To get ready for the 2018 NFL season, we studied the offensive playbooks of every team in the league. We found a lot of West Coast passing concepts, a mix of different running game schemes and plenty of the league’s new favorite play: the run-pass option. Scroll down or use the navigation bar to see an animated diagram of each team’s signature play, along with a description of the type of offense it is set to deploy this year. Note: The highlighted player in each play, labeled No. 1, signifies the likely top option for each play-call, and other, secondary options are numbered in likely order of priority.
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys' offense under Coach Jason Garrett has always been based more on the talent at his disposal than the scheme itself, keeping things simple and trusting his players to win key matchups. In the running game, this works particularly well because of a very talented offensive line and star running back Ezekiel Elliott. One of their core passing concepts goes back to the 1990s when Ernie Zampese was their offensive coordinator. He called it 525 F-Post, and it has become a staple for offenses across the modern NFL. The tight end runs a shallow cross (1) designed to draw the attention of underneath defenders, leaving the slot receiver (2) one-on-one with a nickel corner on a quick post. Back to top
NFC East
New York Giants
In new Coach Pat Shurmur, the Giants have hired an offensive mind with an interesting history. His NFL career started with him working for Andy Reid in Reid’s West Coast scheme, but he has since coached under Chip Kelly and Norv Turner, who run very different systems. All three leaned heavily on play-action, as did Shurmur's Vikings offense last year. This play is a great example of how Shurmur uses play-action to attack all types of defenses. Shurmur floods one side with three receivers, making it hard to defend with zone coverage. But he also has the sail route from the slot (2) against man coverage and an alert to the deep post (1) -- possibly for Odell Beckham Jr. -- if he gets the right look. Back to top
NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles
Doug Pederson is part of the Andy Reid coaching tree, having been on Reid's coaching staffs from 2009 until he was hired as the Eagles’ coach in 2016. But while his offense is rooted in Reid’s West Coast system, Pederson has kept the Eagles ahead of the curve by incorporating plays from college and other pro schemes. That includes the run-pass options used during the Eagles’ Super Bowl run, but perhaps their most effective play was one Pederson kept from former Philadelphia coach Chip Kelly: the mesh concept. The play is based on two underneath crossing routes (2 and 3) that create traffic for each other against man coverage, but Kelly added a wheel route by the running back (1) that turned the play from a solid concept into an explosive one. Back to top
NFC East
Washington Redskins
While Jay Gruden's offense is very similar to his brother Jon's, he is much more willing to attack down the field. The West Coast offense is built around short and intermediate passes, and Gruden will have a middle triangle for the quarterback to work with on most plays, but he also tinkers with those plays by adding post routes, corner routes and double moves to take the top off the defense. Gruden is exceptional at designing plays with multiple outs for the quarterback, and this play is a perfect example of that. The quarterback can hit the shallow cross against man coverage (1), the basic cross against cover-three (2), the post against quarters (3), or simply work the middle triangle. Back to top
NFC North
Chicago Bears
The Bears hired Matt Nagy from the Chiefs to implement an innovative offense that supports young quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. The Chiefs under Nagy and Coach Andy Reid were a West Coast offense, but they were willing to incorporate schemes and concepts from college, such as jet sweeps and run-pass options. One of the most basic RPO concepts is an inside zone run (1 run) paired with a slant route (1 pass) from the slot. The quarterback reads the weak-side linebacker and throws if the linebacker plays the run or hands off if the linebacker drops into coverage. Expect the Bears to lean heavily on RPOs along with play-action bootlegs, keeping things simple and letting Trubisky get the ball to his playmakers. Back to top
NFC North
Detroit Lions
Since the Lions drafted Matthew Stafford in 2009, they have been a pass-first offense. That hasn't changed under coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, who has given Stafford more control at the line of scrimmage to change things based on his read of the defense. But at the core of his scheme are some West Coast concepts, like the one on this play: levels. Plays like these are designed as short-to-intermediate passes that allow receivers to pick up easy gains -- here Stafford is supposed to work the high-low read from his tight end (2) and wide receiver (1) -- but also give Stafford a chance to peek at deeper routes, like the slot receiver running up the seam. Back to top
