NFL team season
The 1993 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 56th season in the National Football League and the 48th in Los Angeles.
The Rams looked to improve on their 6–10 record from 1992 and make the playoffs for the first time since 1989. However, the season started off horribly, as the Rams were stomped 36–6 by the Packers in Green Bay in their first game. The Rams, however, rebounded with a 27–0 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers at home. This was followed by a 20–10 loss to the New York Giants and a 28–13 win over the Houston Oilers in Houston. After the win over Houston, the Rams dipped even further, losing their next 5 games to the New Orleans Saints at home (37–6), the Atlanta Falcons in Atlanta (30–24), the Detroit Lions at home (16–13), the arch-rival 49ers in San Francisco (40–17), and the Falcons at home (13–0), to drop to 2–7. After a surprising win over the Washington Redskins at home, the Rams were walloped in their next two games by the 49ers and Cardinals. This assured them of a fourth consecutive losing season and eliminated them from division contention, yet a win over the Saints in New Orleans kept the Rams in the playoff race until a 15–3 loss to the Bengals in Cincinnati eliminated the team from the playoffs for a fourth straight season. This was followed by an embarrassing 42–14 loss at home to the Cleveland Browns and a 20–6 win over the Bears at home.
Ultimately, the Rams finished with a hapless 5–11 record, one win worse than 1992. Worse, the Rams lost ten games by double-digit margins, the first time that had ever happened in franchise history.
To further compound matters, speculation began to mount that the team might relocate to Baltimore. Reports surfaced as the Rams prepared to play the 49ers in San Francisco. The rumors, and further erosion of fan support, exacerbated a 40–17 defeat—their sixth consecutive defeat by San Francisco—and a 2–6 start. The Rams' most recent start of similar quality—or lack thereof—came in 1965, when the Rams played their home games at the L. A. Coliseum and the team was coached by Harland Svare.[1]
However, not all of the developments regarding the Rams constituted a lost season. In fact, early-season routs of the Oilers and Steelers, including the 27–0 shutout of Pittsburgh at Anaheim Stadium, proved to be rare highlights. Jerome Bettis enjoyed a spectacular rookie year and would go on to have a Hall of Fame career.
Offseason
1993 Draft Class
Undrafted free agents
1993 Undrafted Free Agents of note Player | Position | College |
Jamie Martin | Quarterback | Weber State |
Personnel
Staff
1993 Los Angeles Rams staff | Front office - Owner/President – Georgia Frontiere
- Executive Vice President – John Shaw
- Senior Vice President – Jay Zygmunt
- Administrator of Football Operations – Jack Faulkner
- Director of Player Personnel – John Becker
Head coaches Offensive coaches - Offensive coordinator – Ernie Zampese
- Quarterbacks – Ted Tollner
- Running backs – Chick Harris
- Wide receivers – Milt Jackson
- Tight ends – Howard Tippett
- Offensive line – Jim Erkenbeck
- Offensive assistant – Chuck Knox Jr.
