Playbooks
At a Glance
In 2 playbooks
Overview
Pistol Weak takes the standard 21 personnel Pistol backfield and shifts the fullback to the weak side of the formation, creating an offset lead blocker away from the tight end. That single alignment change is what separates it from balanced Pistol looks: the defense has to declare a strength based on the tight end, then account for a lead blocker attacking the opposite gap. The quarterback still sits at four yards with the halfback directly behind, so the run keys stay hidden until the mesh point, and defenders reading backfield flow get a false initial read on nearly every handoff.
Strengths
- Triple Option and F Lead Read Option punish defenses that leave the edge unaccounted for, and the read mechanic means an unblocked defender is never actually a free rusher.
- PA Crossers and PA Comebacks sell hard off the run action from a 21 personnel look, pulling linebackers and flat zone defenders up so the crossers clear the second level clean.
- Y Corner gives you a high low on the cover 3 flat defender with the tight end working the sideline, and it turns into a legitimate man beater when you hot route the fullback to the flat underneath.
- Curls and Slants both attack the middle of the field against soft zone, and the weak side alignment means the fullback release into the flat comes from a spot the defense often ignores pre snap.
- HB Slip Screen off this look is deadly because the heavy personnel invites pressure, and the extra back sells max protect before the release.
Weaknesses
- 21 personnel invites base defense with heavier linebackers, which caps your ability to isolate a slot receiver on a mismatch since you only have two true wideouts on the field.
- Overload blitzes to the tight end side get home fast because the fullback is aligned weak and cannot cross the formation to pick up the extra rusher.
- A user controlled safety sitting over the middle takes away Curls and Slants immediately, and the read progression on this set is heavily middle of the field dependent.
- The option plays hand the ball off before your protection is set, so a crashing defensive end with a user on him blows up Triple Option and F Lead Read Option repeatedly.
- Route depth on PA Comebacks means you are holding the ball a long time behind a five man protection, which is a problem against nano pressure from nickel looks.
Usage Tips
Run this set on first and second down when the defense shows base personnel, then punish the run commitment with PA Crossers on the very next snap from the same look.
Motion the fullback across the formation pre snap to identify man coverage, and if a defender follows him, check to Slants or Y Corner with the tight end isolated.
Hot route the fullback to a flat or angle route on Curls when you see a single high shell, giving you a checkdown against any user defender jumping the intermediate stuff.
Save HB Slip Screen for third and medium after you have run the ball twice from this set, because the heavy personnel tendency baits the blitz.
Against two high safeties, lean on the run game and the option package since the box is light, and use HB Zone Wk to attack the weak side gap the fullback is already leading through.
