1981 Rams

[CSKreager]

From 1973-1989, LA had only one losing season in a non strike year.

Not counting the shortened seasons of 82 and 87, 1981 was the Rams’ only non-winning season in normal NFL years from 1973-1989

They had made 8 straight playoffs prior to 1981 and made it 7 of 8 years after the 82 strike (the year they missed of course also had a strike)

They started 4-2 which included an exciting 37-35 win at Atlanta

But LA was swept by the 49ers for the first time in eons and swept by New Orleans for the first time ever

There was also a humbling shutout at Pittsburgh and 10-7 at the Giants which sealed their fate

That’s not including week 1 where they gave up a last minute kick return TD vs Houston

Yet even amidst that they played spoiler on a MNF in December vs ATL

Still What went wrong for LA?

[JohnTurney]

Still What went wrong for LA?

1. Injuries on the offensive line -- both tackles out. Actually 3 out. Doug Smith ended up starting there, he was an interior player..not suited for tackle
2. injuries to Haden who was not great but better than Pastorini. Eventually, Rams were starting Pastorini who was 1-4 as starter (and took over
for injured Haden in Pit game so that is on him for all intentions and purposes making him 1-5. His passer rating that year was 22.9.
Had he been even bad Rams may have won a couple more games they lost but he was worse than bad a few times. Rams beat Atl by some miracle...a near-pick-six by Cromwell helped.
3. Injury to Larry Brooks, lost of Hacksaw Reynolds to 49ers hurt run defense. As did playing a DT (Cody Jones) at RDE. He was not super
vs the run on the inside. Okay, but for someone who took over for Merlin Olsen there was a dropoff. Mike Fanning also a starter for first time and he
was good on draws and traps but could be run at. His best skill was as a nickel rusher.
4. Special teams. Rams won one game they should have lost. Leroy Irvin's two long punt returns saved them in one game. The may have lost one they should have won vs 49ers. Kicker missed 4 field goals in a 20-17 loss. In a 2-point loss vs 49ers they gave up a KR for a TD. Also threw a pick 6. Gave up a KR for a TD in the opener right after tying the game.

All the things listed were things the Rams did well when the were winning. They usually didn't have that many special teams breakdowns (though the punt returns did help one game). QB play was average or so with Haden and awful with Pastorini and Carl Ekern and Reggie Doss, Cody Jones and Mike Fanning were not good run defenders.

With Haden and even average coverage units Rams would have had down year but maybe go 8-8 or 9-7.

There are a lot more details but those 4 things were the top factors in going 6-10

[Brian wolf]

Ferragamo threw the ball well in 1980 and the receivers, especially Willie Miller, who had 8 TDs off 22 receptions, made big plays that blended with a good running game. In 1981, those same receivers didnt have the chemistry with Haden or Pastorini and the problems that John pointed out with linemen out, hurt their running game as well, despite Wendell Tyler having a good year.

Maybe the Rams should have paid and kept Ferragamo but Montreal made him an offer he couldnt refuse. That year in Canada changed him though and he didnt have the same fire or confidence when he came back the following year. The defense missed Reynolds more than they thought, as he gave the 49ers veteran leadership which improved their team while the Rams struggled along with Atlanta.

[SixtiesFan]

I recall reading during the 1970s that Ram GM Don Klosterman had long coveted Dan Pastorini.

[JohnTurney]

I recall reading during the 1970s that Ram GM Don Klosterman had long coveted Dan Pastorini.

Yes, he wanted to trade for him in late-1970s. Loved his arm.

[JohnTurney]

(1) Maybe the Rams should have paid and kept Ferragamo but Montreal made him an offer he couldnt refuse.

(2) That year in Canada changed him though and he didnt have the same fire or confidence when he came back the following year.

(3) The defense missed Reynolds more than they thought, as he gave the 49ers veteran leadership

(1) Rams notoriously cheap. Also acrimony between Rams and Ferragamo - bad blood over not getting the raise he and Jody (wife) wanted. Rams in 1980 a bunch held out and two walked out -- including Ferragamo for a practice after game one. Klosterman never forgave him and thought they could hold him on the cheap but bolted.

(2) Couldn't adjust to CFL. Saw a few games that year ... he had little idea of what was going on, men in motion toward the line...all that stuff. Rams gave him big contract in '82 and wanted to trade him. They were paying Jones even more. But no takers. So they were paying their QBs $750-800,000 when in 1980 it was maybe $250,000. Had they locked up Ferragamo

(3) Reynolds like a coach on the field. He could read offense with the best of them. If run offense or if they passed early downs and shifted to change strength or whatever he could get them in the right adjustment. If offense audibled because of his call --- he could read it and call "back" to get in original defense and know that wouldn't hurt them.

