This week, the NFL Thursday miniseries travels across the … parking lot? We took on the Los Angeles Chargers last week, and as fate would have it, the next team in winning-percentage order (.505 all time) is the L.A. Rams! Weird—especially since this team started in Cleveland, moved to Southern California, went back to the Midwest in St. Louis, and then returned to the City of Angels. What a journey … unmatched, too.

Overall, the Rams have been moderately successful in a lot of ways: in 87 overall seasons, the organization has won four NFL championships, including two Super Bowls (1999, 2021). We aren’t including pre-1950 teams in this analysis, so the Cleveland champs from 1945 aren’t here—and neither are the 1951 champs from L.A. With 31 overall postseason berths, though, the Rams are tied for fifth all time in league history.

No. 5: 1976 Los Angeles Rams

The franchise was one of the best of the 1970s, winning 7 straight NFC West Division titles—but never celebrating a Super Bowl win. This team was no exception: it finished 10-3-1 to claim first place on the backs of the No. 3 offense, the No. 3 defense, and the No. 2 overall SRS rank. The Rams got past the Dallas Cowboys, 14-12, in the divisional round, though, before losing to the Minnesota Vikings, 24-13, next.

The top three players were all on defense: cornerback Monte Jackson (16 AV), linebacker Isiah Robertson (15), and defensive end Jack Youngblood (15). The offense was led by running back Lawrence McCutcheon (14). The Dallas victory was a defensive struggle, with both teams combining for just 461 total yards—and 7 turnovers. The Vikings loss? L.A. fell behind 17-0 in the third quarter and could never catch up.

No. 4: 1999 St. Louis Rams

A 13-3 record brought the team another NFC West crown, despite its new Midwest location. The No. 1 offense, the No. 4 defense, and the No. 1 ranking in the SRS made this team the title favorite entering the postseason. After a 49-37 drag-race win over the Vikings, the Rams then struggled to beat Tampa Bay in the NFC title game, 11-6. In the Super Bowl, St. Louis built a 16-0 lead before needing a late score to win it all.

Our pick for the NFL MVP—RB Marshall Faulk (25 AV)—and the voters pick—quarterback Kurt Warner (19)—were the big stars, but DE Kevin Carter (18) and CB Todd Lyght (16) also brought serious value. The Rams were up by 32 points against Minnesota late before cruising, but the Buccaneers really stifled the St. Louis offense before collapsing. The Super Bowl then highlighted both sides of the Rams’ excellence.

No. 3: 1973 Los Angeles Rams

This was the best of the Rams’ ’70s teams that always came up short against some of the best teams of the decade themselves. A 12-2 record won L.A. the NFC West, and the team had the No. 1 offense, the No. 4 defense, and the No. 1 SRS ranking overall. But again, the Rams fell behind 17-0 and could never recover on the road against the Dallas Cowboys in a 27-16 loss. The L.A. offense gained under 200 yards and had 3 TOs.

McCutcheon (19 AV), wide receiver Harold Jackson (18), Robertson (17), fullback Jim Bertelsen (15), and QB John Hadl (15) were the value leaders for this squad. The team fought hard to come back from 17-0 down, making it a one-point game in the fourth quarter, but the Cowboys scored the final 10 points of the game to ice it. Dallas itself committed 4 TOs, but the Rams could not stop the Cowboys running game (162 yards).

No. 2: 2001 St. Louis Rams

The Greatest Show on Turf’s most brilliant team posted a 14-2 record to win the NFC West, while claiming the No. 1 slot in the overall SRS rankings again. The offense was No. 1, although the defense slipped to No. 7 this time. After a 45-17 demolition of the Green Bay Packers to open the playoffs, the Rams scraped by Philadelphia, 29-24, to reach another Super Bowl—where they lost to the cheatin’ New England Patriots.

Faulk (22 AV) and Warner (20) did the same thing as they did in 1999, in our eyes. CB Aeneas Williams (19) and WR Torry Holt (16) also were big contributors. The Packers never had a chance, falling behind, 45-10, but the Eagles had the lead on St. Louis for much of the game before giving up 16 straight points in the second half. The Patriots’ 20-17 SB victory was a result of SpyGate, really, as the Rams committed 3 TOs.

No. 1: 1967 Los Angeles Rams

The top team in Rams franchise history had the misfortune of facing the Team of the 1960s in the postseason. Los Angeles posted an 11-1-2 record to win the NFL Coastal Division, and these Rams fielded the No. 1 offense, the No. 1 defense, and the No. 1 overall SRS ranking. Alas, for a random reason, they had to travel to Green Bay in the playoffs to face the defending and eventual Super Bowl champions. Bad luck!

This was the era of the Fearsome Foursome, and the Rams were led by DE Deacon Jones (17 AV), free safety Eddie Meador (16), QB Roman Gabriel (15), and defensive tackle Merlin Olsen (15). Los Angeles had to play at Green Bay (9-4-1) due to the rotation system used at the time, and the Packers lucked out with the cold weather in a 28-7 victory. Green Bay committed 4 turnovers, but its run-heavy offense ruled the day.