Why 'busy backfields' could become the NFL trend in 2025
Why 'busy backfields' could become the NFL trend in 2025 | Football 301
Yahoo Sports NFL analyst Nate Tice, fantasy analyst Matt Harmon and NFL writer Charles McDonald discuss the increased use of wide receivers and tight ends lining up in the backfield for carries and why it could become more common this coming season. Hear the full conversation on 'Football 301' - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , YouTube or wherever you listen.
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This is kind of the Packers is what inspired this one, but there's other teams doing this, and this is split backs and busy backfields, you know, a lot of stuff's happening in the backfield in the NFL, and I don't just mean motion, which is a little bit about motion, but who is in the backfield?
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It used to just be a running back and then maybe you go full back, maybe you go on 3rd down, you got a running back in the tight end because of pass protection.
Now it's first down, you got two receivers back there.
You got to run back in the receiver.
You got a tight end in the receiver.
And the Packers, I thought, especially once they went through that little Maik Willis, uh, sabbatical when Jordan Love got hurt, it really inspired them to do more with their little spinner series.
They led the league and receive.
runs.
It was mainly Jane Reed, but they're just finding ways to get their talented players touches.
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And I think again, I'm talking about creativity with play callers, what coaches do this entire offseason is steal from each other.
when they just review and they go, Oh, that worked really well.
OK, how can we use that for our guys?
And I think teams are gonna watch teams like the Packers.
And others, uh, uh, uh, 49ers, of course, the Samuels, the Rams, always with their jet sweep guys.
um, the Cowboys actually with CD Lamb did some cool things, Chiefs always, and then the Broncos with Marvin Mips did some cool things too, putting him in the backfield as well.
But not just receiver runs, but getting receivers in the backfield.
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Two tight ends in the backfield with a running back and making full house backfields.
I saw the Cardinals doing that a good deal.
I see the Bengals doing it a ton.
The Bengals did some really cool stuff with getting the tight end in the backfield and basically being a de facto fullback.
Defenses with the too high with all the quarters and stuff.
They have to read and react and see what you're doing.
If you guys got guys in the backfield, you're changing gaps, and you can change it without doing too much on your own end on offense and being too crazy, just getting these guys in different spots.
So busy backfields.
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This is my scheme thing for this year.
Um, also, this is tied into more pistol.
Uh, 2024 featured the highest rate of pistol last year, um, ever, 8.6% league-wide.
They continued to trend from 2023.
That's tied.
Into this because when you're in pistol, you can kind of hybrid the backfield from gun looks and under center looks, and I think we're gonna see even more creativity with that because it's it's working for teams.
It's just a little change up.
You're not gonna major in it, but I do think more teams are gonna start using this changeup throughout the leagues and, uh, it's kind of cool when you see some talented players like Mims and Jareed get touches that aren't just like little 4 yard gains.
It's like first downs and explosive play, so I I I see more creativity happening on the offensive end on this side.
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