Football Mythbusters: Breaking Down "The Wildcat"

(Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)

However, if a team with a less mobile QB kept their QB out wide, they could have a fourth option in the Wildcat, where they can run this play that the Dolphins ran against the Texans. 

On this play, Ronnie Brown handed the ball off to Williams, who went to the right on the sweep.  As Williams went around to the right, he pitched the ball to Pennington, who bombed the ball deep to his tight end.

This is yet another wrinkle in the Wildcat offense, making it even harder to defend.  However, teams have to decide whether this extra wrinkle is worth subjecting their QB to hits from defenders. 

Even if teams decide not to keep a QB out wide instead utilizing another WR in his place, the Wildcat formation is still a potent weapon to include in an offensive gameplan. 

Like any formation, it shouldn’t be overused, but using it a couple of times a game can force opposing defenses to spend extra time preparing against it, giving them less time to prepare against the other aspects of the team’s offense.

With the right personnel, the Wildcat can be a highly effective weapon.  The question then arises, which teams have such personnel?

San Diego: LaDainian Tomlinson has thrown seven touchdown passes in 11 attempts throughout his career.  Put him in the shotgun, Darren Sproles in the slot, and Phillip Rives out wide to the right.  With a tight end like Antonio Gates, the Wildcat could be an incredibly dangerous weapon for San Diego.

Minnesota: Apparently they’ve been experimenting with the Wildcat, with Percy Harvin in the shotgun and Adrian Peterson in the slot.  The reasoning behind this is that Harvin took direct snaps at Florida, so he’d be a good Wildcat QB.

Due to the Vikings' instability at QB, the Wildcat formation would be a great fit for the Vikings, and they could tweak it even better to suit their personnel.

First of all, I think they should put Peterson in the shotgun and Harvin in the slot.  Peterson is much better suited as a violent, between-the-tackles runner, and Harvin is a pure speed guy, better for running the sweep.

Vikings coaches have often said they want to put Chester Taylor and Adrian Peterson on the field at the same time, because Taylor is a talented back, too.  Instead of putting a QB out wide to the right, they could use Taylor there, and occasionally give him the ball on a reverse from the sweep.

The weakness with this would be that there is no passing threat present, meaning defenses could load up the box without fearing they’d be exploited through the air.  If Tarvaris Jackson could improve his accuracy, then he could become a factor in the offense.

Eliminate the WR on the left.  Instead, line up Jackson in the shotgun, with Peterson as his RB to the right.  Send Harvin in motion to the right.  Snap the ball, and Jackson can hand it off to Peterson and send him up the middle.

If he fakes the handoff to Peterson, he can then hand it off to Harvin on the sweep while Peterson runs up the middle as if he has the ball.  Harvin can run around to the right, and he could give the ball to Taylor on a reverse.

Also, Jackson could fake the handoff to both Peterson and Harvin, and then roll out of the pocket and pass the ball.  If nobody is open, he can scramble for a few yards, as he has proven he is more than capable of doing. 

This adds yet a FOURTH possible rusher to the formation, along with a threat of passing the ball.  To me, the Vikings could have the most exciting Wildcat offense in the league if they made the modifications I listed above.

Oakland: They don’t have a strong passing game, and Darren McFadden

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