For Schottenheimer, it all comes down to: Win it all

Marty Schottenheimer's legacy depends on the Chargers winning Super Bowl XLI, which they should. However, history suggests that may be too much to ask of "Martyball," especially with the Patriots up next.

By Mark Craig, Star Tribune

Last update: January 8, 2007 - 10:03 PM

The top six coaches in career NFL victories are legends among legends in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Don Shula, George Halas, Tom Landry, Curly Lambeau, Paul Brown and Chuck Noll.

Seventh is Martin Edward Schottenheimer, whose 205 victories are four behind Noll and, believe it or not, only 25 from overtaking Lambeau for fourth place.

Marty Schottenheimer, however, won't be joining the others in Canton, Ohio. At least not based on his 21-year career to this point. In fact, if he doesn't win three more games this season, he never will join the others.

That's right. Schottenheimer's legacy has reached a final crossroad. And it begins Sunday in the Chargers' AFC divisional playoff game at home against the Patriots.

San Diego has the best team in the best conference. The NFC is a disaster. And Schottenheimer will be 64 next season.

So win it all now, Marty, or you will forever be Greg Norman at the Masters.

Once again, there are no excuses. In fact, like Norman's six-shot lead at Augusta going into the final round in 1996, Schottenheimer seems to have all the advantages this postseason. He has the best record (14-2), the longest winning streak (10 games) and home-field advantage, not to mention an 8-0 mark at Qualcomm Stadium.

He also has the MVP (LaDainian Tomlinson), the sack king (Shawne Merriman), the No. 1 point differential (plus-189) and the fewest turnovers (15).

Heck, the only problem appears to be a 40th wedding anniversary that falls on Feb. 4, the same date as Super Bowl XLI. But even his wife has cleared the decks on that one.

"Pat said if we get there, she'd give me a pass," Schottenheimer told reporters recently.

Now the bad news.

Schottenheimer is 5-12 and riding a five-game losing streak in the postseason. The last time he won a postseason game was 1993, when Joe Montana was his quarterback in Kansas City.

Along the way, Schottenheimer has won eight division titles and made it to the playoffs 13 times, third most in NFL history and one ahead of Noll and former Vikings coach Bud Grant. But Schottenheimer is 0-3 in conference title games (0-2 in Cleveland, 0-1 in Kansas City) and has failed three times as the No. 1 seed, twice in playoff openers with 13-3 teams in Kansas City. One of those teams lost to a 9-7 Colts squad that hadn't been to the playoffs in eight years.

Well, here we go again. The Chargers are the No. 1 seed, but it isn't a stretch to suggest they are ripe for a vintage divisional-round upset.

The Patriots have won three of the past five Super Bowls and are coming off a 37-16 wild card victory over the Jets. New England coach Bill Belichick, whose 123 victories are four from catching Mike Ditka for 20th in NFL history, is 12-2 in the postseason. His quarterback, Tom Brady, is 11-1; San Diego's quarterback, Philip Rivers, is making his playoff debut. And the Patriots are 7-1 on the road this season.

Although it feels like Schottenheimer is five days away from another flop, it's a mistake to think this is another team that has to win with "Martyball," the term used to describe Schottenheimer's conservative, low-scoring philosophy. Tomlinson is by far the best offensive weapon he's ever had. And if Marty had this defense 20 years ago, "The Drive" -- John Elway's famous 98-yard touchdown march for Denver against Cleveland in the 1986 AFC Championship Game -- never would have happened.

"I've had any number of opportunities that I thought was my shot," Schottenheimer told reporters. "We've done well to get [to the playoffs], but we haven't been real successful when we've got there. We need to fix that."

Schottenheimer's legacy depends on it. After all, the six coaches ahead of him became famous because of the postseason, where they combined for 23 more NFL titles than Schottenheimer currently owns.

Mark Craig • mcraig@startribune.com