A Little Formation To Get You Excited

[DaBoys4Life]

What we have here is a 4-3 basic D and a standard 2 WR, 1 TE set with two Backs in a split backfield. The numbers indicate Dallas Cowboys.

CB...........................FS.............................SS...................CB

.....................LB.................LB.............LB

.........................DE........DT....DT...DE
84......................76...63...65...70...75...82...........................11
......................................9

.................................24......28

Hopefully you are with me so far. Now let's create a very serious matchup problem for the Defense with only one move.

CB...........................FS.............................SS...................CB

.....................LB.................LB.............LB

.........................DE........DT....DT...DE
84......................76...63...65...70...75...82...........28.............11
......................................9

.....................................24


Felix Jones goes in motion to the LOS and the Z position, or slot.

Obviously the SOLB now has containment on Jason Witten. Before he could have freed him to a SS and single coverage. Now he has no choice.

The LCB now has single coverage on Roy Williams.

Felix Jones now has single coverage by a Strong Safety.

I believe this move would also pull the FS into the Strong side of the field leaving single coverage out wide on Crayton's side of the field.

Now, each of those players have s decided advantage over their Defensive counterparts. Simply put they are forced to single cover 4 men or drop LBs and D-linemen into coverage.

What about the Barberian you ask? I am glad you did. The ball is snapped, Bigg pulls to his left and runs a lead block on a sweep left for Barber. Look at how much open space there potentially is.

If that doesn't make you salivate then you simply aren't hungry enough for the season to approach.

That doesn't do it for me.

 

[DallasEast]

That doesn't do it for me.

 

[dadymat]

That doesn't do it for me.

who would have thought...?

 

[Hostile]

Wouldn't the defense be playing nickel? I'm not sure that either Barber or Jones would be a very good lead blocker, so the D would probably want five DBs, no?

For instance the Skins have a defensive formation called Cobra where 3 safeties are on the field.

On 1st down? Hey, if our passing game is going to get that kind of respect, I will take it. You let me run Marion Barber with a LB on the bench to get another DB in the game and I am going to kill you more often than you are going to stop me.

 

[Skinsmaniac]

On 1st down? Hey, if our passing game is going to get that kind of respect, I will take it. You let me run Marion Barber with a LB on the bench to get another DB in the game and I am going to kill you more often than you are going to stop me.

I think it's a judgment call. The way I think about it is if the Cowboys were 3 Wide, the Skins would likely bring in a DB (let's assume a third safety). Teams run out of 3 Wide all the time, but defenses are more concerned about the pass. Therefore I think the Skins would be fine playing nickel if Jones motions wide.

Back to your diagram, it's not 3 wide, but rather a second HB instead of a third WR. Personally I would be more worried about the second HB in the passing game, than I would be about 2 HB in the backfield with one of them lead blocking. That's why I'd probably substitute a safety in for a LB.

On another note, Jones proved last year that he is deadly catching out of the backfield. Running routes might be a different story. There are college WRs who don't pan out in the NFL because they can't run routes. cough.. Devin Thomas.. cough.

Still, there's no doubt that Jones presents defenses with a lot of problems. It's why I think he should start ahead of Barber.

 

[Hostile]

Let's play a little more with this. Here's the lineup against a Nickel. I'm going to rotate the Nickel Back to the TE side of the ball, or strong side. This means I will also slide the LBs to their right or the weak side.

I'm also going to put Bennett out wide as someone suggested. Just because I think that sounds fun.


CB...........................FS.............................SS......NB.............CB

.....................LB.................LB

.........................DE........DT....DT...DE
80......................76...63...65...70...75...82...........................11
......................................9

.................................24......28



Okay, now let's put Felix in the slot again and see what that leaves us.


CB...........................FS.............................SS......NB.............CB

.....................LB.................LB

.........................DE........DT....DT...DE
80......................76...63...65...70...75...82..............28.............11
......................................9

.....................................24

We now have a shift by the Defense to a Nickel with a CB on the outside to cover Felix in the slot and the LB in space to stop a sweep as described before. It also puts the SS on Witten and it makes the FS a true Center Fielder. This is potentially a great shift for the Defense if the play is a passing play. It is potentially however, extremely weak against the run.