NFC North
Green Bay Packers
The Packers' offense has relied heavily on Aaron Rodgers's ability to go off script and create big plays. Coach Mike McCarthy has roots in the West Coast offense but often opts for plays on which he trusts his receivers to win one-on-one, rather than route combinations that work together to beat certain coverages. With Rodgers's arm talent, the Packers will often dial up deep shots, too, especially off double moves. On this play, Rodgers pump-fakes the sluggo (slant-and-go) route (1) and will throw it if the cornerback bites. If not, Rodgers can come back to the other side of the field where he has a slot receiver running up the seam (2) and the free safety is likely out of position because of the fake. Back to top
NFC North
Minnesota Vikings
With a new offensive coordinator and quarterback taking over the Vikings’ offense, expect some schematic changes. John DeFilippo is replacing Pat Shurmur as coordinator, and while both run West Coast offenses and are part of the Andy Reid coaching tree, there will be some differences. Expect DeFilippo to bring the successful run-pass option plays with him from Philadelphia, along with a diverse running game and a strong play-action passing attack. This play, which was run by both the Eagles and Redskins last year, is an example of a pure progression read that lets Kirk Cousins distribute the ball quickly: to the left up the sideline (1), on a bubble screen to the slot (2) or to the tight end over the middle (3). Back to top
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons’ offense suffered last year after Steve Sarkisian took over as coordinator from Kyle Shanahan. Both coaches have a West Coast background, but Sarkisian's game plans and play-calls didn't provide the explosiveness. He went with a more traditional West Coast attack based on a shorter passing game and relied upon play-action to produce big plays, like in this example. The X receiver -- usually Julio Jones -- runs a vertical route (1) designed to clear out space for the deep crosser (2). It's a staple play in the Falcons' offense, one that often produces large gains because of Jones’s ability to make big plays down the field. Back to top
NFC South
Carolina Panthers
Since drafting quarterback Cam Newton, the Panthers have been a power run team, using gap concepts such as power, counter and iso while also incorporating Newton's running ability. As new offensive coordinator Norv Turner installs some of his favorite passing concepts, look for him to keep some run-pass options the team used previously. This play is one of the Panthers’ more successful RPOs. It is a power run out of the shotgun formation (1 run), with a slant-flat route combination available on the back side (1 and 2 pass). What makes this play unique to the Panthers is the deep route by the Z receiver as a third option (3 pass) for a potentially explosive play. Back to top
NFC South
New Orleans Saints
Coach Sean Payton has long been one of the best offensive minds in the NFL, and with Drew Brees at quarterback and an arsenal of weapons around him, there is no real limit to what the Saints can do. After the emergence of running back Alvin Kamara last year, Payton started running 21 personnel (two backs, one tight end) and using Kamara as a slot receiver, such as on this play. With two backs on the field, the defense is forced into playing base personnel, meaning Kamara will likely match up against a linebacker. From there, he runs a choice route off which he can cut in or out based on the coverage. Brees also has the option of throwing the stick route to the tight end on the other side, depending upon how the middle linebacker reacts. Back to top
NFC South
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Coach Dirk Koetter is known for his aggressive vertical passing attack. He likes to take shots down the field for explosive plays, either off play-action or a seven-step drop for the quarterback. The passing game was a success a year ago, but the Bucs struggled to run the ball as Koetter tried a mix of zone and gap schemes. This tight end throwback play is a good example of how Koetter can attack down the field. While the quarterback fakes the handoff and runs the bootleg, a tight end (1) will leak out behind the crossing routes (2 and 3), often completely uncovered, setting up a big gain. O.J. Howard scored three touchdowns off this play last season. Back to top
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals
