RAMS-BALTIMORE 1967 MEETINGS

With less than 8 minutes to go in the fifth game of the 1967 season, the 3-1 Rams were losing to the 4-0 Colts 24-14.

The Colts and the Rams were in the same division (coastal). There was no wildcard teams back then and a Colt win virtually gives them the division.

Ram's Bruce Gossett kicks a 47 yard FG that bounces thru the uprights and goes in. Score 24-17 Colts.

Johnny Unitas who was the expert at closing out games was rushed hard by the fearsome foursome and didn't see Maxie Baughn who intercepted the pass.

Gabriel finds Bernie Casey in the endzone to make the score 24-24.The Colts turn the ball over and the Rams settle for a tie.

After the game in the Ram's locker room, Head Coach George Allen said "A tie can't hurt us, we play the Colts in the last game of the season and if we wind up tied for first, we will win the division by beating them."     

The very next week the Rams have another tie game (against Washington). But, so does the Colts (what are the odds of that).

The Colts and Rams win the rest of their games. So the 11-0-2 Colts meet the 10-1-2 Rams and the winner wins the division.

   Both teams felt each other out for the first quarter or so, like two heavy-weights in a title bout. But after the Colts mounted 7-3 lead after one quarter, that changed. The Rams took over on their 20 after Baltimore kicker Lou Michaels missed a field goal.

On the first play, the Rams called a play-action pass. It worked perfectly. The line did a great job of buying Roman some time, the backs sold the fake, and Snow ran a good route. He was behind the defense when Gabriel heaved the ball about 60 yards and into his arms. He look it the rest of the way untouched for a touchdown.

LISTEN

The Rams scored 14 unanswered points in the second quarter, taking control of the game. The sudden surge wasn't all the offense's doing.

The defense helped build on that lead when Deacon forced Unitas into throwing a wobbly pass that we intercepted.

Using some quick-hit pass plays, the Rams drove the ball down into Colts territory and scored on a 23-yard pass to Casey, which gave the Rams a 17-7 lead al the half.

When the third quarter began, the defense wasn't going to let them score and the Ram offense still had a few touchdowns left in them.

Linebacker Pardee helped set up a field goal with another interception of Unitas, and after the Colts trimmed the lead to 20-10 with a field goal of their own, the Rams broke the game open.

In the fourth quarter, they drove the ball 67 yards downfield, hitting paydirt when Gabe connected with Bill Truax on a nine-yard TD pass. And when it came time to put the game away, it was fitting that it was the Rams defense that set up the offense.

Getting stronger as the day wore on, the defense sacked Unitas three times in four downs. When the Rams took over on downs, they had the ball at our own four-yard line.

The Rams drove the ball down the field, and Bass scored on a two-yard run to give us a 34-10 victory and send the 77,000 fans in the Coliseum crazy.

Gabriel ended up completing 18 of 22 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns. But the real story was our defense, which sacked Unitas seven times and pressured and pounded him on many other occasions.

I don't think you will ever see a team that loses just one game stay home for the playoffs. Most of the Colt players said that was the greatest Colt team ever.


RAM-BALTIMORE SERIES

I know that Baltimore is not the Colts. But, since we don't play indy and we have little history with the Ravens. I made the the Baltimore Colts.

Colts lead 21-18-2

Rams vs Ravens 1-1


Week 1 in 1969

The Los Angeles Rams were coming of an off-season that saw their coach, George Allen, fired then rehired when 12 of the Ram players would retire.The first game of the 1969 season found them playing their division rival, the Baltimore Colts.The Colts and Rams compiled a record of 50 wins with just 6 losses. The Rams were a 3 point underdog, but, with a passing attack of Roman Gabriel and a strong running attact by Larry Smith, the Rams win 27-20.

The 1969 Los Angeles Ram

Les Josephson

Here is Dick Endberg LISTEN

Larry Smith

Baltimore Colts 1969

Los Angeles Rams 1969

Game by Game Boxscore

Game 1

September 21, 1969 at Baltimore     Los Angeles Rams 27 Baltimore Colts 20

Los Angeles 3 7 10 7 27
Baltimore 0 10 7 3 20
LA    FG 29 Gossett

Balt   Mitchell 13 yard pass from Unitas  (Michaels kick)

LA    Truez  4 yard pass from Gabriel  (Gossett kick)

Balt   FG 15 Michaels

Balt   Orr 41 yard pass from Unitas (Michales kick)

LA    Ellison 14 yard pass from Gabriel (Gossett kick)

LA   FG 15 Gossett

LA   Tucker 15 yard pass from Gabriel (Gossett kick)

Balt  FG 41 Michaels

 

 

Colts Rams
First Downs 15 19
Rushing Yardage 54 86
Passing Yardage 283 252
Return Yardage 160 62
Completions 20-42 20-33
Interceptions by 0 3
Punts 6-43 8-44
Fumbles lost 2 0
Yards Penalized 34 121

 


Looking for some more Ram memories...RAM PICTURES TELL A STORY

Come on you Ram experts I AGAIN made it easier. THE RAM CHALLENGE


View My Guestbook
Sign My Guestbook