Which 5 Rams teams produced the most offensive fireworks?

Looking back at the five highest-scoring teams in franchise history

The Los Angeles Rams have seen no shortage of offensive fireworks throughout team history. Whatever city the Rams have called home, the franchise has typically been able to put up points in bunches.

Between stops in Cleveland, St. Louis and LA, the Rams have scored 500 or more points four times in a single season, three of those coming from the Greatest Show on Turf era alone. In honor of the Fourth of July, here are the five most “explosive” or highest-scoring teams in Rams history.

2000 – 540 Points Scored (33.8 PPG)

Fresh off a Super Bowl win over the Titans, St. Louis picked up right were they left off in 2000, continuing to dominate their opponents with ease.

Marshall Faulk won MVP for his 2,189 yards from scrimmage and 26 total touchdowns as Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce each amassed over 1,400 receiving yards. The 540 points scored are tied for the 10th most all-time with the 2016 Falcons. St. Louis also set a record with 7,335 total offensive yards, a mark that has since been broken by the 2011 Saints.

However, this Rams team was never meant to defend their title as the defense had allowed 471 points to opponents. In fact, the 471 points given up is the most ever surrendered by an NFL team that finished with a winning record. That defense likely cost the Greatest Show on Turf a chance to win consecutive titles.

2018 – 527 Points Scored (32.9 PPG)

Under second-year head coach Sean McVay, the 2018 Rams returned to heights that hadn’t been seen since the GSOT era. For one, this season produced one of the greatest games EVER.

LA started 8-0 as Jared Goff put together his best campaign donning the horns. Goff threw for 32 touchdowns and 4,688 yards while Todd Gurley led the league with 17 scores on the ground. Hardly anyone in the sport could compete with prime Gurley during this span.

1999 – 526 Points Scored (32.9 PPG)

‘Twas the season that started it all. The Greatest Show on Turf kicked off its three-year reign of offensive dominance by going 13-3, breezing through the NFL with ease.

Kurt Warner won his first of two NFL MVP awards in 1999 after passing for 41 touchdowns and leading the league with a 109.2 passer rating. Marshall Faulk became just the second running back to record at least 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in a season. The ‘99 campaign also marked the first of his three consecutive Offensive Player of the Year honors.

2001 – 503 Points Scored (31.4 PPG)

The Rams roared back to life after a disappointing finish to the 2000 season. St. Louis went 14-2 and made their second Super Bowl appearance in three years. I really don’t need to rehash how that game ended. Those damn Patriots.

Anyway, the Rams became the first team to score 500 or more points in three straight years. They did so thanks to MVP Kurt Warner’s 36 touchdown passes and Marshall Faulk’s 2,147 yards from scrimmage. The GSOT unceremoniously ended with the SB defeat to New England, yet their impact on NFL history remains unmatched.

2017 – 478 Points Scored (29.9 PPG)

After five lackluster years under Jeff Fisher, the Rams decided to put all their eggs into one basket with 30-year-old Sean McVay. The offensive guru guided the Rams to its first playoff berth since 2004, when the team was still based in the Midwest.

LA went from having the NFL’s worst scoring attack in 2016 to the best the following season. Jared Goff went from a deer in the headlights rookie to having a 28-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio under McVay’s guidance. Todd Gurley also bounced back from a mediocre showing in ‘16 to finish with 2,093 total yards and 19 total touchdowns. I’d say that McVay hiring panned out rather nicely.

Honorable Mention: 1950 L.A. Rams

While the 1950 squad just missed the cut as one of the five highest-scoring teams in Rams history, this team was absolutely insane.

The 1950 Rams scored 466 points, averaging almost 39 points a game—in 12 games(!) Their 38.8 points per game mark is the NFL’s all time record for average points per game, beating out the 2013 Broncos at 37.9 PPG. Of course it took Denver 16 games to set that mark. Slackers!

Unfortunately like those Broncos, this Rams team failed to win a title, losing a 30-28 heartbreaker in the 1950 NFL Championship to the Browns. Despite that, LA became the only team in modern league history to score 60-or-more points twice in a season. They did so in back-to-back games with a 70-27 beatdown of the Baltimore Colts and a 65-24 blowout win over the Lions. If only this year’s Rams team could kick Detroit’s ass that bad in Week 1, huh?