- Offensive assistant – Mike Martz
| | | Defensive coaches - Defensive coordinator/defensive line – George Dyer
- Linebackers – Dick Selcer
- Defensive backs – Rod Perry
- Defensive Assistant – Greg Gaines
Special teams coaches - Special Teams – Howard Tippett
Strength and conditioning - Strength and Conditioning – Chris Clausen
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Roster
1993 Los Angeles Rams roster |
| Quarterbacks Running backs Wide receivers Tight ends | | Offensive linemen Defensive linemen | | Linebackers Defensive backs Special teams | | Reserve lists - 28 Robert Bailey CB (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
- -- Phillip Bobo WR (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
- 20 Darryl Henley CB/LOA
- 81 Todd Kinchen WR/KR/PR (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
- 64 Keith Loneker G (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
- 41 Todd Lyght CB (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
- 78 Jackie Slater T (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
- 99 Maa Tanuvasa DT (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
- 76 Robert Young DE (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
Practice squad 53 active, 9 inactive, 1 practice squad Rookies in italics |
Preseason
Regular season
Game summaries
Week 1
Game information |
First quarter Second quarter - GB – Chris Jacke 51-yard field goal, 12:17. Packers 12–3. Drive:
- LA – Tony Zendejas 32-yard field goal, 3:47. Packers 12–6. Drive:
- GB – Mark Clayton 4-yard pass from Brett Favre (Chris Jacke kick), 0:40. Packers 19–6. Drive:
Third quarter - GB – Edgar Bennett 11-yard run (Chris Jacke kick), 8:28. Packers 26–6. Drive:
- GB – Edgar Bennett 1-yard run (Chris Jacke kick), 3:30. Packers 33–6. Drive:
Fourth quarter - GB – Chris Jacke 33-yard field goal, 1:57. Packers 36–6. Drive:
| - Top passers
- Top rushers
- LA – Cleveland Gary – 13 rushes, 31 yards
- GB – John Stephens – 17 rushes, 75 yards
- Top receivers
| |
Week 2
Week Two: Pittsburgh Steelers (0–1) at Los Angeles Rams (0–1)
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Steelers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Rams | 0 | 14 | 3 | 10 | 27 |
at Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California
- Date: Sunday, September 12
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 67 °F (19.4 °C), wind 8 miles per hour (13 km/h; 7.0 kn)
- Game attendance: 50,588 (73.31% full)
- TV announcers (NBC): Dan Hicks and Joe Gibbs
- [2]
[3]
Game information |
Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter | Steelers Rams | |
Week 3
Week Three: Los Angeles Rams (1–1) at New York Giants (2–0)
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Rams | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
Giants | 7 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 20 |
at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
- Date: Sunday, September 19
- Game time: 10:00 a.m. PST
- Game weather: 65 °F (18.3 °C), wind 14 miles per hour (23 km/h; 12 kn)
- Game attendance: 76,213 (99.12% full)
- TV: CBS
- [4]
[5]
Game information |
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter - NYG – Mark Collins 50 yard interception return (David Treadwell kick) – Giants 20–3
Fourth quarter | Rams Giants | |
Week 4
Week Four: Los Angeles Rams (1–2) at Houston Oilers (1–2)
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Rams | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
Oilers | 0 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 13 |
at Houston Astrodome, Houston, Texas
- Date: Sunday, September 26
- Game time: 10:00 a.m. PST
- Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
- Game attendance: 53,072 (85.57% full)
- TV: CBS
- [6]
[7]
Game information |
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter | Rams Oilers | |
Week 5
Week Five: New Orleans Saints (4–0) at Los Angeles Rams (2–2)
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Saints | 10 | 3 | 3 | 21 | 37 |
Rams | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
at Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California
- Date: Sunday, October 3
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 69 °F (20.6 °C), wind 7 miles per hour (11 km/h; 6.1 kn)
- Game attendance: 50,709 (73.48% full)
- TV: CBS
- [8]
[9]
Game information |
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter | Saints - Wade Wilson— 15/25, 205 Yds, 2 TD, 0 INT
- Derek Brown— 14 Rush, 57 Yds
- Quinn Early— 4 Rec, 64 Yds
Rams | |
Week 7
After a week 6 bye, the Rams looked to get back into the win column on a Thursday night matchup with the then-winless Falcons in Atlanta. Los Angeles got off to a good enough start, leading 17–10 at half and 24–17 heading into the fourth quarter, but things fell apart for the Rams in the fourth. Atlanta scored 13 unanswered points in the final quarter to pull away from Los Angeles and register their first win of the 1993 season.