New offensive coordinator Mike McCoy will give the Cardinals' offense a different flavor than the aggressive style of retired coach Bruce Arians. In the running game, McCoy will likely look to implement gap-scheme concepts like power and duo, featuring star running back David Johnson. McCoy will also look to split Johnson out wide, as he has done with running backs in the past. In the passing game, McCoy will establish short and intermediate passes based on rhythm and timing, like the drive concept here. The quarterback has Larry Fitzgerald on a shallow cross (1) as his primary read, and then can work back to the tight end (2) before dumping off to Johnson (3) as a check-down. Back to top
NFC West
Los Angeles Rams
Sean McVay’s offense is a mix of things he learned from both Jon and Jay Gruden, combined with concepts from his time spent under Mike and Kyle Shanahan. All of those schemes are rooted in the West Coast offense, but McVay's is far more explosive than a typical West Coast scheme, as he uses shorter passes to set up deeper shots later on. He also uses plenty of misdirection -- handoffs, end-arounds, bubble screens -- to try to catch the defense out of position. On this play, the Rams fake a jet sweep and a pair of deep routes to set up this screen pass (1) to star running back Todd Gurley -- just one example of how they turn a basic play into a big gain. Back to top
NFC West
San Francisco 49ers
Coach Kyle Shanahan has continued to evolve his father Mike’s blend of West Coast passing concepts with a zone running game. While the West Coast offense is based on short passes, Shanahan also creates plenty of explosive plays down the field. He is willing to spread out the defense from traditional run-heavy personnel groups to create problems for the defense. This play is an example of how Shanahan can take his base personnel (two backs, one tight end) and empty the backfield to create favorable matchups. Here the primary objective is to get his running back on a linebacker up the seam (1). Back to top
NFC West
Seattle Seahawks
Seattle decided to start over this offseason, making big changes to its coaching staff and roster. Coordinator Darrell Bevell had run his version of the West Coast offense with the Seahawks since 2011 but is now replaced by Brian Schottenheimer, who is installing the vertical passing “Air Coryell” scheme. The three verticals play shown here is designed to attack down the field with the outside receivers (2) and give the quarterback an option over the middle (1) against split safety coverages, while the tight end (3) and running back work to the flats as check-down options. Schottenheimer is also expected to change the Seahawks from a zone running scheme to a gap running scheme. Back to top
AFC East
Buffalo Bills
With a new coordinator and potentially a rookie quarterback under center (Josh Allen), look for the Bills to lean heavily on a gap-scheme-based running game in 2018. Brian Daboll has a background in the Patriots’ system, so expect an offense that will overload with formations and motions to create mismatches. But the power running game will be the starting point, including plays like the counter trey shown here. It involves a fullback or tight end sliding across the line of scrimmage to block the edge defender, while a pulling guard wraps around to seal off the hole inside and create a lane for the running back (1). To complement the counter trey, the Bills will use duo, wham and isolation runs. Back to top
AFC East
Miami Dolphins
Coach Adam Gase is known for tailoring his offense to his personnel, so expect a different look from the Dolphins with Ryan Tannehill under center instead of Jay Cutler. Tannehill is excellent throwing on the run, so bootlegs and rollouts should be frequent, and Gase could look to add certain read-option and run-pass-option packages like he did when he was Tim Tebow's quarterbacks coach in Denver. But the running game will be equally important, and Miami’s base scheme will likely be inside zone runs out of the shotgun formation for Kenyan Drake (1). They can also operate a potent play-action passing attack from that formation. Back to top
AFC East
New England Patriots
The Patriots' offense has undergone many changes in personnel, but the one constant has been quarterback Tom Brady and the short passing game. The ability of Brady and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to spread out the defense and overload it with various looks enables them to manipulate favorable matchups. This play, called “Hoss Y Juke,” is a perfect example. It features hitch routes outside (3) and seam routes from the slot (2). It's designed to get a tight end such as Rob Gronkowski (1) in one-on-one coverage with a linebacker, which he will almost always win. Sometimes they will flip Gronk with a wide receiver, setting up the potential for even more yards after the catch. Back to top
AFC East
New York Jets
