A story of 2 Rams quarterbacks who set this team up for a half-decade of misery

The Los Angeles Rams have a lengthy and storied history in the NFL. And much of the time, this was a team that found unparalleled success. But there are chapters buried in the annals of the team that tell a different story. This is a team that had once struggled to find a win, not just success. Of course, that was a lifetime ago. But it's vital to remember the lean times too.

How else can Rams fans truly appreciate the unfettered success experienced under the watch of HC Sean McVay, and at the hands of QBs Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford? Since signing on to lead the Rams, the team has enjoyed a record of 80 wins to just 52 losses. And the same team has enjoyed a record in postseason competition of 8 wins to just 5 losses. That includes two Super Bowl appearances and one Super Bowl victory.

But it was not always a rose garden. There was a time when the Rams were starving for wins, and the drought lasted for four years.

Super Sup starts the forgettable years

Zeke Bratkowski and Bill Munson were quarterbacks who enjoyed a measure of success in the NFL. But from the period from 1961 through 1967, they attempted to anchor the team's offense as the quarterback. But from the period from 1961 through 1965, the pair combined for just 6 wins while losing 34 games and two ties. The pair combined for 7,115 passing yards, 42 touchdowns, and 67 interceptions over their combined Rams history.

And that was very tough to watch.

Bratkowski was ultimately nicknamed Super Sub when he played for the Green Bay Packers from 1963 through 1968. It was easier to shine as the backup to NFL legendary QB Bart Starr. But unlike his performance for the Rams, Bratkowski was just good enough coming off the Packers' bench to even their record at 4-4-1. He was always a gun-slinger, a quarterback who risked interceptions in the hope of completing a pass or throwing a touchdown pass.

Unfortunately, he threw far too few touchdowns and far too many interceptions to secure HC Bob Waterford's job. The Rams fired Waterford during the 2022 season, after the team fell to a 1-7 record. Overall, the Rams had just 9 wins, 24 losses, and one tie for Waterford.

He was replaced by former New York Giants DC Harland Svare, who fared little better. Svare benched Bratkowski for rookie quarterback Roman Gabriel. Svare had seen enough of Zeke Bratkowski and opted to go in another direction the following season.

Mr. Bill fares little better

The following season, the Rams did not trust second-year quarterback Roman Gabriel, opting to start rookie Terry Baker for the first three games, but eventually surrendered and placed Gabriel under center. The team was unhappy with the performance at the quarterback position and drafted QB Bill Munson in Round 1 of the 1964 NFL Draft.

The Rams had drafted QB Roman Gabriel in Round 1 of the 1962 NFL Draft, QB Terry Baker in Round 1 of the 1963 NFL Draft, and QB Bill Munson in Round 1 of the 1964 NFL Draft. Despite the fixation on adding quarterbacks year after year, it was not until the team promoted Gabriel to full-time starter that the team began to enjoy success.

Bill Munson was young and inexperienced with the Rams, but due to the team's continued quest to find the right quarterback for the offense, he was thrust into a starting role. Munson was not equipped to start that quickly and was benched after two seasons of starting for the team. In 18 starts with the Rans, Munson led the team to a horrific record of 3-13-2. His horrendous performance in 1965 cost HC Harlan Svare his job. The Rams hired former Chicago Bears DC George Allen to lead the team as the new head coach in 1966.

Allen promoted Roman Gabriel to the starting QB, benched Munson, and began to lead the team on a steady climb to success. Bill Munson would be traded to the Detroit Lions, where he would earn some renown.

Many fans wonder if the team wasted the first four seasons of QB Roman Gabriel's career by swapping in Zeke Bratkowski and Bill Munson as placeholders at the position. Neither Brotkowski nor Munson showed much promise during their time with the Rams, but both showed a remarkable penchant as backup quarterbacks after signing on with new NFL teams.

The Rams delayed the development of legendary QB Roman Gabriel by relying too heavily on Zeke Bratkowski and Bill Munson, and not giving either quarterback a chance to prove their value in a backup role. Had Roman Gabriel developed more quickly, the arrival of George Allen may have been enough to launch the team to the Super Bowl and a victory that culminated in hoisting the Lombardi Trophy for the city of Los Angeles, California, 50 years sooner.

As it was, the team suffered for a half-decade of lackluster quarterback play. As we all applaud the excellence of veteran QB Matthew Stafford, it's a great idea to keep those former quarterback struggles alive in the back of your mind.

As always, thanks for reading.

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