[butzadams]

In a recent article - Bill Belichick said that "there is no one in the NFL running a 2 BACK offense - there may be two guys back there SOME of the time - but everyone has ONE RB" ("feature back").

The 2 MOST USED personnel groupings in the NFL today are:

1. 2 TE/2 WR/1 RB

2. 1 TE/3 WR/1 RB

Here is some THEORY behind this (as expressed by a Redskins assistant a few years ago):


– 2 TE/2 WR/1 BACK

We wanted a formation that would challenge the defense along a broad front and present problems to their pass defense. The only way that the pass defense could be challenged by mere alignment would be to put four eligible receivers up on the line of scrimmage. With the possibility of getting four receivers out into a pattern quickly, the secondary would have to align itself in a sound pass defense. Thus, we came to the conclusion that we would have only one back in the backfield. We decided on a two tight end and two wide receiver alignment with the other people because it presented an eight-gap front to defend vs. the run.


X----------------O-O-C-O-O-Y
--------------H-------Q--------------------Z

-----------------------R

NOTE: "H" is a TE OFF the ball, & Y is a TE ON the ball.


This formation is certainly not unique. It has been used by many other teams. However, in the past a one-back formation was mostly thought of as a passing set, and it was used primarily in those situations. We wanted to use that threat of the pass to create a better opportunity to run, and on the other hand we wanted to have a good chance to pass by virtue of the formation in a run situation. The two tight end front gave us a chance to spread the defense out. If the defense was to honor our passing threat by using four of it’s defenders in the secondary, then there only remained seven defenders to play against an eight-gap front. One defender would have to play a two-gap responsibility. The only way they can defend the extra gap is to close the middle of the field – the formation affects the force of the defense (the Will Lber will be over a Tight End which makes the Lber force soft). THIS FORMATION GIVES THE OFFENSE AN OPPORTUNITY TO THROW THE FOOTBALL.