Playbooks

Franchise Playsheet

Air Raid Pistol

PlaysheetOffense

1Formation

3Sets

30Plays

Overview

The Air Raid Pistol is a 30-play franchise situational playsheet built entirely out of one formation: Pistol accounts for all 30 plays (100%), split across 3 sets. Those sets cover three personnel groupings: 11 (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WR), 20 (2 RB, 0 TE, 3 WR) and 10 (1 RB, 0 TE, 4 WR). The result is a sheet where the quarterback's alignment never changes. What changes is who is on the field and how many receivers the defense has to account for. The concept list shows what it is built to do: attack a defense horizontally and at intermediate depth with Deep Cross, Crosser, Dig, In, Corner and Post concepts, stretch the flats, and keep safeties honest with Run Play, Play Action and Slide looks that all come from the same Pistol depth.

The game plan it supports is a pass-first spread attack that still carries a credible run threat. Because the back aligns directly behind the quarterback in Pistol, runs and play action share one launch point. That lets you set up China Y Corner and the crossing concepts off the same pre-snap picture your run game shows. Motion is a listed concept, so you have built-in ways to shift the defense's leverage and read man versus zone before the snap without leaving the formation.

It ranks larger than only about 20% of the game's 42 offensive franchise playsheets, so it is a lean, focused menu rather than a deep one. What you get over a broader book is a tight, easy-to-master audible tree in which every play comes from one formation. What you give up is formation variety, including any under-center, gun spread or heavy-personnel looks.

Scheme Fit

The Air Raid Pistol wants an accurate, quick-processing quarterback with enough mobility to handle Pistol play action boots, plus route-running slot receivers who can win on Crosser, Dig and In concepts. A backfield with two capable pass-catching backs unlocks the 20 personnel set, and a tight end who can both block and run the Corner route in China Y Corner makes the 11 personnel base work. It fits a player who likes reading coverage pre-snap with motion and throwing on rhythm from a single look, not someone who relies on power running or heavy personnel.

Playsheet bonuses

IUnlocks the playsheet
II+3Run Block, Pass Blockall OL
III+3Short Route Running, Medium Route Runningall WR & TE
IV+5Short Accuracy, Medium AccuracyQB

Every play in this playsheet (30 plays)

Pistol Strong Slot Open12 plays

Pistol Doubles Y Off9 plays

Pistol Trips Left Open9 plays

Find plays by concept, not by formation

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Strengths

Total formation concentration in Pistol means every run, play action shot and dropback pass starts from the same backfield alignment, so defenses cannot key play type off the formation.
Three personnel groups (11, 20 and 10) inside one formation let you force defensive substitution battles, pulling base defenders off the field with 10 personnel or baiting nickel against two backs in 20 personnel.
Deep Cross, Crosser, Dig and In concepts give you layered horizontal stretches that punish Cover 3 and match coverage, and a quick slant or drag hot route on the backside gives you a man beater on the same snap.
Play Action and Slide concepts from Pistol sell the run convincingly because the back is already downhill, which freezes user-controlled linebackers and opens the Post and Corner windows behind them.
Listed Motion plays let you diagnose man or zone pre-snap (a defender trailing the motion signals man) and then audible within the same formation without tipping a formation change.

Weaknesses

With 100% of plays in Pistol, opponents never have to prepare for a different formation, so they can sit in one base check and focus their adjustments on personnel alone.
At 30 plays, the sheet is smaller than most of the game's offensive franchise playsheets, so a smart opponent can map your tendencies within a few drives and cheat toward your favorite route combos.
There is no heavy or multi-tight end personnel, since 11 is the only group with a tight end. That leaves short-yardage and goal line power football thin, and defenses can load the box in those spots.
The concept list leans intermediate and crossing heavy with few screen or quick-game answers named, so pressure-heavy defenses running nano blitzes can get home before Deep Cross and Dig routes develop.
The 10 personnel set puts four receivers out with a single back, which limits max protection options and exposes the quarterback when the defense sends overloads.

Usage Tips

Build your base audible package in the 11 personnel Pistol set: use Play Action or a Run Play on 1st and 10, and check to China Y Corner or a Dig concept when you read a single-high safety.

On 2nd and medium, motion from the 11 or 10 personnel set to identify coverage, then audible to a Crosser or Deep Cross against zone or hot route the backside receiver to a slant against man.

Reach for the 20 personnel set on 3rd and short or 2nd and short. Two backs invite a heavier defensive sub, which makes Play Action and Slide concepts to the flat far more dangerous.

Save the 10 personnel set for 3rd and long and two-minute drives, where four receivers and In, Dig and Post routes can stretch nickel and dime coverages across the field.

Because the sheet is only 30 plays, rotate personnel groupings on consecutive snaps rather than repeating plays so the opponent cannot lock onto a single audible tendency.