Greatest Show on Turf

Lore & Background

The first nickname for the Rams offense of the 2000 season was "The Warner Brothers." Several weeks into the 2000 season, ESPN's Chris Berman, preparing to cover highlights of a 57–31 win over the San Diego Chargers that year, told viewers, "Forget Ringling Brothers; the Rams are the Greatest Show on Earth." Over the following weeks, "Earth" was replaced with "Turf," alluding to the artificial surface of the Trans World Dome. The term was retroactively applied to the 1999 team. Berman's NFL Primetime show frequently alluded to the circus when covering the Rams.

Reader's Guide

The offense aimed to put all five receivers into patterns that stretched the field, using frequent pre-snap motion and shifting. At least two receivers would run deep in, skinny post, comeback, speed out, or shallow cross patterns, and running backs often ran quick rail routes. Screens, draws, and play action passes slowed the opponent's pass rush. Mike Martz said the system was invented by Sid Gillman and refined at San Diego State by Don Coryell, who transmitted it to the NFL. Martz learned the Coryell 3-digit system from offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese when they coached for the Rams under Chuck Knox in 1994–96.

Did You Know?

• The Rams went 13–3 in 1999, 10–6 in 2000, and 14–2 in 2001.
• In 2000, the Rams set an NFL record with 7,335 total offensive yards, broken in 2011 by the New Orleans Saints.
• The offense was anchored by running back Marshall Faulk, NFL Offensive Player of the Year for three consecutive years from 1999 through 2001, and quarterback Kurt Warner, 2-time NFL MVP.
• Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk finished first and second in MVP voting in 1999 and 2000, but in 2001 Rich Gannon finished second, not Faulk.