Swinging gate ( American football ) The Swinging Gate is an unorthodox set - piece play in American football , executed in either the offensive or special - teams sections of play . It is unusual in that the offensive line , with the exception of the center , will line up to one side of the field , leaving the quarterback and running back unprotected on the other . Its goal is to disconcert a defensive front in order to allow a quick screen pass to a wide receiver with six blockers , or to allow a short run by the running back . Surprise is the main goal of the play , and it is not typically run outside of short - yardage situations . It is not often found in the NFL , due to the danger of a quarterback injury . In a Wild Card playoff game on January 6 , 2008 against the San Diego Chargers , the Tennessee Titans lined up in the Swinging Gate formation on their first play from scrimmage . Tennessee quarterback Vince Young threw an incomplete pass on the play . In a December 21 , 2009 game between the Washington Redskins and the New York Giants , the Redskins attempted this play with Hunter Smith , the punter , at quarterback , which resulted in an interception . The play , originally formulated in the 1930s , still retains a modicum of popularity on high school and college teams , where the lesser athleticism of the players will allow the play to be performed with a greater degree of success . An example of the play can be found in the closing scenes of Adam Sandler ' s remake of the movie " The Longest Yard " , where Sandler ' s team executes the play successfully . Offensive . The offensive form of the play is rarely run , for the reasons above . However , it does offer several advantages to coaches willing to run it . With five eligible receivers , there are a multitude of targets for the quarterback , though he must get the ball off quickly , before the defense can recover from the initial ( presumed ) surprise at the unorthodox formation . The receiver at the far left will have six blockers , a crucial advantage for longer situations . A rushing attack with the formation tends to be useful only in short - yardage situations , as the lack of blockers for the running back will hamper any longer runs . The formation is typically used as a setup for a pass when not used on special teams . Special teams . The other , more common , use of the Swinging Gate formation is on special teams , as the offensive team attempts a two - point conversion . The unusual formation allows several different attacks , one of which is a rushing attack , which , thanks to the short yardage needed , is practical in a way that isn ' t on an ordinary play using this formation . If in a situation where the coach finds that his team does not absolutely require a successful two - point conversion , he may give his quarterback permission to call an audible and turn the play into a field goal attempt . In this " slide , " the players on the line move back to the center , the quarterback becomes the holder for a place kick , and the halfback becomes the kicker . Some teams initially line up in the formation for every or nearly every extra - point attempt before shifting back into a conventional placekicking formation . The reasons for doing this are ( 1 ) to attempt to catch the opposing team off guard and only then try a pass or run for two points and ( 2 ) to prevent the opposing team from blocking the PAT kick . If the opposing team lines up properly to defend against a run or pass from this formation , the team will not have enough time for its players to get into position to block a kick once the offense has shifted back into a conventional placekicking formation . This formation was utilized extensively on point - after - attempts at Southern Methodist University ( SMU ) during head coach Phil Bennett ' s tenure from 2002 - 2007 .