Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

I've never been great at understanding offensive formations - I'm wondering if someone would be able to answer a question I have concerning the run-and-shoot offense that the Oilers and Lions ran in the early 1990's.

I follow the Packers, so I've understood receiver positions in their offense. Flanker plays off the line and is the go-to receiver (Sterling Sharpe, Robert Brooks), while Split End is lined up on the weak side on the line of scrimmage (Antonio Freeman).

How do you classify the four starting receivers in the run-and-shoot? Is there a Flanker and Split End, or do receivers in that formation have different designations? Are the two inside receivers both considered slot receivers? What if those two slots are off the line of scrimmage, and the two receivers furthest wide are lined up ON the line of scrimmage, does that make one of the slot receivers a Flanker and the two far wide are both Split Ends? I just struggle to put a label on who's who. If someone wouldn't mind untangling this for me I'd appreciate it!

Oszuscik wrote:I've never been great at understanding offensive formations - I'm wondering if someone would be able to answer a question I have concerning the run-and-shoot offense that the Oilers and Lions ran in the early 1990's.

I follow the Packers, so I've understood receiver positions in their offense. Flanker plays off the line and is the go-to receiver (Sterling Sharpe, Robert Brooks), while Split End is lined up on the weak side on the line of scrimmage (Antonio Freeman).

How do you classify the four starting receivers in the run-and-shoot? Is there a Flanker and Split End, or do receivers in that formation have different designations? Are the two inside receivers both considered slot receivers? What if those two slots are off the line of scrimmage, and the two receivers furthest wide are lined up ON the line of scrimmage, does that make one of the slot receivers a Flanker and the two far wide are both Split Ends? I just struggle to put a label on who's who. If someone wouldn't mind untangling this for me I'd appreciate it!

I am no expert but since none of the experts have responded I'll give it my best shot....

The four receivers in the Run and Shoot (hereafter R&S) are termed the W,X,Y and Z.
My understanding is that the teams about which you are asking (NFL teams running the R&S in the 1990's) used four wide receivers for those positions. I believe, however, in its earliest incarnations the R&S used scatback type RBs at the "slot" WR positions.
Originally those scatbacks lined up just behind the line of scrimmage and outside the tackles (in more of a set-back tight end position).

I think (but could be wrong in this.... a little help here?) that the X was still (what we would think of as) the Split End (widest receiver on the right of the formation) and the Z was his counterpart, on the left (the Flanker but on the line of scrimmage).
The Y was in the usual Tight End position (but set back from the line of scrimmage) and (this is where I am a little confused) the W was his counterpart on the left.
If that is correct then the formation (pre motion) would be (from left to right) X, W, Y, Z (which seems a little incongruous).
Where these guys wound up after multiple motions is anyone's guess (which was part of the confusion generated by this flexible offense).

From their spread out formation the receivers were to run "choice" routes based on the position of the defender.
The idea was to run away from the defender by following (relatively) simple rules that were expressed (from the receivers point of view) as:
Him short, me deep. Him deep me short.
Him left, me right. Him right, me left.
I'm sure there were more reads than that but the idea is to move away from the defender... to "take what they're giving," in effect.
Keep in mind that while one receiver has to read only his defender the QB has to make the same reads for all potential receivers (pre snap), see how they interrelate and decide who to throw to. AND hope the receiver made the same read...

A larger RB, a fullback type lined up in the backfield (the runner).
He usually ran between the tackles to take advantage of the spread out defense caused by four wide receivers.

I hope that helps!
If one "googles" run and shoot there is a lot of help out there, including videos, that might explain the R&S better than I ever could.
I loved watching this offense operate in the USFL (I got to see the Gamblers play when they came to Oakland).

JuggernautJ wrote:

Oszuscik wrote:I've never been great at understanding offensive formations - I'm wondering if someone would be able to answer a question I have concerning the run-and-shoot offense that the Oilers and Lions ran in the early 1990's.

I follow the Packers, so I've understood receiver positions in their offense. Flanker plays off the line and is the go-to receiver (Sterling Sharpe, Robert Brooks), while Split End is lined up on the weak side on the line of scrimmage (Antonio Freeman).

How do you classify the four starting receivers in the run-and-shoot? Is there a Flanker and Split End, or do receivers in that formation have different designations? Are the two inside receivers both considered slot receivers? What if those two slots are off the line of scrimmage, and the two receivers furthest wide are lined up ON the line of scrimmage, does that make one of the slot receivers a Flanker and the two far wide are both Split Ends? I just struggle to put a label on who's who. If someone wouldn't mind untangling this for me I'd appreciate it!

I am no expert but since none of the experts have responded I'll give it my best shot....

The four receivers in the Run and Shoot (hereafter R&S) are termed the W,X,Y and Z.
My understanding is that the teams about which you are asking (NFL teams running the R&S in the 1990's) used four wide receivers for those positions. I believe, however, in its earliest incarnations the R&S used scatback type RBs at the "slot" WR positions.
Originally those scatbacks lined up just behind the line of scrimmage and outside the tackles (in more of a set-back tight end position).

I think (but could be wrong in this.... a little help here?) that the X was still (what we would think of as) the Split End (widest receiver on the right of the formation) and the Z was his counterpart, on the left (the Flanker but on the line of scrimmage).
The Y was in the usual Tight End position (but set back from the line of scrimmage) and (this is where I am a little confused) the W was his counterpart on the left.
If that is correct then the formation (pre motion) would be (from left to right) X, W, Y, Z (which seems a little incongruous).
Where these guys wound up after multiple motions is anyone's guess (which was part of the confusion generated by this flexible offense).

From their spread out formation the receivers were to run "choice" routes based on the position of the defender.
The idea was to run away from the defender by following (relatively) simple rules that were expressed (from the receivers point of view) as:
Him short, me deep. Him deep me short.
Him left, me right. Him right, me left.
I'm sure there were more reads than that but the idea is to move away from the defender... to "take what they're giving," in effect.
Keep in mind that while one receiver has to read only his defender the QB has to make the same reads for all potential receivers (pre snap), see how they interrelate and decide who to throw to. AND hope the receiver made the same read...

A larger RB, a fullback type lined up in the backfield (the runner).
He usually ran between the tackles to take advantage of the spread out defense caused by four wide receivers.

I hope that helps!
If one "googles" run and shoot there is a lot of help out there, including videos, that might explain the R&S better than I ever could.
I loved watching this offense operate in the USFL (I got to see the Gamblers play when they came to Oakland).

That does help, I appreciate the response!