Thread: Matt Bowen; RB Alignments...........

Inside the playbook: RB alignments

Drawing up the multiple alignments at the RB position. Matt Bowen
June 19, 2012, 05:30 AM EST

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Over the past week at the National Football Post, here’s what we have broken down on the offensive side of the ball in the NFL:
-Offensive I.D. (personnel groupings)
-Formation I.D. (pre-snap formation alignments)
-Base NFL run game (schemes/backfield action)


And as we continue to look inside NFL playbooks, I want to talk about backfield alignments. Another tendency to study from a game plan perspective and another defensive key when you break the huddle.


Here is a rundown of the base alignments you will see in the backfield on Sundays in the pro game:
GROUP 1

-BASE I
-STRONG I
-WEAK I
-SPLIT
-BLUE
-BROWN



GROUP 2

-DOT
-CHOWED
-POWER I
-TREY
-GUN STRONG
-GUN WEAK



GROUP 3

-PISTOL
-WISHBONE




A couple of quick notes...


Depth of RB:Pre-snap alignment at 8 yards is a high run alert. Shorten down to 5 yards is a high pass alert.


"Chowed" alignment (outside leg of the tackle): Play for the back to release into the route scheme.


Strong I: High tendency to get the Power O (Guard Pull, FB kickout).


Any offset back: Alert for "divide" motion (motion to the core of the formation) to create a buch formation.


Base I: Look for the Lead Strong/Open and playaction.


Dot:Always alert for boot action.


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