1990 Los Angeles Rams

The 1990 Los Angeles Rams had a season that was largely a disappointment after the success they enjoyed in 1989. Despite having a solid roster and a few key returning players, the Rams were unable to replicate the previous year’s success and ultimately struggled through an inconsistent season.

Here’s an in-depth look at the 1990 Los Angeles Rams:

Record:

• Regular Season Record: 5–11
• The Rams finished 4th in the NFC West. Their 5–11 record marked a significant decline from the 11–5 record of 1989, and they fell out of playoff contention.

Playoffs:

• The Rams did not make the playoffs in 1990, finishing well below .500 and missing the postseason after making it to the Divisional Round the previous year.

Head Coach:

• John Robinson continued as head coach in 1990. Robinson, who had seen success earlier in his tenure with the Rams, faced increasing pressure as the team underperformed. His ability to lead the team through this downturn would become a key point of discussion after the season.

Key Players:

• Jim Everett (QB):

  • Jim Everett‘s development took a step back in 1990 after a solid 1989 campaign. He threw for 3,071 yards, with 18 touchdowns but also 16 interceptions. Everett struggled with consistency and decision-making, and his play was a significant factor in the team’s inability to compete.

• Eric Dickerson (RB):

  • Eric Dickerson was still the Rams’ primary offensive weapon in 1990, though his performance was impacted by injuries. He finished the season with 1,212 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns, but he was far from the dominant back he had been earlier in his career.
  • Dickerson’s struggles to stay healthy and the overall lack of offensive balance hurt the Rams’ offense significantly.

• Henry Ellard (WR):

  • Henry Ellard remained a consistent and reliable receiver, finishing the season with 1,080 yards and 6 touchdowns. He was one of the few bright spots in the Rams’ offense, but the team struggled to get him involved consistently due to the issues at quarterback.

• Kevin Greene (OLB):

  • Kevin Greene was one of the Rams’ defensive standouts. He finished the season with 12 sacks, continuing his strong pass-rushing performance. His ability to create pressure on the quarterback was a significant positive for the defense, but the overall unit still struggled.

• Jack Youngblood (DE):

  • Jack Youngblood, now at the tail end of his career, played a reduced role in 1990. Despite his age, he was still a respected leader on the field, though his effectiveness had diminished compared to his peak years.

Offensive Overview:

• The Rams’ offense in 1990 was lackluster. With Jim Everett unable to build on his success from 1989 and Eric Dickerson dealing with injuries, the Rams’ offensive attack became very one-dimensional.

  • Everett had another inconsistent season, throwing more interceptions than touchdowns, and he struggled with accuracy and decision-making.
  • Eric Dickerson, while still productive, wasn’t the game-changing force he had once been. He had trouble staying healthy and was often unable to carry the offense by himself.
  • The Rams’ offensive line also struggled, and this lack of protection led to Everett facing constant pressure, limiting the effectiveness of both the running game and passing game.
  • Henry Ellard provided some spark in the passing game, but there wasn’t enough consistency in the offense to allow the Rams to put up points regularly.

Defensive Overview:

• The Rams’ defense in 1990 wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t dominant either. The team ranked 16th in total defense, and while they had a few standout performers like Kevin Greene, the defense struggled to stop teams consistently.

  • The pass rush, led by Kevin Greene, remained strong, but the Rams’ secondary had issues, allowing big plays and failing to contain the opposition’s passing attacks.
  • The defense allowed too many points in critical situations, and while they had some playmakers, they couldn’t consistently shut down opposing offenses.

Season Overview:

• The 1990 Los Angeles Rams experienced a significant decline after a promising 1989 season. Despite having returning talent like Eric Dickerson, Jim Everett, and Kevin Greene, the team couldn’t find the consistency needed to compete in the NFC West.
  • Jim Everett’s struggles at quarterback were a major issue. While he had some good moments, he was turnover-prone and unable to lead the offense consistently. This prevented the Rams from developing any offensive rhythm and ultimately contributed to their poor record.
  • Eric Dickerson, while still a solid player, could not carry the team the way he had in the past due to injuries and the team’s lack of balance on offense. The running game became predictable and was not enough to take the pressure off Everett.
  • Henry Ellard was one of the few bright spots, continuing to perform as a reliable and productive wide receiver. However, the Rams could not find a way to sustain offensive production.
  • The defense had Kevin Greene leading the way with his pass rush, but the unit was inconsistent. While they could pressure the quarterback, they struggled with coverage and stopping the run, which led to too many points being scored against them.
  • As a result, the Rams finished 5–11, missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season and continuing a trend of mediocrity after their promising 1989 season.

Post-1990:

• After the disappointing 1990 season, questions began to surround John Robinson’s future as head coach. The Rams’ failure to build on their 1989 success left the franchise in a state of uncertainty.

• The quarterback position remained a key area of concern. With Jim Everett showing flashes of potential but failing to be consistent, the Rams would need to address their signal-caller situation moving forward if they were to contend again.

• Eric Dickerson’s future with the team was also uncertain. Although he was still a talented back, his injury problems and declining performance led to speculation about whether the Rams would look to rebuild or stay the course with their aging star.

• The Rams’ 5–11 record signaled a need for change. The franchise would have to decide whether to continue with the existing core or start to rebuild in the coming years.

