The Greatest Show on Turf

The Greatest Show on Turf was the nickname for the St. Louis Rams offense from the 1999, 2000, and 2001 NFL seasons. The offense employed an explosive passing attack — known as the Spread Offense — first installed by former head coach Dick Vermeil and primarily designed by offensive coordinator Mike Martz. The Rams set a new NFL record for total offensive yards in 2000, with 7,335. 5,492 of those were passing yards, also a new NFL team record.

The Greatest Show On Turf was anchored by Running Back Marshall Faulk, NFL Offensive Player of the Year for three consecutive years from 1999 through 2001, Kurt Warner, 2-time NFL MVP, the receiving duo of Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt, as well as Az-Zahir Hakim and veteran Ricky Proehl. Together they became the only team in NFL history to score 500+ points in 3 consecutive seasons.

The Rams went 13-3, 10-6, and 14-2 in those three seasons, respectively, and reached the playoffs every year. In 1999, the team reached Super Bowl XXXIV and defeated the Tennessee Titans to claim the first franchise championship in almost half a century. The Rams fell early in the 2000 playoffs, but returned the next year to reach Super Bowl XXXVI, where they ultimately fell to the New England Patriots.

Though less heralded, the St. Louis defense during those three seasons was critical to the overall team performance. In 2000, when the Rams scrambled just to reach the playoffs, the defense was ranked among the NFL's worst. In 1999 and 2001, when the Rams reached the Super Bowl, the defense statistically ranked among the NFL's best - and ironically enough, it was a defensive stop known as "The Tackle" by Rams linebacker Mike Jones that gave the Greatest Show on Turf its championship.

Records and Achievements

The St. Louis Rams scored 526 points in the 1999 season, a team record which was broken in 2000 when they accumulated 540 points. For their last consecutive 500+ season, the Rams scored 503 points in 2001. These three seasons of 1,569 points were the most points scored by any team over any three-year stretch.
1999: The Rams were first in the league in passing (4,580 yards), yards per pass attempt (8.64), and total offensive yards (6,639).
2000: The Rams were first in the league in total offense (7,335 yards), completions (380), passing yards (5,492), yards per pass attempt (9.36), passing touchdowns (37) and rushing touchdowns (26).
2001: The Rams were again first in the league in total offense (6,930 yards), completions (379), passing yards (4,903), yards per pass attempt (8.90), passing touchdowns (37), rushing touchdowns (20) and yards per rush attempt (4.87)

Players

Kurt Warner

It has been said that you could not write a movie about Kurt Warner's career because no one would believe it. He was cut by Green Bay in 1994, and then had a workout with the Chicago Bears fall through due to a spider bite he got on his honeymoon. After being cut by the Packers, Warner stocked shelves at a Hy-Vee supermarket in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He was a starter with the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena Football League and then continued to the Amsterdam Admirals of NFL Europe before ultimately signing with the Rams as a backup to Trent Green.

After Green was injured in the 1999 pre-season and would miss the regular season, many speculated that the season was over for St. Louis. However, the Rams — and Warner in particular — lit up defenses throughout the league. Warner threw 41 touchdown passes, setting a new franchise mark, and his 109.2 quarterback rating was the second highest (for a minimum of 200 attempts) in a season next to Steve Young. (The record now is owned solely by Peyton Manning after his record-breaking 2004 season.)

The Rams finished 13-3, a franchise best record for the 16 game schedule (a mark which would be later broken by the 2001 Rams, when they finished 14-2). Head Coach Dick Vermeil's innovative "spread" offense, which revolved around the pass, was led by Warner, who threw only 13 interceptions during the regular season. Mike Martz, the offensive coordinator of the Rams, was the innovator behind this offense, and he would be regarded as one of the most ingenious coordinators of his time. The Rams first demolished the Minnesota Vikings in a shoot-out in the St. Louis Rams 49, Minnesota Vikings 37, where Warner burned the Minnesota secondary for 391 yards and five touchdowns en route to victory. For the St. Louis Rams 11,Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Rams won a tight game, 11-6. This came as a surprise, as some felt the Buccaneers were the only team that stood a chance at beating the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV. Warner had the worst post-season performence of his career, throwing three interceptions to the heavily loaded Tampa Bay Buccaneers secondary which featured John Lynch, Donnie Abraham, and Ronde Barber.

However, the Rams proved they were more than just a good offensive team, as they prevented Tampa Bay from scoring any touchdowns and only allowed scores from two field goals. The Rams' defense also picked Shaun King off twice along the way en route to a 11-6 win.

