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Just looking at team statistics in recent history, here are things I found that were interesting/horrifying to me:
The Rams haven’t had a top defense (either in points or yards) since the Super Bowl season of 2001.
The last Rams offense that scored in the top 10 was 2003 (2nd overall, with 9th overall in yards). The last offense to be in the top 10 for yardage gained was 2006 (6th, in Linehan’s first year). The Rams were in the top 10 in yardage 7 times in 8 years between 1999-2006.
In the “plus/minus yards” category, the Rams haven’t been in the top half of the league since 2006 (11th) and the top 10 since 2004 (8th). The best finish since 2006 was Steve Spagnuolo’s 2nd year in 2010 (24th).
What about the critical takeaway/giveaway ratio? The Rams have actually finished in the top 10 twice in the past five years (10th in 2010, 9th in 2013). The only other top 10 finishes since the Dick Vermeil years was 2nd in 2006 and 7th in 2003. The 1999 Super Bowl winner was 9th in the category (and top 10 in all major team rankings), while the 2001 Super Bowl losing Rams were 26th in the takeaway/giveaway category. Martz’s teams in 2002 and 2004 finished dead last in T/G.
Moving to the dreaded “plus/minus points” category, until recently the Rams hadn’t been dead last in the NFL since their initial season in Cleveland in 1937 (10th out of 10 teams). Moving to the modern era, they’ve been last (32 out of 32 teams) 3 times. They call came since 2007 (years 2007, 2009 and 2011, not to mention 31st in 2008). Since 1970, when the team jumped from 16 to 26 teams (it’s at 32 now), the Rams have been at 20th or lower in plus/minus points 20 times, by my count. Of those 20 times, 9 were consecutive from 1990-1998, and 9 have come since 2002. Finishing with the Fisher years, things have gone from horrific to mediocre, with plus/minus points at 22nd, 17th and 21st since 2012.
As for the bottom line, wins and losses, the Rams haven’t had a winning season since 2003 (12-4, lost Division playoff game) and if you pass over the 3 GSOT years from 1999-2001, you have to go back to 1989 for a winning season (11-5) and playoffs (losing 30-3 to the 9ers in the NFC championship).
Bonus fact: Marc Bulger was the Rams’ starting QB for 8 years (2002-2009). The only other QB in team history to have that type of longevity was Everett, also for 8 consecutive years (1986-1993).
Interesting stuff but according to your years given Bulger was QB for at most 7 years.
Yes, you’re right. That should say 2002-2009, not 2008.
But, it won’t let me edit the post anymore.
Jimmy Hart and Cards didn’t fare much better in STL……
I wonder what the overall STL (Gunners, Cardinals, and Rams) football record is?
It ain’t good. The Big Red had a few good years with Air Coryell when I was a wee lad not yet interested in watching sports. Other than that, they rarely sniffed a chance at the playoffs. And if they did, they choked.
Here’s the 1975 Big Red season:
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/crd/1975.htm
Fun fact: After finishing 11-3, they lost their first playoff game to the 12-2 Rams, 35-23, at the Coliseum:
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197512270ram.htm
The Rams returned two interceptions for TDs in the first half to jump to a 28-9 lead. Looking at the stats, it appears that the Rams ran McCutcheon down the Cardinals’ throats for 202 yards. Jaws had 12 pass completions on 23 attempts.
The next game, Dallas throttled the Rams 37-7 in the NFC championship at the Coliseum. The Cowboys outgained L.A. 441-118 yards. McCutcheon gained 10 yards total this time:
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197601040ram.htm
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