1983 Los Angeles Rams season

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1983 Los Angeles Rams season
OwnerGeorgia Frontiere
Head coachJohn Robinson
Home fieldAnaheim Stadium
Results
Record9–7
Division place2nd NFC West
Playoff finishWon Wild Card Playoffs
(at Cowboys) 24–17
Lost Divisional Playoffs
(at Redskins) 7–51
Los Angeles Rams

The 1983 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 46th year with the National Football League and the 38th season in the city of Los Angeles. The franchise drafted a future Hall of Fame Running Back in Eric Dickerson. The season saw the team attempt to improve on its 2–7 record from 1982. The team started out 5–2 before splitting their next 4 games and then lost at home to Washington to sit at 7–5. They would split their last 4 games to finish 9–7 and make the playoffs for the first time since 1980 after a 2-year absence. In the playoffs, they defeated the Cowboys 24–17 in Dallas to advance to the divisional round. However, in the game, the Rams were annihilated 51–7 by the Redskins, who would move on to the Super Bowl, only to lose to the other Los Angeles NFL team, the Los Angeles Raiders, 38–9.

Offseason

NFL Draft

1983 Los Angeles Rams draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
1 2 Eric Dickerson *   Running back Southern Methodist
2 32 Henry Ellard *  Wide receiver Fresno State
2 36 Mike Wilcher  Linebacker North Carolina
      Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

[1]

Personnel

Staff

1983 Los Angeles Rams staff

Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches


[2]

Roster

1983 Los Angeles Rams roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists


Practice squad



Rookies in italics

Regular season

Eric Dickerson

While he considered going to the Los Angeles Express in the United States Football League, Dickerson decided to go into the National Football League at the advice of his mother because the NFL had been around longer. He was selected second overall in the 1983 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams. An immediate pro success, he established rookie records for most rushing attempts (390), most rushing yards gained (1,808) and most touchdowns rushing (18), including another two receiving touchdowns.[3] His efforts earned him All-Pro, Pro Bowl, Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors.[4]

Schedule

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance
1 September 4 at New York Giants W 16–6 1–0 Giants Stadium 75,281
2 September 11 New Orleans Saints W 30–27 2–0 Anaheim Stadium 45,572
3 September 18 at Green Bay Packers L 24–27 2–1 Milwaukee County Stadium 54,037
4 September 25 at New York Jets L 24–27 2–2 Shea Stadium 52,070
5 October 2 Detroit Lions W 21–10 3–2 Anaheim Stadium 49,403
6 October 9 at San Francisco 49ers W 10–7 4–2 Candlestick Park 59,118
7 October 16 Atlanta Falcons W 27–21 5–2 Anaheim Stadium 50,404
8 October 23 San Francisco 49ers L 35–45 5–3 Anaheim Stadium 66,070
9 October 30 at Miami Dolphins L 14–30 5–4 Miami Orange Bowl 72,175
10 November 6 Chicago Bears W 21–14 6–4 Anaheim Stadium 53,010
11 November 14 at Atlanta Falcons W 36–13 7–4 Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium 31,202
12 November 20 Washington Redskins L 20–42 7–5 Anaheim Stadium 63,031
13 November 27 Buffalo Bills W 41–17 8–5 Anaheim Stadium 48,246
14 December 4 at Philadelphia Eagles L 9–13 8–6 Veterans Stadium 32,867
15 December 11 New England Patriots L 7–21 8–7 Anaheim Stadium 46,503
16 December 18 at New Orleans Saints W 26–24 9–7 Louisiana Superdome 70,148
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

September 25, 1983

Week 4: Los Angeles Rams 24, New York Jets 27

Game summary
Period 1 2 34OTTotal
Rams 14 0 37024
Jets 7 7 73327

at Shea Stadium, Flushing, New York

Playoffs

Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Venue Attendance
Wildcard December 26 at Dallas Cowboys (4) W 24–17 1–0 Texas Stadium 43,521
Divisional January 1, 1984 at Washington Redskins (1) L 7–51 1–1 RFK Stadium 55,363

December 26, 1983

NFC: Los Angeles Rams 24, Dallas Cowboys 17

Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Rams 7 0 71024
Cowboys 0 7 3717

at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas

Game information
  • Scoring
    • LA – D. Hill 18 pass from Ferragamo (Lansford kick) RAMS 7–0
    • DAL – T. Hill 14 pass from White (Septien kick) 7–7
    • DAL – field goal Septien 41 DAL 10–7
    • LA – Dennard 16 pass from Ferragamo (Lansford kick) RAMS 14–10
    • LA – Farmer 8 pass from Ferragamo (Lansford kick) RAMS 21–10
    • LA – field goal Lansford 20 RAMS 24–10
    • DAL – Cosbie 2 pass from White (Septien kick) RAMS 24–17

January 1, 1984

NFC: Washington Redskins 51, Los Angeles Rams 7

Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Rams 0 7 007
Redskins 17 21 6751

at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Washington, D.C.

Game information
  • Scoring
    • WAS – Riggins 3 run (Moseley kick)WAS 7–0
    • WAS – Monk 40 pass from Theismann (Moseley kick) 14–0
    • WAS – field goal Moseley 42 WAS 17–0
    • WAS – Riggins 1 run (Moseley kick) WAS 24–0
    • LA – Dennard 32 pass from Ferragamo (Lansford kick) WAS 24–7
    • WAS – Monk 21 pass from Theismann (Moseley kick) WAS 31–7
    • WAS – Riggins 1 run (Moseley kick) WAS 38–7
    • WAS – field goal Moseley 36 WAS 41–7
    • WAS – field goal Moseley 41 WAS 44–7
    • WAS – Green 72 interception return (Moseley kick) WAS 51–7

Standings

NFC West
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
San Francisco 49ers(2) 10 6 0 .625 4–2 8–4 432 293 W3
Los Angeles Rams(5) 9 7 0 .563 5–1 8–4 361 344 W1
New Orleans Saints 8 8 0 .500 2–4 7–5 319 337 L1
Atlanta Falcons 7 9 0 .438 1–5 4–8 370 389 W1

Awards and honors

See also

Other Anaheim–based teams in 1983

References

  1. ^ "1983 Los Angeles Rams draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
  2. ^ "Transactions". The Evening News. Associated Press. March 1, 1983. Retrieved October 3, 2014.
  3. ^ Eric's Days as a Ram, http://www.ericdickerson29.com/rams.htm Archived 2007-10-14 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Eric Dickerson: Pro Football Hall of Fame, http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?PLAYER_ID=55

External links