Week Seven: Los Angeles Rams (2–3) at Atlanta Falcons (0–5)
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Rams | 10 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
Falcons | 3 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 30 |
at Georgia Dome, Atlanta
- Date: Thursday, October 14
- Game time: 4:30 p.m. PST
- Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
- Game attendance: 45,231 (63.50% full)
- TV announcers (TNT): Gary Bender and Pat Haden
- [10]
[11]
Game information |
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter | Rams Falcons | |
Week 8
Week Eight: Detroit Lions (4–2) at Los Angeles Rams (2–4)
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Lions | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 16 |
Rams | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 13 |
at Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California
- Date: Sunday, October 24
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 65 °F (18.3 °C), wind 9 miles per hour (14 km/h; 7.8 kn)
- Game attendance: 43,850 (63.54% full)
- TV: CBS
- [12]
[13]
Game information |
Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter | Lions Rams | |
Week 9
Week Nine: Los Angeles Rams (2–5) at San Francisco 49ers (4–3)
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Rams | 3 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
49ers | 6 | 17 | 7 | 10 | 40 |
at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California
- Date: Sunday, October 31
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 61 °F (16.1 °C), wind 10 miles per hour (16 km/h; 8.7 kn)
- Game attendance: 63,417 (95.35% full)
- TV: CBS
- [14]
[15]
Game information |
First quarter Second quarter - SF – John Taylor 15 yard pass from Steve Young (Mike Cofer kick) – 49ers 13–3
- SF – Marc Logan 1 yard rush (Mike Cofer kick) – 49ers 20–3
- SF – Mike Cofer 25 yard field goal – 49ers 23–3
Third quarter Fourth quarter | Rams 49ers | |
Week 11
Coming out of their second bye week, Los Angeles once again faced the Atlanta Falcons—this time, in Anaheim. While the Falcons were winless going into their early meeting with the Rams, since then, they had won two of their last three and came into the second matchup at 2–6. While Los Angeles was favored by three, the Rams could not get anything going offensively and lost to the Falcons, 13–0, being shut out at home for the first time since 1984.
Week Eleven: Atlanta Falcons (2–6) at Los Angeles Rams (2–6)
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Falcons | 3 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 13 |
Rams | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California
- Date: Sunday, November 14
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 59 °F (15 °C), wind 15 miles per hour (24 km/h; 13 kn)
- Game attendance: 37,073 (53.72% full)
- TV: CBS
- [16]
[17]
Game information |
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter | Falcons Rams | |
Week 12
Week Twelve: Washington Redskins (2–7) at Los Angeles Rams (2–7)
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Redskins | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
Rams | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 |
at Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California
- Date: Sunday, November 21
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 64 °F (18 °C), wind 9 miles per hour (14 km/h; 7.8 kn)
- Game attendance: 45,546 (66.00% full)
- TV: CBS
- [18]
[19]
Game information |
First quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter | Redskins Rams | |
Week 13
Week Thirteen: San Francisco 49ers (7–3) at Los Angeles Rams (3–7)
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
49ers | 7 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
Rams | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
at Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California
- Date: Sunday, November 28
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 66 °F (18.9 °C), wind 8 miles per hour (13 km/h; 7.0 kn)
- Game attendance: 62,143 (90.05% full)
- TV: CBS
- [20]
[21]
Game information |
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter - SF – John Taylor 76 yard pass from Steve Young (Mike Cofer kick) – 49ers 28–3
Fourth quarter | 49ers Rams | |
Week 14
Week fourteen saw Los Angeles lose yet again, falling to 3–9 on the season. While the Rams had been considered out of the running for the NFC West Championship for many weeks, with their loss to Phoenix, Los Angeles became mathematically eliminated from the NFC West. The Rams would eventually finish last in the division.