Also, like in Cleveland, cocaine made its way into Rams locker room...a few couple key guys in 1980 didn't perform well in 1981. It was when the NFL was facing a lot of that and it was peaking. It'd been around some but that was the year or the next NFL hired Carl Eller to lecture about the dangers of it.

Haden didn't have enough of an arm to challenge defenses. Never did. He was a game manager and if the defense and special teams were not strong like they were in 70s then he couldn't move the ball like the elite offenses did after the rule changes in '78.

So, once Vinne was gone and Klosterman thought they could revert to Haden in 1981 ... they could have been good with Haden but not great. Then the things mentioned just made it impossible. Oline couldn't protect. When Haden went down Pastorini went on to post the lowest passer rating in history among QBs with 140 attempts or more.

And defense with loss of best run stoppers and one out of position couldn't stop teams from running. Part of that was teams didn't want to throw vs Rams nickel, which was still very good. Not as good as in 1980 on 3rd downs but still very good. So, why throw when you can run. Their yards per attempt was a little above average but they were top 3-4 in attempts against them and 2nd in fewest passes against.

It was a mess.

[Bryan]

QB play was average or so with Haden and awful with Pastorini and Carl Ekern and Reggie Doss, Cody Jones and Mike Fanning were not good run defenders.

With Haden and even average coverage units Rams would have had down year but maybe go 8-8 or 9-7.

There are a lot more details but those 4 things were the top factors in going 6-10

Interesting stuff, John. Would really like to know your thoughts on Ekern...I always assumed he was a good run defender because he started so long at MLB/ILB for the Rams. Losing Brudzinski and having Dryer retire were detrimental to the defense as well.

I don't think Ferragamo was all that great. He would make some terrible throws. But he could at least move the offense. Despite all the 1981 Ram shortcomings, they weren't all that different than the 79/80 Rams to a certain degree. The 81 Rams started 5-4, the 79 Rams were 4-5 and the 80 Rams were 5-3. I think the big difference between all the teams was that Dan Pastorini was awful. They couldn't put together their 'stretch run' like they had in previous years.

Edit: interesting tidbit that I forgot to add...in the 1981 Rams season highlight film, Dan Pastorini is neither mentioned nor shown.

[JohnTurney]

Interesting stuff, John. Would really like to know your thoughts on Ekern...I always assumed he was a good run defender because he started so long at MLB/ILB for the Rams. Losing Brudzinski and having Dryer retire were detrimental to the defense as well.

I don't think Ferragamo was all that great. He would make some terrible throws. But he could at least move the offense. Despite all the 1981 Ram shortcomings, they weren't all that different than the 79/80 Rams to a certain degree. The 81 Rams started 5-4, the 79 Rams were 4-5 and the 80 Rams were 5-3. I think the big difference between all the teams was that Dan Pastorini was awful. They couldn't put together their 'stretch run' like they had in previous years.

Edit: interesting tidbit that I forgot to add...in the 1981 Rams season highlight film, Dan Pastorini is neither mentioned nor shown.

There were a lot of things going on -- you mention a couple others. I mostly stuck with why the team the Rams fielded wasn't up to snuff but as far as guys gone from 80 that matter Brudzinski was one of them. He was as good a run defender was there was in the NFL from an outside linebacker position. He was one of the ones who walked out in 80 that I mentioned (Ferragamo) and Rams Brass/coaches must have thought George Andrews
could be just as good. He wasn't. Plain and simple. He was better than average but vs the run not what Bru was. Only was to evaluate Bru vs the run is watch him with Rams or Dolphins. How he stays on his feet. how he reads, how he doesn't get hooked. He was special. He was not a good rusher, though
which is why in Miami he never was perfect fit for a 3-4. Vs a TE he was decent enough in coverage -- Miami moved him to strong side.

Ekern was smart. Hustle. Not the tackler that Reynolds and lacked the instinct --- there was simply a difference. I think in a 3-4 where there are two ILber Ekern was better fit but you could see pretty quickly that Jim Collins was better than Ekern.

Dryer? He was better vs the run that given credit for. If you saw preseason games in 1981 you could see that but he lost his pass rush ability or was on his last legs. Rams never drafted well to replace their great lineman. Cody Jones started as a DE but was moved to DT early, by 1981 he could get and edge.

I agree on Ferragamo. He could made some bad reads/throws. In 1980 it was a perfect storm of an offensive line that was underrated at the time (My have been Jackie Slater's best year) receivers who could catch as a unit -- there was rotation and the online could protect and they could run block great. Average Joes ran for 100 yards behind them.

So teams loaded vs run, Ferragamo could launch some deep ones because he had time. He had a good arm, a lot of arc on deep balls. But as a QB he was always flawed, even in 1980. Just no conscience at times.