Marshall Faulk

Faulk was traded from the Indianapolis Colts to St. Louis in 1999. Faulk had been an elite player in Indianapolis, but in St. Louis he put up some of the best all-purpose numbers in the history of the NFL. Indianapolis finished 13-3 but were knocked off in the first round, while the Rams eventually went on to win Super Bowl XXXIV.

It was a storybook season. Faulk's patience and diligence in learning the Rams offense paid off when he totaled 2,429 yards from scrimmage, obliterating Barry Sanders' 2,053 yards set in 1997. With 1,381 yards rushing (a superb 5.5 yards-per-carry average), 1,048 receiving yards, and scoring 12 touchdowns in a truly fantastic year, Faulk joined Roger Craig as the only men to total 1,000+ yards in each category in a season. For all this effort and success, he was named Offensive Player of the Year and starter for the NFC squad in the 1999 NFL Pro Bowl.

Faulk was the MVP in 2000, and again the Offensive Player of the Year. He had 1,359 yards rushing in 14 games and set a new NFL record with 26 total TDs, a record that would soon be broken by Priest Holmes and then by Shaun Alexander in 2006 (although it should be noted Faulk missed 2 games in 2000 and would likely have extended the record had he been present in those games). Faulk had 18 scores on the ground, setting a new franchise record, and 8 through the air. He also averaged 5+ yards per carry again, this time with 5.4.

From 1999 to 2001 Marshall Faulk had what may have been the best consecutive seasons in league history. In that span, he scored 59 total TD's, rang up 6,765 total yards of offense (4,122 rushing and 2,643 receiving) and won the Most Valuable Player award and three Offensive Player of the Year awards. He was also named All-NFC, ALL-NFL, and selected for the Pro Bowl in each of those years.

Isaac Bruce

Bruce was selected in the 2nd round (33rd overall pick) of the NFL Draft in 1994, by the Los Angeles Rams.

For 13 seasons and running, Isaac Bruce has stayed, and been, maybe the truest of all the featured Rams. Isaac was with the team since his first day in the league, from the days of mediocrity and Los Angeles, to the days of The Greatest Show on Turf, he's been there every step of the way.

Over his career, he has 12,278 yards receiving, 813 receptions, 7 1,000+ Seasons, 39 100+ Yardage Games, and 77 touchdowns (receiving), all of which are team records he holds. He is arguably one of the greatest wide receivers ever to play the game, and shows no signs of stopping.

Bruce caught one of the most famous plays ever, in Super Bowl XXXIV. With under 2:00 minutes left in the game, he caught a 73-yard pass from QB Kurt Warner, which ultimately would clinch the Rams only Super Bowl win ever.

In 1995, he had 1,781 receiving yards, second only to Jerry Rice (1,848) and was 5th ever for receptions (119). During the 1996 season, he led the league in yards (1,338). In 1999, Bruce totaled 1,165 yards receiving on only 77 receptions (15.2 yards per reception) and led the Rams with 12 touchdowns.

Torry Holt

A rookie during the Rams' 1999 Super Bowl championship season, Torry Holt has become one of the premier wide receivers in the league. In 6 years, he has had 4 Pro Bowl invitations. Holt also averages the most receiving yards per season, and he has had 2 1,600 yard seasons, giving him a feat only Hall of Fame Jerry Rice, and future Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison can match. Holt was criticized earlier in his career because of his lack of touchdowns, and people did not see him as a major red zone option, especially if it was a goal line situation. However, he silenced all critics by compiling 31 touchdowns in his last 3 seasons. Holt led the league in receptions and yards in 2003, that year the Rams went 12-4 (missing out on homefield advantage due to a loss to the heavily undermatched Detroit Lions), and lost in a double overtime game against the eventual NFC Champions, the Carolina Panthers.

Az-Zahir Hakim

Hakim was another instrumental player to the succession of The Greatest Show on Turf. He was with the Rams for four seasons (1998-2001) before being signed as a free agent to the Detroit Lions. During the 1999 season, he caught 36 passes for 677 yards, which would bring in 8 touchdowns for the Rams. For his four season run with the Rams he accumulated a total of 2,032 yards with 16 touchdown receptions. For the 2006 season, he is currently with the New Orleans Saints.

Ricky Proehl

Prohel (WR) has been in the NFL for an impressive 17 seasons and spent 5 of them with the St. Louis Rams between 1998-2002. During this time he was able to accumulate a total of 207 receptions and 2,590 receiving yards. At the 2000 NFC Championship game, he caught the game-winning touchdown that allowed the Rams to beat Tampa Bay 11-6. Again, he caught a touchdown pass late in the game during Super Bowl XXXVI which would have allowed the Rams to win the game had not the Patriots kicked a last-second field goal. For the 2006 season, he is currently with the Carolina Panthers.

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