| 1951 Los Angeles Rams season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Dan Reeves Edwin W. Pauley |
| General manager | Chile Walsh |
| Head coach | Joe Stydahar |
| Home field | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum |
| Results | |
| Record | 8–4 |
| Division place | 1st NFL National |
| Playoff finish | Won NFL Championship (vs. Browns) 24–17 |
| Pro Bowlers | 8
|
| Uniform | |
 | |
The 1951 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 14th year in the National Football League and the sixth season in Los Angeles. In 1951, the Rams had an up-and-down season, never winning more than three games in a row, but were able to win eight games and clinch the National Conference after defeating the Green Bay Packers during Week 12 of the season. Los Angeles also led the National Football League in attendance for the second time while in Southern California; the first of 10 consecutive seasons leading the league in attendance. The Rams' largest crowd during the 1951 campaign was 67,186 against the Cleveland Browns during Week 2.[1]
After their 8–4 campaign, Los Angeles won the National Conference and advanced to their third NFL Championship Game in a row and faced the powerhouse Cleveland Browns. The Rams ended up winning their second NFL Championship in seven seasons, and their first in Los Angeles. The 1951 NFL Championship was also the State of California's first major professional championship and was the Rams' only title while in Southern California, until Super Bowl LVI, 70 years later. The Rams would advance to the championship round four more times (1955, Super Bowl XIV, Super Bowl LIII, and Super Bowl LVI).
The Rams scored 391 points, the second-most of any NFL team in the 1950s (although significantly less than the highest-scoring team of the decade, the 1950 Rams).[2] Los Angeles led the league in total points, total yards, passing yards, and was third in the league in rushing. Ram quarterbacks Bob Waterfield and Norm Van Brocklin led the National Football League in quarterback rating, with both in the top three in yards per completion. Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch led in nearly every receiving category (receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, yards per reception, yards per game, and points scored).[3] While the Rams' offensive statistics were stellar, Los Angeles' defense was middle-of-the pack in the NFL with 261 points and 3,879 yards given up.
- ^ "1951 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- ^ "In a single season, from 1950 to 1959, in the regular season, sorted by descending Points For". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 26, 2012.
- ^ "1951 NFL Leaders and Leaderboards - Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on August 31, 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2012.