1973 Los Angeles Rams

1973 Los Angeles Rams season
Head Coach	Chuck Knox
Home Field	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Results
Record	12-2
Place	1st NFC West
Playoff Finish	Lost Divisional
Uniform
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Timeline
Previous Season	Next Season
1972	1974

The 1973 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 36th year with the National Football League and the 28th season in Los Angeles. The Rams were 7-0 at home for the first time since 1945. On the road, the Rams were 5-2.

The Rams donned new uniforms, which remained in use until 1994, their final season in Los Angeles, and though they moved to St. Louis in 1995, the uniform tradition continued until 1999, where they won Super Bowl XXXIV, and wore them for Super Bowl LIII. Among these changes, the Rams converted from white helmet horns to yellow helmet horns. The uniforms would return for their home games in 2018 and 2019. The Rams finished the season with a 12–2 record and won the NFC West and appeared in the playoffs for the first time in the post-merger era. However, in their first post-merger playoff game, they lost to the Dallas Cowboys 27–16. This was the first of seven straight division titles for the Rams spanning from 1973 to 1979.

Offseason

NFL Draft

• Main article: 1973 NFL Draft

	= Made roster
	= Pro Bowler		= Hall of Famer

1973 Los Angeles Rams NFL Draft Selections
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	11	Pick Traded to the New England Patriots			Rams #1 Pick sent to New England Patriots as part of trade for DE Fred Dryer
2	31	Cullen Bryant	RB	Colorado	Chargers #2 Pick acquired for Deacon Jones, Greg Wojic and Lee White
2	37	Ron Jaworski	QB	Youngstown State
2	42	Jim Youngblood	LB	Tennessee Tech	Chiefs #2 Pick acquired for Willie Ellison
3	60	Tim Stokes	T	Oregon	#3 pick from Chargers in D. Jones deal.
4	95	Eddie McMillan	CB	Florida State	#4 Pick acquired from Chiefs for Pete Beathard
5	115	Cody Jones	DE	San Jose State	Released in 1973 preseason; would make roster in 1974 season
5	129	Steve Jones	RB	Duke
6	133	Jim Peterson	LB	San Diego State
6	141	Jason Caldwell	WR	North Carolina Central
7	161	Steve Brown	LB	Oregon State
7	167	Bill DuLac	G	Eastern Michigan
9	219	Jim Nicholson	T	Michigan State
11	271	Jeff Inmon	RB	North Carolina Central
11	285	Willie Jackson	WR	Florida
12	297	Robert Storck	DT	Wisconsin
13	323	Rod Milburn	WR	Southern
13	335	Clint Spearman	LB	Michigan
14	349	Walter Rhone	DB	Central Missouri
15	375	Jerry Bond	DB	Weber State
16	393	Kurt Matter	DE	Washington
16	401	Fuller Cherry	DB	Arkansas–Monticello
17	427	Fred Henry	RB	New Mexico

Personnel

Staff / Coaches

1973 Los Angeles Rams staff
Front Office Owner – Carroll Rosenbloom President / General Manager – Don Klosterman Coaching Staff Head coach - Chuck Knox Offensive Coaches: Offensive Coordinator - Ken Meyer Offensive Backs - Dick Vermeil Offensive Line - Ray Prochaska Receivers Coach - Leeman Bennett		Defensive Coaches: Defensive Coordinator - Ray Malavasi Linebackers - Tom Catlin Special Teams Coaches: Special Teams - Dick Vermeil Strength and Conditioning: None - N/A Other Assistant Coaches: Training Assistant - Garrett Giemont Advance Scott - Jack Faulkner

Roster

1973 Los Angeles Rams roster
	Quarterbacks 21 John Hadl 11 James Harris Running backs 35 Tony Baker 45 Jim Bertelsen 34 Les Josephson 30 Lawrence McCutcheon 33 Rob Scribner 38 Larry Smith Wide receivers 29 Harold Jackson 86 Rod Sherman 84 Jack Snow Tight ends 88 Pat Curran 80 Bob Klein		Offensive linemen 73 Charley Cowan T 50 Ken Iman C 65 Tom Mack G 61 Rich Saul C/G 79 Harry Schuh T 71 Joe Scibelli G 75 John Williams T Defensive linemen 90 Larry Brooks DT 89 Fred Dryer DE 67 Bill Nelson DT 74 Merlin Olsen DT 72 Phil Olsen DT 85 Jack Youngblood DE		Linebackers 36 Ken Geddes OLB 52 Rick Kay OLB 64 Jack Reynolds MLB 58 Isiah Robertson OLB 66 Bob Stein OLB 59 Jim Youngblood MLB Defensive backs Special teams 10 David Chapple P 27 David Ray K		Reserve lists 32 Cullen Bryant RB (IR) 24 Jason Caldwell WR (IR) 46 Leon Garror CB (IR) 87 Jim Peterson LB (IR) 13 Lance Rentzel WR (Susp.) 70 Tim Stokes T (IR) Practice/Taxi Squad 60 Hank Allison G 16 Ron Jaworski QB 76 Cody Jones DE/DT -- Don Maynard WR 83 Terry Nelson TE 77 Jim Nicholson T 82 Joe Sweet WR Rookies in italics

