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{{short description|NFL team 35th season}}{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

factoids

The 1972 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 35th year with the National Football League and the 27th season in Los Angeles. The Rams looked to improve on their 8–5–1 record from 1971 and make the playoffs for the first time since 1969. After a win against the New Orleans Saints at home, the Rams tied the Chicago Bears, 13–13, their third straight season with a tie. This was followed by an embarrassing loss to the Atlanta Falcons, 31–3. However, the Rams would then pick up their winning ways, beating the San Francisco 49ers 31–7 at home, the Philadelphia Eagles 34–3 in Philly, and the Cincinnati Bengals 15–12 at home. However, following this three-game winning streak, the Rams struggled, losing several close games, including an embarrassing 19-16 setback to the woeful New Orleans Saints, as they lost five of their last six to end the season 6–7–1. This was the last time the Rams missed the playoffs until 1981, as they started a dynasty the next season that won the NFC West seven consecutive times, from 1973–1979. They also finished in second place in 1980.After two seasons as head coach of the Rams, Tommy Prothro was dismissed in late January 1973 and succeeded by Chuck Knox, previously the offensive line coach of the Detroit Lions.NEWS,weblink Milwaukee Sentinel, wire services, Rams axe Prothro, hire Lions aide, January 25, 1973, 1, part 2, NEWS,weblink Lodi News-Sentinel, (California), UPI, Prothro is fired, Knox Rams coach, January 25, 1973, 12,

Offseason

On July 13, 1972, Robert Irsay and Willard Keland bought the Los Angeles Rams from the estate of Dan Reeves and transferred ownership to Carroll Rosenbloom, in exchange for ownership of the Baltimore Colts.NEWS,weblink Milwaukee Sentinel, Associated Press, Colts owner trades club for Rams, July 14, 1972, 1, part 2, {{Dead link|date=June 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}NEWS,weblink The Bulletin, (Bend, Oregon), UPI, Colts' owner now sole owner of Rams, July 14, 1972, 12, NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, {{ISBN|0-7611-2480-2}}, p.283

NFL Draft

{| class="wikitable sortable sortable" ! style="background:#14345B;color:#ffc322;" width="7%"| Round! style="background:#14345B;color:#ffc322;" width="7%"| Pick! style="background:#14345B;color:#ffc322;" width="20%"| Player! style="background:#14345B;color:#ffc322;" width="15%"| Position! style="background:#14345B;color:#ffc322;" width="20%"| School/Club Team

Roster

{{NFL season roster| year = 1972| team = Los Angeles Rams| quarterbacks ={{NFLplayer|18|Roman Gabriel}}{{NFLplayer|11|Pete Beathard}} {{NFLplayer|45|Jim Bertelsen|rookie=y}}{{NFLplayer|33|Willie Ellison}}{{NFLplayer|34|Les Josephson}}{{NFLplayer|30|Lawrence McCutcheon|rookie=y}}{{NFLplayer|38|Larry Smith|d=running back}}{{NFLplayer|35|Bob Thomas|d=running back}}| wide_receivers ={{NFLplayer|5|Dick Gordon|d=American football}}{{NFLplayer|29|Harold Jackson|d=American football}}{{NFLplayer|84|Jack Snow|d=American football}}{{NFLplayer|13|Lance Rentzel}}{{NFLplayer|82|Joe Sweet|rookie=y}}| tight_ends ={{NFLplayer|80|Bob Klein}}{{NFLplayer|88|Pat Curran|d=American football}}| offensive_linemen = {{NFLplayer|73|Charlie Cowan|T}}{{NFLplayer|71|Joe Scibelli|T}}{{NFLplayer|68|Mike LaHood|G}}{{NFLplayer|65|Tom Mack|G}}{{NFLplayer|50|Ken Iman|C}}{{NFLplayer|61|Rich Saul|C}}| defensive_linemen ={{NFLplayer|79|Coy Bacon|DE}}{{NFLplayer|89|Fred Dryer|DE}}{{NFLplayer|67|Bill Nelson|d=American football|DT}}{{NFLplayer|74|Merlin Olsen|DT}}{{NFLplayer|72|Phil Olsen|d=American football|DT}}{{NFLplayer|85|Jack Youngblood|DE}}| linebackers = {{NFLplayer|36|Ken Geddes}}{{NFLplayer|86|Marlin McKeever}}{{NFLplayer|53|Jim Purnell}}{{NFLplayer|58|Isiah Robertson}}{{NFLplayer|64|Jack "Hacksaw" Reynolds}}| defensive_backs = {{NFLplayer|39|Kermit Alexander}}{{NFLplayer|44|Al Clark|d=American football}}{{NFLplayer|42|Dave Elmendorf}}{{NFLplayer|19|Jim Nettles|d=American football}}{{NFLplayer|28|Gene Howard}}{{NFLplayer|24|Clancy Williams}}| special_teams = {{NFLplayer|10|Dave Chapple|P}}{{NFLplayer|27|David Ray|d=American football|K}}| reserve_lists =| practice_squad =}}

