The Greatest Show on Turf

"The Greatest Show on Turf" was a nickname for the high-flying offense of the St. Louis Rams during the 1999, 2000, and 2001 National Football League (NFL) seasons. The offense was designed by attack-oriented offensive coordinator (during the 1999 season) and head coach (during the 2000 and 2001 seasons) Mike Martz who mixed an aerial attack and a run offense in an Air Coryell-style offense. The Rams' offense during these three seasons produced record scoring and yardage, three NFL MVP honors, and two Super Bowl appearances (1999 and 2001 seasons) and one championship (1999 season).^[1] In 2000, the team set an NFL record with 7,335 total offensive yards (broken in 2011 by the New Orleans Saints with 7,474).^[2] Of those, 5,492 were passing yards, also an NFL team record.

The offense aimed to put all five receivers into patterns that stretched the field, setting up defensive backs with route technique, allowing the quarterback to deliver to a spot on time where the receiver could make the catch and turn upfield. The system saw frequent pre-snap motion and shifting, often including shifts to or from empty backfield formations or bunch formations. Pass protection was critical. At least two of the five receivers would run a deep in, skinny post, comeback, speed out, or shallow cross pattern, and running backs would often run quick rail routes out of the backfield. Screens, draws, and play action passes were often used to slow the opponent's pass rush. Mike Martz said the offensive system was invented by Sid Gillman and refined at San Diego State by Don Coryell, who later transmitted his system 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.