1978 Los Angeles Rams season


The 1978 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 41st year with the National Football League and the 33rd season in Los Angeles.
The Rams won their sixth-straight division title and appeared in the NFC Championship game, only to get shutout by the Dallas Cowboys 0–28.

Offseason

, who had coached the Rams for the previous five seasons, left the team after the 1977 season to join the Buffalo Bills.
In February, 1978, Rams owner Carroll Rosenbloom hired former Rams coach George Allen, with much media fanfare. Allen had coached the Rams from 1966–1970, and had recently been dismissed by the Washington Redskins, whom he had coached from 1971–1977.
His second stint as the Rams' head coach was an unfortunate experience for all concerned. Allen did not have full authority over personnel and thus worked with general manager Don Klosterman to oversee a talented roster that had made the team a perennial playoff challenger. Allen brought with him his scrupulous discipline and attention to detail, which extended to practice-field protocol and dining-hall decorum. Almost immediately, a group of Ram players chafed at the regulations, and some made their grievances public. A few, including standout linebacker Isiah Robertson, briefly left camp.
As newspaper reports were quoting players expressing confidence that differences would be resolved, the Rams played listlessly and lost the first two games of the 1978 exhibition schedule. Rosenbloom decided that for the season to be salvaged a change must be made, and the announcement of Allen's abrupt dismissal was made on August 13, 1978, just weeks before the season opener. Many of Allen's own players were surprised by the decision. Defensive coordinator Ray Malavasi, well-respected and liked by players, replaced Allen.
On Tuesday July 25, 1978, the Rams announced plans to leave the Coliseum for Anaheim Stadium beginning with the 1980 season.

NFL Draft

RoundPickPlayerPositionSchool/Club Team

Roster

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultNotesAttendance
1September 3, 1978at Philadelphia EaglesW 16–14Rookie kicker Frank Corral won it with a 46-yard field goal.
64,721
2September 10, 1978Atlanta FalconsW 10–0Rams dominated on both offense and defense, outgaining the Falcons 358 yards to 73. Cullen Bryant had a touchdown run.
46,201
3September 17, 1978Dallas CowboysW 27–14Rams got some early bragging rights against the defending Super Bowl champs. Pat Haden's 42-yard bomb in the third quarter to Willie Miller and Rod Perry's interception return touchdown provided the winning points.
65,749
4September 24, 1978at Houston OilersW 10–6Rams won a tight defensive struggle as Cullen Bryant had a touchdown run and Corral a 25-yard FG. This game would be remembered for Houston rookie Earl Campbell's memorable run in the third quarter through Isiah Robertson and Bill Simpson that ended with a concussion.
45,749
5October 1, 1978at New Orleans SaintsW 26–20Rams jumped to a 20–0 lead, aided by Rod Perry's second interception return touchdown of the season, then held on for the win despite three scoring passes by Archie Manning.
61,659
6October 8, 1978San Francisco 49ersW 27–10Defense held 49ers QB Steve DeBerg to 7 for 26 passing and 83 yards. Meanwhile, Rams rushed for 227 yards and another Cullen Bryant touchdown and Pat Haden threw for two.
59,337
7October 15, 1978at Minnesota VikingsW 34–17Rams held the Vikings to 222 yards total offense and only 42 yards rushing while rushing for 180 themselves and scoring three fourth-quarter touchdowns.
46,551
8October 22, 1978New Orleans SaintsL 10–3Rams struggled at home as tackle John Williams was called for seven holding penalties. Archie Manning hit Tony Galbreath with a 19-yard touchdown pass with about 2 minutes left in the 4th at the end of a touchdown drive that began when Rams punter Glen Walker attempted a pass on a fake punt and it was intercepted by Eric Felton. It was the Saints' first win at the Coliseum after nine consecutive losses.
47,574
9October 30, 1978at Atlanta FalconsL 15–7Falcons kicker Tim Mazzetti, who just a month prior had been bartending in New Orleans, booted five field goals in this Monday Night game.
57,250
10November 5, 1978Tampa Bay BuccaneersW 26–23Bucs QB Doug Williams left early with a broken jaw, but backup Mike Rae nearly led a comeback to a major upset with his passing and running. Bucs tied it in fourth on a tipped touchdown pass from Rae to J.K. McKay, but Corral won it with a late field goal as Rams narrowly avoided a third straight loss.
55,182
11November 12, 1978Pittsburgh SteelersW 10–7Rams won a tough defensive struggle at home as John Cappelletti ran for 105 yards and Pat Haden passed to Willie Miller for the winning touchdown in the fourth.
63,089
12November 19, 1978at San Francisco 49ersW 31–28Rams won once again on a late field goal by Corral, overcoming three rushing touchdowns by Paul Hofer and a kickoff return touchdown by Dave Williams.
45,022
13November 26, 1978at Cleveland BrownsL 30–19Browns dominated on a cold, rainy day, intercepting three Pat Haden passes and getting a 57-yard touchdown run by Greg Pruitt. Rams RB Lawrence McCutcheon suffered a severe calf muscle pull and was declared out for the season.
55,158
14December 3, 1978at New York GiantsW 20–17This one was won by the Rams' pass defense. Giants had only 12 completions in 34 attempts and 4 interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown by Pat Thomas. Giants ran ball well, but it wasn't enough. Rams clinched 6th straight division title with this victory.
62,629
15December 11, 1978Cincinnati BengalsL 20–19Rams jumped to a 13–0 lead at home, but couldn't hold back the Bengals as kicker Chris Bahr won it with two late field goals. Pat Haden threw for a then-career-high 283 yards despite injuring his passing thumb in the third quarter.
47,471
16December 17, 1978Green Bay PackersW 31–14Rod Perry had his third interception return touchdown of the season and Cullen Bryant ran for a career-high 121 yards and two touchdowns. The loss cost the Packers the NFC Central title.
42,500

Standings

Roster

Postseason

NFC Divisional Playoff

at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles
After the game was tied 10–10 at halftime, the Rams dominated the second half by scoring 24 unanswered points. After the Vikings opened up the scoring with a field goal, Los Angeles marched 59 yards to score on quarterback Pat Haden's 9-yard touchdown pass to Willie Miller.

NFC Championship Game

at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles
This game was a tough defensive struggle until Charlie Waters intercepted two Pat Haden passes intended for tight end Terry Nelson. Waters' first interception came in the middle of the third and led to a 5-yard touchdown run by Tony Dorsett. Rams kicker Frank Corrall missed two first half field goal attempts, and with the score 14–0, the Rams were stopped on 4th and inches at the Dallas 21 yard line. Roger Staubach then led a touchdown drive that ended with a touchdown pass to Billy Joe Dupree. Thomas Henderson, who had said in pre-game interviews that the Rams "didn't have enough class to go to the Super Bowl", backed up his words by capping the scoring with a 68-yard interception return touchdown.