YESTERDAY AND TODAY
A pro football team doesn’t win its first five games of the season, as the Rams have, with three players. But, the improved play of quarterback Jim Everett, his favorite receiver, Henry Ellard, and running back Greg Bell have helped the Rams to the only unbeaten record in the NFL. JIM EVERETT/QB
PASSES ATTEMPTED PASSES COMPLETED YARDAGE ’89 ’88 ’89 ’88 ’89 ’88 144 126 93 88 1,352 1,039
TOUCHDOWNS INTERCEPTIONS ’89 ’88 ’89 ’88 9 10 4 2
HENRY ELLARD/WR
RECEPTIONS YARDAGE AVG. PER CATCH ’89 ’88 ’89 ’88 ’89 ’88 35 18 636 289 18.2 16.1
TOUCHDOWNS LONG GAIN ’89 ’88 ’89 ’88 4 2 46 68
GREG BELL/RB
CARRIES YARDAGE AVG. PER CARRY ’89 ’88 ’89 ’88 100 106 512 467 5.1 4.4
TOUCHDOWNS LONG GAIN ’89 ’88 ’89 ’88 5 5 46 44
THE BIG PLAY: I-Right Slot, Fan Pass Left 94; One of the season’s most productive plays has Everett faking to Bell, then throwing deep down the left side to Ellard, with Flipper Anderson being the secondary receiver. THE STREAKING RAMS Quick season starts have not been synonymous with the team in its 34-year history in California. Only six Ram teams have won as many as six games opening the National Football League season. A victory in Buffalo Monday night would be the sixth straight for Coach John Robinson’s current team.
YEAR STREAK COACH FINISH 1969 11 George Allen 11-3 1st 1985 7 John Robinson 11-5 1st 1978 7 Ray Malavasi 12-4 1st 1973 6 Chuck Knox 12-2 2nd 1968 6 G. Allen 10-3-1 2nd 1949 6 Clarke Shaughnessy 8-2-2 1st 1989 6 J. Robinson 5-0 *
* Currently in 1st The Rams, to date, have recorded wins over Atlanta (31-21), Indianapolis (31-17), Green Bay (41-38), San Francisco (13-12) and Atlanta (26-14). Source: Los Angeles Rams