SB Nation: The Future is Already Here: How the Pistol Offense is Changing the NFL

[SkinsHokieFan]

Great article written by Chris Brown of smartfootball.com

Part of the discussion we have had over the past few weeks is about running an "NFL offense" My argument has been that the pistol elements which the Redskins/Seahawks/49ers/Panthers are now running, in part to the talent at the QB spot, will be the future, and the attack that Andrew Luck is running, which he is asked to force the ball down field and is committing many turnovers

Great read

“There are no gimmicks in our offense,” Nevada head coach Chris Ault recently explained. [source]. “When the shotgun offenses came out, I enjoyed watching those teams move the football. The thing I did not like was the idea of a running back getting the ball running east and west,” he said. “We have always been a north and south running game offense.”

The entire premise of Ault’s pistol attack is to combine the best of the shotgun spread offenses, like Chip Kelly’s attack at Oregon [source], with the traditional, north-south power attack Ault had coached for more than 20 years. The Pistol alignment is merely the means by which to do it; the “Pistol Offense” is this blend of old and new.

It is easy to see why Ault’s vision had more appeal to the NFL mindset than the “east-west” schemes of Chip Kelly or the other spread offense gurus.

What was not strange were the teams’ tactics. In high school and college, football has been rapidly changing. New variations on the read-option, no-huddle and all manner of other new offensive strategies seem to pop up every year. There, change is normal. But I wasn’t watching two high schools, or even two teams from the Mid-American Conference or the Big 12. No, what made the game odd was that I was watching the San Francisco 49ers and the New England Patriots in the National Football League.

Link for rest

[SkinsHokieFan]

Link here

http://www.sbnation.com/longform/201...l-redskins-rg3

[Cajuncowboy]

Gimmick offenses never last. It will go the way of the Run and Shoot. The real test will be next season when there is a whole season of tape to view.

[Doomsday101]

Originally Posted by Cajuncowboy

Gimmick offenses never last. It will go the way of the Run and Shoot. The real test will be next season when there is a whole season of tape to view.

I don't think this is gimmick offense.

[NIBGoldenchild]

Originally Posted by Doomsday101

I don't think this is gimmick offense.

You're absolutely right, it's not a gimmick.

[Doomsday101]

Originally Posted by NIBGoldenchild

You're absolutely right, it's not a gimmick.

I think like other offense system such as the WCO coaches will put their own version of it on the field.

[Cajuncowboy]

Originally Posted by Doomsday101

I don't think this is gimmick offense.

I do. Because it is based off a single guys ability. After he goes down for an extended period of time they have to change.

[SkinsFan28]

I think the point of the pistol, and the article explains it very very well, is that it integrates "smash mouth" north south running, with the qb's ability to receive the ball and survey the field without a 3 -5-7 drop. Thus, the defense has to react quicker, while the qb already has a sight line on the d's weakest spot.

That is the purpose of the shotgun, and it has been a mainstay for a long time. I remember Gibbs not liking it because he liked the sure handed center to qb exchange. But the shotgun forces east west running and takes away the most of the inside run game. The pistol is an attempt to balance both good points (runner going north south, qb seeing whole defense).

A good example of how it works, without ever using the zone-read "gimmick" is Griffin's quick pass when he sees a defense stack the box with 3 linebackers. By being in a passing stance when he receives the snap, a quick playaction fake freezes all 3 lb's for a quick second, and he can toss a straight pass down center field where the lb's are cleared out, for almost always a 7-8 yd gain. That ability, for many qb's, will not leave the game soon.

In fact I think Romo would be very dangerous with that same play, with Murray coming towards the line, and Witten crossing down the center. I hope your coaching staff thinks like the fans here that say it is a fad, and doesn't put Romo in the position ever.

[SkinsFan28]

Originally Posted by Cajuncowboy

I do. Because it is based off a single guys ability. After he goes down for an extended period of time they have to change.

I disagree, in the sense that I think you are alluding to Griffin's running ability. I think there are many qb's in the NFL that will take the pistol and use it, even without the threat of a running qb. What you need is a credible RB threat that can freeze the LB's for a second, that and the qb's ability to read what the d is doing ought to allow a good qb to pick where the advantage favors the offense, and if no receiver is in an advantageous lineup, then you go with a power run. Very rarely will you have to have a qb zone read option to make it effective, though Griffin's speed to the edge does add another threat that not every qb will bring.

Question for you Cajun, did you read the article, and the breakdown of the formation (pistol), not the one single play call(zone read) which you see as a fad?

[BAZ]

These things go in swings and roundabouts, just like slur fans on this board. Right now it's lousy with filth, when the silt sinks.....

[Biggems]

Originally Posted by SkinsFan28

I disagree, in the sense that I think you are alluding to Griffin's running ability. I think there are many qb's in the NFL that will take the pistol and use it, even without the threat of a running qb. What you need is a credible RB threat that can freeze the LB's for a second, that and the qb's ability to read what the d is doing ought to allow a good qb to pick where the advantage favors the offense, and if no receiver is in an advantageous lineup, then you go with a power run. Very rarely will you have to have a qb zone read option to make it effective, though Griffin's speed to the edge does add another threat that not every qb will bring.

Question for you Cajun, did you read the article, and the breakdown of the formation (pistol), not the one single play call(zone read) which you see as a fad?

didnt Collin K. run the pistol at Nevada?

[NIBGoldenchild]

Originally Posted by Biggems

didnt Collin K. run the pistol at Nevada?

He did. Griffin ran it at Baylor, but not nearly as much.

[Cajuncowboy]

Originally Posted by SkinsFan28

I disagree, in the sense that I think you are alluding to Griffin's running ability.

Not based on his running ability but on the viability of sustaining the type of offense. It is a gimmick offense used in college to fit the personnel of their players. They don't play the top caliber defensive players week in and week out along with the type of coaching that is seen in the NFL week in and week out either. It is going to get handled very quickly and the Skins will need to adjust accordingly.

Originally Posted by SkinsFan28

I think there are many qb's in the NFL that will take the pistol and use it, even without the threat of a running qb. What you need is a credible RB threat that can freeze the LB's for a second, that and the qb's ability to read what the d is doing ought to allow a good qb to pick where the advantage favors the offense, and if no receiver is in an advantageous lineup, then you go with a power run. Very rarely will you have to have a qb zone read option to make it effective, though Griffin's speed to the edge does add another threat that not every qb will bring.

Innovation in the NFL is always ongoing but effective schemes are born of base offensive strategy. I don't see the Pistol offense as one that has long legs in terms of sustainability.

Originally Posted by SkinsFan28

Question for you Cajun, did you read the article, and the breakdown of the formation (pistol), not the one single play call(zone read) which you see as a fad?

Most of it but got interrupted twice before finishing it. But I don't need an article to tell me what I see and what I know.

Let me be clear on this though, I think Griffen is a good QB but the praise heaped on him at this point for basically delivering a 9-6 team. I think Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson has had just as good of a year as did RG3.

[Doomsday101]

Originally Posted by Cajuncowboy

I do. Because it is based off a single guys ability. After he goes down for an extended period of time they have to change.

It is not based on a single guy, this is not some pure option running attack.

[Doomsday101]

Skins are not the only team who uses it

Buffalo Bills
Carolina Panthers
Detroit Lions
Miami Dolphins
Kansas City Chiefs
Pittsburgh Steelers
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
Washington Redskins