We all know that Joe Gibbs(what a great coach HE was!) liked to run his "H-Back" offense and that the San SCUMcisco 49ers like to run the "West Coast" offense. The Lions and Oilers used to run that stupid "Run and Shoot" offense.

But what is Mike Martz's offense called? I guess it is called "Mike Martz's Offense" for now. But, just what exactly, IS the Martz offense about? Is it a little of the "West Coast" and a little of the "Run and Shoot" offenses mixed together?

I am a devout RAMS fan of over 27 years, but I never played the game. Someone please tell me why the RAMS offense was SO productive last year. I know, I know, having great WR's like Issac Bruce and a good receiving RB like Marshall Faulk doesn't hurt a team at all. But what makes this offense work so well?

It’s none of the above!!

The Offense the Rams currently run is the very same offense the Rams ran in the mid and late 80s under Ernie Zampese...and QB coach Norv Turner. It’s very effective now and it was then when Jim Everett was rivaling Joe Montana for 3 or 4 years

Turner took the offense to Dallas for Jimmy Johnson. Within two years the Cowboys were Super Bowl Champs. They thrived under this offensive system although they ran the ball a bit more because of the dominance of their offensive line and the explosiveness of Emmit Smith. Although Aikman had his most effective years when Novachek, and Irvin, and Harper where his targets. Keep an eye on Aikman this year to see if he returns to his Super Bowl form. Adding Galloway can't hurt him.

When Norv joined the Skins in 93 he brought the Offense with him to Washington from Dallas via the then LA Rams

The offense the Rams, Cowboys, Redskins, & Patriots all run is the old "Air Coryell" offense the Chargers ran so effectively in the late 70s with Dan Fouts, Chuck Muncie, John Jefferson, Kevin Winslow and others. The Cowboys when they hired Chan Gailey 3 years ago junked this offense (which was instrumental in helping the Cowboys win 3 Super Bowls) But Jerry Jones who has watched Aikman perform poorly the last 2 years brought it back to help his QB. That’s why Gailey was fired this off-season.

The "Air Coryell is offense is a down the field pass offense that unlike the "West Coast Offense" takes more chances attacking down field. That’s a simple explanation.

The Offense also has taken on slight different personalities depending on where it has been used. Again in Dallas where Emmit could just be dominant runner they ran a bit more. In Washington under Turner the Skins were primarily a run team also when they had Terry Allen in Turners early years, and of course last season with Stephen Davis. What the Skins became last year was also an explosive passing team with the emergence of Connell and Westbrook (who are far from average as some people on this message board posted last week) and of course the addition of Brad Johnson.

The Patriots with Bledsoe are primarily a dominant pass team...and the Rams again a dominant pass team who happen to run the ball pretty damn good when they want to.