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  • #1

    Rams offense no longer puts on a great show

    By Bernie Miklasz
    Of the Post-Dispatch
    Friday, Dec. 17 2004

    Whatever happened to the Greatest Show on Turf?

    Don't look now, but 17 NFL teams have scored more points than the Rams this
    season. The Rams are averaging 20 points a game.

    Since Mike Martz arrived in 1999 to give a stale offense a needed
    makeover, the Rams have been a scoring machine. They averaged a remarkable 32
    points a game from 1999 through 2001, earning their place among the
    highest-scoring units in NFL history over a three-season stretch.

    But over the past three seasons, a span of 45 regular-season games, the scoring
    average dipped by 10 points a game, down to 22. The Rams scored only 19.7
    points per game in 2002 when quarterback Kurt Warner
    became unhinged, then raised the scoring average to nearly 28 points with
    Marc Bulger at QB in 2003. But in 2004, the scoring rate
    has plummeted again.

    Why?

    Many reasons:

    Injuries: The offensive line has struggled since losing right tackle Kyle
    Turley. And running back Marshall Faulk's production has
    eroded dramatically because of injuries.

    Transition game: Bulger is good, but Warner at his peak was spectacular. The
    receivers other than Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt have been
    replaced. And rookie running back Steven Jackson hasn't taken charge
    in the backfield; the Rams have stalled while trying to switch gears from Faulk
    to Jackson.

    The defense rests: the Rams defense has the fewest takeaways (13) in the NFL
    this season. The shortage of takeaways, combined with chronic ineptitude on
    special teams, has limited the offense's opportunities to exploit a short field
    for quick scores.

    Red-zone alert: Too many field goals, not enough touchdowns.

    Coaching: Defenses have adjusted to Martz's innovations, but he hasn't
    countered by altering strategies. Defenses no longer panic when the Rams empty
    the backfield and spread the field with four wide receivers. Instead, the
    defense takes advantage of the blocking mismatches by attacking the Rams'
    quarterback. And Martz still runs this offense as if he has the cast from
    1999-2001. Example: instead of scaling down in Carolina last week and giving
    maximum protection to backup quarterback Chris Chandler, Martz
    stayed in the wide-open mode and the Panthers went after Chandler to force six
    interceptions.

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Don Banks, Sports Illustrated, thinks Martz and the Rams are in
    trouble: "It's going to be a very interesting final few weeks in St. Louis,"
    Banks wrote. "Martz is liable to say or do anything with his underachieving
    club's season swirling down the drain. Unpredictable even in the best of times,
    here's hoping Martz has his medication dosage calibrated just right. Oh, and
    put me down for the Rams not winning another game, to finish with a 6-10
    flourish."
    Tags: None
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  • RamWraith
    Rams have enough talent to get more from offense
    by RamWraith
    By Bernie Miklasz
    St. Louis Post-Dispatch
    09/21/2005

    We're still waiting for the "Greatest Show on Turf" to reappear. We're still waiting for that elusive break-out game. We're waiting for Marc Bulger, Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, Steven Jackson and Marshall Faulk to give carpal tunnel syndrome to overwhelmed scoreboard operators.

    "I believe it's right around the corner," Bruce said. "We've been moving the ball pretty easy. We've been in the red zone a lot. We just haven't capitalized with touchdowns."

    The Rams malfunctioned in the red zone at San Francisco but still squeezed 25 points out of a lost afternoon. At Arizona, the offense produced two dazzling touchdown drives. But much of the time, the Rams stalled in that 17-12 victory, and that gave the Cardinals an opening to nearly steal the game.

    "Last week, I don't know if it was the heat, but we just didn't seem in sync," Bulger said. "We'll get there."

    The Rams offense is putting up positive numbers. After two games, they rank eighth among 32 teams in yards, and 10th in points. It's just that we know they're capable of supplying more electricity.

