What it is

Trips means three receivers lined up on the same side of the field. The group is often a wide receiver, a slot receiver and a third player inside, all on one side of the formation.

In a game

The defense has to cover three players in a small space, and it can run out of defenders. Trips are often used to create a mismatch, for example by forcing a linebacker to cover a fast receiver.

More detail

A team may add a tight end or a running back to the trips side to make a “trips bunch” or a “trips tight” look. The remaining side of the formation usually has a single receiver, which gives the quarterback a simple choice: find the open player in the crowded side or throw to the single receiver one on one.

Animated diagram

1. Three receivers line up on the right side of the formation, and a single receiver is on the left.
2. The defenders on the right must cover three players in a small space.
3. The quarterback finds the open receiver in the crowded side, or throws to the single receiver on the other side.