Playbooks
Playbook
Air Raid Classic Offense
OtherOffenseOverview
The Air Raid Classic Offense is a pass-first specialty playbook built almost entirely out of the gun. Of its 381 plays, 348 (91%) come from Shotgun across 18 different sets, which makes it larger than 96% of the game's 26 offensive specialty playbooks. That depth means you can attack with the same core ideas (drags, crossers, flats, slants, hitches, spots and posts) from many different alignments, so the defense sees new looks while you run familiar reads. Personnel runs from 10 (four wide) through 11 and 20, with 21 and 23 personnel available for heavier situations.
The secondary pieces are small but purposeful. Split Backs carries 21 plays (6%) across 2 sets. That formation appears in only 8 of the game's 236 playbooks, so it gives you a two back pass protection and quick game look that most opponents rarely prepare for. Goal Line Offense adds 9 plays for short yardage and the red zone, and Hail Mary covers end of half situations with 3 plays across 2 sets. Plays like FB Dive and 45 Quick Base give the book a run element, while Corner Strike and Goal Post show its vertical and red zone passing intent.
Choose the Air Raid Classic Offense if you want to win with tempo, spacing and quick decisions rather than a downhill run game. The concept list is heavy on zone beaters (Cover 3 Beater, Spot, Hitch, Flat) and man beaters (Slant, Drag, Crosser), and it layers in Motion, Block and Release and Play Action. Over a full franchise season you can script a whole game plan out of the gun and rarely repeat a look, while mixing in Split Backs, a formation most players never see.
Scheme Fit
The Air Raid Classic Offense wants an accurate, quick release quarterback with strong short and medium accuracy and enough mobility to escape the pocket in the gun, along with at least three route running receivers who separate on slants, drags and crossers. A back with good catching and pass blocking ratings is key for Block and Release and Split Backs looks, while the line should grade out in pass blocking over run blocking. Pick it if you like reading coverage pre snap, living on the hot route menu and spreading the field rather than grinding out carries.
Example Plays from this Playbook
Find plays by concept, not by formation
Search every playbook by tag and personnel grouping, not just Air Raid Classic Offense.
Strengths
- Shotgun depth is elite: 348 plays across 18 sets let you run the same drag, crosser and slant reads from many alignments, so opponents cannot key on one formation to predict the concept.
- The rare Split Backs formation (only 8 of 236 playbooks) gives you two back protection and a backfield release option that most defenders have not built user reads against.
- Personnel flexibility from 10 through 20 lets you use formation subs to force mismatches, pulling a linebacker onto a slot receiver or a nickel corner onto a back without leaving the gun.
- A built-in pairing of Cover 3 Beater, Spot, Hitch and Flat concepts with Slant, Drag and Crosser means your audible package can hold a clean zone beater and man beater in nearly every Shotgun set.
- Motion and Block and Release tags help you diagnose man or zone pre snap and give protection help before the back leaks into the flat as a checkdown against nano blitz pressure.
Weaknesses
- With 91% of plays in Shotgun, the book is nearly bare under center, so opponents can sit in nickel and dime personnel without fear of a true downhill run package.
- Short yardage and goal line options are thin: only 9 Goal Line Offense plays in 1 set means savvy defenders will quickly learn your few heavy looks and load the box against them.
- The run game leans on a small set of calls outside the gun, so once an opponent sees FB Dive or other Split Backs runs, they can bet on pass from the other formations.
- Play Action carries less weight without a strong under center run threat, so play action passes from the gun often fail to pull linebackers against disciplined users.
- The emphasis on quick game concepts can struggle against press man with a user robbing the middle, forcing you to rely on hot routes and protection adjustments every snap.
Usage Tips
Build your base audible package around three or four Shotgun sets with different personnel (one 10 personnel, one 11, one 20) so you can counter the defense's sub package without calling a timeout.
On 1st and 10 and 2nd and medium, live in Shotgun with Slant, Drag and Hitch concepts, then hot route the back to a flat or block and release when you read blitz pre snap.
Use Split Backs on 2nd and short and 3rd and medium: the extra back helps protect against pressure, and 45 Quick Base style quick game from a rare formation catches opponents without a plan.
Save Goal Line Offense for 3rd or 4th and 1 and inside the 3 yard line, and mix FB Dive with a pass tag so your 9 goal line plays do not become predictable.
In two minute drills, use motion to identify Cover 3, then check to a Cover 3 Beater or Corner Strike, and keep a Hail Mary set like Goal Post in your pocket for the final snap of each half.
Formations in this playbook
Upgrade to Playbooks Rookie
- Filter every play by tag and concept
- Personnel groupings
- Premium play analysis