Playbooks
Normal Wing Pats Close
At a Glance
In 1 playbook
Overview
Normal Wing Pats Close is a condensed Shotgun set that pulls both outside receivers tight to the formation while attaching a wing to the strong side, giving you a compressed three man surface next to the tackle with a single back aligned beside the quarterback. Compared to spread out Shotgun sets that stretch defenders sideline to sideline, this one shrinks the field on purpose. Tight splits force man coverage defenders into traffic, create natural rub and collision looks off the snap, and give you access to the boundary with quick out breaking stems that have nothing but grass to the sideline.
The wing alignment is what separates this from other Shotgun sets. It functions as an extra body in the run fit and a release point that most zone drops do not account for, which is why the RPO Alert Bubble family works so well here: the bubble is already leveraged outside the numbers with two blockers in front of it, so you are reading the overhang defender and taking whatever he gives you. If the alley player crashes the mesh, you throw the bubble. If he widens, the run or the inside concept is live. Mtn Slot Corner and Mtn PA Cross are your shot plays off the same condensed look, and because the receivers start inside, corner routes attack the sideline from a leveraged position rather than running into the boundary.
Matchup wise, the compressed formation isolates whichever receiver you want by identity. Motion your best route runner out to a wide split pre snap and you get a clean one on one read against whoever travels, plus an immediate man versus zone tell. Keep everyone tight and you are forcing a nickel or dime defense to either walk defenders down into the box or leave the RPO bubble uncovered. Mtn HB Cross Screen gives you a change of pace answer when the defense starts crowding the mesh, and Normal Wing Close is your base run identity out of the look.
Strengths
- Condensed splits create natural traffic and rub concepts, making this one of the better man beating sets in Shotgun without needing custom hot routes
- The RPO Alert Bubble plays give you a built in leverage read against overhangs, so you punish defenses that walk safeties down or pinch the box against the run
- Mtn Slot Corner attacks Cover 2 and Cover 4 holes from inside leverage, with the corner route working into the sideline rather than getting squeezed by a press corner
- Motion tells are elite here: sending the wing or an inside receiver across the formation instantly identifies man coverage and often pulls a defender out of the blitz picture
- Mtn PA Cross sells run action out of a tight formation that already looks run heavy, which pulls linebackers forward and opens crossing routes behind them
Weaknesses
- Tight splits mean edge pressure and nano blitz looks arrive fast off both sides, and with a single back you only have one check release body to help the tackles
- Route developing concepts like Mtn PA Cross are slow to open, so any A gap heat or corner blitz forces a throwaway or a sack
- User controlled defenders sitting in the middle of the field feast on the crossing and mesh routes since the compressed alignment funnels everything into a small window
- Cover 3 with a hard flat player takes the RPO bubble away immediately, and if you keep alerting it without a counter you become predictable on early downs
- Limited vertical stretch by design: outside receivers starting inside means deep outside shots take longer to develop and are easier for a user safety to cover
Usage Tips
Read the overhang defender before you snap the RPO plays. If he is stacked inside the tackle box, take the bubble. If he is widened out over the slot, hand it off or take the inside concept
Use this set on second and medium or third and short where the defense has to respect the run, then hit Mtn PA Cross or Mtn Slot Corner off the same condensed look
Motion a receiver out wide pre snap to diagnose coverage, then snap it and work the opposite side if the defender travels with him
Against heavy blitz tendencies, hot route your back to a flat or check release and use Mtn HB Cross Screen to punish defenses that are overcommitting to the mesh
Mix Normal Wing Close runs in early to establish the look, because the RPO alerts and play action concepts only work if the defense actually believes the run
