Rams Strongest All Time Position...Weakest All Time Position

[Roman Snow]

I was looking at all-time players list of the various teams in the NFL earlier today, when it occurred to me: The Rams match up pretty well, historically. Even when compared to such historically prominent teams such as Green Bay, Dallas, San Francisco, Chicago and Washington.

The Rams greatest players, such as Deacon Jones, Norm Van Brocklin, Merlin Olson, Jack Youngblood, Marshall Faulk and Eric Dickerson, would be some of the greatest on ANY team.

In doing research for my Top Ten position lists a few months ago, it became clear to me: The Rams have been historically great at certain positions, and not so great at others.

I thought I would put it to my Ram brothers:

1. What position, historically, would you consider the Ram's strongest? And why?
2. What positition historically would you consider the Ram's weakest? And why?

Thanks for your input.

Oh and don't forget to vote in the poll!

 

[Mojo Ram]

IMO

Strongest: RB
Runner up: DE

Weakest: QB
Runner up: TE

 

[fearsomefour]

Tough ones....
Historically the best? RB I suppose. So many great ones in Rams history....and a potential great one now.
Note to ownership....lets not trade this one away.

Historically the worst?
I don't know.....TE maybe? A surprising lack of top quality QBs given how many good years the team has had. I would go TE I guess.

 

[OldSchool]

IMO

Strongest: RB
Runner up: DE

Weakest: QB
Runner up: TE

I would probably have the same positions just in the other order DE strongest RB second but those are amazingly close.

 

[Roman Snow]

Strongest: I'll go with Running back. The Rams have had great defensive ends. I nearly went with the DE position. But with Dickerson, Faulk, Crazy Legs Hirsch, Dick Bass, Lawrence McCutcheon, Jerome Bettis, Steven Jackson, and soon to be....GURLEY!! You cannot deny. And then there is Greg Bell, and others.
That is a pretty strong group.

Weakest: Actually, Center. I think some guys may argue quarterback, and make a pretty compelling case, but after the big 3- Ken Iman, Rich Saul, and Doug Smith, there is a pretty big drop off. The Rams have struggled quite a bit. (Witness: current team. It may be our weakest position group NOW.)

So there is my input. What say you?

 

[baconandbread]

Strongest : RB - We have some of the best of all time, numerous Hall of Famers

Weakest - TE Other than Holohan and Conwell we have had no one of note. "Out of all the tight ends the Rams have ever drafted, the one that played the most games in the NFL was Brandon Manumaleuna"
...nuff said

Source :
http://cover32.com/2014/02/26/who-i...s-rams-have-ever-drafted/#ebhoQbltEDuSBFY0.99

 

[jap]

Strongest: I'll go with Running back. The Rams have had great defensive ends. I nearly went with the DE position. But with Dickerson, Faulk, Crazy Legs Hirsch, Dick Bass, Lawrence McCutcheon, Jerome Bettis, Steven Jackson, and soon to be....GURLEY!! You cannot deny. And then there is Greg Bell, and others.
That is a pretty strong group.

Just keep in mind Crazy Legs was a receiver.

 

[tempests]

RB and DE jump out as strongest, but I would submit WR as perhaps surpassing them both.

Bruce
Holt
Ellard
Big Jim Benton (Played in the 1940's, perhaps second only to Don Hutson at the time. His 303 receiving yards on Thanksgiving, propelled the Rams to the division championship in 1945. His single game yardage total stood as an NFL record until 1985. Pro football historians consider him to be one of the more underrated players before the merger. Still sixth in franchise history in TD catches.
Sprinter Bob Boyd, averaged over 20 yards per catch in eight seasons with the Rams.
Red Phillips
Del Shofner and Tommy McDonald are more known for their exploits with other teams, but both had some big seasons with the Rams.
Harold Jackson had the most catches and yards of any receiver in the decade of the 70s.
Fears and Hirsch are Hall of Famers.
Jack Snow, Flipper Anderson, Ron Jessie, and others.

I'm more than a little surprised people are suggesting QB for weakest. Bob Waterfield walked straight off the UCLA campus and won MVP and the league championship his rookie year. And he was banging Jane Russell. Van Brocklin won four passing titles, often fighting for that honor with Otto Graham. Roman Gabriel was league MVP. Warner won two MVPs and likely the third Ram QB to enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I'd say our Big Four compares favorably with many teams.

 

[den-the-coach]

IMO

Strongest: RB
Runner up: DE

Weakest: QB
Runner up: TE

This^ Not bad @Mojo Ram , not bad!

 

[LesBaker]

IMO

Strongest: RB
Runner up: DE

Weakest: QB
Runner up: TE

This is it, there isn't even a conversation about it LOL.