How would the Offense attack this? You now have the potential to move Felix back into the backfield and force the Nickel back onto Witten with the SS coming up to a LB spot to protect the run. This is a serious mismatch in Witten's favor. A draw play bringing the Defense in a step to protect the run puts him behind the LB and SS with a NB on him. This means the FS now has to play run support immediately. Now if a play goes to Bennett or Austin out to the side it is man on man only and there is no deep support.

Switch sides with the WRs and put Roy out there in single coverage. Force the LBs into coverage. I think this still favors the Offense as long as the blocking holds up.

Love this formation with a run play called. I think this is an easy 6 to 7 yards per play average over a long haul use by the D of this. There is an immediate advantage if you were to bring Felix back into the backfield and in the I formation with Barber acting as lead option or possibly as a blocker. If Felix gets a hole inside it means the FS is between him and the goal line and it is Felix against him in open space.

 

[Everlastingxxx]

That does not get me horny, id have to go to another site for those feelings.

...But, how is this any different than last season? Plus having a home run threat like Owens would have made the mismatches even greater. I mean yea, it looks like mismatches everywhere...so why are we in shotgun with 1st and 10?

 

[Hostile]

That doesn't do it for me.

If I actually respected your football opinions I might be hurt.

:wink2:

 

[Hostile]

I think it's a judgment call. The way I think about it is if the Cowboys were 3 Wide, the Skins would likely bring in a DB (let's assume a third safety). Teams run out of 3 Wide all the time, but defenses are more concerned about the pass. Therefore I think the Skins would be fine playing nickel if Jones motions wide.

Back to your diagram, it's not 3 wide, but rather a second HB instead of a third WR. Personally I would be more worried about the second HB in the passing game, than I would be about 2 HB in the backfield with one of them lead blocking. That's why I'd probably substitute a safety in for a LB.

On another note, Jones proved last year that he is deadly catching out of the backfield. Running routes might be a different story. There are college WRs who don't pan out in the NFL because they can't run routes. cough.. Devin Thomas.. cough.

Still, there's no doubt that Jones presents defenses with a lot of problems. It's why I think he should start ahead of Barber.

A RB, in this case Felix Jones is not 3 wide at WR. As you noted correctly in the 2nd paragraph. This is more like what the Rams did using Marshall Faulk out of the backfield moving him out wide or into the slot. The design is purely intended to create a matchup problem. You give me smaller tacklers against Barber and Choice and I am going to accept it gladly. Give me Jones out in space against a LB if the SS can't switch up in time and I will kill you.

 

[Hostile]

That does not get me horny, id have to go to another site for those feelings.

...But, how is this any different than last season? Plus having a home run threat like Owens would have made the mismatches even greater. I mean yea, it looks like mismatches everywhere...so why are we in shotgun with 1st and 10?

Because this is a run oriented Offense and Owens would have never been good with that. Get over the fact that he is gone. Time isn't going to go backwards and he won't be back.

The idea is to become Romo friendly. This accomplishes that easily by giving him mismatches to exploit and it potentially makes the middle of the field a gold mine for Witten.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

Don't the Eagles run a similar formation and play with Brian Westbrook?

 

[DaBoys4Life]

If I actually respected your football opinions I might be hurt.

:wink2:

You don't need to respect it.

Just out of curiosity is this formation something you got inside information on or are you pulling this out your *** for ****s and giggles? Or is this the different formation that they were talking about last year that never got incorporated into our offense?

 

[Hostile]

You don't need to respect it.

Whew, that's a relief.

Just out of curiosity is this formation something you got inside information on or are you pulling this out your *** for ****s and giggles? Or is this the different formation that they were talking about last year that never got incorporated into our offense?

I am pulling it out of my old college play book and using Cowboys players to look at it. I'd describe the audible variations but it wouldn't do anything for you either.

Except go right over your head.

