The Rams: 1992 in Review
Most Valuable Ram, first 10 games: Running back Cleveland Gary, on pace to rack up nearly 2,000 combined yards.
Least Valuable Ram, last six games: Gary, on pace to be out of the league soon.
Most Valuable Ram: Anthony Newman, a steady, heady influence on a team that should put him at free safety and keep him there.
From Out of Nowhere (or at Least the 12th Round) Award: David Lang, a 12th-round running back in 1990 by way of Northern Arizona with a few detours.
Most Important Ram: Sean Gilbert. You expected Joe Milinichik?
Most Improved (tie): Lang and Pat Carter, the fourth-year blocking tight end who suddenly became a reliable part of the offense.
Least Improved: Free safety Pat Terrell. Familiar sight: Terrell just moving into the replay picture after another touchdown pass.
Most Important Player Who Didn’t Play a Down: Darryl Ashmore, who could be either the starting right guard or right tackle in 1993.
Quietest Good Seasons: Center Bern Brostek and left tackle Gerald Perry, the best parts of a smooth offensive line.
Loudest Bad Season: Linebacker Kevin Greene, who got 10 sacks but just one from Nov. 1 through Dec. 20, when the Rams’ season was decided.
Best Personnel Move: Not trading any high ’93 draft picks for a Barry Word, Christian Okoye, Neal Anderson or any of the other high-mileage running backs offered to the Rams in the preseason.
Second-Best Personnel Move: Trading always-hurt linebacker Frank Stams for anything, and actually getting a sixth-rounder from Cleveland, where he was, surprise, hurt most of this season.
Worst Personnel Move: Using a second-round pick on cornerback Steve Israel, when it would’ve been better used on a linebacker.
Second-Worst Personnel Move: Making promising second-year defensive lineman Robert Young disappear until the end of the season, when he finally got playing time--and two sacks.
Best Single-Game Performance: Cleveland Gary vs. Dallas--two touchdowns, seven catches, 110 rushing yards.
Second-Best Single-Game Performance: Jim Everett, Game 1 vs. San Francisco--83% completion rate, in total control.
Worst Single-Game Performance: Gary vs. Phoenix--two fumbles that lost the game.
Second-Worst Single-Game Performance: Everett vs. Minnesota--12 of 23, pulled in third quarter.
Most Ironic Fact: League rushing titlist Emmitt Smith and the Dallas Cowboys were one of only two teams not to rush for 100 yards vs. Rams.
Most Disastrous Defensive Fact: Hard to decide which was worse, that thrice-released defensive end Jim Skow started three games, that linebacker Paul Butcher started one or that middle linebacker Larry Kelm started all 16.
Most Disastrous Offensive Fact: Jeff Chadwick and Jim Price, considered team’s most reliable receivers, dropped at least 10 passes apiece.
Most Exciting Bad Ram Play: 49er quarterback Steve Young running 39 yards for a touchdown through the Ram defense, Ram defenders falling down gracefully at his feet.
Most Exciting Good Ram Play: Lang’s 67-yard sprint in the first Atlanta game.
Most Embarrassing Play: Packer wide receiver Sterling Sharpe rumbling through and over cornerback Darryl Henley and Terrell into the end zone.
Best Reason to Have Hope: John Math and John Robinson aren’t running the draft anymore. Together, with more high picks than anybody else, these two produced a draft bounty that last yielded a Pro Bowler in the 1986 class, guard Tom Newberry. Since then, not a single Ram drafted has made the Pro Bowl for the team. No other team in the NFC has failed to draft a Pro Bowl player in that long a period, and only running back Gaston Green has made it for another team. Indianapolis, the only team with a longer no-Pro Bowl string, at least has drafted and traded away linebacker Cornelius Bennett and wide receiver Andre Rison in the same period.
John Math Legacy, or They Don’t Even Look Good in Airports Award: Fred Strickland, Aaron Cox, Mike Piel. Nice guys, OK athletes, and that’s about it.
Best Ram Free-Agent Prospects (Big Bucks Category): Neil Smith, Al Smith, Ernest Givins, Shane Conlan. Neil Smith could cost $2.5 million per, but he’s probably worth it to end-hungry Rams. Al Smith and Conlan are the class of the middle linebacker field, Givins the tough game-breaker at wideout the Rams need.
Best Ram Free-Agent Prospects (Non-Big Bucks Category): Tony Woods, Kurt Gouveia, Kevin Mack, Jim McMahon. Woods is a Knox favorite who can play either outside backer spot, Gouveia is a discount version of Al Smith, Mack might have two years left at fullback, McMahon looks good in shades.
Worst Free-Agent Prospect (Any Category): Marcus Allen. Just what the Rams really need, another part-time tailback. His first name probably rules him out with Knox.