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1987 Los Angeles Rams season

NFL team season

1987 Los Angeles Rams season

NFL team season

FieldValue
teamLos Angeles Rams
year1987
record6–9
division_place3rd NFC West
coachJohn Robinson
ownerGeorgia Frontiere
stadiumAnaheim Stadium
playoffs*Did not qualify*
pro bowlersLCB Jerry Gray RG Dennis Harrah RT Jackie Slater C Doug Smith RB Charles White
shortnavlinkRams seasons
Uniforms worn by the 1987 Rams

The 1987 Los Angeles Rams season was the franchise's strike shortened 50th season in the National Football League, their 51st overall, and their 42nd in the Greater Los Angeles Area. The season saw the Rams attempting to improve on their 10–6 record from 1986 and make the playoffs for the 5th straight season. However, the Rams struggled right out the gate. In their first 2 games against the Houston Oilers and Minnesota Vikings, the Rams had 4th quarter leads and blew them. They led 13–0 in the 4th quarter at Houston and lost 20–16, while they led 16–14 at home against Minnesota and lost 21–16. The next week, a strike occurred which wiped out all week 3 games. As a result, their game at home against the Cincinnati Bengals was canceled. One week later, the Rams were thumped by the Saints 37–10 to start the season 0–3, their first such start since 1982, which was, ironically, also a season that saw a strike take place. The Rams finally got in the win column the next week, beating the Pittsburgh Steelers at home, 31–21.

However, the next week in Atlanta, the Rams lost another big lead, this time after leading 17–0 at halftime and 20–7 in the 4th quarter. This was followed by embarrassing losses to the Cleveland Browns (30–17), the arch-rival San Francisco 49ers (31–10), and the Saints again (31–14) to drop to 1–7, their worst start since 1965, when they started 1–9. However, the Rams then caught fire, beating the St. Louis Cardinals in St. Louis, 27–24, after trailing 24–14 in the 3rd quarter. The next week in Washington, the Rams outlasted the Washington Redskins on Monday Night Football 30–26, and it appeared as though the Rams were poised to get back in the playoff race. The win over Washington was followed by blowout wins over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (35–3), Detroit Lions (37–6), and Atlanta Falcons (33–0) and the Rams were looking to make an improbable in-season turnaround. However, the next week against the Dallas Cowboys, the Rams lost 29–21 to eliminate them from the playoffs. The season ended with the Rams getting pummeled by the 49ers on the road, 48–0. Ultimately, the Rams finished the strike-shortened season 6–9 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1982.

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article: 1987 NFL draft

Personnel

Staff

  • Owner/President – Georgia Frontiere

  • Vice president of finance – John Shaw

  • General counsel – Jay Zygmunt

  • Administrator of football operations – Jack Faulkner

  • Director of operations – Dick Beam

  • Director of player personnel – John Math

  • Head coach – John Robinson

  • Offensive coordinator – Ernie Zampese

  • Quarterbacks – Dick Coury

  • Running backs – Gil Haskell

  • Tight ends/wide receivers – Norv Turner

  • Offensive line – Hudson Houck

  • Defensive coordinator/inside linebackers – Fritz Shurmur

  • Defensive line – Marv Goux

  • Assistant defensive line – Larry Brooks

  • Outside linebackers – Fred Whittingham

  • Defensive backs – Steve Shafer

  • Special teams – Artie Gigantino

NFL replacement players

After the league decided to use replacement players during the NFLPA strike, the following team was assembled:

Los Angeles Ramsyear=1987border=2}};"1987 Los Angeles Rams replacement roster

Roster

  • Robert Cox T

Regular season

On October 31, 1987, the Los Angeles Rams traded Eric Dickerson to the Indianapolis Colts in a three team trade involving the Buffalo Bills. The Rams sent Dickerson to the Colts for six draft choices and two players. Buffalo obtained the rights to Cornelius Bennett from Indianapolis. Buffalo sent running back Greg Bell and three draft choices to the Rams, while Indianapolis added Owen Gill and three of their own draft picks to complete the deal with the Rams.

Former Heisman Trophy winner Charles White would become the starting running back. The 1987 season would be his finest year as a pro, rushing for a league-leading 1,387 yards and 11 touchdowns, which earned him a Pro Bowl selection and the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award.

On November 23, 1987, linebacker Mike Wilcher recovered Doug Williams fumble and ran it back it 35 yards for a touchdown. It was Wilcher's only touchdown in the NFL.

Erik Kramer's 3 passing touchdown performance against the Rams on October 18, 1987, was the last three-touchdown game by an undrafted free agent rookie quarterback until Matt McGloin accomplished the feat for the Oakland Raiders against the Houston Texans on November 17, 2013.

Schedule

Los Angeles Ramsyear=1987border=2}}"WeekLos Angeles Ramsyear=1987border=2}}"DateLos Angeles Ramsyear=1987border=2}}"OpponentLos Angeles Ramsyear=1987border=2}}"ResultLos Angeles Ramsyear=1987border=2}}"RecordLos Angeles Ramsyear=1987border=2}}"VenueLos Angeles Ramsyear=1987border=2}}"Attendance12–September 27[Cincinnati Bengals](1987-cincinnati-bengals-season)canceled0–2Anaheim Stadium3456789101112131415
September 13at [Houston Oilers](1987-houston-oilers-season)**L** 16–200–1Houston Astrodome33,186
September 20[Minnesota Vikings](1987-minnesota-vikings-season)**L** 16–210–2Anaheim Stadium63,367
October 4at **[New Orleans Saints](1987-new-orleans-saints-season)****L** 10–370–3Louisiana Superdome29,745
October 11[Pittsburgh Steelers](1987-pittsburgh-steelers-season)**W** 31–211–3Anaheim Stadium20,219
October 18at **[Atlanta Falcons](1987-atlanta-falcons-season)****L** 20–241–4Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium15,813
at [Cleveland Browns](1987-cleveland-browns-season)**L** 17–301–5Cleveland Municipal Stadium76,933
November 1**[San Francisco 49ers](1987-san-francisco-49ers-season)****L** 10–311–6Anaheim Stadium55,328
November 8**[New Orleans Saints](1987-new-orleans-saints-season)****L** 14–311–7Anaheim Stadium43,379
November 15at [St. Louis Cardinals](1987-st-louis-cardinals-nfl-season)**W** 27–242–7Busch Memorial Stadium27,730
at [Washington Redskins](1987-washington-redskins-season)**W** 30–263–7RFK Stadium53,614
November 29[Tampa Bay Buccaneers](1987-tampa-bay-buccaneers-season)**W** 35–34–7Anaheim Stadium45,188
December 6at [Detroit Lions](1987-detroit-lions-season)**W** 37–165–7Pontiac Silverdome33,413
December 13**[Atlanta Falcons](1987-atlanta-falcons-season)****W** 33–06–7Anaheim Stadium43,310
December 21[Dallas Cowboys](1987-dallas-cowboys-season)**L** 21–296–8Anaheim Stadium60,700
December 27at **[San Francisco 49ers](1987-san-francisco-49ers-season)****L** 0–486–9Candlestick Park57,950
**Note:** Intra-division opponents are in **bold** text.

Standings

Awards and honors

  • Jerry Gray, NFC Pro Bowl selection
  • Charles White, NFL Comeback Player of the Year
  • Charles White, Pro Bowl selection

References

References

  1. "NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book". Workman Publishing Co.
Info: Wikipedia Source

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