The Offensive Elevator

This weekend Mike Martz returns to St. Louis where the 'Greatest Show on Turf' has clearly been cancelled and relegated to re-runs on NFL Films. You have to wonder if Rams fans will be wishing the idiosyncratic Martz was back drawing up those maniacal 5-WR sets where one of two things would happen; a touchdown would be scored, or Bulger would be knocked into next week. But say what you want about Martz and his kamikaze-style offense, it's pretty clear that something has gone rotten in Missouri since Martz's departure. The Rams now rank in the bottom-half of the NFL in total offense, and are averaging a paltry 15.7 points per game under new head coach Scott Linehan.

But are the Rams alone in this offensive flip-flop? A closer look reveals that several of 2005's most productive teams are struggling to find their offensive mojo this season while some bottom-feeders from a year ago have become juggernauts in 2006.

Kansas City:
Willie Roaf's retirement really dented this team's ability to run roughshod over opponents. Now with the loss of Trent Green for an indefinite period, it would seem this team's offensive production is officially BBQ'd for the rest of 2006. After finishing #1 in total offense in 2005, the Chiefs are safely in the bottom-quarter of the NFL in 2006.

San Francisco:
As dramatic as the Chiefs fall from offensive grace has been, that's about as dramatic a rise as the 49ers have experienced thus far in 2006. From dead last in total offense in 2005 to the 4th most productive offense in 2006. The Alex Smith-Frank Gore-Antonio Bryant triplets are growing up in a hurry, and they are catapulting this team into a contender. The defense is still a work in progress, and if anything that just makes their offense even more productive. Barring serious injury, there is no reason to believe this offensive unit isn't the real deal.

Chicago:
Perhaps no quarterback has had such a bad string of severe injury luck as Rex Grossman experienced in his young NFL tenure. If persistence is an ingredient for success, Rex is certainly a poster-boy of proof. The Bears finished 31st in passing offense, and 29th in total offense in 2005. With a healthy Grossman under center, the Bears are boasting a gaudy 5th-best pass ranking, and 6th overall offensive ranking thus far in 2006. Considering the Bears are averaging a disgusting 2.7 yards per carry in their anemic run game, Grossman is almost single-handedly driving this team to success. Certainly he and Chad Pennington are the front-runners for Comeback Player of The Year. Heck, if the Bears keep winning it will be darn hard to quiet the 'Grossman for MVP' chants sure to come out of Chi-Town in the coming months.

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The Offensive Elevator

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