    In the last 22 regular-season games, the Rams have topped 30 points only twice. By admittedly unfair comparison, the 1999- 2001 Rams exceeded 30 points a stunning 36 times in 48 regular-season games. But the decline in scoring is obvious; the Rams were only 19th in points last season.

    With so much talent on hand, the formula for a reversal is there. But for the points to flow, coach Mike Martz and the offense must unclog the pipeline.

    Some of the problems include:

    -- Poor field position. Because of a lethargic return game, the offense plays on a long field.

    -- Third-down struggles. The Rams converted at least 42 percent of their third-down plays in five of the past six seasons, which put them in the top 10 in the league rankings. This year, through two games, the conversion rate is 35 percent, which ranks 22nd.

    -- In 2003, Bulger was among the best NFL QBs on third downs, with 13 touchdowns and a rating of 102.6. His performance on third downs has leveled off.

    -- Red zone alert. The Rams rank 22nd in the league in percentage of touchdowns scored while in the red zone. Bulger's QB rating in the red zone slipped from 104.2 in 2002, to 83.6 in 2003, to 76.0 in 2004.

    -- Pass-protection breakdowns are an issue; can this aging line play at the high level needed to set the playmakers free?

    -- Martz is searching for the right play-calling touch. In Jackson, an oversized but quick running back, Martz has an exceptional new piece for his attack and would like to be more ground-oriented. Late in the Arizona game, Martz went conservative, but the Cardinals stuffed the Rams' running game, and the offense...
    -09-22-2005, 03:48 AM
  • DJRamFan
    [*****] Martz instrumental in demise of Rams
    by DJRamFan
    Ira Miller
    Wednesday, September 29, 2004



    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------




    chart attached


    In the Super Bowl following the 2001 season, the New England Patriots played a nickel defense virtually the entire game, daring St. Louis to run.

    The Rams didn't take the bait. Of course, you might remember, New England, a two-touchdown underdog, won the game -- the second-biggest upset in Super Bowl history.

    St. Louis coach Mike Martz did not get his reputation as an offensive wizard by ordering his quarterbacks to hand off. Three seasons later, Martz has not changed. The Rams still live -- and, frequently these days, die -- by the pass.

    St. Louis, which is averaging fewer running plays than any other team in the NFL, will bring a 1-2 record to San Francisco for a Sunday night game against the *****. The Rams have beaten only winless Arizona -- in a game the Cardinals led after three quarters -- and their roster includes better talent than their won-lost record shows.

    The quarterback, Marc Bulger, leads the NFL in completions and has a completion percentage of 69.3. One receiver, Isaac Bruce, leads the league in receptions and receiving yardage, and the other, Torry Holt, was the league leader in 2003. Left tackle Orlando Pace might be the best in the game. Running back Marshall Faulk has slipped with age, but remains effective. And nine of the 11 starters return on a defense that at least was decent in the recent past.

    So how come the Rams stink?

    Yeah, it's time to take another look at Mad Mike.

    As a head coach, Martz makes an easy target because he is outgoing, outspoken and different. But for all his offensive flair, Martz still doesn't get it. The Rams thought they were starting a dynasty when they won the Super Bowl under Dick Vermeil following the 1999 season, but they haven't come close to fulfilling their promise.

    A month ago, this game looked like a certain loss for San Francisco. Now, despite how wretchedly the ***** played at Seattle, it's up for grabs.

    The Rams have had the same problems for five seasons under Martz. They lack attention to detail, play sloppily, allow their quarterback to take too many hits (which is what happened to Kurt Warner) and use questionable strategy and play-calling that ignore the running game.

    Since Martz became their head coach, the Rams have been more than 37 percent above the league average in losing turnovers and 17 percent above the league average in giving up quarterback sacks. Except for last season, they also have been penalized at a rate well above the league average.

    Yet, rather than change, Martz apparently has become defiant about doing it his way.

