THREE RAM-NINER GAMES FROM THE PAST

13 early in the fourth quarter. It's 4th and 4 on the Niner's 7 yard line. Then the most bizarre play EVER on MNF happened. And only a Tommy Prothro could of thought of this play. There were five Ram players on the right hashmark and 5 others on the left hashmark. Jim Bertleson took the ball to the one yard line for a first down. The next play the Rams score a TD. Rams win 26-16. In the 1973 season, the Rams were 2-0 and game 3 was SF in SF. The experts said the Rams haven't played anyone, wait till they play the niners. For the first time that season the Rams were behind (niners scored first) 7-0. But, that lasted less than 11 seconds because Cullen Bryant ran the Kickoff back for a TD. The Rams destroyed the niners 40-20. The Monday Herald Examiner (LA folks, don't you miss that paper? ) front page of the sports section in big bold headlines said THE RAMS ARE THE NEW NFL MONSTERS! (I still have it). On a Monday Night in 1976, the niners whipped us 16-0. Sacking James Harris 9 times. Not our proudest moment. In 1979, the Rams needed to win to stay even with the Saints for the division title. With the Rams losing 20-19 late in the 4th quarter. Malavasi sends in Bob Lee at QB. Lee hits Ron Smith for a 40 yard winning TD. You know the worst I have ever felt over a Ram loss wasn't SB 14, those NFC championship games against the Vikings in the 70's (although they are close) but, was that 1989 Monday Night game when the Rams had a 17 point in the 4th quarter only to see the Niners win by 2. I swear I felt like taking my TV and video recorder down to my garage, closing the garage door starting the car and watching the over again. or fast forwarcd the tape to Taylor's 90 yard TD and putting my lips around the exhaust pipe. I didn't sleep or eat for over 3 days. If that was my nightmare, then the 1990 game was my niner dream. Coming off that NFC championship game where the niners beat us 30-3. To make NFL history of winning 19 straight games all they had to do was beat a struggling Ram team without Ellard. The line was 17 points and the money-line was 8-1. Fritz Shurmer used a defensive scheme called the "big nickel". Instead of a linebacker on the Niner's Jones, a db covered him. The Rams made Montana look like a bad rookie as the Rams stopped history from being made by beating them 28-16. Thank God I was in Tahoe (8-1). HERE IS THREE RAM-NINER GAMES FROM THE PAST.