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Attendance
1	September 16	at Kansas City	W 23-13	1-0	62,315
2	September 23	Atlanta	W 31-0	2-0	61,197
3	September 30	at San Francisco	W 40-20	3-0	57,487
4	October 7	at Houston	W 31-26	4-0	34,875
5	October 14	Dallas	W 37-31	5-0	81,428
6	October 21	Green Bay	W 24-7	6-0	80,558
7	October 28	at Minnesota	L 10-9	6-1	47,787
8	November 4	at Atlanta	L 15-13	6-2	55,837
9	November 11	New Orleans	W 29-7	7-2	70,358
10	November 18	San Francisco	W 31-13	8-2	78,358
11	November 25	at New Orleans	W 24-13	9-2	67,192
12	December 2	at Chicago	W 26-0	10-2	47,620
13	December 10	NY Giants	W 40-6	11-2	73,328
14	December 16	Cleveland	W 30-17	12-2	73,948

Game Summaries

Week 3: at San Francisco 49ers

Week 3: Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers;– Game summary 1 2 3 4 Total Rams 10 17 0 13 40 49ers 7 3 3 7 20 at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California Date: September 30 Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST Game weather: 57 °F (14 °C) TV: CBS Pro Football Reference Game information First quarter LA – David Ray 16 yard field goal, Rams 3-0. SF – Vic Washington 13 yard rush, (Bruce Gossett kick), 49ers 7-3. LA – Cullen Bryant 93 yard kickoff return, (David Ray kick), Rams 10-7 Second quarter SF - Bruce Gossett 35 yard field goal, Tied 10-10. LA – Lawrence McCutcheon 11 yard rush, (David Ray kick), Rams 17-10. LA – Harold Jackson 39 yard pass from John Hadl, (David Ray kick), Rams 24-10. LA – David Ray 19 yard field goal, Rams 27-10. Third quarter SF – Bruce Gossett 24 yard field goal, Rams 27-13. Fourth quarter LA – David Ray 27 yard field goal, Rams 30-13. LA – David Ray 25 yard field goal, Rams 33-13. LA – Tony Baker 1 yard rush, (David Ray kick), Rams 40-13. SF – Ted Kwalick 20 yard pass from Steve Spurrier, (Bruce Gossett kick), Rams 40-20. Top passers LA – John Hadl – 8/11, 118 yards, TD SF – John Brodie – 11/25, 137 yards, 3 INTs Top rushers LA – Lawrence McCutcheon - 15 rushes, 77 yards, TD SF – Larry Schreiber – 8 rushes, 48 yards Top receivers LA – Harold Jackson - 2 receptions, 45 yards, TD SF – Gene Washington - 2 receptions, 52 yards

Week 6: vs. Packers

	1	2	3	4	Total
Packers	0	0	7	0	7
Rams	0	10	3	11	24

Newly acquired quarterback John Hadl, the NFC Player of the Year in 1973, and a stingy Los Angeles defense led the 6-0 Rams to a 10-0 lead in the first half on the way to a 24-7 victory over the 2-2-2 Green Bay Packers. After a scoreless first quarter, the Rams took the lead on kicker David Ray's 44-yard field goal. The next score came on a 46-yard touchdown pass from Hadl to former Eagles wide receiver Harold Jackson. Green Bay cut the deficit to 10-7 on wide receiver Barry Smith's 23-yard touchdown catch from MacArthur Lane on a halfback option pass.

Los Angeles gained momentum in the third quarter on a 40-yard field goal by David Ray. A 1-yard touchdown run by running back Larry Smith in the fourth quarter put the Rams ahead 20-7. Later in the game, the Packers found themselves deep in their own territory. Moments later, Dryer came storming in from the right side of the defense and chased down Green Bay quarterback Scott Hunter, dropping him in the end zone for a safety. On the Packer's following possession near their own goal line, Dryer attacked again. He looped through the middle of the Packer's offensive line and dragged backup quarterback Jim Del Gaizo down for his second safety of the game, setting a new NFL record.

For his efforts, Dryer was named the Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Week.

Week 10: vs. San Francisco 49ers

Week 10: San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams;– Game summary 1 2 3 4 Total 49ers 3 3 0 7 13 Rams 0 17 7 7 31 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California Date: November 18 Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT Game weather: 60 °F (16 °C) TV: CBS Pro Football Reference Game information First quarter SF – Bruce Gossett 9 yard field goal, 49ers 3-0. Second quarter LA – Harold Jackson 25 yard pass from John Hadl (David Ray kick), Rams 7-3. SF – Bruce Gossett 17 yard field goal, Rams 7-6. LA – David Ray 37 yard field goal, Rams 10-6. LA – Harold Jackson 25 yard pass from John Hadl (David Ray kick), Rams 17-6. Third quarter LA – Jim Bertelsen 5 yard rush (David Ray kick), Rams 24-6. Fourth quarter LA – Harold Jackson 57 yard pass from John Hadl (David Ray kick), Rams 31-6. SF – Vic Washington 1 yard rush (Bruce Gossett kick), Rams 31-13. Top passers SF – Joe Reed – 10/29, 128 yards, 2 INTs LA – John Hadl – 12/22, 216 yards, 3 TDs Top rushers SF – Jimmy Thomas - 9 rushes, 32 yards LA – Lawrence McCutcheon – 20 rushes, 79 yards Top receivers SF – Gene Washington - 2 receptions, 53 yards LA – Harold Jackson - 4 receptions, 117 yards, 3 TDs

Playoffs

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Attendance
Divisional	December 23	at Dallas	L 27-16	64,291

Standings

NFC West
	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	STK
Los Angeles Rams	12	2	0	.857	388	178	W-6
Atlanta Falcons	9	5	0	.643	318	224	W-1
New Orleans Saints	5	9	0	.357	163	312	L-1
San Francisco 49ers	5	9	0	.357	262	319	L-2

External links

• 1973 Los Angeles Rams season article at Wikipedia
• 1973 Los Angeles Rams at jt-sw.com
• 1973 Los Angeles Rams at Pro-Football-Reference.com