RAM NOTEBOOK : Fans Use Empty Seats to Show Their Displeasure
The Rams finished the season with their fans--the few in attendance--standing and applauding a 20-6 victory.
It was not a good year, however, to sell Ram tickets. The Rams averaged 45,401 fans per home game, an all-time low since their arrival at Anaheim Stadium in 1980.
The Rams drew 39,147 fans to their regular-season finale Sunday and ran their eight-game home season attendance to 363,211.
The team averaged 47,810 fans a game last season, and a high of 62,550 in 1980.
The Rams said there were 8,991 no-shows Sunday, which represented a season high. According to team statistics, 45,353 tickets--an average of 5,669 per game--were not used this season.
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When the season began, Coach Chuck Knox looked at his team, their opponents and their combined 103-105 record and then predicted the playoffs were within reach. Oh well.
Next season, the Rams will try again against a group of opponents with a combined record of 105-102 (49ers finish the season tonight against Philadelphia).
The Rams will play at home against the Broncos, Raiders, Giants, Redskins and Eagles, unless Philadelphia defeats the 49ers. If so, the Cardinals will play in Anaheim Stadium instead of the Eagles.
In addition to their home-and-away schedule against the 49ers, Falcons and Saints, the Rams will travel to Kansas City, San Diego, Green Bay, Chicago and Tampa Bay.
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1994 Draft: 1. Cincinnati, 2. Indianapolis, 3. Washington, 4. New England, 5. Rams, 6. Tampa Bay, 7. Atlanta, 8. Seattle, 9. Cleveland, 10. Phoenix.
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Going, going, gone? Pat Terrell’s fourth-quarter interception might have been his last as a Ram. A strong safety from Notre Dame, Terrell will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, and he was disappointed the Rams didn’t try sign him by the Dec. 23 early signing deadline.
“I’m going to go out and test the free-agent market,” Terrell said. “My agent, Leigh Steinberg, is going to do what he has to. But hopefully, I’ll be back here in Southern California again. I’ve been through the rough times, and I know that I’m a good safety and I have a lot of good football left in me.
“What you do speaks so well, and I have some good game films. Hopefully, the Rams will see what they have in Pat Terrell during the off-season.”
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Missing his mark: Wide receiver Henry Ellard failed to achieve his goal of 1,000 receiving yards, getting only one catch for 24 yards. Ellard needed 79 yards to reach 1,000-yard mark for the fifth time in his career.
Still, Ellard isn’t bitter.
“It was a big goal for me, definitely,” Ellard said. “But we were trying to get Jerome the rushing title, so it was something that happened. It’s just the way it is.
“I didn’t mind taking a backseat to do that.”
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Glad it’s over: During six seasons with the Buffalo Bills, middle linebacker Shane Conlan was usually preparing for the playoffs this time of year.
Sunday after completing his first season with the Rams, Conlan was sorting out his thoughts on the team’s 5-11 season. It was the first losing team Conlan has played for since the Bills went 7-8 in 1987, his rookie season.
“It’s so good to win the last game because you have a good feeling coming back,” Conlan said. “After losing the last three Super Bowls with the Bills, we came into training camp the next year with a (lousy) taste in our mouth. The off-season is longer, and you always wonder, ‘Could I have done this, could I have done that?’ When you win, everything is easier.
“Obviously we didn’t have the season we wanted, but it’s good to go out on a winning note.”
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Stat of the day: Jerome Bettis’ 146 yards rushing made him only the second player in the past 24 games to run for more than 100 yards against a Dave Wannstedt coached defense, dating back to last season, when Wannstedt was Dallas’ defensive coordinator. The other player to break the 100-yard mark was Denver’s Rod Bernstine, who had 103 yards two weeks ago against the Bears.
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Times staff writers Mike Penner and Mike Reilley contributed to this story.