Argentina's wild 2-1 comeback over England this past Wednesday was absolutely bonkers, but it got me thinking. You wanna talk about epic collapses? Forget last season's Rams blowing 19 points to the Eagles or 16 points to us, the Seahawks, just before Christmas. We gotta throw it way back to the 1982 season opener for what might be the worst choke job in Los Angeles franchise history. This one's a gut punch even for casual fans, let alone anyone who actually rooted for them back then.
Up 23-0? No Problem, Right?
Seriously, for the entire first half of that September 12, 1982 game against the Green Bay Packers, the Rams looked absolutely dominant. They flew out to a commanding 23-0 lead! Why? Because Green Bay practically handed them the game with five turnovers, including a shocking four from their quarterback, Lynn Dickey. Rams signal caller Bert Jones had a decent enough stat line himself, going 17-of-31 for 202 yards and even tossing a touchdown pass to tight end Mike Barber. You're thinking, "Okay, this game is over." Oh, how wrong everyone was.The Collapse of Epic Proportions
The second half was a nightmare straight out of a horror film. Those same Packers, led by Bart Starr, went on to score 35 unanswered points. Let that sink in: 35. Unanswered. Points. Jones, who seemed okay earlier, threw two costly interceptions that basically opened the door wide for Green Bay. Dickey even threw another pick after halftime, but it just didn't matter. The Rams simply had no answers. None. Zero. The Packers, against all odds, pulled off a stunning 35-23 season-opening win. Green Bay rode that momentum to finish the season 5-3-1, only losing to the Cowboys in the Divisional Round. Meanwhile, the Rams' season absolutely imploded.A Season From Hell And a Small Dose of Misery for Their Rivals
After that brutal opener, things went from bad to worse for Los Angeles. They ended the strike-shortened season with a miserable 2-7 record, which was the worst in the entire NFC and their worst season since 1962. Bert Jones got hit with a neck injury that forced his retirement, and head coach Ray Malavasi was fired after the season. What a disaster! The only sliver of "good news" for them was hiring John Robinson for 1983. They did manage one small moment of joy, finishing the season on a 21-20 upset win over the 49ers in the finale. Fun fact: those "Whiners" were defending Super Bowl champs but also had a terrible 3-6 season, making their .333 win percentage the worst by a defending champ until the 2022 Rams. Misery truly loves company. So, while last season's chokes were fresh wounds, this 1982 game is a reminder that some collapses haunt you for decades. You just hope your team never experiences something like that.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.