When drawing up running plays, offensive coordinators typically run to the strong side of the formation, for obvious reasons. Sometimes, though, it’s beneficial to run to the weak side. In addition to keeping a defense honest, there are often 1) weaker run defenders on that side and/or 2) less defenders in general. Defenses set their alignments based on a strength call, meaning it is often advantageous for an offense to run away from their own strength (in the same way it can be beneficial to pass the ball out of run-heavy personnel packages, for example).The reason we are spreading the field with three wide receivers is to widen the spaces between defenders and create openings to run through. Running to the weak side takes this one step further and runs to the side likely to have fewer defenders in a formation that is already going to be spread out:
...the Cowboys have historically had the most success running to the weak side and from spread formations, i.e. where they have the fewest blockers. It’s not inherently advantageous to run where there aren’t any blockers, of course, but since defenses typically have fewer defenders in those areas, the net effect is positive.Although it may seem limited to just run a mix of zone to the front and back punctuated by some dives up the gut, it is actually enough variety for the rushing component of a gameplan. Adding the weakside zone to the mix prevents the defense from simply loading up against us on the frontside. It also opens options for running to the wide side if the ball is spotted near the right side of the field:
Most modern spread offenses prefer to run the football toward the wide side of the field in order to get the ball to a playmaker in as much open space as possible.
Second Verse, Same as the First
The weakside zone run will be read the same way as the strongside zone runs we're already looked at. The blocking flows to the left and we'll look inside to outside for the first cut.
The Ravens are aligned in the shotgun with their 11 personnel (1RB, 1TE) package on the field. The call is Inside Zone Weak. Rice will read C Gino Grankowski’s block and determine whether to follow his original leftward path or cut back toward the backside.
Most of the time this is called will be when the wide side of the field is to the left for two reasons. As mentioned above, if we take advantage of the wide side on a running play, it gives the ballcarrier more room to work with if he bounces it to the outside. Nothing is worse than trying to turn the corner and getting forced out of bounds on a zone run. That's a win for the defense because it meant they kept everything walled off and you gained very few yards because most of the motion on the play was sideways.
Second, you get to recenter the ball by setting the primary direction of the play away from where you are normally going. This is useful for flipping the field and making the frontside on your normal strongside zone plays the wide side (with the extra running room benefit) or for just centering the ball before a field goal. More space, fewer defenders to block (probably), and the ability to attack the whole field running the ball - these are good reasons to have some kind of rushing play that hits the weakside.
What it looks like in game
The first run is Weak Zone from the Ace Slots formation against Cover 3 (you can see the rotation of the safety near the top toward the center of the field):
The LT has the defensive end blocked to the outside and there is a decent hole in the playside B gap where the guard has fired out to take on the linebacker at the next level. This leaves just enough room to squeeze a cut behind the tackle upfield:
The second play in the video is the same play against Cover 4 (you can see the four across deep defenders with one over the slot). This is six on six in the tackle box, and the big hole is to the inside to the backside A gap between the C and RG:
Play three is Zone Weak from Ace Y-Trips against Cover 2 Sink. Notice the two high safeties and how moving the slot receiver to the right side of the formation leaves a one on one to the far left and a lot of space between that split end and the end of the offensive line.
The LT gets pushed back into where the QB is handing the ball off, but that's okay because most of the defense is up inside. A quick cut to the outside and that big spacing between the WR and the OL gets a good gain:
Play four is out of Ace Y-Trips again against Cover 2 Sink, but this time the LT blows the defender off the line and the hole opens up in the playside B gap right behind him. It's possible to try for the outside, but the cut inside is better because of the positioning of the secondary help. The two high safeties are split wide, and will take longer to arrive for run support on the inside:
Play five is from Ace Slot against Buck Slant 3. We are actually running the ball into a zone blitz from the field (the wide side), but it doesn't matter because the defense is so light inside. The formation actually comes out with only five in the box with the RDE split very wide near the slot receiver - so wide that he gets kicked out by the LT, and cutting upfield behind the LT takes the blitzing nickel back out of the play:
Play six is Ace Slot versus SS Mike Blitz. The MLB walks up in front of the RG and the SS comes all the way up inside the box. Unfortunately for them, the play is running away from them. When it overloads the strongside, the defense is vulnerable to the outside on the opposite end of the field:
