It has been 30 years (how can 3 long decades ago seem like 3 short weeks) since that magical season
of 1979.

It started out losing the greatest owner in sports on April 2nd, 1979.

Carroll Rosenbloom drowning.
 
Losing players unmatched in NFL history.
 
Pat Haden lost for the season.
 
Vince Ferragamo break his hand.
 
Cappaletti is lost for the season.
 
John Williams and Doug Smith were lost for the season.
 
Dennis Harrah missed time with a broken leg.
 
Starting recievers Ron Jessie and Willie Miller had severe leg injuries.

Their number one starting RB (Peacock) lost for the season.
 
Starting defensive backs Rod Perry and Pat Thomas were out for weeks. 

They had to play 4 different QB's.

And still win the western division for a NFL record 7 straight times. 

Ray Malavasi and Bud Carson had great defensive minds, but, you get 
these two together and they became a monster defensive coach.

For the Seahawks they created a defensive scheme called "delay-bim."
. 

It was so effective that it held a explosive seahawk offense to -7 total 
yards for the entire game. 

They had to play two teams in the playoffs that beat them by a total of 
51-12 in the regular season.

On the road.

For Dallas, they created a defensive scheme called the "Quarter". (4 dl 
and 7 db's). 

At half we had a 14-5 lead and started to believe is this our time.
 
Then Vinnie throws that interception and Dallas takes a 19-14 lead.

For us Ramfans that had our souls ripped from our hearts so many times.

All those brutal images came rushing back, a cavalcade of Ram disasters
through the years. 

Joe Kapp hurdling over Ram defenders and Roman Gabriel getting sacked for that
final safety, turning a 1969 Ram season that began 11-0 into a first-round playoff loss in Minnesota. 
 
Steve Preece and Eddie McMillan leaping for that underthrown Roger Staubach pass and smashing
into each other, allowing the ball to float into Drew Pearson's hands for the touchdown that clinched the Rams' 1973 playoff defeat in Dallas. 

Tom Mack getting flagged for "illegal motion" (Mack still hasn't moved) on the Minnesota half-yard line in the 1974 NFC Championship game. James Harris throwing an interception in the end zone, sealing a 14-10 Ram defeat.  The Rams went over 99 yards on a drive and lose by 4.

Preston Pearson making diving catches in the end zone to lead the wild-card Dallas Cowboys to a 37-7 upset of the Rams in the 1975 NFC championship game.

Nate Allen blocking that Tom Dempsey field goal try, Bobby Bryant running it back 90 yards and the Vikings beating the Rams again in the 1976 NFC title game. 

The Rams long-awaited opportunity to play the Vikings at home, minus Fran Tarkenton, in the 1977 playoffs. The Vikings bringing Minnesota weather with them and the rain rendering Ram quarterback Pat Haden useless in a 14-7 Viking triumph. (Should of played Namath)
 
Then when Vinnie hit Waddy for the game winning TD we all went nuts.
 
One week later the Ram defense shined shutting out Tampa Bay 9-0 in the NFC Championship game.
 
In Super Bowl 14, the Rams did not play the 85 Patriots or 88 Bengals, they played one of the greatest teams ever, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
 
With a QB starting his 7th game.
 
Jack Youngblood at 60%.
 
And had the lead in the 4th quarter by 2.
 
It took one of the greatest throws along with the greatest catch ever in a Super Bowl to beat us.
 
I forgot to mention Eddie Brown's blown coverage.
 
And still Rod Perry came within an inch of us winning.
 
How special were the 1979 Rams?

Can you name me another team losing it's starting QB, RB and  wide receiver for the season and coming within an inch of winning the Super Bowl against one of the greatest teams ever?

I can't either.

What I cherish the most is Pat Summerall announcing to the world the starting Ram defense.
 
Something that should of been done at least 3 more times in the 70's