What went wrong with our last title defense (2000), and how can we prevent it from happening again?

[den-the-coach]

Here is what happen....Mike Martz made a mistake, he decided to not keep the Co-Defensive Coordinator roles that Vermeil had set up with Peter Guinta (who knew the defense via Bud Carson) & John Bunting. Guinta knew what to call, but Bunting fired up the guys and put them in the places they needed to be. Martz let Bunting go because he kept the guy who knew the defense and hired Mike Haluchak as the linebacker coach replacing bunting who held the dual role.

Guinta was an epic fail, Martz should have kept Bunting coordinating the defense and he didn't, not his last mistake when it came to defense, but that's another story.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I don't think that was a choice, Vermeil felt the time was right and then realized later, he made a mistake.

I always figured that the Rams didn’t want to lose Martz, which they surely would have, so Vermiel stepped down to uncomplicated the situation. I didn’t think Vermiel legitimately retired.

 

[den-the-coach]

I always figured that the Rams didn’t want to lose Martz, which they surely would have, so Vermiel stepped down to uncomplicated the situation. I didn’t think Vermiel legitimately retired.

I think he did, the Rams had Matz locked up with the agreement that he would be the next Head Coach, but IMO, Vermeil went with his gut to retire and then realized he should have stayed. He said so much in interviews, although working with his good friend Carl Peterson of he Chiefs was alluring, he knew the Rams under him would have won a few more IMO and I think Martz might have waited or if not the Rams would have been fine.

 

[nighttrain]

Vermeil went with his gut to retire and then realized he should have stayed. the Rams would have been fine.

 

[CoachAllred]

I'd say the two biggest factors were as follows: (1) turnovers - the Rams gave the ball up 35 times and were -10 in turnover ratio, and (2) the defense, almost inexplicably, collapsed. In yards allowed, the Rams went from 6th in 1999 to 23rd, and from 4th to 31st in points allowed.

To this day, I'm not quite sure how that happened. Perhaps the most obvious "culprit" is Mike Martz, who took over the team after Dick Vermiel "retired" and altered the approach. Perhaps his freewheeling ways, which clearly contributed to the turnover issue, put too much strain on the defense.

Turnover ratios are 100% a coaching/ discipline issue. Usually perpetrated by inexperienced HC's . Another overlook can be the impotence of ST'S. Vermeil brought experience and with any experienced coach worth his salt.
He understands that core fundamentals are the page 1 of success in the coaching manual.
Core fundamental football means among other things , having a team low in penalties and turnovers.
These are not things that can be taught on a dry erase board or worked on from time to time.
A fundamentally sound football is a team that finds efficient ways to work on these things from day 1
to the final practice.

Not saying this is the entire reason, just saying the Rams may have missed that experience that Vermeil
brought to playing efficient football. And also had the in game patience to remind Martz to maintain more
balance between run/pass game. Martz had a ego the size of mars and IMHO Vermeil kept that ego balanced.

 

[RamDino]

I don't think that was a choice, Vermeil felt the time was right and then realized later, he made a mistake.

Was it really that or did the Rams brass "encourage" Vermeil to retire because they were afraid Martz would go coach somewhere else. Fact is that Vermeil ran the exact same offense in KC for several more years and was very successful at it, with Priest Holmes doing his best Marshall Faulk impersonation.

 

[den-the-coach]

Was it really that or did the Rams brass "encourage" Vermeil to retire because they were afraid Martz would go coach somewhere else. Fact is that Vermeil ran the exact same offense in KC for several more years and was very successful at it, with Priest Holmes doing his best Marshall Faulk impersonation.

I don't think so at all, Vermeil talking to his wife Carol, made a snap decision, felt he had accomplished his goal to get back to the Super Bowl and win it. The brass liked Martz and had him under contract to be the next Head Coach. Vermeil had two more years on his contract and at the time Martz signed the extension informed the Rams, he would be done after that contract expired, but after talking with his wife felt the time was right to walk away from the game.

During the year, he realized he missed it and Carl Peterson & Vermeil were very close so the Chiefs were the perfect storm. Vermeil was not forced out and in the end most of us felt that Martz was the next Joe Gibbs (the first time) but Martz was not a great delegator plus although Martz had some good assistant hires like Lovie Smith & Ron Meeks, had more bad than good, like Larry Marmie (who he went after twice) which IMO, led to his demise. That & that prick Jay Zygmunt.

 

[SWAdude]

The problem with the 2000 season on is no different than investigating an arson.

Doesn't matter how it burned but why it burned.

Front office starting with the owner was the accelerant.

So we found a unicorn for a few years and it was fun as hell. If you were a loyal fan at the time you absolutely knew it was not going to last. I felt like I knew at the time. I openly shared so also.

I call it wisdom.

 

[wolfdogg]

If Hakim doesn't fumble that punt, rams win another SB. When you looked at the rams sideline before the punt, that was a focused team with all the momentum and there was no way they dont score. The look in Warner's eyes as he snapped his chin strap said it all. Poor guy. I hope he found a way to get past it because if Im him, Im still not over it.

 

[Faceplant]

It was clearly the uniform change.... Duh!!!