Playbooks
At a Glance
In 1 playbook
Overview
Weak I Wing is the heaviest look in the Pistol family, pairing 22 personnel (two backs, two tight ends) with a pistol depth quarterback. Instead of the balanced twin sets or the spread-out Pistol Bunch and Pistol Wing looks, this set stacks a fullback in the I position with the halfback behind him at pistol depth, then wings a tight end tight off the tackle to the weak side while the second tight end and a single receiver hold the strong side. That alignment gives you an extra gap on the run side without ever declaring which way the ball is going, because the pistol depth lets the halfback attack either A gap with the same first step.
Strengths
- HB Gut and HB Power O out of 22 personnel create a numbers advantage at the point of attack, especially against nickel and dime fronts that most users live in.
- Counter Weak attacks the wing side with the fullback and backside guard pulling, which punishes users who overcommit their user-controlled defender to the strong side tight end.
- PA Power O and PA TE Slide sell the exact same run action, so the tight end leaking across the formation is often uncovered when the second level bites downhill.
- 94 Will and Post Shot give you legitimate vertical shots off heavy personnel, and safeties playing run support get beat over the top by the single receiver.
- X Slant plus a hot route flat from the wing tight end is a clean man beater that hits before any blitz can get home.
Weaknesses
- Only one true wide receiver means single high man coverage can double him with a user-controlled safety and take away your best route runner.
- Heavy personnel telegraphs run tendency, so opponents will drop into Cover 3 Sky or run edge pressure knowing you are not spreading them out.
- Nano blitzes and inside heat from a 46 or Bear front can collapse the pocket before PA Boot Slide or Post Shot develops, since both are slow developing.
- Tight end and fullback route trees are limited, so once an opponent scouts your PA TE Slide read they can sit a linebacker in that window.
- Third and long is a dead zone here, because you cannot generate enough horizontal spacing against quarters or Cover 2 Invert shells.
Usage Tips
Use this set on first and second down when the defense is in nickel or dime, then hammer HB Gut and HB Power O to force a personnel change before you go to the play action.
Motion the wing tight end across pre snap to read man versus zone, then check to Counter Weak if a linebacker follows him across the formation.
Once HB Power O has hit twice, go straight to PA Power O or PA TE Slide, because the linebacker triggering downhill leaves the tight end window wide open.
Save Post Shot and 94 Will for single high looks in the red zone or after a big run, and hot route the wing tight end to a seat route if you get shown Cover 3.
PA Boot Slide is your answer to inside pressure, since rolling the quarterback out of the pocket beats A gap nano blitzes and gives you the slide route plus a scramble lane.
