•  SB Ace Close and Deuce Close

These two can work hand in hand.  Both have a stretch and deuce has a wham.  It’s a one click over audible with essentially personnel in same spots.  Ace close has bench and PA Cross.  You can utilize motion to turn a corner into a post or the deep post into a deep corner.  Deuce also has PA cross, a bunch of drag wheels and the play Packer Bench is a nice flood play.  

•  SB Tight Doubles

This is a nice under center formation with some really crazy routes.  Think of Gun Tight Doubles out of the Steelers book, just under center.  Shallow cross has a skinny post on the weak side.  Motion him to the doubles side and you have a deep corner.  Pa Boot has a corner and post going the same way.  That post is a little deeper than we’d like, but can still be utilized best vs. man.  The play Under has crossers from both sides.  Main issue with this formation is a lack of run game.  Also, have to be careful of blocking heavy pressure. 

•  I Form Close

My gut tells me this formation will be back from the M20 vault to terrorize people.  The run game has flippable stretch, toss, power o, and dive.  PA Boot flow has the dreaded Post/Corner going the same way, and PA TE leak is a real glitchy pass play with the strong side WR on a sharp post, the TE on mid corner, and the solo WR on a deep post.  Should be able to bomb with this play and also create multiple route combos to beat man and zone. 

•  Strong Close

One of the few playbooks with strong close, this could be a really good formation.  The pass plays are great.  Double post allows you to attack the middle of the field (post on left is better than the right) PA deep cross has the deep post/cross combo which may be one of the better route combos in this year’s game.  PA Scissors has the TE on a sharp corner.  Motion him over to create a post.  WR out has the TE on a sharp post.  Conversely, motion him over to create a corner.  Also has a speed out and a table by the FB.  Y Trail was so glitchy back in M20.  That fade by the solo wr, when the strong side WR is motioned over, can crush man (was successful in the beta). Mesh post is crucial because you have a post by the strong side WR and FL Drive has a skinny post by the solo WR to bomb the other side.  Honestly, this is the best passing set as far as under center formations go IMO.  If you can pick up heat, you’re set.  You also can motion the fb to the strong side and create a U Trips look from under center.  Wish the run game had a more potent attack to the weak side.  A really nice balanced but explosive formation.

•  Doubles HB Weak

Not a sexy formation, but if man press isn’t great, there are some nice routes here.  It’s led by Shake HB Corner.  The outside doubles WR is on a post that hits a great spot on the field.  The slot WR is on a shake, the TE on a late developing wheel, and the solo wr on a skinny post.  If in breaking routes are good like we expect, this could be a hard play to defend.  Double Post has the te on a crosser and a deep in following behind. You have a deep post on the opposite side and the slot WR on that glitchy verticals post.  There are a bunch of ways to maximize both of these plays with motion.  Y Cross you can run stock.  Sail dig has the TE on a whip and the slot WR on a deep speed out.  PA Read as the solo WR on a sharper post.  The only real thing missing is a deep corner by the slot wr.  If you’re ok with more spread out sets, this may be one of the better options.  You can create a bunch of different looks using motion (y trips, trio weak, u trips)

•  Gun Bunch

The meta for so many years, it’s hard to judge just how good this can be considering the TE can’t be blocked.  You can’t deny the fact that it has great routes and spacing.  Speed dig might be a very nice bunch play this year with in breaking routes being very good.  That outside late breaking in route is way better than a standard deep in.  Smash return has a pivot and corner on the same side and we really think pivots and whips can be really good against man and blitzes this year.  Y curl came out of nowhere last year and still can effective at attacking the weak side hook curl area with by the solo wr.  518 hook might be back.  Was very good back in (m18/19?). You also have deep corner and, as we’ve mentioned many times throughout these write ups, having a deep post compressed might be the best route in the game this year.  Putting the solo wr on a comeback has been a bomb since forever.  Of course there’s verticals as well.  For the run game you have a hb base.  I really like this bunch.  Wish it had bunch frail

•  Gun Bunch Strg Offset

Toss, Inside Zone and and RPO are the three ways to run the ball here, and it’s one click over from Gun Bunch.  Y Trail, Flood, Durham and Corner Strike, all have unique ways of attacking both sidelines, the middle of the field and the seams.  A really nice complement to gun bunch.

•  Bunch TE

PA Boot Over is going to be the hell money play people will go to on day one.  Maybe it won’t be as OP as it was in M22, but it’s going to be annoying.  This version has curl flat corner (MIDDLE WR on a deep corner), mesh (outside wr on a corner) and triple out which is a really great way to attach the sideline of the bunch side.  Also has inside zone and the rpo.  Combine this with the bunch formations and you’re entering a hell scheme designed to pass heavily.

•  Gun Tight Offest TE

The meta formation in M23 is back in the Jets book.  It’s missing some plays…but…it has inside zone and trap to dominate on the ground.  The pass game has PA seams and y out.  Throw in bench, spot, and drive out and you have enough to drive someone crazy.

Overall Thoughts:  one of the best books in the game.  If you like heavy passing sets and audibling around in compression, this is the book for you.  A lot of downfield vertical concepts, but can also use short pass game.  Bunch, to bunch strong, to bunch te, to tight offset is just insane.

Grade:  A+