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Clues about the Chiefs' pistol offense and all those fullbacks

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This wrinkle, known as a "zone bluff" or "samurai," in Ault's terminology, adds another offensive player to the blocking scheme — typically either a fullback or a tight end. This player's job is to "arc" around and block the outside linebacker — the very defender who will take the quarterback in the scrape exchange. This is the play that incinerated the Green Bay Packers in the playoffs, when they were repeatedly outmanned and out of position in trying to stop San Francisco's read-option-plus-a-lead-blocker attack.

Defending the Read-Option