New coordinator Jeremy Bates has roots in the Mike Shanahan coaching tree, and it’s likely he will base his Jets offense on zone running and short-to-intermediate passes. To tie those two facets together, Bates will likely incorporate many play-action concepts, such as the bootleg scheme. It's a terrific play to build off the outside-zone running game and allows the quarterback to roll out of the pocket and cut the field in half. That should suit Jets rookie quarterback Sam Darnold, who is particularly good throwing on the run. On this play, he can take a deep shot down the left sideline (1), hit the other outside receiver on the deep crossing route (2) or find the tight end leaking out into the opposite flat (3). Back to top
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens' offense has some questions to answer, as the play of starting quarterback Joe Flacco has declined in recent years but rookie Lamar Jackson may not be ready to take over the job. So expect the Ravens to lean heavily on their ground game, which was one of the most diverse running schemes in the NFL last year with Alex Collins at running back. They changed from zone concepts to gap concepts from week to week depending upon the opponent. They particularly liked wham and trap plays, with a fullback or tight end working across the line to block a defensive tackle by surprise and open a clean lane for the back (1). Back to top
AFC North
Cincinnati Bengals
While the Eagles and the Chiefs made run-pass options more popular this past season, the Bengals were one of the first teams to use them with any regularity, and their RPO concepts have been among the most innovative. The one here is an outside zone run (1 run) paired with a tight end pop pass (1 pass) up the seam and a bubble screen outside (2) if the look is right. Offensive coordinator Bill Lazor uses multiple variations of plays like these to boost his running game by creating numbers advantages in the box, and to create easy reads and throws for quarterback Andy Dalton. Lazor has a background in various schemes, but he runs a West Coast offense based on rhythm and timing. Back to top
AFC North
Cleveland Browns
Coach Hue Jackson opted to hand the offense over to new coordinator Todd Haley this season. Haley will be working with a talented receiver group and a versatile receiving threat out of the backfield in Duke Johnson, much like he had in Pittsburgh with Le'Veon Bell. Look for Haley to aggressively attack down the field, and this switch verticals concept is something to keep an eye on. Johnson runs a wheel route (1) outside a post (2) from a wide receiver (potentially Jarvis Landry or Josh Gordon), which is a tough combination to defend, particularly from man coverage. In the running game, Haley will likely implement a gap-based scheme. Back to top
AFC North
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers decided not to renew Todd Haley as their offensive coordinator after six years with the team, but instead of moving to a completely new system they promoted quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner to take over the play-calling duties. Fichtner will likely maintain Haley’s system, which is based on a gap-run scheme and a vertical passing attack that makes the most of Pittsburgh’s two best players: wide receiver Antonio Brown and running back Le'Veon Bell. The four verticals concept here is a staple in the Steelers’ offense, allowing Brown to be isolated as the X receiver (1), giving him a chance to work one-on-one, with Bell (4) as a strong check-down target should the defense sit back to protect against the deep shot. Back to top
AFC South
Houston Texans
When Coach Bill O'Brien arrived in Houston, he installed a system similar to the one he ran in New England as Tom Brady’s offensive coordinator. But Deshaun Watson is a completely different type of quarterback, so instead of overloading him with multiple personnel groups, formations and audibles at the line of scrimmage, O'Brien installed concepts Watson was more familiar with last season. These included plenty of spread and read-option looks, and by incorporating elements like jet sweeps and pitch-option plays, O'Brien was able to tap into Watson's ability as a runner. This opened up the play-action passing attack, including plays like this one that provide him with downfield options (1 and 2). Back to top
AFC South
Indianapolis Colts
Expect new Coach Frank Reich's offense in Indianapolis to have plenty of similarities to the Eagles' offense that just won the Super Bowl under his direction. That means a diverse run scheme that can alternate between zone and gap schemes, a West Coast passing game with lots of play-action, and likely some run-pass options as well. Reich has also emphasized the need to play up-tempo, including no-huddle, to take advantage of quarterback Andrew Luck’s ability to command an offense. One of the core concepts that Reich and the Eagles used last year is the dagger concept, shown here, which calls for a receiver to run up the seam (3) and vacate space for an outside receiver (1), who then breaks underneath. Back to top
