BSR Grand Prix

TWO TIGHT END FORMATION

What It Is: This formation is also referred to as Jumbo, single back Big, or single back 2. This is a power formation because there are extra huge bodies closer to the line of scrimmage. It is primarily a running formation that allows for power runs to either side of the line. Counter and trap plays work well when the defense loads up to one side of the formation. See the following illustration. Two tight ends with a RB (also can an ACE formation) this is when a single back lines up in the backfield.

Work Well When: You want to execute you smash mouth attack scheme-run the ball and run it again. It's late in the game and you want to protect your lead. When your opponent overloads the line of scrimmage, you can sneak a deep pass to your sure handed TE for the huge gain. Use a lot of motion and flip those plays to cause confusion for your opposition.

THE THREE WR SET

What It Is: This is a passing formation that offers you three wide receivers to throw the ball to. Three wide receivers gives you more options to throw the ball, thus it forces the defense to react. When you have three wide receivers and a tight end, you can do several things, including putting two of the wide receivers on one side with the tight end, or only put one on the same side as the tight end. The Vikings playbook profile has this option. Yea! EA for including this in Madden this year. Even without a fullback (FB), it is still an effective offense for running the ball since it offers a bulky tight end (TE) and because this offense makes defenses think of pass first. This formation can reduce an eight-man front to a seven. It provides strong side running while enabling four receivers to release immediately out on route.

Work Well When: You still want to be able to run the ball inside even with three wide receivers. If your FB stinks you might want to use this formation more often. This is my favorite formation for my 2-minute drill. I will combine this with the shotgun Normal set as I'm calling my plays. When I set my audibles I use three single back normal plays and three shotgun normal plays. If I'm in the single back normal set and my opponent shows blitz I'll audible to one of my shotgun formation plays. If I'm lined up in the shotgun and the defense is showing a Nickel relaxed zone. I'll audible out to one of my single back normal running plays. I have found by doing this only the QB and HB shift in these formations, giving the offensive line less of a chance of false starting.

The Buffalo Bills opened a lot of peoples eyes using this style of play. No huddle K-gun was the BOMB offense back in the day.

John Madden '93 offered the BEST No-Huddle offense in this series for the Bills. I got a big kick out of using this while there were no penalties to stop it. The only draw back was they had so many chances to win the big one and couldn't pull it off.

THE FOUR WR SET

What it is: Sometime you'll need to pass. It may be because of time or the scoreboard or a combination of the two, which is usually the case. In these situations you may want to line up with four wide receivers. This gives you the best pure passing formation in the game by putting in your best four wide receivers. This is where you may want to use a shotgun formation, in which the QB doesn't line up directly underneath the center, but lines up about five yards back. You can use these formations to confuse your opponent. Set up three single back 4 wide receiver set plays as audibles. Then set up three shotgun 4 wide receiver set plays as your other audibles. Use these the same way listed under single back normal three wide receiver set.

There are a couple of ways to work this formation. One way is to line up balanced, with two wide receivers on each side. But sometimes, you will need to line up three of the wide receivers on one side, called trips right or "BUNCHED". Here you want to make the defense react to the formation. Look at this, you may put the three wide receivers on the right in order to get the one receiver on the left room to work. By pulling the defense to the right, the formation frees up the receiver on the left to hopefully work one on one. If your opponent doesn't bite and react to the formation, you have an advantage by putting so many people on the right. You want to pick a play where the trips cross each others path, in case the defense makes it adjustments. I will score a ton of points against the cpu because it seldom will adjust to this formation.

Works Well When: Your opponent has a soft secondary. He is playing zone use crossing, slanting, dragging, and hooking plays. By playing zones your opponent is afraid of mismatches. If he has his defenders in your wide receivers face, use slanting, comebacks, crossing, dragging, and criss crossing plays to beat this man coverage. Having the right 4 wide receivers and an excellent QB at the helm. This formation has the ability to "blow up" the scoreboard. Running the ball out of this formation is the BOMB vs. the CPU. If there is a weakness in Madden this formation matched up against a Nickel or Dime defense is it. Spread the receivers Toss, Pitch, or Sweep and you're in the house. Caution don't abuse this on your friend because he may accuse you of being a "CHEESY" baller.

THE SHOTGUN

What it is: A formation designed to give the quarterback a few extra seconds to get rid of the ball. Instead of lining up directly under center to receive the snap, he positions himself about 5 to 6 yards behind the line of scrimmage and receives the snap from the center through the air. This is called the "Shotgun". The name refers to the placement of the QB. It does not refer to the placement of any receivers. You should use this in passing situations to give you and your QB time to throw. Plus you will have a better perspective to see the field.

HISTORY: Back in the 1920s of the NFL, when the single wing was the most popular formation, the long snap or "shotgun" was the standard way for the center to deliver the ball and start the play off. It wasn't called a shotgun, the ball was snapped to the fullback, and teams hardly threw out of it.

The 1960's San Francisco 49ers head coach Red Hickey knew the Baltimore Colts had a terrific pass rush. He figured he could move his QB back 7 yards behind the line of scrimmage, it would give him more time to spot his receivers. He also hoped the Colts would change their defense. he was correct and the 49ers defeated the Colts, 30-22. The 49ers used the shotgun in the last four remaining games of the 1960 season. QB John Brodie became the "the man who pulled the trigger of the shotgun."

The Dallas Cowboys brought this style back to the NFL in the mid 70s, having Roger "Dodger" Staubach settle in at five yards behind the center in obvious passing situations. Many NFL teams followed suit and added this formation to their offense, some placing a lone RB near the QB so that the defense had to respect the possible run attempt.

WEAKNESS: Watch for your opponent moving his PLB or MLB up on the line of scrimmage. Looking for any hole to squeeze through.

Works well when: You need a few precious extra seconds to get rid of the rock. You have more time to look for receivers, see blitzes better, and throw the ball to spots vacated by pass rushers. Good for throwing deep pass routes, but even better for throwing short and intermediate passes.

SINGLE BACK TWIN TE/WR

Are you looking for some perfect Formations?

What it is: It is a mix between a running formation and a passing formation. It allows you to attack with power runs to either side of the line and still offers the threat the long ball from the twin wide receivers on the weak side.

Works well when: The defense uses MAN against this formation it weakens their defense on your STRONG side. Strong meaning where your TE or TE's in this case line up. This is where I will run attack them because of their weakness. When they line up in a Zone defense I work the TWIN WR's on the WEAK side of the formation. My favorite plays from this formation are the CROSSING VS. MAN, and POSTS VS. ZONE. A play I use against MAN and ZONE is WEAK FLOOD. Against Man I'll throw to the WR on the streak, against the ZONE I'll throw to the Slot on the HOOK or FB on the CROSSING, against a BLITZ I'll dump off to my HB releasing in the flat.

TRIPS GUN

This is the formation of choice in the Vikings two-minute drill. A lot of pick, crossing and deep routes are popular from this set. They also like to run the occasional screen to the wide receiver when the defense is playing off the ball.

Use the Shot Gun Normal formation and make the TE step off the line and assume a slot right position.

Send TE in motion across the formation

Sub a WR in the TE position for speed.

SPLIT GUN

This formation is used in long yardage situations by the Vikings. They run a lot of INS, OUTS, and POST routes. One receiver is almost always running the deep FLY route and the Vikings like to go to that receiver for the quick score.

SHOT GUN 3 WR 2 RB PRO 3 WR

This is a passing formation for the Vikings. They use a lot of INS and OUTS out of this set. Both backs are usually in the pass pattern, either flaring or curling. When the Vikings run they like to run the counter out of this formation.