    When he was questioned...
    -09-30-2004, 01:24 PM
  • RamWraith
    Whiner press blasts Martz
    by RamWraith
    Wednesday, September 29, 2004


    Martz instrumental in demise of Rams


    Ira Miller

    In the Super Bowl following the 2001 season, the New England Patriots played a nickel defense virtually the entire game, daring St. Louis to run.

    The Rams didn't take the bait. Of course, you might remember, New England, a two-touchdown underdog, won the game -- the second-biggest upset in Super Bowl history.

    St. Louis coach Mike Martz did not get his reputation as an offensive wizard by ordering his quarterbacks to hand off. Three seasons later, Martz has not changed. The Rams still live -- and, frequently these days, die -- by the pass.

    St. Louis, which is averaging fewer running plays than any other team in the NFL, will bring a 1-2 record to San Francisco for a Sunday night game against the *****. The Rams have beaten only winless Arizona -- in a game the Cardinals led after three quarters -- and their roster includes better talent than their won-lost record shows.

    The quarterback, Marc Bulger, leads the NFL in completions and has a completion percentage of 69.3. One receiver, Isaac Bruce, leads the league in receptions and receiving yardage, and the other, Torry Holt, was the league leader in 2003. Left tackle Orlando Pace might be the best in the game. Running back Marshall Faulk has slipped with age, but remains effective. And nine of the 11 starters return on a defense that at least was decent in the recent past.

    So how come the Rams stink?

    Yeah, it's time to take another look at Mad Mike.

    As a head coach, Martz makes an easy target because he is outgoing, outspoken and different. But for all his offensive flair, Martz still doesn't get it. The Rams thought they were starting a dynasty when they won the Super Bowl under Dick Vermeil following the 1999 season, but they haven't come close to fulfilling their promise.

    A month ago, this game looked like a certain loss for San Francisco. Now, despite how wretchedly the ***** played at Seattle, it's up for grabs.

    The Rams have had the same problems for five seasons under Martz. They lack attention to detail, play sloppily, allow their quarterback to take too many hits (which is what happened to Kurt Warner) and use questionable strategy and play-calling that ignore the running game.

    Since Martz became their head coach, the Rams have been more than 37 percent above the league average in losing turnovers and 17 percent above the league average in giving up quarterback sacks. Except for last season, they also have been penalized at a rate well above the league average.

    Yet, rather than change, Martz apparently has become defiant about doing it his way.

    When he was questioned in St. Louis this week about the abject lack of balance on offense -- 29 runs, 91 passes called in...
    -09-30-2004, 05:40 AM
  • RamWraith
    The Rams and Martz Regroup Just in Time-NY Times
    by RamWraith
    By RAY GLIER

    Published: January 13, 2005


    LOWERY BRANCH, Ga., Jan. 12 - The St. Louis Rams looked like a broken team last month. Hours before a game against the Arizona Cardinals, there were news reports that Coach Mike Martz could be fired. Martz fumed, calling the reports irresponsible and destructive. The Rams went out and were trounced by the Cardinals, 31-7, dropping their record to 6-8.

    Controversy continued to churn after the game when Martz's play-calling was called irresponsible by the St. Louis news media. Martz, renowned for his innovative offense, let running back Steven Jackson, a first-round draft pick and the team's second-leading rusher this season, behind Marshall Faulk, languish on the bench during the game.

    The loss came five days after a heated shouting match between Martz and offensive tackle Kyle Turley, who was placed on injured reserve before the season.

    Playoffs? Not for the 6-8 Rams. They were in the checkout line of the season.

    The Rams somehow regrouped, winning their last two games of the regular season, including an overtime victory over the Jets, to qualify for the playoffs. Last Saturday in Seattle, they repelled the Seahawks in the waning seconds to secure a 27-20 victory in the National Football Conference wild-card round.

    As the Rams prepared to face the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome on Saturday in a divisional playoff game, Martz said the return of quarterback Marc Bulger was the key to the turnaround.