Week Fourteen: Los Angeles Rams (3–8) at Phoenix Cardinals (3–8)
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Rams | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
Cardinals | 7 | 7 | 14 | 10 | 38 |
at Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona
- Date: Sunday, December 5
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 55 °F (12.8 °C), wind 5 miles per hour (8.0 km/h; 4.3 kn)
- Game attendance: 33,964 (46.23% full)
- TV: CBS
- [22]
[23]
Game information |
First quarter - PHX – Ronald Moore 1 yard rush (Greg Davis kick) – Cardinals 7–0
- LA – Tony Zendejas 22 yard field goal – Cardinals 7–3
Second quarter - PHX – Gary Clark 22 yard pass from Steve Beuerlein (Greg Davis kick) – Cardinals 14–3
Third quarter - PHX – Ronald Moore 19 yard rush (Greg Davis kick) – Cardinals 21–3
- PHX – Ronald Moore 1 yard rush (Greg Davis kick) – Cardinals 28–3
Fourth quarter - PHX – Greg Davis 27 yard field goal – Cardinals 31–3
- PHX – Ronald Moore 1 yard rush (Greg Davis kick) – Cardinals 38–3
- LA – Troy Drayton 4 yard pass from Jim Everett (Tony Zendejas kick) – Cardinals 38–10
| Rams Cardinals - Steve Beuerlein— 14/25, 250 Yds, 1 TD, 0 INT
- Ronald Moore— 29 Rush, 126 Yds
- Gary Clark— 8 Rec, 159 Yds
| |
Week 15
Week Fifteen: Los Angeles Rams (3–9) at New Orleans Saints (7–5)
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Rams | 10 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 23 |
Saints | 7 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 20 |
at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans
- Date: Sunday, December 12
- Game time: 10:00 a.m. PDT
- Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
- Game attendance: 69,033 (99.95% full)
- TV: CBS
- [24]
[25]
Game information |
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter | Rams Saints - Wade Wilson— 25/43, 267 Yds, 0 TD, 1 INT
- Brad Muster— 13 Rush, 53 Yds
- Eric Martin— 8 Rec, 97 Yds
| |
Week 16
For week 16, Los Angeles traveled to Cincinnati to face the one-win Bengals. Once again, the Rams were unable to put together a competent offense and were only able to score three points the entire game. With the loss to Cincinnati, Los Angeles found itself mathematically eliminated from playoff contention for the fourth straight season. At the time, the Rams also handed the Bengals only their second win of the season—their first incidentally came against the Rams’ cross-town rival, the Raiders. Ram tackle Irv Eatman stated that “They [Cincinnati] beat us, they beat the Raiders, they played the 49ers tough and obviously they’re just hell on California...they might be looking to put us on the schedule more frequently.”[26]
Week Sixteen: Los Angeles Rams (4–9) at Cincinnati Bengals (1–12)
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Rams | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Bengals | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 15 |
at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati
- Date: Sunday, December 19
- Game time: 10:00 a.m. PDT
- Game weather: 35 °F (1.7 °C), wind 11 miles per hour (18 km/h; 9.6 kn)
- Game attendance: 36,612 (60.63% full)
- TV: CBS
- [27]
Game information |
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter | Rams Bengals | |
Week 17
Week Seventeen: Cleveland Browns (6–8) at Los Angeles Rams (4–10)
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Browns | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 | 42 |
Rams | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
at Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California
- Date: Sunday, December 26
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 60 °F (15.6 °C), wind 8 miles per hour (13 km/h; 7.0 kn)
- Game attendance: 34,155 (49.49% full)
- TV: NBC
- [28]
[29]
Game information |
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter | Browns Rams | |
Week 18
Week Eighteen: Chicago Bears (7–8) at Los Angeles Rams (4–11)
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Bears | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
Rams | 3 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 20 |
at Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California
- Date: Sunday, January 2
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 58 °F (14.4 °C), wind 6 miles per hour (9.7 km/h; 5.2 kn)
- Game attendance: 39,147 (56.73% full)
- TV: CBS
- [30]
[31]
Game information |
First quarter Second quarter - LA – Tony Zendejas 29 yard field goal – Rams 6–0
- CHI – Kevin Butler 27 yard field goal – Rams 6–3
Fourth quarter | Bears Rams | |
Standings
Rumors of team moving
Rumors of relocation affected the Rams’ performance: owner Georgia Frontiere had wanted to break the Rams’ lease of Anaheim Stadium at the end of the 1992 season,[32] and there were over seven thousand no-shows at the November 21 game against the Redskins.[33] At Christmas time, it was revealed that Frontiere wanted to move the Rams to Baltimore,[34] which had lost out surprisingly to Jacksonville, Florida in the recent league expansion bid.[35] This relocation was not approved, but the inadequacy of Anaheim Stadium led Frontiere to move the team to her hometown of St. Louis in 1995.
