Staff report
Former St. Louis Rams coach Dick Vermeil has been a busy man in the past 24 hours, sharing his thoughts with Chicago media about new Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz, who filled the same role for Vermeil's "Greatest Show on Turf" team that won Super Bowl XXXIV.
"I think Mike will do a great job of working with Lovie Smith," Vermeil told "The Afternoon Saloon" on WMVP-AM 1000. "They've done it before together, taking a team to the Super Bowl. Lovie Smith has made some good decision here in the past, this is probably his best one."
Vermeil said Jay Cutler will be tested working under Martz, but stands to benefit from the experience.
"He's a brilliant football coach and a tough football coach, and it takes a tough-minded quarterback to handle the type of coaching he's going to get," Vermeil said, "but I'm sure you've got one there, and I think it's a positive."
Former St. Louis Rams coach Dick Vermeil has been a busy man in the past 24 hours, sharing his thoughts with Chicago media about new Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz, who filled the same role for Vermeil's "Greatest Show on Turf" team that won Super Bowl XXXIV.
"I think Mike will do a great job of working with Lovie Smith," Vermeil told "The Afternoon Saloon" on WMVP-AM 1000. "They've done it before together, taking a team to the Super Bowl. Lovie Smith has made some good decision here in the past, this is probably his best one."
Vermeil said Jay Cutler will be tested working under Martz, but stands to benefit from the experience.
"He's a brilliant football coach and a tough football coach, and it takes a tough-minded quarterback to handle the type of coaching he's going to get," Vermeil said, "but I'm sure you've got one there, and I think it's a positive."
Appearing on "The Mully & Hanley Show" on WSCR-AM 670, Vermeil said
of Martz: "I've only been around a couple guys like him. He and Al
Saunders, who worked for me in Kansas City and was also with us for a
year with the Rams. Those guys are special, and if you can get one of
them on your side, you're a better head coach."
Asked if Martz has enough talent to work with in Chicago, Vermeil said, "They were good enough to go to the Super Bowl a few years ago with a different offensive coordinator and with a great defense. I'd say get that great defense put back together, get (Brian) Urlacher back healthy and all that, regardless of who's the offensive coordinator, they're going to look smarter if they don't have to score as many points.
"Mike is very bright and he will do what he has the personnel to do. Even in Detroit (where Martz was offensive coordinator in 2006-07), you take a guy like (Jon) Kitna, who's been in the league for a long time but mostly as a backup, and he's throwing for over 4,000 yards, you're doing something right. ... He'll do what he what has to do to create a very successful, efficient offense in Chicago with Jay Cutler running it, and within the program that Lovie provides him."
Asked if Martz has enough talent to work with in Chicago, Vermeil said, "They were good enough to go to the Super Bowl a few years ago with a different offensive coordinator and with a great defense. I'd say get that great defense put back together, get (Brian) Urlacher back healthy and all that, regardless of who's the offensive coordinator, they're going to look smarter if they don't have to score as many points.
"Mike is very bright and he will do what he has the personnel to do. Even in Detroit (where Martz was offensive coordinator in 2006-07), you take a guy like (Jon) Kitna, who's been in the league for a long time but mostly as a backup, and he's throwing for over 4,000 yards, you're doing something right. ... He'll do what he what has to do to create a very successful, efficient offense in Chicago with Jay Cutler running it, and within the program that Lovie provides him."
Register with Chicago Tribune and receive Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks newsletters for free. 
When sports news breaks, be the first to know. (To get alerts on a mobile device, text CHISPORTS to 31286.). 
Get our updates on 
It was Al Saunders legendary 700 page playbook that he developed while working with Coryell that the so called Genius Martz uses.
Funny thing about the Kitna remark, everyone talks about his 4000 yards seasons. Nobody talkst about the fact that he threw more picks than TD in both seasons. Kitna Threw 21 Td's with with 22 picks in 06 and and only 18 TD's with 20 picks in 07. If it was yards that decided games they would't use who scores more points as the deciding factor in who wins. No offense but 4000+ yards with only 18 TD's is not very impressive. Throw in the picks and I am not sure how great he played. I would rather have Kitna's 03 season with the Bangles when threw for 3600 yards with 26 TD's and 15 int's. That seems like a better season to me than the ones he had with Martz. Different offense better recievers and line. Could be that having more talent around a QB helps more than a pass happy OC who is taking credit for an offense he didn't develop.
When Saunders was with the Rams they had their best two seasons in in 99 and 2000 as far as the offense goes. When he went to the Chiefs he and Vermiel rebuilt the team. By 2002 the Saunders offense was ranked number 1 in the nfl and held the title for three years. Just like it was ranked numer one his two years in STL. By 2002 the Rams offense led by Mike Martz had droped from a 500 point team to a 350 point team. The Chiefs on the other hand went from a 320 point team to a 460 point team with Kennison as their number 1 reciever and Trent Greene as their QB, who also passed for multiple 4000 yard seasons wit hSaunders.
But no it was all Martz. Martz who's running game vanished after Saunders left, while in KC the running game was putting up huge numbers with Priest Holmes. Two years after Saunders left the Martz so called offense became much more mediocre.
The Saunders offense failed in 2006 with the Skins as well but most of that was to do an aging broken down Mark Brunell who only played in 9 games and was his last year in the league as a starter.
Did he cry when he complimented Martz? Couldn't have cried NEARLY as hard as I did when I found out the Bears hired Martz...ROCK BOTTOM.
I don't want to hear it! Martz is a terrible choice. It doesn't matter anyways because the Bears will never win anything as long as Cutler is the QB or Lovie is the coach or Angelo is the GM or the McCaskeys own the team. Get ready for 0-16!