    Bulger, who injured his shoulder in a victory over San Francisco on Dec. 5, was sidelined the next two games; the Rams lost both, and the offense scored just one touchdown. Since his return Dec. 27 against the Eagles, Bulger has completed 68 percent of his passes and has thrown six touchdown passes.

    "Getting Marc back was very significant to this team," Martz said Wednesday in a conference call. "When he was hurt, he was playing at such a high level. We just had to have better play at the quarterback position at that point."

    The Falcons have marveled over Bulger's ability to read a defense and run through a progression of receivers until he finds a target. That is why Atlanta will disguise coverages and try to pressure him out of the pocket.

    "I can't think of another guy, besides Peyton Manning possibly, who could run that offense as well as he does," Atlanta safety Bryan Scott said. "He definitely comes off his first receiver to his second and even sometimes to his third. And if that's not there sometimes, then he'll dip it down to Marshall Faulk or Steven Jackson.

    "I think what makes that offense so amazing is that he doesn't call audibles," Scott added. "They pretty much go off what they see, so the receiver and the quarterback have to see the same thing. That's really cool...
    -01-13-2005, 03:49 PM
  • MauiRam
    How Mike Martz and The Greatest Show on Turf kicked off an NFL revolution
    by MauiRam
    Ben Baskin
    Tuesday May 23rd, 2017

    Sometimes a catalyzing event occurs, one so extreme that it disrupts the natural order, compelling a species to change. Those are the anomalies, the aberrations, the hurricanes and tornados, extreme mutations, phenomena that upend the system. In those instances the evolution is rapid, sudden and without warning. In biology, they call it the punctuated equilibrium theory. In football, we called it the Greatest Show on Turf.

    Dick Vermeil got his first NFL coaching job in 1969, hired by Marv Levy to be a special teams coach with the Los Angeles Rams. Roman Gabriel, the Rams quarterback that season, threw for 2,549 yards and completed 54.4% of his passes—good enough to be named NFL MVP. Thirty seasons later Vermeil returned to the Rams, this time to be the head coach of a very different team, in a new city, with a very different MVP under center.

    “I saw the evolution,” Vermeil says. “It was slow. Every year teams threw a little more, scoring went up a little more. When you have 32 teams, they don’t all transcend to a new philosophy at the same time.”

    But the 1999 Rams transcended. For decades the NFL had been slowly inching towards putting a greater emphasis on the passing game, with incremental changes coming every year. But then along came the Rams. And they blew the whole damn thing up.

    In the three decades between 1969 and ’98 the average quarterback rating in the NFL rose 6.7 points, passing totals increased 27.5 yards per game and completion percentage grew 4.0%. In the seasons since 1999, when those Rams upended and redefined the NFL’s status quo, QB rating has risen 11.0 points, passing output 36.5 yards, and completion percentage 6.4%—nearly double the increase, in roughly half the time.


    The Rams were the tornado, the anomaly that compelled a sudden and rapid evolution of football. They were the catalyzing event that disrupted the equipoise of the NFL, a punctuated equilibrium of pigskin.

    “At the time, we knew we were doing something special,” Rams receiver Torry Holt says. “But we didn’t know we were revolutionizing the game.”

    Last season, the Atlanta Falcons scored 540 offensive points, which tied the Rams for seventh most in NFL history. The Falcons’ offense, led by Kyle Shanahan, was as close to a direct descendent of the 1999 St. Louis team as we’ve seen. Aaron Rodgers leading the NFL in fantasy points? Thank the Rams. Record books that have been razed and rewritten? Blame the Rams. Running backs who now need to run routes and catch passes as part of their job description; tight ends who now are no longer glorified blockers, but athletic freaks and dynamic pass catchers; receivers who now are no longer just big and tall and asked to run one route, but small and shifty and running every route in the book? Rams, Rams, Rams.

    “The more and more I sit back and think about it,” Holt...
    -05-24-2017, 10:17 AM
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