The Chiefs and the Pistol Formation

by Chris Thorman on Dec 5, 2008 12:40 PM CST in 2008 Kansas City Chiefs Campaign

There is a great article by Doug Farrar over at Football Outsiders from a couple of days ago that does a great job breaking down the Pistol formation and how the Kansas City Chiefs run it.

Farrar breaks down the Chiefs' final, game winning drive against the Raiders last week.

The real effectiveness of the Pistol for the Chiefs was how it helped them on the ground at the end of this drive. After a 12-yard pass to Gonzalez on third-and-9 from the Oakland 40, Thigpen either took the ball himself or gave it to Johnson on each of the next six plays. When the Raiders played a base 4-3, Johnson would veer and roam through defenders, around some quality blocking. If Oakland brought an extra man to the line, Thigpen wasn't shy about taking off just as that blitzing linebacker left a vacated area. 16 plays and 9:24 after it started, the Chiefs' long drive came to a successful end with a two-yard touchdown run.

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Nice find

Very good article.

by ChiefDJ on Dec 5, 2008 1:22 PM CST reply actions

The pistol has been fun to watch. I think we have the ability to run the ball well. We seem to have more negative run plays because the RB’s are starting deep, but the seem to get alot more runs over 5 yards as well. I think as Larry gets more comfortable it will work well. Spreads out the defense, and if Larry can get up to speed corners and safeties won’t want to tackle him 5-10 yards down the field.

"If you go out and you’re looking for the girl to wink at you and she hasn’t winked at you before 12 she isn’t going to. You might as well go home."-Herm

by saskwatch on Dec 5, 2008 6:15 PM CST reply actions

I don't know if we have more negatives

Larry had a ton of negative or no gains the way they were doing it before. I think it has more to do with the failure of the right side of the line than anything he’s really doing (or not doing).

One thing I wonder about with it is, since the RB gets the ball sooner than he would if the QB took the snap from under center and dropped back to do the handoff if that gives the RB another second to find the hole and if maybe that part of it is helping Larry a little bit.

Of course part of it could just be that since we are throwing the majority of the time now that the run is the unexpected change of pace and thats why its been more succesful.

by ChiefDJ on Dec 5, 2008 8:31 PM CST up reply actions