Marty Ball is a philosophy of football associated with and named after former NFL and UFL head coach Marty Schottenheimer. In simple terms, it means a focus on the running game, with passing used only to further the running game.
Schottenheimer emphasizes offensive attacks that work as follows:
First down: a rushing play.
Second down: another rushing play.
Third down: a pass attempt.
Fourth down: punt (or field goal, if within range).
Fans (and critics) refer to this scheme as "Run, Run, Pass, Punt" (R2P2). Schottenheimer is considered to be a conservatively-minded coach with a majority of his focus on defense. The term "Marty Ball" is generally considered a pejorative because, at times, Schottenheimer will steadfastly continue to emphasize this form of offensive attack while attempting to hold on to a thin lead or when playing from behind - often with negative results.
In terms of regular season play in the NFL, Schottenheimer has run Marty Ball very successfully. During his coaching career with the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins and San Diego Chargers, Schottenheimer has compiled an impressive 200-126-1 record. His teams have won 8 division titles (Browns: Thrice. Chiefs: Thrice. Chargers: Twice.), made 13 trips to the NFL Playoffs (Browns: 4 trips. Chiefs: 7 trips. Chargers: Twice.), and have reached the AFC Championship Game 3 times (Browns: Twice. Chiefs: Once.). Unfortunately, he has failed to execute Marty Ball in the postseason, where he has an unimpressive 5-13 record and has never reached the Super Bowl. NFL coach Herm Edwards said that it "probably detracts [from his legacy] in the minds of some people, but I know it doesn’t in the minds of people who have coached against him."
