerry Gray 16 2 12/16/1962 ‘ “ Texas
LB Kevin Greene 16 2 07/31/1962 ‘ “ Auburn
RB Mike Guman 12 7 04/21/1958 ‘ “ Penn State
G/C Dennis Harrah 16 12 03/09/1953 ‘ “ Miami (FL)
P Dale Hatcher 16 2 04/05/1963 ‘ “ Clemson
TE David Hill 16 11 01/01/1954 ‘ “ Texas A&M – Kingsville
G/T Kent Hill 2 8 03/07/1957 ‘ “ Georgia Tech
WR Kevin House 8 7 12/20/1957 ‘ “ Southern Illinois
TE Tony Hunter 7 4 05/22/1960 ‘ “ Notre Dame
DB LeRoy Irvin 16 7 09/15/1957 ‘ “ Kansas
LB Mark Jerue 16 4 01/15/1960 ‘ “ Washington
DE/DT Gary Jeter 15 10 01/24/1955 ‘ “ Southern California
TE Damone Johnson 5 1 03/02/1962 ‘ “ Cal Poly – S.L.O.
DB Johnnie Johnson 16 7 10/08/1956 ‘ “ Texas
K Mike Lansford 16 5 07/20/1958 ‘ “ Washington
LB Jim Laughlin 16 7 07/05/1958 ‘ “ Ohio State
TE Darren Long 4 1 07/12/1959 ‘ “ Long Beach State
G Duval Love 16 2 06/24/1963 ‘ “ UCLA
LB Mike McDonald 13 2 06/22/1958 ‘ “ Southern California
NT/DE Greg Meisner 15 6 04/23/1959 ‘ “ Pittsburgh
NT/DE/DT Shawn Miller 16 3 03/14/1961 ‘ “ Utah State
G Tom Newberry 16 R 12/20/1962 ‘ “ Wisconsin – La Crosse
S Vince Newsome 16 4 01/22/1961 ‘ “ Washington
LB Mel Owens 16 6 12/07/1958 ‘ “ Michigan
T Irv Pankey 16 6 02/15/1958 ‘ “ Penn State
WR Mark Pattison 1 1 12/13/1961 ‘ “ Washington
RB Barry Redden 15 5 07/21/1960 ‘ “ Richmond
DE/DT Doug Reed 16 3 07/16/1960 ‘ “ San Diego State
WR Chuck Scott 9 1 05/24/1963 ‘ “ Vanderbilt
T * Jackie Slater 16 11 05/27/1954 ‘ “ Jackson State
C/G Tony Slaton 14 2 04/12/1961 ‘ “ Southern California
C/G/T Doug Smith 16 9 11/25/1956 ‘ “ Bowling Green State
DB Mickey Sutton 16 1 08/28/1960 ‘ “ Montana
LB Cliff Thrift 12 8 05/03/1956 ‘ “ East Central (OK)
RB Tim Tyrrell 6 3 02/19/1961 ‘ “ Northern Illinois
LB Norwood Vann 16 3 02/18/1962 ‘ “ East Carolina
RB Charles White 16 6 01/22/1958 ‘ “ Southern California
LB Mike Wilcher 16 4 03/20/1960 ‘ “ North Carolina
NT/DT/DE Alvin Wright 4 1 02/05/1961 ‘ “ Jacksonville State (AL)
WR Mike Young 16 2 02/21/1962 ‘ “ UCLA

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