Playbooks
Quick Reference
In 23 playbooks
Breakdown
Quick Slants out of the I Form Pro 21 personnel package puts three receivers in quick, high percentage routes designed to get the ball out fast against man and zone coverage alike. The X receiver runs a slant to the boundary, the TE releases from the backfield area and cuts up into a corner style route toward the sideline, and the Y or slot runs a shallow crossing route underneath while a curl route sits on the red route side to occupy the flat or hook defender. This is a man beater at its core, using natural picks and rub concepts from the crossing routes to shake defenders, but the quick timing also gives it zone beating value versus soft zone drops. Primary read progression starts with the underneath crosser working horizontally across the field, then works to the slant breaking inside, and finally to the corner route as a deep outlet if the defense sits low.
Defensive Reads
Watch for user controlled linebackers dropping into the shallow crossing route lane, since a lurking Mike or Will linebacker can jump the underneath route and create a turnover opportunity. Cover 3 with a hard sitting cornerback on the boundary can squat on the slant route, so check if the flat defender is sinking before throwing that route. Man coverage with press corners is vulnerable to the natural rub created by the crosser and slant combination, since the traffic forces defenders to fight through picks. Blitz packages that send extra rushers off the edge or through the A gap put pressure on the quick timing throws, so identify pre-snap blitz indicators like linebackers creeping toward the line or safeties rotating down into the box. Zone coverages with deep quarters shells can bracket the corner route on the far side, so do not force that throw if two defenders are sitting on top of it.
Usage Tips
Use this play on early downs or third and short situations where the defense expects run given the I Form 21 personnel look, since the quick game catches light boxes off guard.
Pre-snap, identify if the defense is showing single high or two high shell. Single high safety alignments with corners playing tight suggest man coverage, which is exactly what the crossing routes and slant are designed to exploit.
Hot route the fullback into a quick flat route or check release if you see a blitz look, since the extra blocker can pick up a delayed rusher while still giving you an outlet.
Pair this play with HB Blast Alert Z Lookie or HB Stretch Alert X Lookie earlier in a series to sell run action from the same personnel and formation, then come back to Quick Slants once the defense starts crowding the line of scrimmage.
Against zone heavy defenses, prioritize the shallow crosser and slant combo since both routes settle into soft spots before linebackers can drop into passing lanes.
