1943 Lions v. Redskins footage (color)

[JuggernautJ]

I think the formation is the single wing. The back you called a flanker would be the wingback (one of the halfbacks), and the one stationed behind the guard would the blocking back (usually called the quarterback, depending on the team's terminology). That's the way it looks to me, anyway.

Thanks, Bob.
The more I watched the video the more I came to that conclusion as the "T" and Single Wing were the most popular formations of the day and both teams were lining up in that formation (and it obviously wasn't the "T").
However, that version of the Single Wing seems different from the diagrams I've seen of same. Although I have to admit my "Film Study" pales in comparison to just about anyone here the formation still looked odd to me (for instance, the Single Wing is supposed to have an unbalanced line and this formation doesn't).

But hey, I'm here to learn and I certainly did so "thanks very much" for this instructive video and the lesson that accompanied it!!

[rhickok1109]

That's not the standard single wing. It incorporates features of the Dutch Meyer spread formation that Baugh played in at TCU.

For one thing, the line splits are wider. In the standard single wing, offensive linemen were virtually shoulder to shoulder. For another, in the standard single wing, the wingback was stationed outside the end. In this formation, both ends are split and the "wingback" is in a slot position, rather than a wing position; that was standard in the Meyer spread. Third, the man in motion was a feature of the Meyer spread (and of the early, pre-Shaughnessy T formation), but not of the single wing, so far as I know.

I strongly suspect that the Redskins had adapted their offense to what Baugh was comfortable and familiar with, just as the Duluth Eskimos and Chicago Cardinals had done with Ernie Nevers some years before.

[JuggernautJ]

Thank you SO much for the added info!

It is interesting that both teams were lining up in this same variation of the Single Wing.
Did that variation become the standard (variation of the Single Wing) in Pro Ball?

[coachtj]

....down & distance, the talents of the players involved are the keys to alignments used in variations of the single wing. even in the decade of the '50's nyg would align in the "a" formation, and variations of it.....then switch to the t-formation. we see today that slot receivers are used in many alignments(or motion)to create match-ups, or where the ball is on the field. my boy slingin' sam could take the field today after watching tom b. and understand the concept of the patriot offense. if you are accurate, decisive, and can read a coverage you can attack a defense.