Why 2014 is the year of the uptempo offense in the NFL

Shortens verbiage of play calls, shrinks those long play sheets

While professional players are trained to memorize an entire playbook the size of a high school textbook, an uptempo offense shrinks the verbiage used for each play, allowing for easier memorization.

In a traditional west coast offense, a play call like “Trips Right Zebra Left 72 ‘X’ Shallow Cross” would be shortened to just “X Cross.”  The quarterback just needs to remember his protection call (which in this case is the “72” in the long call) and his check downs with the calls.  The shortened calls also clear all of the mental clutter for the other players, allowing them to focus on their part of the play rather than trying to translate it.

It also allows coaches to go into games with a smaller play sheet, focusing on around 25 or more efficient plays through various formations rather than the usual 100-plus plays on the scroll that is the traditional offensive play card.