AFC South
Jacksonville Jaguars
In the modern NFL, where most teams are using three- and four-receiver sets to spread out the defense, the Jaguars are one of the few remaining run-first offenses. With power running back Leonard Fournette in the lineup, often joined by multiple tight ends and a fullback, Jacksonville runs a variety of gap-scheme runs, including power, duo, wham and iso. Perhaps the Jaguars’ most effective run is the counter, on which the strong side of the line down-blocks, the fullback kicks out the defensive end and the weak-side guard pulls and wraps around to create a lane for the back. The team builds off its running game with play-action passing. Back to top
AFC South
Tennessee Titans
New offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur was on Mike Shanahan’s 2012 Redskins staff when Robert Griffin III excelled as a mobile quarterback, so he should be a perfect fit for Marcus Mariota, who is a good runner and very accurate on the shorter throws found in West Coast schemes. Look for LaFleur to blend read-option packages with a zone running game and play-action passing attack. The drift concept, shown here, will be a staple of the Titans’ offense. It is one of the better play-action looks in the NFL, especially when the quarterback is a threat to run. Linebackers fly up to defend the run, opening the middle of the field for the drift route (1). Back to top
AFC West
Denver Broncos
New coordinator Bill Musgrave has a history of creating quarterback-friendly offenses and has been open to new ideas that enter the NFL through college, such as the spread and run-pass options. Given the different systems he has been exposed to, he is able to cater his scheme to fit his personnel, including defense-stretching wide receivers like Emmanuel Sanders or threats after the catch like Demaryius Thomas. This play is a good example: a switch-verticals concept to the left (1 and 2), with a hinge-slant (3) combination on the other side. All the quarterback has to do is check the safety rotation after the snap to know which side to work, cutting the field in half before deciding where to throw. Back to top
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs were one of the NFL’s most innovative offenses last year, embracing what had traditionally been considered college concepts. Coach Andy Reid, who is a direct influencer of many of the league’s leading offensive minds, succeeded by combining things like run-pass options and jet sweeps with traditional West Coast concepts. The play shown here is a traditional four verticals concept, but it is adjusted to include a jet sweep fake (3), which allows the running back to run free up the seam (2). The Chiefs ran this in their 2017 season-opening win over the Patriots, and it was soon copied by play callers across the league. New quarterback Patrick Mahomes II can also throw over the middle to star tight end Travis Kelce (1). Back to top
AFC West
Los Angeles Chargers
A strength of coordinator Ken Whisenhunt's offense is his willingness to move his best playmakers around, lining up with new formations and personnel groups to create matchup issues for the defense and to give quarterback Philip Rivers some pre-snap indicators of the coverage. Plays like this one are designed specifically to get the ball to wide receiver Keenan Allen (1). The Chargers like to move him all over the field, ideally isolating him on one side where he can beat man coverage. If the defense plays zone, the rest of the concept comes into play, with the tight end (2) and running back (3) drawing underneath coverage and the slot receiver (4) stretching the defense vertically to open up the middle for Allen. Back to top
AFC West
Oakland Raiders
The big question in Jon Gruden's return to the Raiders is how much he will adjust his offense to match modern trends. While he studied both NFL and college offenses during his broadcast career, he has been bullishly defensive of his own methods. He prefers a power running game, with a fullback and multiple tight ends, whereas the modern NFL offense usually looks to spread out the defense. His West Coast offense passing concepts will still work, and the double unders concept shown here is a typical West Coast offense play, designed to work the first under (1) to the second under (2). A test of Gruden’s conservatism will be whether he adds what many now include in this play: a corner route for the quarterback to throw to the tight end (3) against the right coverage. Back to top
About this story
Design and development by Brianna Schroer and Jake Crump. Animations by John Parks.
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