The 1954 season proved to be a struggle for the Los Angeles Rams. Expectations were high for the team after barely missing the playoffs in the past couple of seasons, but holes in the roster hurt the Rams on the field.
The Rams finished in the Western Division with a mediocre 6-5-1 record. There were times when head coach Hampton Pool’s Rams looked like one of the best teams in the league, and there were other times when they appeared to be one of the NFL’s worst teams.
Los Angeles kicked off the season with a blowout road victory over the Baltimore Colts. The Rams threw for 406 passing yards under the leadership of QB Norm Van Brocklin, who threw for two touchdowns. WR Elroy Hirsch, HB Volney “Skeet” Quinlan and FB Dan Towler each registered a touchdown in the victory.
The Rams’ inconsistency was displayed when they played the lowly Colts once more in Los Angeles. They turned the ball over nine times and blew a fourth quarter lead to lose the game 22-21 on a late field goal.
The rivalry between the Rams and the San Francisco 49ers was beginning to capture the attention of the fans. The 49ers were greeted by a crowd of 93,621 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Week 2, which is just 130 fans shy of the record the Rams set in 1953. The two teams went back and forth throughout the game, which finished in a 24-24 tie. WR Bob Boyd had a great game finishing with 157 yards and one touchdown.
The Rams made the return trip to San Francisco in Week 7 and emerged victorious in a shootout, 42-34. Van Brocklin hit Hirsch for touchdowns against the struggling 49ers secondary. Van Brocklin finished with 290 passing yards and three touchdowns, while Hirsch compiled 145 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
The Rams finished the season strong earning a 35-27 victory over the Green Bay Packers. However, it was not enough to convince the coaching staff to stay. Coach Pool and his staff resigned at the end of the season.
Despite a disappointing campaign, there were a few bright spots. QB Norm Van Brocklin was named Player of the Year after putting together a spectacular regular season with 2,637 passing yards. LB Les Richter finally returned from the Korean War, and he proved to be a worthy investment. Although not technically a rookie, he earned a spot on the Pro Bowl team in his first active year in the NFL. His best years were still ahead of him.
The Rams still had many talented individuals on the roster, and the proof was in the amount players selected to the Pro Bowl: Van Brocklin, Richter, FB Dan Towler, HB Volney “Skeet” Quinlan, WR Bob Boyd, OG Duane Putnam and C Leon McLaughlin. However, only Boyd was named to the All-Pro team.
Season Notes
– Fullback Dan Towler led the league with 11 rushing touchdowns.
– Wide receiver Bob Boyd led the league in receiving yards with 1,212.
– The Rams drafted center Ed Beatty from the University of Mississippi in the first round (1oth overall) of the 1954 NFL Draft.
| 1954 Los Angeles Rams | ||||
| Week | Date | Opponent | Score | Record |
| 1 | Sunday, Sept. 26 | @Baltimore Colts | W, 48-0 | 1-0 |
| 2 | Sunday, Oct. 3 | San Francisco 49ers | T, 24-24 | 1-0-1 |
| 3 | Sunday, Oct. 10 | @Detroit Lions | L, 3-21 | 1-1-1 |
| 4 | Sunday, Oct. 17 | @Green Bay Packers | L, 17-35 | 1-2-1 |
| 5 | Sunday, Oct. 24 | Chicago Bears | W, 42-38 | 2-2-1 |
| 6 | Sunday, Oct. 31 | Detroit Lions | L, 24-27 | 2-3-1 |
| 7 | Sunday, Nov. 7 | @San Francisco 49ers | W, 42-34 | 3-3-1 |
| 8 | Sunday, Nov. 14 | Chicago Cardinals | W, 28-17 | 4-3-1 |
| 9 | Sunday, Nov. 21 | @New York Giants | W, 17-16 | 5-3-1 |
| 10 | Sunday, Nov. 28 | @Chicago Bears | L, 13-24 | 5-4-1 |
| 11 | Saturday, Dec. 4 | Baltimore Colts | L, 21-22 | 5-5-1 |
| 12 | Sunday, Dec. 12 | Green Bay Packers | W, 35-27 | 6-5-1 |
You can follow Johnny Gomez on Twitter @Johnny5not6. Be sure to follow Rams Talk on Twitter @TalkRams.
Sources: Profootballreference.com, Stlouisrams.com
