Thread: Matt Bowen; The NFL Running Game...................

Playbook session: the base NFL run game

Drawing up multiple schemes on the chalkboard. Matt Bowen

June 18, 2012, 05:30 AM EST

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Click here for my breakdown of Offensive Formation Alignments

During the season at the NFP, I talked about the base NFL run game using video to highlight the top schemes in playbooks around the league: Lead Strong, Lead Open (weak), Power O and Counter OF.

Today, let’s go up on the chalkboard (showing only the core of the formation) and focus on the “backfield action” of multiple run schemes you will see on Sundays. No defensive fronts or blocking assignments here. I want to keep this basic before we get into running the “G Lead” or the “Wham” vs. 8-man fronts.

A simple guide to gain a better understanding of what NFL offenses are really doing when they go to the run game.

BASE NFL RUN GAME/ BACKFIELD ACTION
GROUP 1
- Lead Strong
- Lead Weak
-Power “Bob” O

GROUP 2
-Lead Draw
-Counter OF
-“G” Lead

GROUP 3
-Toss
-Crack Toss
-Wham

GROUP 4
-“Crunch”
-“Bim”
-Inside Zone

GROUP 5
-Outside Zone
-Stretch “C”
-Stretch “G”


Up next: Backfield alignments
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