 

[Skinsmaniac]

A RB, in this case Felix Jones is not 3 wide at WR. As you noted correctly in the 2nd paragraph. This is more like what the Rams did using Marshall Faulk out of the backfield moving him out wide or into the slot. The design is purely intended to create a matchup problem. You give me smaller tacklers against Barber and Choice and I am going to accept it gladly. Give me Jones out in space against a LB if the SS can't switch up in time and I will kill you.

But what is the real difference between this formation and running out of the 3 Wide? It allows you to motion the second RB into the backfield. To me, the threat of the pass is still greater than the option of running with two halfbacks in the backfield.

You have Witten blocking the NB, but this assumes that the five linemen and lead blocker can all win their one on one matchups. If that happens, it will certainly succeed. But most run plays will do well if blockers can win their one on one matchups.

 

[Hostile]

Don't the Eagles run a similar formation and play with Brian Westbrook?

Theirs is similar, but they do not keep a 2nd RB in the backfield. They usually keep the Fullback there and he is less of a running threat than a RB would be. Be interesting to see if they use the Connecticut kid in the backfield instead. Good observation because Reid got this formation from my college coach.

 

[DaBoys4Life]

Whew, that's a relief.

I am pulling it out of my old college play book and using Cowboys players to look at it. I'd describe the audible variations but it wouldn't do anything for you either.

Except go right over your head.

Ah I see so you're just pissing in the wind with this that's cool. It's also cool that you get to talk to some of the cowboys players.

Also you made stated that TO wouldn't have any part of a running offense. However, in the washington game (2nd one) he didn't seem at all upset about how much MB3 touched the ball. But I guess it's whatever makes you sleep better at night.

Oh noes not audibles =/.

 

[Hostile]

But what is the real difference between this formation and running out of the 3 Wide? It allows you to motion the second RB into the backfield. To me, the threat of the pass is still greater than the option of running with two in the backfield.

You have Witten blocking the SS, but this assumes that the five linemen and lead blocker can all win their one on one matchups. If that happens, it will certainly succeed. But most run plays will do well if blockers can win their one on one matchups.

The difference is WRs in the backfield are more of a gimmick than an actual run threat. You put our top 2 RBs in the backfield together and play for the pass and I my running game is going to eat your lunch. You slide the WR into the backfield and his usefulness is a lot less effective than Jones is in open space.

Every play is based on the OL winning their assignments. Not just this play. Every single one of them is about that. Plays are never drawn up thinking about which OL is going to fail. Never have been. Never will be.

 

[Rampage]

hey Hos, can you make a thread like this for the defense? it sure beats the usual Romo is a choker/jessica/hollywood threads and the million different articles on when Ware will get an extension.

edit: as soon as I submitted this post and went back to the main page their's a new thread on when Ware will get an Extension lol

 

[Hostile]

Ah I see so you're just pissing in the wind with this that's cool. It's also cool that you get to talk to some of the cowboys players.

Also you made stated that TO wouldn't have any part of a running offense. However, in the washington game (2nd one) he didn't seem at all upset about how much MB3 touched the ball. But I guess it's whatever makes you sleep better at night.

Oh noes not audibles =/.

Let me bottom line this for you. Owens is gone and has no one to blame but himself. He told Offensive coaches he did not respect them. He went after his QB. He totally alienated the backup QB. Whether Johnson sucked or not is irrelevant. His submarine act sunk himself.

We have been a passing Offense to appease him. We now have a RB trio who make this a different type of Offense. We will still pass effectively without Owens, but now we can do more with run variations. That's all this is.

I honestly don't care if you never grasp the fact that I actually understand the game.

 

[DaBoys4Life]

The difference is WRs in the backfield are more of a gimmick than an actual run threat. You put our top 2 RBs in the backfield together and play for the pass and I my running game is going to eat your lunch. You slide the WR into the backfield and his usefulness is a lot less effective than Jones is in open space.

Every play is based on the OL winning their assignments. Not just this play. Every single one of them is about that. Plays are never drawn up thinking about which OL is going to fail. Never have been. Never will be.

You must live in a perfect world.