Playbooks
Likely unavailable in the playbook builder
Quick Reference
Not in any team playbook.
Breakdown
Counter Weak out of Strong I H Tight Close is a power run play built around misdirection. The line and both blockers pull toward the weak side, kicking out the edge defender and leading through the hole for the HB, who steps play side before pressing back against the grain. This is a pure run play with no route concepts, and the read progression starts with the HB pressing the initial flow to hold the linebackers, then reading the kick out and lead blocks to decide between bouncing outside or cutting up inside the double team.
Defensive Reads
Watch for linebacker flow to the strong side pre snap. If both backers key hard flow, this play is designed to gash them on the cut back. Identify the edge defender's leverage. If he sits and reads instead of crashing down, the kick out block loses its advantage and the play is more likely to get stuffed at the line. Post snap, track the play side pulling blockers. If the offensive line loses the double team or the kick out whiffs, the run has no natural cut back lane. Watch for user controlled defenders spying the backfield or scraping over the top, since a disciplined user linebacker can blow up the counter action before the HB presses back. This concept struggles against gap sound run fits with a two gapping defensive front or a safety rotated down into the box pre snap to add a run fit to the counter side.
Usage Tips
Run this out of a run heavy personnel look on early downs to keep defenses honest and set up play action off the same look later in the series.
Check the defensive front pre snap. Counter Weak hits hardest against defenses that flow hard to the strong side or show aggressive one gap fits.
Use the HB Misdirection and Power O plays from this same set to keep linebackers guessing between misdirection and downhill power, since all three share similar initial backfield action.
Let the pulling blockers develop before committing to a hole. Patience on the cut back lane is what makes Counter Weak effective against overpursuing defenses.
Avoid calling this into heavy blitz looks with fast flowing linebackers already stacked to the play side, since the counter action loses value if the backfield gets blown up before the kick out block sets.
