Gibbs is credited with inventing the single back, double or triple tight end set. He used it to neutralize Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor, realizing that to successfully block him with a running back was impossible. An extra tight end and a tackle were required as well. The extra tight end provided additional protection for the quarterback. Gibbs was also credited for creating the Trips formation: stacking three wide receivers to one side. Gibbs incorporated shifts and motions for which his offenses were known. The formations created mismatches and confused the opposing defenses which were subsequently exploited. He is one of few coaches that utilized the H-back position prominently in his offense.