Team owner Dan Reeves died of cancer prior to the season in April.
The Rams season got off to a rocky and controversial start in New Orleans against the Saints and their rookie quarterback Archie Manning.
Instead of settling for a tie (there was no overtime for regular season games in the NFL in 1971), the Saints gambled and went for the win.
And just like the previous season's Monday night home loss to the Lions, this one ended up costing the Rams both the division title and the wild card berth (won by the Redskins).
The Rams won their final game in Pittsburgh 23–14, but learned on their flight home that the 49ers rallied beat the Lions with a 4th-quarter touchdown, 31–27.