Summary:

The 1990 Los Angeles Rams were a team full of potential but unable to capitalize on it. With an offense that lacked consistency due to Jim Everett’s struggles at quarterback and Eric Dickerson’s injuries, the Rams finished with a disappointing 5–11 record. The defense, led by Kevin Greene, showed some flashes, but it wasn’t enough to make up for the shortcomings on offense. The Rams failed to make the playoffs and continued their downward trajectory after a promising 1989 season. The 1990 season marked a pivotal point for the team as they would need to make significant changes to regain their former success.

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
WR			Flipper Anderson	16			3	03/07/1965	‘ “		UCLA
TE			Richard Ashe	1			1	03/14/1967	‘ “		Humboldt State
RB			Latin Berry	16			R	01/13/1967	‘ “		Oregon
DE			George Bethune	16			2	03/30/1967	‘ “		Alabama
C			Bern Brostek	16			R	09/11/1966	‘ “		Washington
LB			Paul Butcher	16			4	11/08/1963	‘ “		Wayne State (MI)
K			John Carney	1			3	04/20/1964	‘ “		Notre Dame
TE			Pat Carter	16			3	08/01/1966	‘ “		Florida State
LB			Greg Clark	11			3	03/05/1965	‘ “		Arizona State
WR			Aaron Cox	14			3	03/13/1965	‘ “		Arizona State
RB			Robert Delpino	15			3	11/02/1965	‘ “		Missouri
RB			Marcus Dupree	7			1	05/22/1964	‘ “		Oklahoma
WR			Henry Ellard	15			8	07/21/1961	‘ “		Fresno State
P			Keith English	16			1	03/10/1966	‘ “		Colorado
QB			Jim Everett	16			5	01/03/1963	‘ “		Purdue
WR			Derrick Faison	15			1	08/24/1967	‘ “		Howard
LB			Brett Faryniarz	16			3	07/23/1965	‘ “		San Diego State
RB			Cleveland Gary	15			2	05/04/1966	‘ “		Miami (FL)
DB			Jerry Gray	12			6	12/16/1962	‘ “		Texas
RB			Gaston Green	15			3	08/01/1966	‘ “		UCLA
LB		*	Kevin Greene	15			6	07/31/1962	‘ “		Auburn
DE			Bill Hawkins	15			2	05/09/1966	‘ “		Miami (FL)
CB			Darryl Henley	9			2	10/30/1966	‘ “		UCLA
S/CB			Clifford Hicks	1			4	08/18/1964	‘ “		Oregon
TE			Pete Holohan	16			10	07/25/1959	‘ “		Notre Dame
WR/DB			Bobby Humphrey	16			7	08/23/1961	‘ “		New Mexico State
CB			Alfred Jackson	5			2	07/10/1967	‘ “		San Diego State
T			Robert Jenkins	11			4	12/30/1963	‘ “		UCLA
TE			Damone Johnson	13			5	03/02/1962	‘ “		Cal Poly – S.L.O.
LB			Larry Kelm	11			4	11/29/1964	‘ “		Texas A&M
LB			Bruce Klosterman	5			4	04/17/1963	‘ “		South Dakota State
K			Mike Lansford	16			9	07/20/1958	‘ “		Washington
WR			Tony Lomack	3			R	04/27/1968	‘ “		Florida
QB			Chuck Long	4			5	02/18/1963	‘ “		Iowa
G			Duval Love	16			6	06/24/1963	‘ “		UCLA
LB			Mike McDonald	16			6	06/22/1958	‘ “		Southern California
RB			Buford McGee	16			7	08/16/1960	‘ “		Mississippi
T			Jeff Mickel	1			1	08/04/1966	‘ “		Eastern Washington
G			Joe Milinichik	8			4	03/30/1963	‘ “		North Carolina State
G			Tom Newberry	15			5	12/20/1962	‘ “		Wisconsin – La Crosse
S			Anthony Newman	16			3	11/21/1965	‘ “		Oregon
S			Vince Newsome	16			8	01/22/1961	‘ “		Washington
T			Irv Pankey	16			10	02/15/1958	‘ “		Penn State
DT			Mike Piel	16			2	09/21/1965	‘ “		Illinois
DE/DT			Doug Reed	16			7	07/16/1960	‘ “		San Diego State
T		*	Jackie Slater	15			15	05/27/1954	‘ “		Jackson State
LB/DT			Brian Smith	16			2	04/23/1966	‘ “		Auburn
C/G/T			Doug Smith	16			13	11/25/1956	‘ “		Bowling Green State
LB			Frank Stams	14			2	07/17/1965	‘ “		Notre Dame
S			Michael Stewart	16			4	07/12/1965	‘ “		Fresno State
LB			Fred Strickland	5			3	08/15/1966	‘ “		Purdue
DB			Mickey Sutton	7			5	08/28/1960	‘ “		Montana
S			Pat Terrell	15			1	03/18/1968	‘ “		Notre Dame
RB			Curt Warner	7			8	03/18/1961	‘ “		Penn State
LB			Mike Wilcher	16			8	03/20/1960	‘ “		North Carolina
NT/DT/DE			Alvin Wright	16			5	02/05/1961	‘ “		Jacksonville State (AL)