See also
External links
References
- ^ "Moving to Baltimore Easier Than Winning - Los Angeles Times".
- ^ Pittsburgh Steelers at Los Angeles Rams – September 12th, 1993
- ^ For Rams, a 27–0 Reversal of Fortune (Los Angeles Times)
- ^ Los Angeles Rams at New York Giants – September 19th, 1993
- ^ Everett at Least Completes a Thought (Los Angeles Times)
- ^ Los Angeles Rams at Houston Oilers – September 26th, 1993
- ^ Everett Goes From Belittled to Big Man (Los Angeles Times)
- ^ New Orleans Saints at Los Angeles Rams – October 3rd, 1993
- ^ On-Again, Off-Again Rams Are Off Again (Los Angeles Times)
- ^ Los Angeles Rams at Atlanta Falcons – October 14th, 1993
- ^ Rams Reach Boiling Point After 30-24 Loss to Falcons (Los Angeles Times)
- ^ Detroit Lions at Los Angeles Rams – October 24th, 1993
- ^ Rubley Hot During Game, Everett After (Los Angeles Times)
- ^ Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers – October 31st, 1993
- ^ Rubley Starts, but 49ers Finish Off Rams (Los Angeles Times)
- ^ Atlanta Falcons at Los Angeles Rams – November 14th, 1993
- ^ Hapless Rams Are Suddenly Pointless, Too (Los Angeles Times)
- ^ Washington Redskins at Los Angeles Rams – November 21st, 1993
- ^ Rubley Takes Charge, Rams Beat Redskins (Los Angeles Times)
- ^ San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams – November 28th, 1993
- ^ Rams Knocked Senseless by 49ers, 35-10 (Los Angeles Times)
- ^ Los Angeles Rams at Phoenix Cardinals – December 5th, 1993
- ^ There They Go Again: Rams Routed, 38-10 (Los Angeles Times)
- ^ Los Angeles Rams at New Orleans Saints – December 12th, 1993
- ^ A Battering Ram Goes Through Saints (Los Angeles Times)
- ^ Bengals Take Chant “Beat L.A.” to Extreme (Los Angeles Times)
- ^ Los Angeles Rams at Cincinnati Bengals – December 19th, 1993
- ^ Cleveland Browns at Los Angeles Rams – December 26th, 1993
- ^ Testaverde Toys With the Rams (Los Angeles Times)
- ^ Chicago Bears at Los Angeles Rams – January 2nd, 1994
- ^ Bettis Carries Rams Past the Bears, 20-6 (Los Angeles Times)
- ^ Shaffer, Gina; ‘Pasadena, Los Angeles looking into bids for Rams: The field of potential rivals for the team widens after Rams officials announce their intention to break their lease’; Orange County Register, January 11, 1993, p. B08
- ^ Stellino, Vito; ‘Rams’ shopping bag is filled with NFL frustration’; The Baltimore Sun, November 25, 1993, p. 1D
- ^ ‘Frontiere Might Move Rams to Baltimore’; Austin American-Statesman, December 25, 1993, p. E3
- ^ Murray, Ken with Stellino, Vito and Morgan, John; ‘Baltimore is in no hurry to lure team: NFL snubs Baltimore with upset pick’; The Baltimore Sun, December 1, 1993, p. 1A
Los Angeles Rams |
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- Founded in 1936
- Played in Cleveland, Ohio (1936–1945) and St. Louis, Missouri (1995–2015)
- Based in Inglewood, California
- Headquartered in Agoura Hills, California
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Wild card berths (9) | |
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Division championships (18) | |
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Conference championships (8) | |
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Former league affiliation | - League: American Football League (1936)
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Los Angeles Rams seasons |
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Played in Cleveland (1936–1945) and St. Louis (1995–2015) |
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Bold indicates NFL Championship (1920–1969) or Super Bowl (1966–) victory Italics indicates NFL Championship (1920–1969) or Super Bowl (1966–) appearance |