Regular season

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Schedule{| class"wikitable" style"text-align:center"

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Los Angeles Rams|year=1972|border=2}}"| Week!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Los Angeles Rams|year=1972|border=2}}"| Date!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Los Angeles Rams|year=1972|border=2}}"| Opponent!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Los Angeles Rams|year=1972|border=2}}"| Result!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Los Angeles Rams|year=1972|border=2}}"| Record!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Los Angeles Rams|year=1972|border=2}}"| Venue!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Los Angeles Rams|year=1972|border=2}}"| Attendancestyle="background:#cfc"! 1| September 17

1972 New Orleans Saints season>New Orleans Saints| W 34–14| 1–0| Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum| 66,303

style="background:#ffc"! 2| September 24

1972 Chicago Bears season>Chicago Bears| T 13–13| 1–0–1| Soldier Field| 55,701

style="background:#fcc"! 3| October 1

1972 Atlanta Falcons season>Atlanta Falcons| L 3–31| 1–1–1	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium>Atlanta Stadium| 57,122

style="background:#cfc"! 4| October 8

1972 San Francisco 49ers season>San Francisco 49ers| W 31–7| 2–1–1| Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum| 77,382

style="background:#cfc"! 5| October 15

1972 Philadelphia Eagles season>Philadelphia Eagles| W 34–3| 3–1–1| Veterans Stadium| 65,720

style="background:#cfc"! 6| October 22

1972 Cincinnati Bengals season>Cincinnati Bengals| W 15–12| 4–1–1| Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum| 73,385

style="background:#fcc"! 7| October 29

1972 Oakland Raiders season>Oakland Raiders| L 45–17| 4–2–1| Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum| 54,660

style="background:#cfc"! 8| November 5

1972 Atlanta Falcons season>Atlanta Falcons| W 20–7| 5–2–1| Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum| 75,018

style="background:#fcc"! 9| November 12

1972 Denver Broncos season>Denver Broncos| L 10–16| 5–3–1| Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum| 65,398

style="background:#fcc"! 10| November 19

1972 Minnesota Vikings season>Minnesota Vikings| L 41–45| 5–4–1| Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum| 77,982

style="background:#fcc"! 11| November 26

1972 New Orleans Saints season>New Orleans Saints| L 16–19| 5–5–1| Tulane Stadium| 64,325

style="background:#cfc"! 12| December 4

1972 San Francisco 49ers season>San Francisco 49ers| W 26–16| 6–5–1| Candlestick Park| 61,214

style="background:#fcc"! 13| December 10

1972 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season>St. Louis Cardinals| L 14–24| 6–6–1| Busch Memorial Stadium| 36,873

style="background:#fcc"! 14| December 17

1972 Detroit Lions season>Detroit Lions| L 17–34| 6–7–1| Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum| 71,761

style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Los Angeles Rams|year=1972|border=2}}"

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

{{1972 NFC West standings}}

References

{{Reflist|30em}}{{Los Angeles Rams}}{{Los Angeles Rams seasons}}{{1972 NFL season by team}}{{Americanfootball-season-stub}}