 

[badnews]

Yeah... not sure I can agree with some of you that QB is our weakest position. That is TE, obviously.
We've been pretty comparable to other teams at QB. We're no Green Bay but we've had some very good ones in horns.

Our 3 strongest positions are easy. DE, RB and WR.
As great as we've been at DE with Jones and Youngblood, our franchise has had some pretty amazing WR play too. If I'm forced to choose 1 group, it's RB IMO., Faulk, Dickerson, Jackson and more. It's looking likely that Gurley gets on this list too....

 

[Roman Snow]

Just keep in mind Crazy Legs was a receiver.

Oh yeah. I forgot. He was primarily a receiver. Although he was used a lot like Tavon, from what I can tell. Maybe @DaveFan'51 can offer some insight.

Thanks Jap!

 

[Roman Snow]

RB and DE jump out as strongest, but I would submit WR as perhaps surpassing them both.

Bruce
Holt
Ellard
Big Jim Benton (Played in the 1940's, perhaps second only to Don Hutson at the time. His 303 receiving yards on Thanksgiving, propelled the Rams to the division championship in 1945. His single game yardage total stood as an NFL record until 1985. Pro football historians consider him to be one of the more underrated players before the merger. Still sixth in franchise history in TD catches.
Sprinter Bob Boyd, averaged over 20 yards per catch in eight seasons with the Rams.
Red Phillips
Del Shofner and Tommy McDonald are more known for their exploits with other teams, but both had some big seasons with the Rams.
Harold Jackson had the most catches and yards of any receiver in the decade of the 70s.
Fears and Hirsch are Hall of Famers.
Jack Snow, Flipper Anderson, Ron Jessie, and others.

I'm more than a little surprised people are suggesting QB for weakest. Bob Waterfield walked straight off the UCLA campus and won MVP and the league championship his rookie year. And he was banging Jane Russell. Van Brocklin won four passing titles, often fighting for that honor with Otto Graham. Roman Gabriel was league MVP. Warner won two MVPs and likely the third Ram QB to enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I'd say our Big Four compares favorably with many teams.

Great info on the receivers and QBs Tempest! I didn't know a lot of that. I am surprised so many people are going QB for weakest. (Too much recent frustration, perhaps?)

I should have just made that my poll question, and had the top 5 all-time in a separate thread. Oh well. Some great feedback so far.

 

[OldSchool]

Great info on the receivers and QBs Tempest! I didn't know a lot of that. I am surprised so many people are going QB for weakest. (Too much recent frustration, perhaps?)

I should have just made that my poll question, and had the top 5 all-time in a separate thread. Oh well. Some great feedback so far.

The QB being weakest is absolutely tainted by the last dozen years or so. But there have been a few taps with bad QB play. It's the same with every franchise.

 

[Leuzer]

Top 5 Rams (in no specific order): Deacon, Youngblood, Olsen, Bruce, Slater
Strongest position: RB
Weakest position: TE

 

[Roman Snow]

Top 5 Rams (in no specific order): Deacon, Youngblood, Olsen, Bruce, Slater
Strongest position: RB
Weakest position: TE

I think this is pretty solid all around, on your top 5.

Has anyone else considered Center for weakest? TE makes a pretty compelling case, but we've been chasing down a great Center since Doug Smith left the team.

 

[DaveFan'51]

Oh yeah. I forgot. He was primarily a receiver. Although he was used a lot like Tavon, from what I can tell. Maybe @DaveFan'51 can offer some insight.

Thanks Jap!

You'll just have to wait, and Tune into the Count Down thread, Jersey #40 for my FULL work-Up On ' Crazey-Legs'!! :mrburnsevil:

 

[den-the-coach]

You'll just have to wait, and Tune into the Count Down thread, Jersey #40 for my FULL work-Up On ' Crazey-Legs'!! :mrburnsevil:

Every Ram fan knows you have to include Crazy Legs as one of the best ever...I didn't see him play, but I was not around during the Civil War either, however, I can speak intelligently about it.

 

[den-the-coach]

I think this is pretty solid all around, on your top 5.

Has anyone else considered Center for weakest? .

For a long time the Rams had some great Centers that covered close to 30 years:

1. Ken Iman
2. Rich Saul
3. Doug Smith

Add in Bern Brostek, Mike Gruttadauria & Andy McCollum and Center pales in comparison to Tight End in every which way but loose over the years.

 

[DaveFan'51]

Every Ram fan knows you have to include Crazy Legs as one of the best ever...I didn't see him play, but I was not around during the Civil War either, however, I can speak intelligently about it.

I saw him in my 1st Live game ever, and it was great! As a kid, playing Football in the streets of L.A. ALL the Kids wanted to pretend they where " Crazy-Legs!" I wonder if that's why they made a Movie of his Life!?!