Playbooks

Wide Zone

Pistol·Bunch·11
Likely unavailable in the playbook builder
This play belongs to no NFL team or scheme playbook, so it may not appear in the in-game builder.

Quick Reference

FormationPistol

In 1 playbook

Franchise Offense BackerattackerOffense

Breakdown

Wide Zone out of Pistol Bunch is a zone blocking run play that stretches the defense laterally before the back decides to bounce, bend, or bang the ball downhill. The offensive line and TE flow in unison toward the play side, reach blocking defenders to create a cutback lane while the HB reads the flow of the first and second level defenders. This is not a man or zone beater in the passing sense, it is a pure ground concept where the primary read progression starts with the playside edge, moves to the linebacker fitting the alley, and ends with the cutback lane if the front overplays outside contain.

Defensive Reads

Pre snap, identify if the defense is in a 4-3 or 3-4 front and count the box defenders, anything under 7 in the box favors this run heavily. Watch the depth of the linebackers, if they are sitting at 5 yards or deeper they have more time to read and fit the run, which hurts your cutback window. Post snap, key the playside defensive end and outside linebacker, if they squeeze hard down the line immediately bounce it outside behind the reach block. If the user takes over the middle linebacker and wrong arms the blocks or shoots a gap immediately, that is a sign of a run blitz look, so be ready to cut it back against the grain. This play struggles against gap exchange stunts and disciplined 3-4 fronts that keep two off ball linebackers reading with contain defenders staying home on the edge.

Usage Tips

Use this play against defenses that stack the box with 6 or fewer defenders since Wide Zone loses value against heavy 8 man fronts. Check the alignment of the playside defensive end before the snap, if he is crashing hard down the line every time, hot route the TE or use motion to create a lead blocker and set up the cutback. Pair this with Mtn Wide Zone and Dbl Mtn HB Stretch to keep defenses guessing on zone run direction out of similar Bunch and Pistol looks. On early downs in 1st and 10 or 2nd and short, this is a great base call to set up play action shots later like Dbl Mtn PA Stretch or PA Boot Slide that mirror the same zone flow. If the user controls a linebacker and consistently flows hard to the play side, work the backside cutback lane by patiently pressing the mesh point before breaking the ball backside.

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